Alaska Routes are both numbered and named. There have been only twelve state highway numbers issued (1 through 11 and 98), and the numbering often has no obvious pattern. For example, Alaska Route 4 (AK-4) runs north and south, whereas AK-2 runs largely east and west, but runs north and south passing through and to the north of Fairbanks. The

Klondike Highway The Klondike Highway is a highway that runs from the Alaska Panhandle through the province of British Columbia and the territory of Yukon in Canada, linking the coastal town of Skagway, Alaska, to Dawson City, Yukon. Its route somewhat pa ...

, built in 1978, was unnumbered until 1998, when it was given its designation during the centennial of the Klondike Gold Rush. However, many Alaskan highways of greater length than the Klondike Highway remain unnumbered. Mileposts, frequently used for road markers and official addressing in rural areas, are also more commonly reckoned by landmark names. Within Alaska, roads are almost invariably referred to by name or general destination, and not by number(s). Numbered routes often span multiple highway names. For example, AK-1 can refer to any of the Glenn Highway,

Seward Highway The Seward Highway is a highway in the U.S. state of Alaska that extends from Seward to Anchorage. It was completed in 1951 and runs through the scenic Kenai Peninsula, Chugach National Forest, Turnagain Arm, and Kenai Mountains. The Seward H ...

, Sterling Highway, or

Tok Cut-Off Alaska Route 1 (AK-1) is a state highway in the southern part of the U.S. state of Alaska. It runs from Homer northeast and east to Tok by way of Anchorage. It is one of two routes in Alaska to contain significant portions of freeway: the S ...

; meanwhile, portions of the

are numbered AK-1, AK-9 and Interstate A3 (A-3).

Highways

U.S. Highways

The Alaskan portion of the Alaska Highway was proposed to be designated part of U.S. Highway 97 (US-97), but this was never carried out. Certain prior editions of

USGS The United States Geological Survey (USGS), formerly simply known as the Geological Survey, is a scientific agency of the United States government. The scientists of the USGS study the landscape of the United States, its natural resources, a ...

topographic maps, mostly published during the 1950s, do bear the US-97 highway shield along or near portions of the current AK-2.

Alaska numbered highways

Alaska named highways

Highways listed below are not signed as numbered state routes.

Marine Highway system

The

Alaska Marine Highway The Alaska Marine Highway (AMH) or the Alaska Marine Highway System (AMHS) is a ferry service operated by the U.S. state of Alaska. It has its headquarters in Ketchikan, Alaska. The Alaska Marine Highway System operates along the south-central ...

and several other Alaska highways or routes are recognized as "highways" eligible for federal funding by the

Federal Highway Administration The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) is a division of the United States Department of Transportation that specializes in highway transportation. The agency's major activities are grouped into two programs, the Federal-aid Highway Program ...

(FHWA). The Marine Highway was declared a National Scenic Byway by the FHWA on June 13, 2002; and later declared an

All-American Road A National Scenic Byway is a road recognized by the United States Department of Transportation for one or more of six "intrinsic qualities": archeological, cultural, historic, natural, recreational, and scenic. The program was established by C ...

on September 22, 2005. The system is divided into different regions of service: Southeast, Cross-Gulf, Prince William Sound, South-Central, and Southwest.

Gallery

Glenn Highway and Mount Drum.jpg, The Glenn Highway, eastbound near Glennallen, is part of Interstate A1. Richardson Highway Badger Road Interchange.jpg, An interchange between the

Richardson Highway The Richardson Highway is a highway in the U.S. state of Alaska, running 368 miles (562 km) and connecting Valdez to Fairbanks. It is marked as Alaska Route 4 from Valdez to Delta Junction and as Alaska Route 2 from there to Fairbanks. I ...

, part of Interstate A2, and Badger Road in Fairbanks. Highway, bay, and mountains, Alaska.jpg, The Sterling Highway, westbound near

Homer Homer (; grc, Ὅμηρος , ''Hómēros'') (born ) was a Greek poet who is credited as the author of the ''Iliad'' and the ''Odyssey'', two epic poems that are foundational works of ancient Greek literature. Homer is considered one of the ...

, is part of Interstate A3. Parks Highway to Fairbanks.jpg, The George Parks Highway, which comprises the entirety of Interstate A4. Denaliesker.JPG, The

Denali Highway Denali Highway (Alaska Route 8) is a lightly traveled, mostly gravel highway in the U.S. state of Alaska. It leads from Paxson on the Richardson Highway to Cantwell on the Parks Highway. Opened in 1957, it was the first road access to Denali Na ...

has only of pavement, the remaining is gravel. The road is closed in the winter months. Sterling Highway.jpg, The Sterling Highway is a typical example of what is considered a highway in Alaska; four lane restricted-access routes are not used outside of the largest cities. Anchorpoint.jpg,

Anchor Point In audio and recording, what is known colloquially as an anchor point is a center position in a stereo mix reserved for only three or four important tracks.Hodgson, Jay (2010). ''Understanding Records'', p. 165. . Most modern pop productions are ...

claims the distinction of being the most westerly point on the contiguous highway system in North America. Color photo of Naknek AK.jpg, Alaska Peninsula Highway approaching "downtown" Naknek.

References

External links

* from the Alaska Department of Transportation & Public Facilities {{US state highways, hide=yes Alaska Routes