Alaska Route 2 is a state highway in the central and east-central portions of the U.S. state of Alaska. It runs from Manley Hot Springs to the Canada–United States border, passing through Fairbanks and Delta Junction. Alaska Route 2 includes the entire length of the Alaska Highway in the state, the remainder of the highway being in the Yukon Territory and British Columbia, Canada.

Quick Facts Route information, Length ...

Alaska Route 2
Richardson Highway Alaska Highway
Route 2 highlighted in red
Route information
Maintained by Alaska DOT&PF
Length	456.91 mi[1] (735.33 km)
Component highways	(1) Alaska Highway between Alcan Border and Delta Junction (2) Richardson Highway between Delta Junction and Fairbanks (3) Steese Highway in Fairbanks (4) Elliott Highway between Fairbanks and Manley Hot Springs (5) Manley Hot Springs Road from Manley Hot Springs to the Tanana River
Major junctions
West end	Tanana River in Manley Hot Springs
Major intersections	AK-11 (Dalton Highway) at Livengood Chena Hot Springs Road in Fox AK-6 (Steese Highway) in Fox AK-3 (George Parks Highway) in Fairbanks AK-4 (Richardson Highway) in Delta Junction AK-1 (Tok Cut-Off Hwy) at Tok
East end	Hwy 1 south (Alaska Highway) towards Whitehorse, YT
Location
Country	United States
State	Alaska
Boroughs	Unorganized, Fairbanks North Star
Highway system
Alaska Routes Interstate Scenic Byways
← AK-1 → AK-3

Close

Route 2 begins at a dead end near the Tanana River at Manley Hot Springs, where the Elliott Highway begins. Until the junction with the Dalton Highway (Alaska Route 11) at Livengood, Route 2 is a minor road used only for local access; beyond Livengood it carries traffic to and from the Dalton Highway. At the junction with Alaska Route 6 (Steese Highway) at Fox, the Elliott Highway ends and Route 2 follows the Steese Highway south into Fairbanks. The Steese Highway becomes the Richardson Highway at Airport Way, the former route of the Parks Highway (Alaska Route 3). The Parks Highway junction is now about a mile south along the Richardson Highway, which then leaves Fairbanks to the southeast. In Delta Junction, at the northwest end of the Alaska Highway, Route 2 leaves the Richardson Highway for the Alaska Highway, while the Richardson Highway continues south as Alaska Route 4. After passing the ends of the Tok Cut-Off Highway (Alaska Route 1) at Tok and the Taylor Highway (Alaska Route 5) just beyond, Route 2 becomes Yukon Highway 1 at the Canada–United States border.^[2][3]

A 500-mile (800 km) road reaching Nome in western Alaska has been proposed at various times. Such a road had been suggested as early as 1957 as an extension of U.S. Route 97.^[5][6] From 2009 onward, there has been a more intense political debate. A detailed cost investigation was funded by the state government, which in 2010 gave an estimated cost of $2.3 to $2.7 billion, or approximately $5 million per mile.^[7][8] This price tag was higher than previously assumed and caused hesitation about the project.^[9] A 35-mile (56 km) extension to Tanana opened in September 2016, although it has been defined as a local road, not Route 2, allowing a cost reduced more simple road.^[10] As of August 2015^[update], no decisions have been made to start construction of additional sections.