There are no Interstate highways in Alaska. In Anchorage there are four lane highways with a median in between.
Generally the roads are good . B.C has Interstate highways. and near various city's you will find 4 lane highways. Roads in the Yukon Territory was rough and dirty and under construction. Drive slow when the roads are rough and you will do just fine. If you are worried about stone chips; install a vinyl front cover. Asphalt has a tendency to heave in the spring and chuck holes will occur. Most likely the road crews will have completed their maintenance by the time you get into Alaska.
Hi George, actually there are 4 Interstate highways in Alaska, designated as A-1 thru A-4. LOL These are some of the unsigned/secret Interstates but still exist for funding purposes. Don't think that Alaska Senator, Uncle Ted, would let a federal highways appropriation bill get through without Alaska getting their share of the funding. (perhaps a small bit extra because he can get it) http://www.interstate-guide.com/unsigned.html
Alaska is only one of numerous states that have these "special" Interstates that are unsigned.
Joe!!
I haven't written to you for some time. Yes I agree , there are Interstates in Alaska, 1081 miles combined. I did mention that the perimeter of city's had dual lanes with a median. I was referring in general terms. There wasn't the I-70 or I-80 types (slabs as you call them) which connect S to N and E to W.
I saw a lot of Moose, a few bear and a couple of wolves. I will have to go again , but this time with a companion.
Every time I get on my MS Streets & Trips I shuffle my estimated itinerary around. We are looking at arriving Edmonton for 3 or 4 days about May 1st.
I have given up worrying about road conditions. If we have to drive sections at 25 or 30, so be it. Better to go slow & keep all the parts together than blast along, have something break, then be sitting 52 miles N of Nowhere unable to move at all.
It is that tortoise & hare theory.
Boat: 32' 1996 Albin 32+2, single Cummins 315hp
40+ night per year overnighter
George, the spirit of your comments about no interstates was right on target. Thought I would just point out a little known fact about the "Interstate" system in Alaska. LOL A couple of years back, I was doing some economic research for a client, on the state budget, transportation portion, and ran across federal interstate funding that was being received by Alaska.
IMHO, I wish that Alaska, and northern Canada would build roads based upon a public transportation need, not be extractive industries driven. Most of the major road building projects for the last 50 years, ±, have been built for the benefit of a mining company(s), an oil company(s), timber company(s), etc. Some of the roads, such as the Haul Road, were originally built on a cost plus basis, using private oil company money which then they got to offset against their financial obligations to the state and federal governments. It will be interesting to see what happens with the long term road building effects of the diamond mining north of Yellow Knife, NWT and when oil production is started in ANWR, ESE of Prudhoe Bay, Just a matter of time I guess. Because no industry is pushing for the building of the road to Juneau from Atlin BC, I doubt it will ever happen. (other than the lower 48 contractors that would get the work, as usual) Alaska has the best government that money can buy, as I have heard said before. LOL
Back to the OP's posting about traveling in May. If a late spring occurs, then May will find snow still in places, both in northern Canada and Alaska. I made one of my "poor boy" trips, as I refer to them, in May of 1966. Just had enough money to buy food and gasoline to make it to the lower 48. Don't remember if Canada was still requiring folks to show them at least $300 in cash before they could enter the country or not. But I had a military surplus pup tent, a ground cover tarp and an el cheapo sleeping bag, a folding grill for cooking over a wood fire, etc. By the third night out all my gear was wet from the snow still remaining in the places I was camping. Ended up sleeping in the car for several nights, at my height, 6'4", that isn't a good nights rest. LOL For most of the years I lived in rural Alaska, May was somewhat of a contradiction to me. On the positive side it signaled the end of a long cold winter where I was living but on the other side it was sloppy wet, dirty from the winter's accumulation of dust, trash, etc., and signaled it was time to put my snow goes away for the summer, time to change my airplane from skis back to wheels and get the boat ready to go for another season on the rivers. Actually I enjoyed all the months of the year but May was probably my least favorite. If a person figures they may only make one trip to Alaska, then arrive in May and spend as much time as you have available. But if a person figures they will be back again, then I would wait till the first of June and stay till the first snow flake lands on top of my head, then point the rig south.
Apparently there are places on the roadside were it is permissable to camp on the roads to and in Alaska, can you open your slides at all? My husband is disabled and he can get around better with at least one or two open.
On the pullouts to and in Alaska where it is permissible to park, can you open any slides? My husband is disabled and maneuvers better with at least one or two opened.
Should not be a problem with the slide outs, as long as you have room to do so. Many of the road houses will allow you to stay overnight in their parking areas if you buy fuel, etc. Many of the impromptu parking places are old construction areas that have been leveled but are no longer in use, down along creeks, lake side pull offs, etc. Just be careful you don't block someone's road and you should be fine with the slides out. More and more of the old highway construction areas seem to be getting gates across the entrances. Don't have a clue as to why but saw several bright yellow pipe gates up on our 2006 trip in places I used to pull into for an overnight when I didn't need to hook up.
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