Read that 90% of Alaska's road system isn't connected, is that even true?

I was looking at the DOT figures last night, something like 90 percent of communities in Alaska can't be reached by road, only by plane or boat. That blew my mind because I always pictured the state as one big highway network. Then I checked the map and sure enough, you can't drive from Anchorage to Juneau or most of the Bush towns. One side says that's just the reality of the terrain and permafrost, the other argues we underspend on roads compared to the Lower 48. I'm curious for folks who actually live in places like Bethel or Nome, do you see that as a good thing that keeps places wild, or a failure of planning? Has anyone else looked up the exact mileage of connected road and been shocked at how little there is?

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nancy_davis16d ago

Wait, you can't even drive to the capital from Anchorage? That's wild.

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