Alaska Statewide Freight Plan Update

Alaska Statewide Freight Plan Update

Keeping Alaska Connected

The Alaska Department of Transportation & Public Facilities (DOT&PF) is updating the Alaska Statewide Freight Plan. The plan will guide investments, policies, and strategies that support the safe, efficient, reliable, and cost-effective movement of goods throughout Alaska for the next 30 years.

Freight transportation affects every Alaskan. Food, fuel, medicine, construction materials, household goods, and other essential products all depend on a freight system that connects communities across the state and beyond.

What is a Freight Plan?

A freight plan identifies freight needs, challenges, opportunities, and priority investments that will help strengthen Alaska's freight system and support economic development statewide.

The plan evaluates how goods move across Alaska's transportation network, including:

Alaska highway and bridge

Highways and Bridges

Alaska port and harbor cargo operations

Ports and Harbors

Airports and air cargo facilities in Alaska

Airports and Air Cargo Facilities

Rail infrastructure in Alaska

Rail Infrastructure

Alaska ferry and marine transportation

Ferries and Marine Transportation

Trans-Alaska Pipeline along the Alaska landscape

Pipelines

Alaska airport freight and intermodal cargo connections

Intermodal Freight Connections

Why is this Update Important?

Maritime freight dock and Alaska coastal shipping infrastructure

Maritime Network

6,640 miles

With the longest coastline of any U.S. state, Alaska’s maritime transportation is extremely important.

Remote Alaska communities accessed by air or marine transportation

Communities Off the Road System

Roughly 82%

of Alaska communities are not connected to the road network and rely primarily on air or marine transportation.

Port of Alaska cargo activity and interconnected supply chains

Interconnected Supply Chains

90% within a 10-hour flight

Air connectivity gives Alaska access to a very large share of the global economy within a relatively short travel time.

Trans-Alaska Pipeline in the Alaska landscape

Trans-Alaska Pipeline

800.3 Miles

Home to one of the world's most famous energy transportation systems, the Trans-Alaska Pipeline, one of the longest crude oil pipelines in North America.

Airport facility related to freight funding and eligibility

Funding Eligibility

$18–$19M

Maintaining an approved State Freight Plan helps Alaska remain eligible for federal freight funding programs, of approximately $18 to $19 million a year.

Road and freight system challenge in winter conditions

Challenges

Iced roads are just the start

Extreme weather, natural hazards, aging infrastructure, workforce challenges, and rising shipping costs create ongoing challenges for moving goods throughout the state.

Port of Alaska cargo facility in Anchorage

Port of Alaska

90% of consumer goods

Approximately 90% of consumer goods entering Alaska pass through the facility before being distributed to communities throughout the state.

Pipeline infrastructure related to proposed LNG development

Proposed LNG

Projects can shape freight needs

Proposed LNG development and other large-scale projects may influence future freight activity in Alaska. The Freight Plan Update will consider potential economic and infrastructure developments as part of evaluating long-term transportation and freight system needs.

Topics Being Evaluated

The plan will examine how goods move across Alaska and identify ways to improve the safety, reliability, and resilience of the state's freight network. The plan will evaluate current and future freight needs, transportation challenges, investment opportunities, and strategies to keep people and communities connected during emergencies, extreme weather, and other disruptions.

The Freight Plan Update will examine:

  • Freight movement and supply chains
  • State and borough / census area commodity flows for 42 different commodity types (current and forecasted)
  • Transportation system performance and reliability
  • Safety and resiliency
  • Freight bottlenecks and operational challenges
  • Truck parking needs
  • Waterway freight needs
  • Economic development and industry trends
  • Future freight demand
  • Opportunities for federal and state investment
  • Strategies that improve system redundancy and reliability during emergencies and extreme weather events
Alaska marine dock and coastal freight operations

Waterways Plan

As part of the Alaska Statewide Freight Plan Update, DOT&PF is developing a Waterways Plan to better understand the role of Alaska’s marine transportation system in supporting freight movement. The plan will identify opportunities to improve system reliability, resiliency, safety, and multimodal connectivity while supporting Alaska’s economic vitality and access to essential goods.

Trucks driving along the Dalton Highway in Alaska

Truck Parking Study

The Statewide Freight Plan Update also includes a Truck Parking Study to evaluate the availability, location, and adequacy of truck parking facilities across Alaska. The study will identify current and future parking needs, assess challenges facing commercial drivers, and recommend strategies to improve access to safe, secure, and convenient truck parking. Enhancing truck parking supports freight efficiency, driver safety, regulatory compliance, and the reliable movement of goods throughout the state.

How Can You Participate?

DOT&PF wants to hear from freight system users and interested parties across Alaska, including:

Who DOT&PF Wants to Hear From

  • Alaska Native Tribes and Corporations
  • Local governments and municipal associations
  • Freight carriers and logistics providers
  • Port, airport, and rail operators
  • Business and industry groups
  • Shippers and receivers
  • Metropolitan Planning Organizations (MPOs)
  • Economic development organizations
  • Community organizations
  • Residents

Opportunities for Participation

  • Surveys
  • Strategic interviews
  • Focus group meetings
  • Public meetings
  • Review of draft plan materials
  • Email and other online comment opportunities

Anticipated Schedule

Project schedule timeline
Milestone Timing
Existing Conditions Report (completed under separate contract) Winter 2025
Project Kickoff Summer 2026
System Analysis Affirmation Summer 2026
Stakeholder Outreach & Engagement Summer/Fall 2026
Plan Strategic Directions Fall 2026
Draft Freight Plan Available for Review Late 2026
Final Freight Plan Early 2027