Shakwak Highway Projects 2006–2012

Shakwak Highway Projects 2006–2012

The Shakwak Highway is a 500‑kilometre segment of the Alaska Highway that runs from Haines, Alaska to Haines Junction, Yukon and north to the Alaska border. The project consists of reconstruction of segments of the Highway and restoration and stabilization of segments that have been damaged by melting permafrost. 

Skookum Asphalt Ltd. has completed various sections of the Haines Highway every year from 2006 to 2012, establishing an asphalt plant in the region to specifically serve the highway reconstruction.  In addition to asphalt paving, Skookum Asphalt has completed over 200 kilometres of Bituminous Surface Treatment (chip seal) on various sections of the Alaska Highway between Haines Junction and Beaver Creek every year from 1992 to 2010. 

A major challenge of the projects was their extremely remote location, which created the logistics challenge of transporting hot oil over long distances. One way haul times to the jobs were as long as 36 hours, making it necessary to store large quantities of oil on site to maintain production.Because much of the work was located in high mountain regions, the weather and wildlife posed further challenges, with cool daytime temperatures, occasional overnight flurries and frequent encounters with grizzly bears.

DateProject scopeProject Value
2012KM 232–KM 245, Road reconstruction$6.5M
2012KM 151–KM 174, Road reconstruction$8.0M
2011KM 116–KM 137, Road reconstruction$10.4M
2010KM 215–KM 232, Road reconstruction$7.6M
2009KM 193–KM 215, Road reconstruction$9.7M
2008Haines Junction (Overlay 10 km plus culverts and ditching through town)$4.5M
2007KM 174–KM 193, Overlay$5.6M
2006KM 65–KM 89, Overlay$3.7M