List of Alaska Routes

Last updated

Alaska 1 shield.svg Alaska 2 shield.svg Alaska 11 shield.svg Alaska 98 shield.svg
Shields used for Alaska Routes
Highway names
Interstates Interstate A-n (A-n) (unsigned)
State Alaska Route n (AK-n) or Route n
System links

Alaska Routes are both numbered and named. There have been only twelve state highway numbers issued (1 through 11 and 98), and the numbering often has no obvious pattern. For example, Alaska Route 4 (AK-4) runs north and south, whereas AK-2 runs largely east and west, but runs north and south passing through and to the north of Fairbanks. The Klondike Highway, built in 1978, was unnumbered until 1998, when it was given its designation during the centennial of the Klondike Gold Rush. However, many Alaskan highways of greater length than the Klondike Highway remain unnumbered.

Contents

Mileposts, frequently used for road markers and official addressing in rural areas, are also more commonly reckoned by landmark names.

Within Alaska, roads are almost invariably referred to by name or general destination, and not by number(s).[ citation needed ]

Numbered routes often span multiple highway names. For example, AK-1 can refer to any of the Glenn Highway, Seward Highway, Sterling Highway, or Tok Cut-Off; meanwhile, portions of the Seward Highway are numbered AK-1, AK-9 and Interstate A3 (A-3).

Highways

U.S. Highways

US 97 (1961).svg

The Alaskan portion of the Alaska Highway was proposed to be designated part of U.S. Highway 97 (US-97), but this was never carried out. Certain prior editions of USGS topographic maps, mostly published during the 1950s, do bear the US-97 highway shield along or near portions of the current AK-2. [1]

Alaska numbered highways

NumberLength (mi)Length (km)Southern or western terminusNorthern or eastern terminusLocal namesFormedRemovedNotes
Alaska 1 shield.svg AK-1 545.92878.57 Marine Highway in Homer AK-2 (Alaska Highway) in Tok Sterling Highway, Seward Highway, Glenn Highway, Richardson Highway, Tok Cut-Off
Alaska 2 shield.svg AK-2 456.91735.33Dead end in Manley Hot Springs Hwy 1 near Whitehorse, YT Elliott Highway, Steese Highway, Richardson Highway, Alaska Highway
Alaska 3 shield.svg AK-3 323520 AK-1 (Glenn Highway) in Gateway AK-2 (Richardson Highway) in Fairbanks George Parks Highway 01971-01-011971current
Alaska 4 shield.svg AK-4 266428 Marine Highway in Valdez AK-2 (Alaska Highway) in Delta Junction Richardson Highway
Alaska 5 shield.svg AK-5 109175 AK-2 (Alaska Highway) in Tetlin Junction Hwy 9 (Top of the World Highway) at Canadian Border Taylor Highway, Top of the World Highway Formerly continued north to end of Taylor Highway at Eagle. [2]
Alaska 6 shield.svg AK-6 161259 AK-2 (Elliot Highway) in Fox River Road in Circle Steese Highway
Alaska 7 shield.svg AK-7 150.0241.4Dead end in Ketchikan Haines Highway at near Pleasant Camp, BC Tongass Highway, Mitkof Highway, Glacier Highway, Egan Drive, Haines Highway Segments in Juneau, Petersburg, and Ketchikan, connected by the Marine Highway
Alaska 8 shield.svg AK-8 135217 AK-3 (George Parks Highway) in Cantwell AK-4 (Richardson Highway) in Paxson Denali Highway
Alaska 9 shield.svg AK-9 36.4958.72Railway Avenue in Seward AK-1 (Sterling Highway) at Tern Lake junction Seward Highway
Alaska 10 shield.svg AK-10 49.579.7 AK-4 (Richardson Highway) in Copper Center Chitina Edgerton Highway
Alaska 10 shield.svg AK-10 83.5134.4 Marine Highway in Cordova Dead end in McCarthy Copper River Highway, McCarthy Road
Alaska 11 shield.svg AK-11 414666 AK-2 Elliott Highway in Livengood East Lake Colleen Drive in Deadhorse Dalton Highway 01978-01-011978current
Alaska 98 shield.svg AK-98 13.421.6 Marine Highway in Skagway Hwy 2 near Fraser, BC Klondike Highway 01998-01-011998current

Alaska named highways

Highways listed below are not signed as numbered state routes.

NumberLength (mi)Length (km)Southern or western terminusNorthern or eastern terminusFormedRemovedNotes
Alaska Peninsula Highway Naknek King Salmon
Chena Hot Springs Road Old Steese Highway north of Fairbanks Chena Hot Springs
Douglas Highway Douglas Island Douglas Island
Hope Highway 17.86128.744 AK-1 (Seward Highway) near Hope Porcupine Campgrounds in Hope01928-01-01c.1928currentForest Highway 14 inside Chugach National Forest
Johansen Expressway 4.26.8University Avenue in College AK-2 (Steese Expressway) in Fairbanks Only highway in Alaska to have exit numbers
Kenai Spur Highway 38.78762.422 AK-1 (Sterling Highway) in Soldotna Bay Beach Road in Nikiski 01951-01-01c.1951currentOn the Kenai Peninsula
Minnesota Drive Expressway 7.56012.167 Old Seward Highway in Anchorage West 15th Avenue in Anchorage01950-01-01c.1950current
Nome–Council Highway 71.970115.824Nome Bypass Road / Front Street in Nome Dead end at Niukluk River in Council 01906-01-011906current
Nome–Taylor Highway Nome Taylor
Nome–Teller Highway 72116 Nome Teller Also called the Bob Blodgett Highway
Palmer–Wasilla Highway Palmer Wasilla
Portage Glacier Highway 11.5918.65 AK-1 (Seward Highway) in Portage Marine Highway in Whittier 02000-01-012000current
Salmon River Road 11.71018.845Wharf near Canada–United States border in Hyder, Alaska Canada–United States border near Premier, British Columbia (Granduc Road)Known as NFD 88 Road inside Tongass National Forest
Taylor Highway 64103 AK-5 (Top of the World Highway) near Jack Wade Front Street in Eagle Formerly part of AK-5.
Zimovia Highway 1423 Wrangell McCormick Creek Road in Wrangell

Marine Highway system

The Alaska Marine Highway and several other Alaska highways or routes are recognized as "highways" eligible for federal funding by the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA). [3] The Marine Highway was declared a National Scenic Byway by the FHWA on June 13, 2002; [4] and later declared an All-American Road on September 22, 2005. [5]

The system is divided into different regions of service: Southeast, Cross-Gulf, Prince William Sound, South-Central, and Southwest. [6] [7] [8]

See also

Related Research Articles

The Alaska Highway was constructed during World War II to connect the contiguous United States to Alaska across Canada. It begins at the junction with several Canadian highways in Dawson Creek, British Columbia, and runs to Delta Junction, Alaska, via Whitehorse, Yukon. When it was completed in 1942, it was about 2,700 kilometres (1,700 mi) long, but in 2012, it was only 2,232 km (1,387 mi). This is due to the realignments of the highway over the years, which has rerouted and straightened many sections. The highway opened to the public in 1948. Once legendary for being a rough, challenging drive, the highway is now paved over its entire length. Its component highways are British Columbia Highway 97, Yukon Highway 1, and Alaska Route 2.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">U.S. Route 97</span> North–south highway in the northwestern United States

U.S. Route 97 (US 97) is a major north–south route of the United States Numbered Highway System in the Pacific Northwest region. It runs for approximately 670 miles (1,078 km) through the states of California, Oregon, and Washington, primarily serving interior areas on the east side of the Cascade Mountains. The highway terminates to the south at a junction with Interstate 5 (I-5) in Weed, California, and to the north at the Canadian border near Osoyoos, British Columbia, where it becomes British Columbia Highway 97. Major cities on the US 97 corridor include Klamath Falls, Bend, and Redmond in Oregon; and Yakima, Ellensburg, and Wenatchee in Washington. A portion of the highway in California and Oregon is part of the Volcanic Legacy Scenic Byway.

The Glenn Highway is a highway in the U.S. state of Alaska, extending 179 miles (288 km) from Anchorage near Merrill Field to Glennallen on the Richardson Highway. The Tok Cut-Off is often considered part of the Glenn Highway, for a total length of 328 miles (528 km).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">George Parks Highway</span> Highway in Alaska, United States

The George Parks Highway, usually called simply the Parks Highway, runs 323 miles (520 km) from the Glenn Highway 35 miles (56 km) north of Anchorage to Fairbanks in the Alaska Interior. The highway, originally known as the Anchorage-Fairbanks Highway, was completed in 1971, and given its current name in 1975.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Alaska Railroad</span> Alaskan Class II railroad system

The Alaska Railroad is a Class II railroad that operates freight and passenger trains in the state of Alaska. The railroad's mainline runs between Seward on the southern coast and Fairbanks, near the center of the state. It passes through Anchorage and Denali National Park, to which 17% of visitors travel by train.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Alaska Marine Highway</span> Ferry system serving the U.S. state of Alaska

The Alaska Marine Highway (AMH) or the Alaska Marine Highway System (AMHS) is a ferry service operated by the U.S. state of Alaska. It has its headquarters in Ketchikan, Alaska.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sterling Highway</span> Highway in Alaska, United States

The Sterling Highway is a 138-mile-long (222 km) state highway in the south-central region of the U.S. state of Alaska, leading from the Seward Highway at Tern Lake Junction, 90 miles (140 km) south of Anchorage, to Homer.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Seward Highway</span> Highway in Alaska, United States

The Seward Highway is a highway in the U.S. state of Alaska that extends 125 miles (201 km) from Seward to Anchorage. It was completed in 1951 and runs through the scenic Kenai Peninsula, Chugach National Forest, Turnagain Arm, and Kenai Mountains. The Seward Highway is numbered Alaska Route 9 (AK-9) for the first 37 miles (60 km) from Seward to the Sterling Highway and AK-1 for the remaining distance to Anchorage. At the junction with the Sterling Highway, AK-1 turns west towards Sterling and Homer. About eight miles (13 km) of the Seward Highway leading into Anchorage is built to freeway standards. In Anchorage, the Seward Highway terminates at an intersection with 5th Avenue, which AK-1 is routed to, and which then leads to the Glenn Highway freeway.

The Steese Highway is a highway in the Interior region of the U.S. state of Alaska that extends 161 miles (259 km) from Fairbanks to Circle, a town on the Yukon River about 50 miles (80 km) south of the Arctic Circle. The highway was completed in 1927 and is named for U.S. Army General James G. Steese, a former president of the Alaska Road Commission. It is paved for about the first 81 miles (130 km) and around the town of Central it turns to dirt and gravel. Much of it is narrow and winding.

This article discusses transportation in the U.S. state of Alaska.

MV <i>Lituya</i>

MV Lituya is a shuttle ferry operated by the Alaska Marine Highway System. Her route connects Metlakatla on Annette Island to Ketchikan.

The United States Bicycle Route System is the national cycling route network of the United States. It consists of interstate long-distance cycling routes that use multiple types of bicycling infrastructure, including off-road paths, bicycle lanes, and low-traffic roads. As with the complementary United States Numbered Highways system for motorists, each U.S. Bicycle Route is maintained by state and local governments. The USBRS is intended to eventually traverse the entire country, like the Dutch National Cycle Routes and the United Kingdom's National Cycle Network, yet at a scale similar to the EuroVelo network that spans Europe.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Connecticut Route 49</span> State highway in southeast Connecticut, US

Route 49 is a Connecticut state highway from Route 2 in Stonington to Route 14A in Sterling, in the southeast part of the state. It is a scenic route that runs 21.74 miles (34.99 km) through the Pachaug State Forest.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Alaska Route 1</span> Highway in Alaska, United States

Alaska Route 1 (AK-1) is a state highway in the southern part of the U.S. state of Alaska. It runs from Homer northeast and east to Tok by way of Anchorage. It is one of two routes in Alaska to contain significant portions of freeway: the Seward Highway in south Anchorage and the Glenn Highway between Anchorage and Palmer.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Exit numbers in the United States</span> Conventions on assigning numbers to highway exits in the United States

Exit numbers in the United States are assigned to freeway junctions, and are usually numbered as exits from freeways. Exit numbers generally are found above the destinations and route number(s) at the exit, as well as a sign in the gore. Exit numbers typically reset at political borders such as state lines. Some major streets also use exit numbers. Freeway exits in the United States are usually numbered in two formats: distance-based and sequential.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Interstate 795 (North Carolina)</span> Highway in North Carolina

Interstate 795 (I-795) is a 25.49-mile (41.02 km) auxiliary Interstate Highway in the US state of North Carolina. It connects the city of Goldsboro to I-95 just south of Wilson, paralleling the northern portion of US Route 117 (US 117). The road runs a five-mile (8.0 km) concurrency with US 264 and I-587 in the last section of the route. It serves as a primary freeway spur for the city of Goldsboro to the Interstate Highway System, as well part of a major cargo route for the cities of Down East, which was a part of the impetus for its designation in 2007. Future plans call for the interstate to be further extended southward to meet I-40 near Faison.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Alaska Department of Transportation & Public Facilities</span> Government agency in Alaska, United States

The Alaska Department of Transportation & Public Facilities (DOT&PF) is a department within the government of Alaska. Its headquarters are in Alaska's capital city, Juneau. The mission of Alaska DOT&PF is to "Keep Alaska Moving through service and infrastructure."The Alaska Department of Transportation was established on July 1, 1977, by Alaska Highway Commissioner Walter Parker during the administration of Governor Jay Hammond. The Alaska Department of Transportation and Public Facilities merged the former departments of Highways and Public Works.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Outline of Alaska</span> 49th and least populated state of U.S

The following outline is provided as an overview of and topical guide to the U.S. state of Alaska:

The Portage Glacier Highway, or Portage Glacier Road, is a highway located in the U.S. state of Alaska. The highway is made up of a series of roads, bridges, and tunnels that connect the Portage Glacier area of the Chugach National Forest and the city of Whittier to the Seward Highway. Most of the highway travels through mainly rural areas just north of the Kenai Peninsula, with the Anton Anderson Memorial Tunnel passing under Maynard Mountain, part of the Chugach Mountain Range. Parts of the route were first constructed in the early 1900s, and the entire highway was completed on June 7, 2000, as part of the Whittier Access Project. The main portion of the highway traveling from the western terminus to the Begich, Boggs Visitor Center at Portage Lake is designated as National Forest Highway 35 by the United States Forest Service (USFS).

References

  1. "History". Highway 97 in British Columbia, Washington, Oregon, & California. Summit Solutions Ltd. 2011. Retrieved September 17, 2018.
  2. "Title 23 Section 218 United States Code" (PDF). U.S. Congress.
  3. "New 2002 National Scenic Byways". Federal Highway Administration.
  4. "New 2005 All-American Roads". Federal Highway Administration.
  5. "AMHS Routes". Alaska Marine Highway System.
  6. "AMHS Running Times". Alaska Marine Highway System.
  7. "AMHS Schedules". Alaska Marine Highway System.