Page 4 - RV Alaska

Since the early 1900’s various groups
in Canada and the US had pressed for
a highway to Alaska. In 1930 the US
government established the Alaska
International Highway Commission
and in 1931 a similar body was set
up by the Canadian government to
study the location, financing and
construction of such a road.
Finally, two major routes were
chosen. Route “A” started from
Vancouver,B.C. and went through
Prince George, Hazelton, Telegraph
Creek and Atlin and on to Whitehorse:
1275 miles approximately. Route
“B” went through Prince George,
Fort St. James, Dease Lake and
Atlin to Whitehorse: 1250 miles
approximately. Several other routes
were proposed for special or local
reasons. The major reason advanced
for constructing the road was the
advantage of a land link to Alaska in
time of war. The major problem was
always financing.
In February 1942, the American armed
forces, ignoring all previous plans and
studies, chose the present and, until
then, unconsidered route. The need
for an access and service road for the
string of airfields being built between
Edmonton and Fairbanks to supply
Russia with aircraft was immediate;
local and future economic needs of
the region were of secondary
importance. An agreement with the
Canadian government was quickly
reached.
Surveys were started the same month
and by April 1942 construction had
begun. Round-the-clock work by
9,000 US Army Engineers saw a
usable truck road pushed through by
late November. Following the troops
came the civilian contractors, 77 of
them: 62 American and 15 Canadian
firms employed 12,000 men to bring
the road up to standard by late 1943.
In all, 7,000 pieces of equipment were
used.
The US government paid all
construction costs and the cost of
maintenance up to 1 April 1946,
when the Canadian section was
turned over to the Canadian Army
Engineers. The airfields and land
communication systems were turned
over to the RCAF at the same time.
The road was maintained until 1965
by the Canadian Army Engineers and
from that date by the Departments
of Highways of the Yukon Territory
and British Columbia, with Federal
assistance. The total cost of the
highway to 1 April 1946 was never
revealed but estimates placed it above
$138,000,000.
Officially and originally named the
“Alaska military Highway”, the men
on the job soon shortened this
to “The Alcan”. Neither name was
popular with the public, which had
followed the construction with great
interest. On 25 March 1943, Anthony
J. Dimond, Congressman from
Alaska, proposed the name, “The
Alaska Highway”, which was officially
adopted by both governments on 19
July 1943.
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5651 - Alaska Highway, Fort Nelson, BC
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Mile 300 on the Alaska Highway
2 Alaska Highway
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