Engineer Named Southcoast Regional Director for Alaska DOT&PF
Christopher Goins is the new Southcoast Regional Director for the Alaska Department of Transportation & Public Facilities (DOT&PF). In that position, he oversees a region that spans 1,800 miles from Ketchikan to Adak. The region contains 1,859 highway lane miles, 186 bridges, 44 airports, and 20 maintenance stations.
“Mr. Goins will do a great job leading our transportation programs in Southeast and Southwest Alaska” says DOT&PF Commissioner Ryan Anderson. “He has a proven record of accepting challenges and solving problems.”
Goins started at DOT&PF in 2014 working on infrastructure projects after nearly a decade of engineering experience in Oregon. He is a licensed engineer and earned his degree from Oregon State University in 2006. He lives with his family in Juneau.
The previous Southcoast Regional Director, Lance Mearig, is leaving state service. “We wish Lance the best and appreciate his contributions to Alaska’s transportation system,” Anderson says.
Current Issue
September 2026
What happens when a city with fewer than 300 residents becomes a major freight and tourism hub, despite being accessible only by boat, plane, or a one-lane highway/railroad tunnel managed on a strict schedule?
If you’re in the City of Whittier, you get busy. The city has two separate transportation planning efforts underway, including a safety action plan under the federal Safe Streets and Roads for All initiative, which focuses on improving safety for pedestrians, cyclists, motorists, and emergency responders. The second is Whittier Moves, the city’s transportation master plan, which serves as the long-term roadmap for growth.