There’s Something Incredibly Unique About This Alaska Mountain Tunnel
The Anton Anderson Memorial Tunnel connects the city of Whittier to Bear Valley. The reason this tunnel is so spectacular is because it’s the longest single-lane highway tunnel in North America, and by long I mean really long – we’re talking over 2 1/2 miles! Not only is the tunnel unique because of its length but also because of how the ventilation works. At each entrance, there is a jet engine that propels fresh air through the vents along the length of the tunnel. Cool, huh?
There are many other interesting facts about this one-of-a-kind tunnel in Alaska, from the safe houses that were built inside the tunnel to its original construction, the Anton Anderson Memorial Tunnel is truly unique. Scroll through to learn more about its history and to see how cool it looks on the inside and out.
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In 1943, the military constructed the Anton Anderson Memorial Tunnel, 2 1/2 miles of train tracks running beneath Maynard Mountain. The tunnel served as the supply route from the port of Whittier to inland Alaska. The tunnel is the longest one-lane highway tunnel in North America.
The tunnel was constructed for the supply route during WWII but when the military abandoned Whittier, the tunnel was put under major construction in order to then become part of the Alaskan Highway. It was developed from train tracks to a slab of concrete with tracks flush to the surface. The design allowed both trains and automobiles to access the tunnel making the Anton Anderson Memorial Tunnel not only the longest tunnel in North America, but the longest multi-use tunnel as well.
We all know how dangerous it is to be stuck inside of a tunnel, especially with exhaust filling the air. So in order to refresh the air and increase the safety of the tunnel, two jet engines were placed at both entrances to force air into the tunnel through vents.
Trains pass through the tunnel when they can, but priority is given to traffic. There is a strict schedule allowing traffic through each end at certain intervals throughout the day. The trains, however, can only pass through when there is little traffic. This makes sense considering how long it would take a whole train to power through 2 1/2 miles of tunnel!
The traffic is controlled by a computer system so there are never any issues getting in and out of Whittier, but the downside is you have to pay a fee to pass through the tunnel. If you ask me, $12 is worth being able to say you've driven through the longest underground tunnel in North America. Oh yeah, did I mention it is fed fresh air through the creative use of jet engines? Yeah, that's pretty cool.
Because of its length, safe houses and turn around points are scattered throughout the tunnel for emergency situations. The safe houses are really just small buildings that can be used for earthquake situations or crashes within the tunnel.
Have you driven through this tunnel before? Did you know of its unique history?
Casea Peterson grew up archery hunting, fishing, and camping throughout the Pacific Northwest. Motivated by her love for the outdoors she moved to Alaska to attend school and to spend time exploring the last frontier. If she doesn’t have a pen in hand or her nose in a book, she can be found out on a lake or up in the woods around a fire with friends.
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