Alaska recently received final federal approval for its decade-long effort to provide year-round access between the communities of King Cove and Cold Bay via King Cove Road.
[Above photo via the Alaska Governor’s Office]
The King Cove Road has long been one of Alaska’s most significant transportation and public safety priorities, noted Governor Mike Dunleavy (R) in a statement, as numerous medical evacuations have been delayed or cancelled over the years because weather conditions made marine crossings or flights to and from King Cove unsafe.
The new road will provide dependable ground transportation from King Cove to the Cold Bay Airport, home to one of the longest all-weather runways in the region and a critical transportation hub for Southwest Alaska.
In October 2025, the U.S. Department of Interior signed a land exchange with the King Cove Corporation providing 490 acres for a transportation corridor passing through Izembek National Wildlife Refuge in exchange for 1,739 acres of high-conservation value land.
In early July, the U.S. Army Corp of Engineers, the Alaska State Historic Preservation Officer, the Alaska Department of Transportation and Public Facilities, the Agdaagux Tribe of King Cove, and the King Cove Corporation signed a programmatic agreement pertaining to Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act.
Finally, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers issued a Clean Water Act Section 404 permit to the Alaska DOT&PF, allowing the agency to begin mobilizing road construction equipment and supplies.
“The King Cove Road is about safety,” said Ryan Anderson, Alaska DOT&PF’s commissioner.
“This project will improve transportation for the community while also creating local jobs and workforce development opportunities for the people of King Cove,” he added. “[We are] proud to work with our community, tribal, and federal partners to deliver this long-needed project.”
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