Port McKenzie seeks $2.5 million borough appropriation for barge ramp as operations and military interest grow

Port McKenzie officials asked the Matanuska‑Susitna Borough assembly April 9 for local capital support to build a barge ramp that port leaders say would expand business and emergency response capabilities.

David Griffin, port operations manager, outlined recent year‑over‑year growth at Port McKenzie, including two large ocean ship calls that brought cement and salt, increased barge activity, and several new barge operators using the port. He said the port doubled its tonnage and added new customers such as Fire Island Wind for wind turbine components.

Why the ramp: Griffin told the assembly a north‑side barge ramp would let barges be hauled up out of the water for storage, maintenance and seasonal dry‑docking, and would increase safe loiter time for roll‑on/roll‑off operations in Cook Inlet’s large tidal range. He said the ramp design is roughly 95% complete and permits have been submitted to federal agencies including the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and NOAA.

Cost and funding structure Griffin said the borough has already leveraged $4.7 million in federal funds for design and preparation; construction cost estimates on briefing slides ranged from approximately $5.2 million to $7.4 million. The manager’s proposed FY2026 capital budget includes a $2.5 million borough appropriation to bring the available construction funding to about $6.7 million, which the port director described as sufficient to put the project to bid.

Operational and local economic rationale Griffin said the ramp would create business opportunities — including haul‑out, maintenance and storage — that presently require barge operators to travel to southcentral ports. He described emerging uses including modular home moves for Alaska villages, staging for resource projects and contingency transport in the event of a disruption to the Port of Anchorage. He also told the assembly Port McKenzie is in discussions with Department of Defense planners for exercises this summer and has negotiated a proof‑of‑principle exercise for ordnance handling and military staging.

Assembly questions and technical details Assembly members asked whether the ramp could accommodate more than one barge at a time and how much additional loiter time the facility would provide. Griffin said the ramp’s width and design allows flexibility; he estimated the new ramp could extend roll‑on/roll‑off windows from the current three hours at the south side to ‘‘possibly 12 to 24 hours’’ in some conditions by enabling vessels to sit high and dry between tide cycles. He described the intended hauling method — marine airbags and heavy equipment to roll barges ashore — and said operators requested a gravel (soft) ramp surface to reduce wear on barge hulls.

Environmental and permitting notes Griffin acknowledged permitting complexity because Cook Inlet includes critical habitat; he said the Army Corps and NOAA reviews are underway and remain a gating item before construction. He also described ongoing bathymetry monitoring and said the port maintains roughly 20 feet at mean low water for the barge dock and 60 feet at low water at the deep draft dock.

Next steps The manager’s proposed FY2026 budget includes the $2.5 million appropriation request; assembly deliberations on the budget and any appropriation will occur during the scheduled hearings and budget adoption process. Griffin said if permits and funding align, construction could begin late this year or early next year; he estimated about one construction season to build the ramp once awarded.