Alaska highway

Alaska Highway
Route information
Length:	2,232 km (1,387 mi) (as of 2012)
Existed:	1942 – present
Component highways:	BC 97 Hwy 1 AK-2
Major junctions
South end:	BC 97 in Dawson Creek, BC
	BC 29 in Charlie Lake, BC BC 77 near Fort Nelson, BC Hwy 4 in Watson Lake, YT Hwy 37 near Upper Liard, YT Hwy 6 at Johnsons Crossing, YT Hwy 8 at Jakes Corner, YT Hwy 2 in Carcross Cutoff, YT and Whitehorse, YT Hwy 3 at Haines Junction, YT AK-5 at Tetlin Junction, AK AK-1 in Tok, AK
North end:	AK-2 / AK-4 at Delta Junction, AK
Location
Major cities:	Fort St. John, BC; Fort Nelson, BC; Watson Lake, YT; Whitehorse, YT; Tok, AK; Delta Junction, AK
Highway system
British Columbia provincial highways Territorial highways in Yukon Miscellaneous Alaska Routes Interstate U.S. Scenic Byways ← BC 95A BC 97 BC 97A → ← Hwy 37 Hwy 1 Hwy 2 → ← AK-1 AK-2 AK-3 →

The Alaska Highway (also known as the Alaskan Highway, Alaska-Canadian Highway, or ALCAN Highway) was constructed during World War II for the purpose of connecting 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. Completed in 1942 at a length of approximately 1,700 miles (2,700 km), as of 2012^[update] it is 1,387 mi (2,232 km) long. The difference in distance is due to constant reconstruction of the highway, which has rerouted and straightened out numerous sections. The highway was opened to the public in 1948. Legendary over many decades for being a rough, challenging drive, the highway is now paved over its entire length.

An informal system of historic mileposts developed over the years to denote major stopping points; Delta Junction, at the end of the highway, makes reference to its location at "Historic Milepost 1422." It is at this point that the Alaska Highway meets the Richardson Highway, which continues 96 mi (155 km) to the city of Fairbanks. This is often regarded, though unofficially, as the northern portion of the Alaska Highway, with Fairbanks at Historic Milepost 1520. Mileposts on this stretch of highway are measured from Valdez, rather than the Alaska Highway. The Alaska Highway is popularly (but unofficially) considered part of the Pan-American Highway, which extends south (despite its discontinuity in Panama) to Argentina.

Proposals for a highway to Alaska originated in the 1920s. Thomas MacDonald, director of the U.S. Bureau of Public Roads, dreamed of an international highway spanning the United States and Canada. In order to promote the highway, Slim Williams originally traveled the proposed route by dogsled. Since much of the route would pass through Canada, support from the Canadian government was crucial. However, the Canadian government perceived no value in putting up the required funds to build the road, since the only part of Canada that would benefit was not more than a few thousand people in Yukon.

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Wikipedia