Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
THE ALASKA HIGHWAY
The Alaska Highway started out as a war measure. The Americans,
who initiated the project, wanted to create a communication route
that would permit the transport of military equipment, provisions
and troops by land to Alaska. Construction started in March 1942,
in the village of Dawson Creek, which had only 600 inhabitants at
the time. Within a few weeks, over 10,000 people, mostly military
workers, had fl ooded into the area. Over 11,000 American soldiers
and engineers, 16,000 civilian workers and 7,000 machines and trac-
tors of every description were required to clear a passage through
thousands of kilometres of wilderness. The cost of this gargantuan
project, which stretched 2,436km and included 133 bridges, came to
$140 million (CAD). Even today, the building of the Alaska Highway is
viewed as a feat of engineering on a par with the Panamá Canal. The
Canadian section (Highway 97) remained under military supervision
until 1964.
Today, this extraordinary highway is a vital social and economic link
for all northern towns. It also offers tourists from all over the world
unhoped-for access to the majestic landscapes of this region.
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The endless forest landscape of the Alaska Highway.
© Pierre Longnus
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