Roads V.

This is coolbert:

Alcan [Alaska-Canada] Highway.

Connecting the “lower” forty-eight contiguous states with Alaska. The latter at the time being a territory, NOT a state, but still considered to be of crucial importance to the war effort in the Pacific.

PRIOR TO THE BUILDING OF THE ALCAN HIGHWAY, THERE WAS NO LAND ROUTE FROM THE “LOWER” FORTY-EIGHT STATES TO ALASKA. Normal to- and-fro traffic would be by the sea route “inland passage”. A ROUTE THAT HAD BECOME PERILOUS AFTER THE DEBACLE AT PEARL HARBOR!!??

As with the Ledo Road, had been surveyed and proposed prior to World War Two [WW2]. Again, deemed unfeasible at the time. Given the exigencies of wartime, from the time the proposal to build the road was made until President Roosevelt gave his final approval was ONLY FIVE DAYS!!!

"n. pl. ex·i·gen·cies

The state or quality of requiring much effort or immediate action.
A pressing or urgent situation.
Urgent requirements; pressing needs."

[that five day approval would NEVER occur today under any circumstances.]

A road built in record-breaking time. Eighteen months from start to finish. As with the Ledo Road, built under trying circumstances. Bitter months-long sub-zero temperatures, permafrost, total lack of facilities of any nature, etc.

A road still used to this day [extensively??]. Reputed to be the BEST gravel road in the world. Incremental and sporadic improvements have been made over the decades. Traveling the Alcan Highway is still [?] considered to be an adventure.

coolbert.