WSF Capital Funding

[hergfest]

This is an interesting report that WSF posted on their website. Says the new boats are still up in the air as to whether they will be 130 or 144 car boats. Plus, it gives retirement dates for the Steel Electrics and the Hyak (December 2011)
www.wsdot.wa.gov/NR/rdonlyres/5AEC5F70-407F-4783-A9FF-5A9B03CC9630/0/WSF_Capital_Investment_010506.pdf

[Political Incorrectness]

Very nice document, I just wonder why WSF does not show models of the terminals (such as Seattle and Edmonds) in the documents on the WSF website.

[SS San Mateo]

Hmmm... I thought the dates were for when the new ferries are supposed to go into service.

There may be yet another delay in getting the new ferries built:

seattlepi.nwsource.com/local/6420AP_WA_XGR_Transportation_Budget.html

One of the new ferries got cut from the transportation budget.

-- LB

[hergfest]

Which means the Hyak will probably stick around. I think the money for the fifth boat is getting sunk into cost overruns due to inflation on the new boat costs, plus the WSF doesn't have a mechanism to handle the rising cost of fuel, so it all comes out of their budget.

[Electric Thunderbird]

The dates may be when they take delivery and pay for them? They'll start building them probably a year before those dates. As the same time they get each one they retire one.

The House bill mentions 144 car capacity

They should keep the Hyak for the capacity. It probably will be neeeded in the future if they don't chase away the ferry riders with more rate hikes.

[SS Shasta]

Am I missing something? It would appear that WSF doesn't know what it wants to do, at least not yet! Retiring the MV Hyak would be a very stupid decision. Have they decided on the size for the new vessels they want? Delay might be the best option until it is decided what direction to follow.