DAWSON CREEK TO WATSON LAKE
FACTOIDS – The Alaska Highway: • The Alaska Highway is a remarkable achievement and has developed into a major transportation link. It stretches from ‘Mile 0’ at Dawson Creek, British Columbia, through the Yukon Territory and into Alaska. 1,528 miles of road needed to be punched through the ‘vast untamed wilderness of Northern Canada and Alaska.’ • Seven regiments of American engineers, approximately 11,000 men (including 3 regiments of men of African American heritage), 16,000 civilians from Canada and the United States and 7,000 pieces of equipment were thrown into action against some of the toughest and unforgiving wilderness areas in the world. • For soldiers and workers it was a difficult life. Fatigue, hypothermia and accidents were a part of life as the workers struggled to set down 8 miles of road a day, seven days a week. • It took a little over 8 months to complete the Alaska Highway and it was officially opened in November 1942. It was then opened to the public in 1948. • The cost of the construction was approximately $140 million U.S wartime dollars. • In 1996, the Alaska Highway was awarded the 16th International Historic Civil Engineering Landmark in the World.
Sunday, 02 August 2009 07:28:03 (GMT Daylight Time, UTC+01:00)      Comments [0]  Canada