Nearly 100 Years Building Waterfront Infrastructure in The Last Frontier

While signing the contract for the MOA's $807 million T1 Replacement project this past summer, Manson Senior Vice President and West Coast Regional Manager Ryan King acknowledged it represented yet another milestone in the company's long-standing commitment to advancing navigation channels and essential marine infrastructure throughout The Last Frontier.

A Long History

Manson’s operations in Alaska, which date back almost a century, began with the construction of a dam at Chester Lake in Metlakatla, AK, in 1927. At that time, Alaska—not yet a state but an organized unincorporated territory of the U.S.—was facing the challenges of a population decline brought on by the waning gold rush. Specifically, Anchorage in the late 1920s was working to meet growing infrastructure demands, striving to connect with the rest of the country through the expanding U.S. rail network and vital waterways.

Unalaska's waterfront as captured by Peter Manson in the early 1930s.

Peter Manson—founder of Manson, then known as P. Manson & Son—developed a deep affection for Alaska, securing numerous projects from the late 1920s through the mid-1930s. These jobs included the construction of several docks and port facilities in Unalaska (now Dutch Harbor), including the first marine railway in the Aleutian Islands. In March 1931, at age 68, Peter began chronicling his and the crew’s journey aboard the barge EL CEDRO to Unalaska, where they were tasked with a series of wharf replacement and new construction projects. The crew arrived in Unalaska at 7:00pm on April 8, carrying approximately 150 piles, and immediately began unloading general cargo and materials to prepare for the job. From early April to June 1931, Peter meticulously documented the crew’s progress, detailing every stage—from sawing and capping old piles to questioning whether $225 was a fair price to charge his client for piledriving work.

Over the next 15 years, Manson’s presence in Alaska—under Peter’s leadership— was followed by several small but impactful marine projects throughout the territory.

These projects cemented Manson’s early expansion in the Northwest, which attracted the attention of another prominent contractor—Osberg Construction Co.—that would lead to a joint-venture partnership propelled by Chief Executive and General Manager Elmer Edwards (Manson) and Axel Osberg (Osberg) as Manson-Osberg joint venture in 1948.

With the formation of the Manson-Osberg joint venture, the organization was awarded its inaugural contract: a $1 million construction project for the development of a seawall in Nome, Alaska, in 1948. As its first agreement with the government of Alaska, this undertaking marked the beginning of an era focused on infrastructure and waterway improvements designed to benefit both local communities and commercial enterprises in regions facing significant weather and transportation challenges over the next 37 years.

Map of areas where Manson has worked.

During the 1950s—including Alaska’s statehood in 1958—and throughout the 1960s, Manson-Osberg secured numerous contracts to construct facilities and housing for military purposes, as well as bridges and roadways supporting the state's $100 million highway program, alongside undertaking extensive dredging operations across various channels.

In 1974, the Manson-Osberg joint venture secured its then-largest contract to date: the two-year, $34 million Yukon River Bridge project. The bridge, an impressive steel superstructure, stretches across the Yukon River at 2,300 ft and towers 20 stories above the water. Engineered to support both the Trans-Alaska Pipeline and roadway traffic, the project was slated for completion by December 31, 1975.

Construction commenced in the spring of 1974. Crews, working from a crane barge, initially erected four cofferdams, with additional cofferdams added as the work progressed. Concrete was poured to secure the bridge’s structural elements, but Alaska’s harsh climate required ingenuity: batching and mixing took place inside a heated “bubble house,” and the concrete was transported to heated pier cofferdams for placement.

During winter, the team used a drill rig to penetrate the frozen river surface, reaching bedrock to install steel tendons anchoring each bridge footing. In total, the project consumed 73,000 yd3 of concrete and 1.2 million pounds of reinforced steel.

Ahead of schedule, Manson-Osberg successfully completed the bridge in October 1975. A dedication ceremony took place on October 11, with dignitaries from Fairbanks, AK, in attendance. For making the structure available for pipeline transport before the scheduled December 31, 1975 deadline, Manson-Osberg earned a $544,000 incentive award.

Manson in Valdez, AK.

In 1981, Manson-Osberg took on two new projects: a joint-venture project with Frontier Construction to drive piles and install structures for the ARCO gasoline pipeline in Prudhoe Bay and the construction of a container terminal for now-defunct Morrison-Knudsen Construction in Valdez. In 1985, the Manson-Osberg joint venture dissolved, ending 37 years of together reshaping and strengthening infrastructure and channels in Alaska.

In November 1994, Manson was contracted by the State of Alaska to conduct emergency repairs at the Skagway Ferry Landing. At the time, Sandstrom and Sons Construction Company was reconstructing an old railroad dock for the White Pass and Yukon Railroad when an underwater landslide destroyed much of the existing timber dock. The force of the slide generated a massive 28-ft wave across the Lynn Canal, which lifted the ferry landing transfer bridge, tearing several sections of the structure from its anchors. The transfer bridge ultimately sank in approximately 40 ft of water.

Within two weeks of the incident, the derrick barge VASA—fresh from dredging operations in Tacoma, WA—arrived onsite. Before beginning work on the ferry landing, Manson successfully salvaged Sandstrom’s 100-ton truck crane and piledriving equipment from the remaining portion of the timber railroad dock. The 140-ft ferry landing bridge was carefully hoisted from the canal’s bottom and placed on a barge for repairs. After installing new anchor piles and chains for the pontoon, the bridge was reinstalled using the VASA, and the ferry landing was reopened in December 1994.

A New Millenium in The Last Frontier

At the start of the century, Manson experienced a rise in impressive marine and dredging projects in Alaska. Cultivating a longstanding relationship with the United States Army Corps of Engineers (“USACE”) and the MOA, the organization was awarded projects to improve infrastructure and vital channels that serve Alaska’s commercial and private economy.

Anchorage Maintenance Dredging

For nearly 20 years, Manson has worked consistently at Anchorage Harbor and the Port of Alaska to perform dredging services for the USACE Alaska District and has gained a deep understanding of Alaskan site conditions, which can include 30-ft tidal swings and extreme shoaling. Manson uses this knowledge to adapt equipment, dedicating the paired hopper dredge WESTPORT and the tugboat GLADYS M to this work annually.

The hopper dredge WESTPORT and tugboat GLADYS M on the 2015-2017 Port of Alaska Maintenance Dredging project in Anchorage.

North Extension Stabilization Step 1 Project

In January 2023, Manson initiated the NES-1 Design-Build project at the Port of Alaska in Anchorage, as part of a comprehensive modernization plan to upgrade the port’s aging infrastructure. The project is important for the MOA, enhancing the state's main cargo hub and increasing resilience against frequent seismic events, which benefit both commercial and military operations.

“A majority of the goods and services for the citizens of Alaska are shipped into the Port of Alaska,” says Senior Vice President and Chief Engineer Jeff Arviso. “Manson’s presence to rebuild terminal facilities and to dredge for navigational maintenance is critical to ensuring that this crucial import hub remains open for the State.”

NES-1 included site preparation and ground improvements, with deep soil mixing, jet grouting, and shoreline stabilization, removal of a failed sheet pile wall, and substantial dredging. The project lays the groundwork for future improvements as part of the PAMP.

Terminal 1 Replacement Project

Building on its more than 90-year legacy of enhancing marine infrastructure and navigation channels to support Alaska in the delivery of consumer goods, building materials, services, and fuel, Manson has been contracted by the MOA to demolish and construct a new wharf. The project also includes the expansion of the shoreline and maintenance of nearby channels through dredging operations. This five-year initiative is scheduled for completion in 2029, further strengthening Manson’s partnership with the MOA and solidifying its presence in the region.

“Manson’s collaboration with the MOA is a prime example of our commitment to Alaska,” Ryan says. “Over the years, we’ve successfully completed multiple projects that have enhanced port operations, improved safety, and supported the state’s development goals. As Anchorage embarks on its ambitious 10-year modernization program, Manson looks forward to supporting the MOA and to building a more efficient, future-ready port facility that meets the needs of the community for decades to come.”