T
Oct. Nov. Dec. Jan. Feb. Mar. Apr. May Jun.
Open Period for Tundra Travel Open Dates Unavailable Based on Foothills Restrictions
SOURCE: NOAA
1970
1980
1990
2000
Time period when roads are open for travel on the Alaska North Slope, since 1970. A longer bar indicates a longer period of time during which the roads are open for travel. (Data from Alaska Department of Natural Resources.)
ransportation on the frozen Arctic land depends on the use of ice roads. Rising temperatures are leading to a shortening of ice road transport seasons and the melting ice roads are creating transportation challenges. The opening dates for tundra roads in northern Alaska have shifted two months later from early November (pre-1991) to January (recent years), dramatically decreasing the potential work period during which ice roads can be used for transportation. It should be noted that the decrease in time of tundra travel is not only a function of warming, but also of changes in regulatory criteria.
TrailerCraft, Inc. / Freightliner of Alaska 1301 East 64th Avenue Anchorage, Alaska 99518 907-563-3238 Fax: 907- 561-4995 60
www.akbizmag.com • Alaska Business Monthly • March 2013