Copper River Highway

Copper River Highway
Route information
Length:	49.5 mi[1] (79.7 km)
Major junctions
South end:	2nd Street in Cordova
North end:	North of the Million Dollar Bridge over the Miles Glacier
Highway system
Alaska Routes

See also: Alaska Route 10

The Copper River Highway extends 49.5 miles (79.7 km) from Cordova along the old railbed of the Copper River and Northwestern Railway. Construction began in 1945, and was originally intended to link Cordova with the state highway system at Chitina. The Million Dollar Bridge, which had carried trains until the CR&NW shut down, was converted for highway use. It is one of two discontinuous segments of Alaska Route 10.

The road extended only slightly beyond the bridge when the Good Friday Earthquake of 1964 halted construction and severely damaged the Million Dollar Bridge, collapsing the north span. Temporary repairs were made, and the bridge continued to be used, despite being unsafe. Permanent repairs were not completed until 2005.

The first 12 miles (19 km) of the highway is paved; the rest is gravel. A primitive four-wheel-drive road continues for 10 miles (16 km) beyond the end of the highway to the Allen River.

References

1. ^ "Highway Analysis System Route List". Alaska Department of Transportation. October 27 2008. pp. 36. http://www.dot.state.ak.us/stwdplng/highwaydata/pub/routelists/all_stwdRtlist_2008_10.pdf. Retrieved 12 April 2010. ^{[dead link]}

Coordinates: 60°40′25.30″N 144°44′52.28″W / 60.673694°N 144.7478556°W / 60.673694; -144.7478556