When you research the world’s most beautiful places to visit, you’ll find Alaska somewhere near the top of almost any list. The Last Frontier is nothing short of majestic, with bold wildlife, snow-capped mountains, and Northern Lights-filled skies. But, with beauty, often comes danger. So, it should come as no surprise to learn that Alaska was also featured on the first episode of the BBC’s World’s Most Dangerous Roads.
The James W. Dalton Highway takes credit for that: a 414-mile-long road in the Alaskan arctic, known to wreak havoc on vehicles’ tires, windshields, and suspension systems.
Originally constructed to transport building materials for the Trans-Alaska Pipeline, the highway is commonly referred to as the North Slope Haul Road. These days, it escorts more than 250 long-haul trucks per day, carrying supplies and equipment to the site of Alaska’s economic epicenter: the Prudhoe Bay oil fields.
These oil fields accommodate some of the largest petroleum engineering companies in America, along with their approximately 3,000-strong North Slope workforce. To maintain operations in this remote arctic climate, multiple daily supply and equipment runs rely on the accessibility of the Haul Road, even in the face of the dangers it poses.
The Haul Road is perilous for more than its terrain and extreme weather conditions—its remoteness is arguably the most daunting thing about it. There is a stretch of 240 miles that is completely unserviced—no gas stations, toilets, restaurants, hotels, auto shops, or cell service—that was, until earlier this year when GCI installed a tower near Atigun Pass that created a 30-mile-long service corridor for cell phone reception. This was the second service improvement made on the Haul Road by GCI. The first was in 2017, when a tower was erected in Coldfoot that effectively cut the 400 mile no-cellular-service area in half.
For most of the days-long journey along the Haul Road, drivers rely on Citizens Band radio or satellite phones for communication, which can be expensive and unreliable. Failed communications can have costly negative effects on slope operations and the businesses that operate there. GCI’s thoughtfully dispersed zones of connectivity establish a reliable means for drivers to communicate their whereabouts, driving conditions, delays, roadside assistance needs, or any other information transfer.
At a cost of $1 million, developing these pockets of connectivity along the Haul Road was no simple feat, but because of them, not only do North Slope businesses save money and improve operations—all drivers have increased access to emergency services and the ability to check in with loved ones. Who can put a price tag on that?
Photo courtesy of Anita Ritenour