  Copper River Highway | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Route information | |
| Maintained by AkDOT&PF and the USFS | |
| Length | 49.5 mi[1] (79.7 km) |
| Major junctions | |
| South end | 2nd Street in Cordova |
| North end | The Million Dollar Bridge over the Miles Glacier |
| Location | |
| Country | United States |
| State | Alaska |
| Highway system | |
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. 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.
The highway past mile 36 has been de facto abandoned since 2011 due to erosion of the approach to Bridge 339.[2]
- ^ Staff. "The Copper River Highway". The Milepost. Archived from the original on April 4, 2012. Retrieved April 23, 2012.
- ^ "Copper River Highway". The MILEPOST.