Anton Anderson Memorial Tunnel
4.8(21)yelp
QuirkyRoad TripPhoto Spot
Overview
The Portage Glacier Highway, or Portage Glacier Road, is a highway located in the U.S. state of Alaska. The highway is made up of a series of roads, bridges, and tunnels that connect the Portage Glacier area of the Chugach National Forest and the city of Whittier to the Seward Highway. Most of the highway travels through mainly rural areas just north of the Kenai Peninsula, with the Anton Anderson Memorial Tunnel passing under Maynard Mountain, part of the Chugach Mountain Range.
Practical Info
Suggested Duration20-30 minutes
Best TimeYear-round infrastructure marvel. As North America's longest highway-rail vehicle sharing tunnel, traffic flows in strictly monitored 20-minute directional windows each hour. Arriving 15 minutes before your direction's scheduled opening window is ideal to read historical markers outside and experience driving on train tracks inside.
Getting TherePerched at the end of Portage Glacier Road, branching off the Seward Highway. This is the sole overland passage to Whittier. Accessible via personal vehicle or the Alaska Railroad. Drivers must clear the electronic toll booths at the staging plaza and wait for the green signal to enter the 2.5-mile single-lane shaft.
Travel Tips
- This single-lane rail-highway tunnel uses strict 15-minute directional staging windows per hour; arrivals outside windows entail long delays.
- Motorhomes exceeding 10 feet wide or 14 feet tall must secure oversized clearance permits online or face immediate turnaround at gates.
- The bare-rock shaft is dark; turn off high-beams and maintain a steady 25 mph pace without mid-tunnel braking or lane drifting.
Reviews
Positive
- The longest highway-rail combined single-lane tunnel in North America (2.5 miles); driving directly on train tracks through a mountain scores full marks for fun.
- The tunnel's punctuality countdown management is incredibly precise; the entrance features large screens showing safety rules, and inside lighting is modern.
- The toll booth staff are highly efficient and friendly; vehicle traffic is managed orderly, safely guiding trains and cars in alternate batches.
- As the lone land throat to the hidden town of Whittier, the toll of a few dollars offers high value, flanked by steep ridges and waterfalls.
Heads up
- As a single-lane shared tunnel, it opens for one direction only every half hour; missing the window forces a long wait in entry queues.
- The interior space is incredibly narrow and dim, flanked by cold rock walls and rails; drivers with claustrophobia will feel heavily suppressed.
- During peak summer afternoons or when large ferries arrive, car queues snake for miles at both ends, filling the quiet mountain pass with exhaust.
- The tunnel exit frequently suffers from severe icing and snow piling due to Whittier's blizzards, making paths slick and lacking multilingual help.