highway highway road highway located state alaska highway series roads bridges tunnels connect area city highway travels mainly rural areas north passing parts route constructed early 1900s entire highway completed june highway extended rerouted main portion highway traveling western terminus visitors center designated route description portion traveling highway designated forest highway forest highways funded administered system created forest highways currently designated alaska begins grade intersection town point highway lane asphalt road immediately intersection road crosses line alaska railroad highway continues southeasterly direction north pine forests south miles roadway intersects small gravel road leads flats day use area access scenic hiking trails peaks hanging glaciers seen road view highway passes low lying wetland forest providing access pond day use area park highway continues southeastward providing access maintained roadway bends eastward passing small gravel roads road continues short distance passing associated buildings comprising headquarters unit highway continues creek bridge feet long allows highway cross small fed bridge ends start lake tunnel tunnel feet long constructed concrete route proceeds portion road known road passes coast borders large man cliff north portion route terminates creek bridge bridge feet long spans creek smaller creeks fed highway continues lane area toll booth anderson memorial tunnel road continues anderson memorial tunnel anderson memorial tunnel referred simply multi use highway railroad tunnel passes second longest highway tunnel longest combined rail highway tunnel north_america tunnel upgraded mixed use tunnel designed single highway lane floor tunnel constructed concrete panels feet feet railroad tracks sunken slightly road surface interior exposed rock contains safe houses small buildings case severe earthquakes vehicle fires tunnel contains pull outs reserved disabled vehicles tunnel uses combination portal fans jet engines ensure proper air flow air quality tunnel backup generators ensure traffic controls safe house ventilation systems tunnel continue function event power failure eastbound traffic westbound traffic share tunnel rail road traffic coordinated sophisticated computer based systems systems control timing vehicles entering tunnel safety lower railroad gates train approaching tunnel entrance designed shape large train sized garage door allows traffic tunnel entrance designed withstand force tunnel eastern terminus staging areas tunnel accommodate vehicles waiting pass track circuits tunnel problems replaced axle exiting tunnel highway enters lane staging area passes tunnel automated control systems traveling past single runway airport route intersects small roads pass trail access route running parallel alaska railroad line route continues mountains approximately miles passing marina route crosses creek immediately turning camp road street road crosses alaska railroad bending southeastward traveling past large parking lot camping headquarters traveling past businesses making central highway turns east intersects avenue short pedestrian roadway continues central reaching way intersection eastern avenue depot road route transfers road continues passage canal short distance traveling pier depot road splits away highway continues short distance dock access road reaching eastern terminus pier traffic highway maintained job measure traffic highway counts taken metric called annual average daily traffic aadt statistical calculation average daily number vehicles travel portion highway estimated aadt vehicles addition taking aadt takes monthly yearly counts highway road yearly traffic count vehicles roadway highest monthly traffic mid summer average nearly vehicles use tunnel month highway lowest monthly traffic late winter average monthly traffic monthly yearly counts taken entrance anderson memorial tunnel entire length highway designated connector route national_highway_system network roads important country economy defense mobility scenic recreational opportunities offers numerous scenic recreational opportunities located section designated short miles long trail miles long accessible flats day use area viewing area explorer located near turnout located near near fish viewing observation deck allows travelers view spanning salmon july september miles long loop accessible trail provides views turnout trail seen short cruise longer visible road past turnout lake large animals seen highway black brown bear species occasionally seen highway mountain goats seen sides mountains spring autumn migrating species ducks cranes seen region spawning salmon species seen unique species found trails area annually holds event pedestrians walk anderson memorial tunnel time pedestrians use tunnel event held held walk traditionally takes place june tolls toll charged access anderson tunnel fees collected vehicles traveling eastbound fee regular vehicle price vehicles pulling trailers pay higher toll set small buses regular charged large buses pay unusually sized vehicles feet wide feet high pay use vehicles exempt paying tolls owned emergency law enforcement vehicle vehicles owned operated state government agency school district pay seasonal passes available normal sized cars trucks priced average passenger vehicle toll cost mile average mile vehicle price trucks tunnel operated strict time schedule vehicles allowed minutes single direction alternating tunnel open summer months winter months history native trail earliest evidence transportation dates early people flat low lying valley pass people continued use valley passage bay creek fishing purposes established series trails creek russian fur traders early settlers continued use valley establishing trail creek burns glaciers possible boats travel valley passage canal creek trail usable continuous recession final party attempt use trail year forced climb feet avoid drop offs formed trail railroad development realized needed territories including alaska alaska declared vulnerable attack target existing railroad connecting anchorage began planning new roads railroads october general announced plans plan called existing railroad transferred construction road highway road richardson highway road week announcement plan surveying area taking place order sure safety building railroad terminal project strongly opposed city survey complete project definite early large groups people traveled washington protest moving railroad protests useless april passed bill providing project million equivalent respectively late april group began work clearing grading native trail hired assist construction future railroad tunnels army began working tunnel late august boring tunnel began east mountain shortly construction west began winter hindered construction tunnel mid november small building constructed entered world war december japanese bombing pearl harbor sparked need completion tunnel earlier expected end workers feet work tunnel rapidly increased summer large areas rock away controlled explosions dynamite material removed tunnel grading material parts railway supplies received schedule mainly war hindered progress tunnel june japanese forces attacked invaded islands provoking need complete tunnels sooner winter conditions slowed progress tunnels work railroad continued april project completed lead engineer tunnels namesake tunnel present railroad time fearing ready early roads army established series simple roads constructing railroad spur road exist began grow completion railroad spur port population reaching city including roads began form road generally relocated near location present highway time road location present highway existed graded dirt road highway probably paved small bridges route constructed today highway studies proposals late 1950s early 1960s military pulled allowing town grow commercial port location large tourist location military travel grew massively addition state paving highway began offering shuttle services mid-1960s allow vehicles drive transported train anderson memorial tunnel number people visiting grew progressively bringing larger number requests convenient affordable way transportation late 1970s proposal forward road preparation highway anchorage businessman purchased building planned convert resort highway proposal fell began study possible alternatives railroad cost million million finally initiated study alternative transportation system project named authorized conduct study study presented solutions increasing existing service installing high speed electric rail service constructing series highways mountain range building highway tunnels mountain range constructing highway existing railroad tunnel expanding tunnel withstand motor vehicles consulting members general public highway tunnel engineers decided forward option involving expansion anderson memorial tunnel construction highway november environmental impact statement created approved allowing project forward march state alaska announced final plans construction project predicted cost million project planned begin later year project met controversy december project begun cost construction million project planned begin march construction finally began governor alaska began construction detonated pounds explosives located unrelated project construction project halted director 10th region head project sued environmental agencies tourism groups headed ace brought suit grounds project violated section requires environmental impacts project assessed project feasible alternative ace held new highway needed improving existing rail service feasible option day construction stopped judicial ruling issued permitting work continue construction continued week halted lawsuit work project ruled mid july year district judge overseeing case ruled favor stated agency correct decision improved rail service suit compared landmark case citizens preserve supreme court ruled favor memphis tennessee citizens attempting protect plan route interstate acres forest unlike case project found feasible solution link ace appealed decision case went court upheld decision finding project affected small road necessary meet requirements link city legally significant appeared precedent established case interpreted saying shown implications building highway pose unusual situation work project finally approved following decision lawsuit project planned completed end far schedule phase construction consisted building creek bridge construction new tunnel contract phase awarded prior lawsuit work components completed late temporary bridge built tunnel constructed final phase replacing temporary bridge structure designed appear fit environment withstand regular seismic activity region minimal impact surrounding fish plant populations selected design approximately miles highway connect existing road anderson tunnel construction highway finished tunnel work began based nebraska awarded contract phase began planning tunnel design june began work project september tunnel construction involved vertically horizontally expanding existing rock walls beginning western entrance away feet rock face tunnel installed net prevent potential sideways clearing space vehicle turnaround areas work tunnel hindered different events crews working tunnel drunken resident drove truck tunnel got stuck rails october thirteen car train western entrance workers injured substantial equipment destroyed addition accidents crews work extreme weather claims workers deal winds mph minus degree temperatures snow feet deep wind drop point halted construction days despite conditions crews forced work winter project adjust train schedule trains ran daily summer work restricted hour shifts night winter months trains operating days week train scheduled come tunnel crews reported spent hours breaking equipment getting outside waiting train pass heading mountain following expanding tunnel steps crews took demolish existing entrance destroyed existing rail removed sections pre cast panels laid tracks old rail panels completed crews installed series anti panels drainage pipes tunnel clear winter months construction work completed schedule early town began number improvements help adjust road opening parking facilities increasing public town government approved long term changes city begin road opened including second harbor bike trail new system shopping center official opening ceremony held june marked protests group middle road attempt block traffic group hung banners signs ceremony attended people governor performed ribbon cutting rode tunnel model major junctions related route forest highway located entirely highway approximately miles long designated road serves branch park begins intersection route follows approximately miles passing park scenic turns lake loop road passing west designation shifts lake loop road road proceeds southward past low lying continues past small turnout area travels small creek proceeding eastward eastern terminus building parking lot visitor center major intersections entire highway located alaska
Portage Glacier Highway