Alaska plans long ice roads in Northwest Alaska to allow airport construction at remote town

By: James Brooks

Outlets: Alaska Beacon

Published: February 5, 2026

Words: 289

Last Updated: 3 weeks, 4 days ago

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How do you build a new airport in Arctic Alaska?

First, lay down an ice road.

Actually, three of them.

As the Alaska Department of Transportation and Public Facilities prepares to build a new airport for the Northwest Alaska town of Noatak, the agency says it will need to build a 67-mile ice road for three consecutive winters in order to transport supplies.

The department laid out its plans in

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