Shakwak Agreement
Encyclopedia
The Shakwak Agreement, also known as the Shakwak Project, is a highway construction funding accord between the United States
and Canada
, reached in 1976. The agreement, covering Canadian portions of the Haines Highway
and Alaska Highway
, deals with long-standing requests from Alaskans for improvement of the roads connecting the panhandle with the rest of the state of Alaska
.
Under the agreement, the United States approves funds that are used by Canadian contractors to rebuild the highway. For most of the last 20 years, the funding was handled by the Yukon
government, as it tendered sections of the highways for work. The Haines Highway rebuild was actually completed during the early 1980s, then funding dried up for several years. Work since the early 1990s has been carried out on the Alaska Highway, and is expected to be completed before 2010, with two major bridge replacements yet to be completed; the Donjek River bridge was completed and opened to traffic in late September 2007; the White River bridge was completed several years ago, leaving the Duke and Slims river bridges yet to be built.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
and Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
, reached in 1976. The agreement, covering Canadian portions of the Haines Highway
Haines Highway
The Haines Highway or Haines Cut-Off is a highway that connects Haines, Alaska, in the United States, with Haines Junction, Yukon, Canada, passing through the province of British Columbia. It follows the route of the old Dalton Trail from the port of Haines inland for about to Klukshu, Yukon, and...
and Alaska Highway
Alaska Highway
The Alaska Highway was constructed during World War II for the purpose of connecting the contiguous U.S. to Alaska through Canada. It begins at the junction with several Canadian highways in Dawson Creek, British Columbia and runs to Delta Junction, Alaska, via Whitehorse, Yukon...
, deals with long-standing requests from Alaskans for improvement of the roads connecting the panhandle with the rest of the state of Alaska
Alaska
Alaska is the largest state in the United States by area. It is situated in the northwest extremity of the North American continent, with Canada to the east, the Arctic Ocean to the north, and the Pacific Ocean to the west and south, with Russia further west across the Bering Strait...
.
Under the agreement, the United States approves funds that are used by Canadian contractors to rebuild the highway. For most of the last 20 years, the funding was handled by the Yukon
Yukon
Yukon is the westernmost and smallest of Canada's three federal territories. It was named after the Yukon River. The word Yukon means "Great River" in Gwich’in....
government, as it tendered sections of the highways for work. The Haines Highway rebuild was actually completed during the early 1980s, then funding dried up for several years. Work since the early 1990s has been carried out on the Alaska Highway, and is expected to be completed before 2010, with two major bridge replacements yet to be completed; the Donjek River bridge was completed and opened to traffic in late September 2007; the White River bridge was completed several years ago, leaving the Duke and Slims river bridges yet to be built.