Vulnerability of the north Alaska Highway to permafrost thaw: A field guide and data synthesis

Yukon, Alaska and northern British Columbia depend heavily on road transportation to link communities and connect industrial activities to international markets. The Alaska Highway is the central transportation corridor in Yukon. It is crucial to maintaining and expanding economic development, the quality of life of the population and international ties. In the context of current and anticipated climate change, permafrost temperature has warmed significantly in northern territories and is expected to continue to rise (SNAP 2014). The stability of northern transportation infrastructure may be compromised by changes in permafrost, particularly in areas where the soil contains large amounts of ice. This may lead to negative impacts on economic development, including increasing the complexity and cost of road maintenance and the price of shipping goods in the North.