AK-1 shieldAK-2 shieldAK-11 shieldAK-98 shield
Shields used for Alaska Routes
Highway names
InterstatesInterstate A-n (A-n) (unsigned)
StateAlaska 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.

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).

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

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

Number Length (mi) Length (km) Southern or western terminus Northern or eastern terminus Local names Formed Removed Notes
AK-1 545.92878.57 Marine Highway in HomerAK-2 (Alaska Highway) in Tok Sterling Highway, Seward Highway, Glenn Highway, Richardson Highway, Tok Cut-Off ——
AK-2 456.91735.33 Dead end in Manley Hot SpringsHwy 1 near Whitehorse, YT Elliott Highway, Steese Highway, Richardson Highway, Alaska Highway ——
AK-3 323520 AK-1 (Glenn Highway) in GatewayAK-2 (Richardson Highway) in Fairbanks George Parks Highway 01971-01-011971current
AK-4 266428 Marine Highway in ValdezAK-2 (Alaska Highway) in Delta Junction Richardson Highway ——
AK-5 160260 AK-2 (Alaska Highway) in Tetlin JunctionFront Street in Eagle Taylor Highway ——
AK-6 161259 AK-2 (Elliot Highway) in FoxRiver Road in Circle Steese Highway ——
AK-7 150.0241.4 Dead end in KetchikanHaines Highway at near Pleasant Camp, BC Tongass Highway, Mitkof Highway, Egan Drive, Haines Highway —— Segments in Juneau, Petersburg, and Ketchikan, connected by the Marine Highway
AK-8 135217 AK-3 (George Parks Highway) in CantwellAK-4 (Richardson Highway) in Paxson Denali Highway ——
AK-9 36.4958.72 Railway Avenue in SewardAK-1 (Sterling Highway) at Tern Lake junction Seward Highway ——
AK-10 49.579.7 AK-4 (Richardson Highway) in Copper CenterChitina Edgerton Highway ——
AK-10 83.5134.4 Marine Highway in CordovaDead end in McCarthy Copper River Highway, McCarthy Road ——
AK-11 414666 AK-2 Elliott Highway in LivengoodEast Lake Colleen Drive in Deadhorse Dalton Highway 01978-01-011978current
AK-98 13.421.6 Marine Highway in SkagwayHwy 2 near Fraser, BC Klondike Highway 01998-01-011998current

Alaska named highways

Highways listed below are not signed as numbered state routes.

Number Length (mi) Length (km) Southern or western terminus Northern or eastern terminus Formed Removed Notes
Alaska Peninsula Highway —— NaknekKing Salmon ——
Chena Hot Springs Road —— Old Steese Highway north of FairbanksChena Hot Springs ——
Denali Park Road —— Mile 237 (km 382) Parks Highway (in Denali National Park)Kantishna ——
Douglas Highway —— Douglas IslandDouglas Island ——
Hope Highway 17.86128.744 AK-1 (Seward Highway) near HopePorcupine Campgrounds in Hope 01928-01-01c. 1928current Forest Highway 14 inside Chugach National Forest
Johansen Expressway 4.26.8 University Avenue in CollegeAK-2 (Steese Expressway) in Fairbanks —— Only highway in Alaska to have exit numbers
Kenai Spur Highway 38.78762.422 AK-1 (Sterling Highway) in SoldotnaBay Beach Road in Nikiski 01951-01-01c. 1951current On the Kenai Peninsula
Minnesota Drive Expressway 7.56012.167 Old Seward Highway in AnchorageWest 15th Avenue in Anchorage 01950-01-01c. 1950current
Nome–Council Highway 71.970115.824 Nome Bypass Road / Front Street in NomeDead end at Niukluk River in Council 01906-01-011906current
Nome–Taylor Highway —— NomeTaylor ——
Nome–Teller Highway 72116 NomeTeller —— Also called the Bob Blodgett Highway
Palmer–Wasilla Highway —— PalmerWasilla ——
Portage Glacier Highway 11.5918.65 AK-1 (Seward Highway) in PortageMarine Highway in Whittier 02000-01-012000current
Salmon River Road 11.71018.845 Wharf near Canada–United States border in Hyder, AlaskaCanada–United States border near Premier, British Columbia (Granduc Road) —— Known as NFD 88 Road inside Tongass National Forest
Top of the World Highway 79127 AK-5 (Taylor Highway) near Jack WadeHwy 9 at the Canada–United States border 01955-01-01c. 1955current
Zimovia Highway 1423 WrangellMcCormick 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).[2] The Marine Highway was declared a National Scenic Byway by the FHWA on June 13, 2002;[3] and later declared an All-American Road on September 22, 2005.[4]

The system is divided into different regions of service: Southeast, Cross-Gulf, Prince William Sound, South-Central, and Southwest.[5][6][7]

See also

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.
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