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Post by EGfleet on May 21, 2006 9:38:57 GMT -8
If they're smart, they won't retire the Evergreen State, it has great potential. I could be a regular vessel (i.e. Fauntleroy-Vashon-Southworth) and do excellent. They need todo some work (i.e. add a galley service) but still, it indeed, can, and should, continue operation once the new ferries are, in fact, online. I agree. The Evergreen State class vessels are a nice size to serve lesser traveled routes, yet big enough to fill in on almost any other route if needed. MV Evergreen State was reengined in 1988 and has shown her value this year by filling in on the Vashon/Southworth and San Juan Island inter-island route. As mentioned in another post, she should be used on busy summer week ends as a 3rd vessel rather than keeping her tied up and idle at Eagle Harbor. I agree...the problem is, there is no funding for it. This is the problem with much of the "extra service"...it used to be that there was room in the budget to run extra boats. Not any longer. Also, in terms of bigger boats/more frequent service at Keystone, there is a lot of resistence to it, mainly from Mary Margaret Haugen, who heads the transportation committe in Olympia. She keeps making frequent remarks about not wanting bigger boats at Keystone, seeming to ignore the very real possibilty that the Steel Electrics are on borrowed time, and that getting any new vessels built specifically for the route would take years--time they don't have.
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Post by SS Shasta on May 21, 2006 14:54:13 GMT -8
Also, in terms of bigger boats/more frequent service at Keystone, there is a lot of resistence to it, mainly from Mary Margaret Haugen, who heads the transportation committe in Olympia. She keeps making frequent remarks about not wanting bigger boats at Keystone, seeming to ignore the very real possibilty that the Steel Electrics are on borrowed time, and that getting any new vessels built specifically for the route would take years--time they don't have. Is Rep. Haugen recommending that the Steel Electrics be retained for service at Keystone? Or is the recommendation that any new/replacement vessels be similar in size to the Steel Electrics?
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Post by EGfleet on May 21, 2006 15:33:20 GMT -8
Also, in terms of bigger boats/more frequent service at Keystone, there is a lot of resistence to it, mainly from Mary Margaret Haugen, who heads the transportation committe in Olympia. She keeps making frequent remarks about not wanting bigger boats at Keystone, seeming to ignore the very real possibilty that the Steel Electrics are on borrowed time, and that getting any new vessels built specifically for the route would take years--time they don't have. Is Rep. Haugen recommending that the Steel Electrics be retained for service at Keystone? Or is the recommendation that any new/replacement vessels be similar in size to the Steel Electrics? I don't think she has a recommendation, other than she doesn't want a bigger boat there.
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Post by SS Shasta on May 22, 2006 11:14:23 GMT -8
I don't know very much about how the local folks around Keystone feel about changes. Could there be significant opposition to the required reconstruction of the Keystone landing rather than the specific vessels used on the route? With smaller vessels, perhaps little or no reconstruction would be needed. It's too bad that the Evergreen State Class vessels are too large for the current landing. I do believe that the "one vessel" concept of WSF is a bad idea for needed summer service on the route.
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Post by SS San Mateo on May 22, 2006 11:25:42 GMT -8
WSF did consider relocating the dock, but there was opposition to that as well.
I wonder if WSF has considered having a Pt. Townsend-Clinton route if the Keystone issue can't be resolved.
-- LB
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Post by EGfleet on May 22, 2006 15:18:23 GMT -8
WSF did consider relocating the dock, but there was opposition to that as well. I wonder if WSF has considered having a Pt. Townsend-Clinton route if the Keystone issue can't be resolved. -- LB Probably sailing time considerations. When the bridge went down and they were sailing from Edmonds to Port Townsend, it took and hour and forty minutes.
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