Port Road Named after Riggs

A road at the Port was recently named after the late John Riggs, former Chair of the Mat-Su Borough Port Commission. A lot of interesting people turned out and memories on the start of the Port were shared. Here's footage of the event, mostly unedited.

John Riggs Road Memorial

A few words on Riggs by Port Director Marc VanDongen.
John Riggs, and his engineers at Great Northern Engineering, designed the initial six million gallon fuel tank farm and associated fuel lines from the tank farm to the docks at Port MacKenzie which follow immediately adjacent to John Riggs Memorial Way.
2. John served on the original Port MacKenzie Steering Committee from 1988 to 1992 which advised the original Port Commission. He also served on the Port Commission from December 2006 through June 2014, as Vice-Chairman from January 2007 through December 2008, and as Chairman from January 2009 through June 2014.
3. John’s long-term vision for Port MacKenzie fostered rapid development at the Port including extending utilities from eleven miles away, constructing the access road, barge dock, deep-draft dock, barge dock expansion, terminal building, an active impress system for cathodic protection of the docks, paving 15 miles of the Point MacKenzie Road, cutting the grades on three hills along the road, establishing a public use easement/camping areas/boat launch at Lake Lorraine, opening a new gravel pit and overburden storage area, drilling test water wells, and formulating the Port’s long-range plan. He was also played a role in advocating for funding from the Governor and Legislature for the $303.5 million, 32-mile rail line to Port MacKenzie. This is the largest capital project the State has funded since the construction of the Parks Highway in 1971.