Alcan Highway — Key Statistics

At a Glance

• Year Built: 1942

• Construction Time: Approximately 8 months

• Original Purpose: Military supply route during World War II

• Opened to Public: 1948

Length and Route

• Total Length: Approximately 1,387 miles (2,232 km)

• Start Point: Dawson Creek, British Columbia

• End Point: Delta Junction, Alaska

Construction Scale

• Over 10,000 military personnel and civilians contributed to construction

• Built across:

  • Mountain ranges

  • Permafrost zones

  • Swamps and muskeg

• Constructed with minimal existing infrastructure in remote wilderness

Modern Use

• Used by hundreds of thousands of travelers annually

• Serves:

  • Tourism and overland travel

  • Commercial transport

  • Access to remote communities

Note: Annual traffic varies and is not consistently published across the full route.

Road Conditions Today

• Ongoing impacts from:

  • Frost heave

  • Seasonal maintenance

  • Weather conditions

• Road surface includes:

  • Paved sections

  • Rough pavement

  • Construction zones

Why It Matters

The Alcan Highway is not a static road system. Conditions change frequently due to environment, maintenance, and traffic.

Reliable, real-time information is critical for:

• Safe travel

• Trip planning

• Fuel management

• Hazard awareness