Friday, March 22, 2013, Juneau, Alaska – The Alaska House today unanimously passed legislation honoring Alaska’s late Governor Walter J. Hickel.

House Bill 153, by Representative Bob Lynn, would concurrently name Minnesota Drive and a portion of O’Malley Road in Anchorage the Walter J. Hickel Expressway, from 15th Avenue to the O’Malley Road intersection with the New Seward Highway.

“Wally Hickel arrived in Alaska with only 37 cents in his pocket, was a boxer, and worked – perhaps fought – his way up to U.S. Secretary of the Interior and twice served as Governor of Alaska,” Lynn,

R-Anchorage, said. “Governor Hickel pushed hard to open Prudhoe Bay for oil development and oversaw the permitting process for the trans-Alaska oil pipeline. For these, and many other reasons, I believe it’s most important to honor a great Alaskan.”

Throughout his long and distinguished career, Hickel served as Governor of Alaska twice, as U.S. Secretary of the Interior under former President Richard Nixon and advocated for the development of the State of Alaska and the Circumpolar Arctic Region. In his many elected and public roles, Governor Hickel successfully pushed to open Prudhoe Bay to oil development and oversaw the permitting process for the trans-Alaska oil pipeline.

The bill now moves to the Alaska Senate for consideration.