Interstate A2

Interstate A4

Overview

Road map of I-A2 in Alaska

Interstate A2 coincides with Alaska State Route 2 southeast along Richardson Highway from Fairbanks to Delta Junction, and along Alaska Highway southeast to Tok. The northernmost 20.26 miles from SR 3 (Mitchell Expressway) to Eielson Air Force Base is a controlled access expressway.

Richardson Highway southeast from Eielson Air Force Base to Salcha, Big Delta and Delta Junction is a two lane highway with alternating passing lanes. Richardson Highway extends south to Valdez as SR 4 from Delta Junction with SR 2 shifts onto Alaska Highway to Dry Creek, Dot Lake and Tanacross in the Southeast Fairbanks Census Area. I-A2 concludes at SR 1 (Tok Cutoff Highway) in Tok. The remainder of SR 2 to Northway and Alcan Border is part of Interstate A1.

Route Information

  • North End – Fairbanks

  • South End – Tok

  • Mileage – 202.18

  • Cities – Fairbanks, North Pole, Delta Junction, Tok

  • Junctions – I-A1 I-A4

Source: December 31, 2021 Interstate Route Log and Finders List

Average Annual Daily Traffic

Source: 2020 Average Annual Daily Traffic County, Alaska DOT&PF GIS Shapefile

History

The Alaska Highway was originally constructed over the course of eight months and 12 days. Built to support operations in World War II and 1,520 miles in length, the Alaska Highway was established as an International Historical Engineer Landmark in 1996.1 A dedication ceremony marking the completion of the Alaska Highway or Alcan Highway took place at Soldier’s Summit on Saint Elias Mountain in Canada on November 20, 1942. A convoy of trucks transporting war supplies proceeded northward immediately thereafter.2

Paving operations along the Alaska Highway got underway in 1951 along a 45 mile long section from Big Delta to the Johnson River. The remainder of the Alcan Highway southeast to Tok was already paved at the time.3

$4.9 million in construction expanded Richardson Highway to four lanes and realigned the route along a 7.5 mile stretch from outside Fairbanks to Moose Creek Bluff. Two bridges spanning Moose Creek were part of the “Section 2” of the Richardson Highway four-lane project underway in 1971. Paving along “Section 1” wrapped up in October 1971 at a cost of $1.88 million.4

A 12.9 mile long project from Canyon Creek to Shaw Creek completed upgrades along Richardson Highway between Fairbanks and Delta Junction. Costing $8 million, work was completed by September 1976.5

AARoads Photo Guides

North End I-A4 Alaska State Route 2 Alaska State Route 3 – Fairbanks, Alaska

I-A2 Alaska State Route 2 North at I-A4 Alaska Highway 3

SR 2/Richardson Hwy north one mile from SR 3/Parks Hwy in Fairbanks, AK

SR 2 (Richardson Highway) proceeds one mile west from the left exit for Old Richardson Highway into the trumpet interchange with SR 3 (Mitchell Expressway) south in Fairbanks. 05/08/23

I-A2/SR 2 south ahead of I-A4/SR 3 in Fairbanks, Alaska

I-A2/SR 2 pass south of Fort Wainwright westward to the exit for I-A4/SR 3 (Parks Highway) south to Nenana, Denali Park and Wasilla. 05/08/23

I-A2/SR 2 north at I-A4/SR 3 (Mitchell Expwy) in Fairbanks, Alaska

I-A4/SR 3 bypass Fairbanks to the south along Mitchell Expressway west to Fairbanks International Airport (FAI) and the census designated place of College. 05/08/23

I-A2 ends at Richardson Highway milepost 361 in Fairbanks, AK

Interstate A2 ends as SR 2 (Richardson Highway) continues north toward Downtown Fairbanks and Steese Highway by Fort Wainwright. 05/08/23

Alaska State Route 2 South at I-A2 I-A4 Alaska Highway 3

SR 2/Richardson Hwy south at SR 3/Mitchell Expwy in Fairbanks, AK

SR 2 continues south from Steese Highway onto Richardson Highway from Airport Way and Fort Wainwright in Fairbanks to I-A4/SR 3 (Mitchell Expressway), where Interstate A2 begins. 05/08/23

SR 2 south at I-A2 and I-A4/SR 3 in Fairbanks, Alaska

I-A4/SR 3 initially lead west along Mitchell Expressway to College. Following George Parks Highway, SR 3 continues to Nenana and Denali Park. I-A2/SR 2 travel east along an expressway to Badger, North Pole and Moose Creek. 05/08/23

I-A4 Alaska Highway 3 North at I-A2 Alaska State Route 2

I-A4 a third of a mile west of the exchange with I-A2 south in Fairbanks, AK

SR 3/I-A4 constitute a controlled access expressway east from Sheep Creek Road near the University of Alaska Fairbanks to I-A2/SR 2 (Richardson Highway) in Fairbanks. 05/08/23

SR 3/Mitchell Expwy north at SR 2/Richardson Hwy in Fairbanks, AK

Spanning Cushman Road, the old alignment of SR 2, SR 3 (Mitchell Expressway) partitions into single lane ramps for SR 2 (Richardson Highway) north into Fairbanks and I-A2/SR 2 south to Badger and North Pole. 05/08/23

I-A4 north at I-A2 south in Fairbanks, Alaska

Passing east of Downtown Fairbanks, SR 2 travels north along Steese Highway to Farmers Loop and Fox. I-A2 overlays SR 2 (Richardson Highway) southeast to SR 4 at Delta Junction. 05/08/23

The north end of I-A4/SR 3 at I-A2/SR 2 in Fairbanks, Alaska

SR 2 (Richardson Highway) extends one mile north from the end of I-A4 and I-A2 to a CFI with Airport Way west and Gaffney Road east into Fort Wainwright. I-A2/SR 2 follow an expressway east 11 miles to the city of North Pole. 05/08/23

I-A2 South End – I-A1 Alaska State Route 1 Alaska State Route 2 – Tok, Alaska

I-A2 Alaska State Route 2 South at I-A1 Alaska Highway 1

SR 2/Alaska Hwy south at SR 1/Tok Cutoff Hwy in Tok, Alaska

SR 2 (Alaska Highway) bee lines eastward from Tanacross to SR 1 (Tok Cutoff Highway) in the census designated place of Tok. 07/24/23

I-A2/SR 2 south at I-A1/SR 1 in Tok, Alaska

I-A1 overtakes the remainder of Alaska Highway southeast along SR 2 from Tok to Canada at Alcan Border. I-A1 overlays SR 1 southwest to Glenallen, Palmer and Anchorage. 05/07/23

The south end of I-A2 at I-A1/SR 1 in Tok, Alaska

SR 1 follows Tok Cutoff Highway southwest 122 miles from the end of I-A2 in Tok to SR 4 (Richardson Highway) at Gakona. 05/07/23

I-A1 West Alaska State Route 2 North at I-A2 Alaska State Route 1

Alaska Highway north at Tok Cutoff Highway

I-A1/SR 2 (Alaska Highway) intersect SR 1 (Tok Cutoff Highway) and the north end of I-A2 in the Tok business district. 07/24/23

SR 2 north at SR 1/I-A1 to Anchorage

Tok Cutoff Highway leads 122.36 miles southwest to SR 4 (Richardson Highway) at the census designated place of Gakona. Richardson Highway spurs south from Glennallen to Valdez. 07/23/23

I-A2 begins north along Alaska Highway in Tok

SR 2 continues Alaska Highway northwest to Delta Junction as Interstate A2. I-A1/SR 1 extend southwest to Palmer and Anchorage. 07/23/23

I-A1 Alaska State Route 1 North at I-A2 Alaska State Route 2

I-A1/SR 1 north at I-A2 north and SR 2 in Tok, Alaska

I-A1/SR 1 (Tok Cutoff Highway) and I-A2/SR 2 (Alaska Highway) meet at a stop sign intersection in the rural community of Tok. 05/07/23

The north end of SR 1 at I-A2/SR 2 (Alaska Hwy) in Tok, AK

I-A2 commences north alongside SR 2 on Alaska Highway to Delta Junction. SR 2 south doubles as I-A1 to Northway Junction and Yukon at Alcan Border. 07/23/23

Center Street south at I-A1 I-A2 Alaska State Route 1 Alaska State Route 2

Center Street south at I-A1/A2 and SR 1/2 in Tok, Alaska

Center Street ties into the intersection joining I-A1 and I-A2 from the Tok street grid to the north. SR 1 begins south along Tok Cutoff Highway while I-A2 accompanies SR 2 northwest along Alaska Highway to Delta Junction. 07/24/23

Sources:

  1. “Alaska Highway a Landmark.” Daily Sitka Sentinel (AK), September 27, 1996.
  2. “Sub-Zero Weather Prevailed at Alcan Highway Dedication.” Fairbanks Daily News-Miner (AK), November 23, 1942.
  3. “Big Paving Program Slated for Alaska Roads in 1951.” Fairbanks Daily News-Miner (AK), April 19, 1951.
  4. “Zahare Reports on Road Projects.” Fairbanks Daily News-Miner (AK), September 30, 1971.
  5. “Steese bypass completion set.” Fairbanks Daily News-Miner (AK), April 27, 1976.

Page updated September 25, 2023.