On July 10, 2026, Governor Mike Dunleavy announced the State of Alaska has received the final federal approval needed for the King Cove Road, marking a major milestone in the decades-long effort to provide year-round access between the communities of King Cove and Cold Bay.
The project had been delayed for decades due to climate activists opposing the road despite its public safety benefits to Alaskans living in King Cove. King Cove— remote Unangax̂ community in southwest Alaska— is separated from the all-weather Cold Bay airport by 18 miles of rugged terrain and the federally protected Izembek National Wildlife Refuge. For decades, hazardous weather has made air and sea travel unreliable, resulting in over 217 medical evacuations since 2013, many requiring dangerous U.S. Coast Guard rescues.
The road will be a single-lane, 13-foot-wide gravel road that will enable King Cove residents to safely reach the Cold Bay airport.
“This is a historic day for the people of King Cove and the people of Alaska,” said Governor Dunleavy. “I want to thank President Trump and his administration for putting the people of Alaska first and allowing this road to become a reality.”
In October 2025, the 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.
Earlier this week, 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.
Today, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers announced it has issued the Clean Water Act Section 404 permit to the Alaska Department of Transportation and Public Facilities. The State will immediately begin mobilizing equipment and supplies and expects to begin road construction in 30 days.
“The King Cove Road is about safety,” said Ryan Anderson, Commissioner of the Alaska Department of Transportation and Public Facilities. “This project will improve transportation for the community while also creating local jobs and workforce development opportunities for the people of King Cove. DOT&PF is proud to work with our community, Tribal, and federal partners to deliver this long-needed project.”
The King Cove Road has long been one of Alaska’s most significant transportation and public safety priorities. 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 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.
Press release provided by the Office of the Governor.
