Anton Anderson Memorial Tunnel (Whittier Tunnel), Whittier: How to Visit and What to Do Nearby

Anton Anderson Memorial Tunnel connects the town of Whittier to the Seward Highway through Maynard Mountain in south-central Alaska. The 4-kilometer single-bore tunnel—originally a railroad passage built by the U.S. Army in 1943—was converted to shared rail-and-vehicle use in 2000, making it the longest combined highway-rail tunnel in North America. Traffic alternates direction on a fixed schedule, with vehicles entering Whittier-bound on the half-hour and Portage-bound on the hour, creating waits of up to 30 minutes. Whittier itself, a town of roughly 200 year-round residents, serves as the departure point for Prince William Sound glacier cruises.