Construction projects north of the Arctic Circle have provided much of the
state’s revenue for more than forty years. One specific marvel of engineering
and construction, the Trans Alaska Pipeline System, connected northern
resources to Southcentral, and from there to the rest of the world. But every
smaller (and significantly shorter) pipeline, bridge girder, and cell tower built
since is a critical part of developing and understanding the Arctic.
Alaska’s place in the Arctic, and the way it joins the United States to
international Arctic conversations, has become even more critical over the
years. The resources located in the Far North, the potential for travel and trade,
the opportunities for research, and the role the Arctic plays in the overall health
of the planet are hard to understate. Alaska is center stage, and the show is
nowhere near over.
