Elliott Highway
| |
|---|---|
| Route information | |
| Maintained by Alaska DOT&PF | |
| Length: | 152 mi (245 km) |
| Major junctions | |
| West end: | Dead end in Manley Hot Springs |
 AK-11 (Dalton Highway) in Livengood | |
| East end: |
  AK-2 / AK-6 (Steese Highway) in Fox |
| Highway system | |
The Elliott Highway is a highway in the U.S. state of Alaska that extends 152 miles (245 km) from Fox, about 10 miles (16 km) north of Fairbanks, to Manley Hot Springs. It was completed in 1959 and is part of Alaska Route 2.
Route description
The highway is paved and in generally good condition year-round between Fairbanks and the junction with the Dalton Highway, but reverts to an unpaved road for the final 80 miles (130 km) to Manley Hot Springs. This portion of the road, particularly in winter, can be very challenging to navigate due to overflow of ice and water on the road, high-wind areas, and drifting snow. There is no cellular telephone service available on the Elliott Highway, though there is fuel available in Minto, and traffic, particularly past the Dalton Highway cutoff, can be extremely sparse. Travelers are advised to check road conditions before traveling this road through the state transportation hotline at . Travelers should always carry emergency supplies and fuel enough for 400 miles (640 km) when driving this highway. Near Manley Hot Springs there is a 25 mile side road to Tofty, which is passable with terrain vehicles.
The Dalton Highway begins 73 miles (118 km) north of Fox at its junction with the Elliott Highway.
Future
A 500-mile (800 km) road project (Manley Hot Springs–Nome) is being discussed in Alaska. It has been estimated (in 2010) to cost $2.3–2.7 billion, or approximately $5 million per mile.[1][2]
The road to Nome has received hesitation because of the cost. The governor Sean Parnell wants, as a beginning, build a road Manley Hot Springs–Tanana, around 35 miles length, and a detailed study is being made during 2012[3]
As of 2013, the Governor Parnell has issued $28.5 million to be funded towards the "Roads to Resources 2013" which is a statewide project in order to construct roads to connect to towns where the main system of transportation is flying. Out of the $28.5 million, $10 million has be put aside for constructing a 35 mile road to Tanana from Manley Hot Springs. The funding will start a support of preliminary routing, permitting, and environmental work on a road to Tanana from the existing highway system will improve access to mineral deposits and between remote villages, larger hub communities and road networks near Fairbanks. It will also reduce the cost of goods and services in remote villages, thereby supporting their continued sustainability. Funding for 2013 is expected to pay for preliminary studies and research. Funding is expected as of August, 2013 to continue through 2014 and following years.[4] Construction of the road to Tanana started in July 2014, with completion expected December 2015.[5] The road will end on the south side of the Yukon River, so a boat trip will also be needed to reach Tanana.
See also
Junction list
See the article on Alaska Route 2 for an updated major intersections list.
References
Route map: Bing
- ↑ COCKERHAM, SEAN (January 27, 2010). "Nome road could cost $2.7 billion". Anchorage Daily News. Retrieved 7 February 2010.
- ↑ "WESTERN ALASKA ACCESS PLANNING STUDY CORRIDOR PLANNING REPORT" (PDF). January 2010.
- ↑ Study Aims To Determine Feasibility Of Tanana Road To Fairbanks
- ↑ Roads to Resources
- ↑ Alaska starts work on road to Tanana