Road in Port Mac area named for Riggs

PORT MACKENZIE — A road in the Port MacKenzie area has been named the “John Riggs Road Memorial” in memory of long-time port advocate John Riggs.

Riggs and his wife Cheryl owned Great Northern Engineering in Palmer. They designed the initial 6 million-gallon fuel tank farm and associated fuel lines from the farm to the docks at Port MacKenzie, which follow immediately adjacent to John Riggs Memorial Way.

He also 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 to June 2014. He was vice-chairman from January 2007 to December 2008, and chairman from January 2009 to June 2014.

His long-term vision for Port MacKenzie fostered rapid development at the port, including: extending utilities from 11 miles away; constructing the access road, barge dock and 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.

Riggs also advocated for funding from the governor and Alaska Legislature for the $303.5 million, 32-mile rail line to Port MacKenzie, the largest state-funded capital project since the construction of the Parks Highway in 1971.

Former chairman of the Mat-Su Borough Port Commission, Riggs died June 28, 2014. He was 67.