A study of the Alaska Highway with special consideration of traffic potential for peace-time and war-time exigencies

101 Pages·04.94 MB·English

by  Glasebrook, Arthur J

A STUDY OF THE ALA.SKA. HIGHWAY WITH SPECIAL CONSIDERATION
OF TRAFFIC POTENTIAL FOR PEACE-TIME
AND WAR-TIME EXIGENCIES
A Thesis
Presented to
the Faculty of the College of Commerce
and Business Administration
The University of Southern California
In Partial Fulfillment
of the Requirements for the Degree
Master of Business Administration
by
Captain Arthur J* Glasebrook
United States Army
August 1950
UMI Number: EP43297
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This thesis, written by
Captain..Arthur...J^..Qla5.eteQok.....
,
under the guidance of hjLS... Faculty Committee
arc*/
approved by all its members, has been
presented to and accepted by the Council on
Graduate Study and Research in partial fulfill­
ment of the requirements for the degree of
Date AUaUS1..195Q.
Facully Committee
i L L ^ r
Chairman
TABLE OF CONTENTS
CHAPTER PAGE
I. THE PROBLEM AND DEFINITIONS OF TERMS USED . . . . 1
The problem • • • • • • • • • • • . • • • • • • 1
Statement of the problem. . . . . . • • • • • 1
Importance of the study ............ 1
Definitions of terms used..............• • • • 2
Alaska Highway. ......... 2
Richardson Highway. . . . . . .............. 2
Steese Highway........... 2
Glenn Highway • • • • • • • • • 2
Tok Cutoff. ......... 2
Haines Cutoff ..................... 3
Hart Highway. . . . . ............ . . . . . 3
II. THE PROBLEM INVOLVED IN DETERMINING THE NEED FOR
THE ALASKA HIGHWAY. .............. b
Military need • • * • • • • • • • • • • • . • • b
Early plans . . * . . » • • • ................ b
Determining route • • • • • • • • • • 5
Road need for economic development* . . . . . . 6
Indecision as to military need........... 7
Reason for location . . . . . . . . . 8
III. DIFFERENCES OF OPINION.......................... 11
Good for one function ............... 11
Wrong location........................... 11
iii
CHAPTER PAGE
Alaska* s economic future............. . . • • . . 1 2
The western road................... 12
IV. THE PRESENT CONDITION OF THE HIGHWAY . . . . . . . . 16
Improvements to the highway............ 16
The scenic views • • • • • ....................... 16
Cost to travelers................ 19
Many new bridges ................ . . . . . . . . 2 1
Bituminous surfacing..................... . . . . 2*f
Tok Junction Cutoff Road ................. . . . 2 7
The Richardson Highway.........................27
Highway maintenance. • • • • • • • . . .......... 28
V. HIGHWAY APPROACH ROADS................. 30
West and Middle West Roads ......... 30
Hart Highway ............... 31
Improvement of important connecting routes . . • . 31*-
Future business prospect • • • • • . • • • • • • • 3 ?
VI. THE ARCTIC AND OUR SECURITY......... 38
Russia’s early interest in the Arctic. . . . . . . 38
Soviet interest in the Arctic. ......... . . . . 3 8
North Americans in the Arctic. ............... 39
Canadian - United States co-operation............. kO
’’Philosophy0 of Arctic operations. . . . . . . . . ^ l
The Pole as a strategic center . . . . . . . . . . ^ P
Military problems peculiar to the Arctic . . . . . ^
V
CHAPTER PAGE
Wartime supplies to Alaska......... • . • • • b5
Alaska freight lines . . . . . ............. * *f6
Commercial trucking over Alaska Highway. . . . 5b
Pilferage. • • . . • • • • . . . . . . . . . 5b
Future rates • • • • • • • • • • • • • . « • 5b
Perishables............. 55
Operations and equipment • • • • • • • . • • 55
Conclusions............... 58
Recommendations. • • • • • • • .............. 6l
VII. SUMMARY AND CONCLUSIONS........................ 63
Accommodations on the highway. ......... 6b
Travel regulations • • * . . • • • • • » • • • 66
Car equipment and service.................... 70
Bus service. • • • • • • • • • 71
Telephone and telegraph service. • • • • • • • ?2
Future development of the highway and conclu­
sions. ......... 73
Water shipping industry to Alaska has problems 75
Trucking over Alaska Highway has future. . . . 76
Limiting factor of Alaska trucking trade . . . 80
General conclusions and recommendations. . . . 8l
BIBLIOGRAPHY. .................................. 85
APPENDIX............................................. 88
LIST OP TABLES
TABLE PAGE
I* Engineer Requirements per Mile--Per Day of Gravel
Highway .................................. 53
II. Average Maximum and Minimum Temperatures in Various
Parts of Alaska........... 65
III. Alaska Highway Guide of Accommodations. . . . . . . 6?
IV. National Canadian Revenue, Customs and Excise . . . 79
vi
LIST OF maps
MAP PAGE
1* Alaska Highway......................................10
2* Western Route Connections* ........ • • • • * • • • ih
3. Map Showing Bituminous Surfacing .............26
b. Map of Northern Terminus Connections * • • * « • • • 29
5* Map of Hart Highway Construction • • • • • • • • • • 33
6* Map of Southern Terminus Connections * . . * • • • • 36
7* Map Showing Accommodations on The Highway* • . . . . 69
vii
LIST OF PHOTOGRAPHS
PHOTOGRAPH PAGE
1* Semitrailers Used on the Tacoma-Alaska Run being
Unloaded at the Southern Terminal . *+8
2* A Barge Load of Semitrailers Ready for Towing to
Valdez* • • • • • • • * • • • • • • • • • • • • *+9
3* Near Salchaket, Alaska about Sixty Miles South
of Fairbanks, Alaska.......... 60
Mile 2?2, Near Fort Nelson, British Columbia. * * 77
viii
CHAPTER I
THE PROBLEM AND DEFINITIONS OF TERMS USED
For many years a difference of opinion has existed
regarding the relative effectiveness, need, and possibility
of a highway from the United States to Alaska* The majority
of the claims made by the proponents of the systems have
been based upon limited observations, and in no instance has
experimental evidence been presented to support the conten­
tions of either side*
I. THE PROBLEM
Statement of the problem* It is the purpose of this
study (1) to show the indecision for the necessity of the
highway5 (2) to bring out the reasons why the highway was
built, and Its present route; (3) to show present attitudes
as to whether the highway should be kept up; and, (k) to
point out the present condition and future possibilities of
the highway*
Importance of the study* Millions of dollars have
been spent on the project and if a definite decision as to
its worth and future use is not made, the deterioration of
the present road without proper maintenance will be a total
loss of the invested monies* Whereas a study of the neces­
sary improvements and proper expenditures to build a
1