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Post by BreannaF on Nov 18, 2008 12:22:16 GMT -8
A bit of specific info, from the Skagit Valley Herald: =================================================== Steilacoom II in drydock starting Jan. 5November 17, 2008 - 01:55 PM by Staff Report Ferry commuters and travelers who use the Keystone-Port Townsend should plan for roughly three weeks of passenger-only service following the New Year’s weekend, state officials said. On Jan. 5, the Steilacoom II will go into drydock for the U.S. Coast Guard-required annual inspection. Initially, the ferry was to go into dry dock on Dec. 31, but the state agency received a few days' extension from the Coast Guard, Washington State Ferries officials said today. This will allow holiday travelers to take vehicles on the ferry route. Ferries officials still are working out the details for alternate service while the Steilacoom II is in dry dock. The mothballing of the four steel-electric class ferries last year means the agency doesn’t have spare boats for the route, which has a shallow harbor. The Steilacoom II is on loan from Pierce County, and state officials are considering a bid to build replacement vessels.
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Post by SS Shasta on Nov 19, 2008 0:16:11 GMT -8
Any thoughts as to what will happen when the lease agreement with Pierce County ends next summer or fall (August??)?
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Post by EGfleet on Nov 19, 2008 9:38:15 GMT -8
Any thoughts as to what will happen when the lease agreement with Pierce County ends next summer or fall (August??)? I believe Mosely said somewhere that PC absolutely wants their boat back, which is why he was going to look into getting a waiver for the Jones Act.
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FNS
Voyager
The Empire Builder train of yesteryear in HO scale
Posts: 4,948
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Post by FNS on Nov 19, 2008 11:38:15 GMT -8
Any thoughts as to what will happen when the lease agreement with Pierce County ends next summer or fall (August??)? I believe Mosely said somewhere that PC absolutely wants their boat back, which is why he was going to look into getting a waiver for the Jones Act. If the JA is waived, my guess is that either the BOWEN QUEEN or QUEEN OF CAPILANO may be used. The BOWEN QUEEN is about the same size (by car capacity) as the new 274 foot Keystone ferries. Good passenger protection. No elevator, though. The CAPILANO has more protection on her Main Deck (higher bulwarks), good protection for passengers, and an elevator as well. Her hull, her size, and drives may be challenging, though. We'll see what happens. BOWEN QUEEN and QUEEN OF CAPILANO
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Post by farout on Nov 19, 2008 13:31:58 GMT -8
so i may have missed something when reading this but, why would they a bc ferry that operates in canada go on an american run?
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Post by Kahloke on Nov 19, 2008 14:16:52 GMT -8
If the JA is waived, my guess is that either the BOWEN QUEEN or QUEEN OF CAPILANO may be used. I'm curious - why do you think BC Ferries would loan WSF either of these two vessels? It's not a criticism of your comment - I'm just wondering why you picked those particular ferries. I'm not sure Cappy would fit into Keystone Harbor because of her RAD's -is that correct? Plus, Bowen Islanders would probably sneeze bricks at the prospect of losing their ferry to WSF, even if it's just on a temporary basis. Bowen Queen might work, size-wise - what's her draft? But, again, she is still an active vessel in the BC Ferries fleet that can be used on a number of routes. I can't imagine them giving her up. Late edit: Although, the ferry fan in me would love to see a BC Ferry running down here - talk about a good photo op!
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Nick
Voyager
Chief Engineer - Queen of Richmond
Posts: 2,078
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Post by Nick on Nov 19, 2008 14:34:41 GMT -8
I'm curious as well, do any of WSF's vessels utilize RADs? Would the captains have any experience piloting a RAD driven ship? Also, considering Gabriola Island is frequently plagued by sailing cancellations due to low tides whenever the Bowen Queen is on the run, I'm not sure she would be much better draft-wise than the Capilano. I can't think of any BCF ships that would be suitable for the PT-Keystone run, since BCF is so partial to RADs. Perhaps the Queen of Tsawwassen, but she's been sold and is probably just too darn big. (Also, would the WSF captains know how to run a ship in reverse? ) Or, possibly the Howe Sound Queen. She would be about the right size, and doesn't have RADs. She's rather slow though, at 10 knots, so she might have issues in the strong currents. There's also that pesky problem of being in full time use on the Vesuvius - Crofton route. WSF would probably have to pay BCF an awful lot to make them part with their in-use ships.
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Post by Barnacle on Nov 19, 2008 15:09:59 GMT -8
I'm curious as well, do any of WSF's vessels utilize RADs? Would the captains have any experience piloting a RAD driven ship? None of our boats have RADs. Any experience on them within the fleet would be garnered elsewhere. Alas, where's the Pender Queen, Quillayute, or Jervis Queen when we need them? ;D Or maybe a waiver for the Rhododendron...
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Post by BreannaF on Nov 19, 2008 15:21:45 GMT -8
Perhaps the Queen of Tsawwassen, but she's been sold and is probably just too darn big. (Also, would the WSF captains know how to run a ship in reverse? ) I believe the issue with the single-bridge vessels wasn't the difficulty in backing up, but the difficulty in backing them out (or in) in a very narrow path that is not a straight line. It's backing your 380-foot car around a corner in the dark, and falling off the road if you are a couple of feet off. It's not about the boat or the driver, it's the stupid dark dead-end corner that the ferry terminal sets in. But why make it more difficult than it needs to be. That, and that it was hard enough going forward in a 250-foot boat. ================================================= Since we're "pie in the sky" ideas here, then, I'll throw out a few: - We're talking next year, right? What will the Albion ferries be doing by then?
- Longshot: If Miss Tsawwassen (supposedly) fits, what about the Coho? It would require cars going in and out the same end. (It is a US-built ship, isn't it?) Then we try to find a boat to cover Black Ball's run. Yeah, right. //Aak: just looked up -- 15-foot draft likely too deep.//
- Port Townsend to Edmonds. Or to Anacortes. The latter takes longer and isn't sheltered, but has more than one slip at the end. Sure, there will be fewer trips. Question: How badly do we need this service?
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Post by Kahloke on Nov 19, 2008 16:00:45 GMT -8
These "pie-in-the-sky", and "what-if" scenarios are fun to conceptualize and ponder, but the realities of the situation limit the possibilities. First, it seems unlikely (though maybe not impossible) that WSF will get a waiver of the Jones Act, so that rules out borrowing any ferries from BC. Second, even if we could borrow a ferry from BC, do they even have any vessels with a shallow enough draft to fit into Keystone Harbor, and powerful enough engines to overcome the currents at that harbor's entrance? Third, Rhododendron seems the most likely candidate for a replacement, having served on the route once upon a time, but it's not likely the Coast Guard will grant a waiver for that, either.
I realize this has all been discussed before, so I'm probably beating a dead horse into the ground here, but it seems to me that WSF needs to convince Pierce County to continue lending them Steilacoom II until the first new ferry comes online, or face the probability that this run will cease once Steilacoom II's lease is up (at least car ferry service - passenger-only options may still be on the table). With the state facing a 4.6 billion dollar shortfall, and the dwindling economy, in general, there aren't a lot of options here. I know - I'm being a bit of a wet blanket - sorry about that!
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Post by old_wsf_fan on Nov 19, 2008 21:20:10 GMT -8
As discussed before, the logical choice for an interim vessel would be the Rhody, but she can no longer carry large trucks and that is what that route needs.
An exemption of the Jones Act and a lease of an appropriate vessel from BC Ferries is the only feasible alternative.
I do not think it will happen though.
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Post by whidbeyislandguy on Nov 19, 2008 21:32:33 GMT -8
As discussed before, the logical choice for an interim vessel would be the Rhody, but she can no longer carry large trucks and that is what that route needs. An exemption of the Jones Act and a lease of an appropriate vessel from BC Ferries is the only feasible alternative. I do not think it will happen though. I would agree but, the odds aren't looking that good for any of the above.
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Post by BreannaF on Nov 20, 2008 1:27:29 GMT -8
No, I don't really believe that any of the things I put in my "pie in the sky" post above are really practical. I think it was just my way of thinking out loud that there really are no options if a Pierce County boat is not available. If it does come to pass that Pierce County will not lease it's ferry to WSF any more, the options really become either no service at all, or a passenger-only service to help out the commuters. That is also when they might want to consider some sort of truck-priority service from PT to some other port on the East side of the Sound. I guess we will just have to cross that waterway if we ever get to that point. As an aside, I ran into a blog comment somewhere where a commenter suggested that it might not be too late to retrieve one of the recently sold Steel-Electrics and refurbish it to put it back into service. I returned the comment that perhaps it was too late for that, and I was told that I was simply uninformed ,that "WSDOT would have you believe they are the rustbuckets Bryan believes they are." Perhaps it was my sarcastic comment that it would be just as easy to remodel the Kalakala and put that back into service. ;D
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Post by BreannaF on Nov 22, 2008 19:34:13 GMT -8
From the Whidbey Examiner: Rough waters ahead for Keystone ferryBy Justin Burnett Examiner Staff Writer With the lone bid to build two ferries for the Keystone-Port Townsend ferry route coming in $28 million higher than projected, there's a good chance the state could decide to build only one. And according to some Port Townsend business leaders, that's not such a bad idea - at least for businesses in Jefferson County. Jefferson County Ferry Advisory Committee Chairman Tim Caldwell says the state should build just one car ferry for the route, and use the leftover money to build a passenger ferry to transport people between Port Townsend and Seattle. Caldwell, the former director of the Port Townsend Chamber of Commerce, made the comments in a story reported in the Nov. 19 issue of the Peninsula Daily News. Caldwell could not be reached before the Examiner went to press Wednesday, but the Port Townsend Chamber's new Director, Rod Davis, said his organization wants to do whatever it can to bring tourism dollars to the city. "My suspicion is [the chamber's board of directors] is going to support whatever makes it easier and more convenient for people to get to Port Townsend," Davis said. Seattle-based Todd Pacific Shipyards bid $124.5 million to build two vehicle ferries for the route. WSF officials had estimated the cost of the two new Island Home-style ferries at about $96 million. Todd provided a bid to build a single vessel, but that bid also was higher than expected - by $16 million. Todd said it could build one vessel for $65 million, but Ferries officials had estimated construction at $49 million. Earlier this year, the Legislature allocated $84.5 million to build one to three ferries that would replace the Steel Electric vessels that were pulled from service in November 2007. If Port Townsend successfully lobbies for its own passenger-only ferry to Seattle, it wouldn't be the first time that ferry service to Central Whidbey got the short end of the stick. In 2007, two weeks before Christmas, Port Townsend business owners who were panicked over the ill-timed loss of the Steel Electrics were able to convince state Transportation Secretary Paula Hammond to create a special "shopping ferry" to shuttle passengers directly from Seattle. The route between Whidbey Island and Port Townsend was left with a small, private whale-watching boat to provide passenger ferry service. Whidbey Island's legislators, local elected officials and business leaders did not learn of Hammond's decision to give Port Townsend its own dedicated shopping ferry until the day the special route began service. However, officials in Jefferson County are careful in characterizing their legislative strategy on the ferry issue. Port Townsend Mayor Michelle Sandoval said that while passenger-only ferry service from Seattle would help businesses on the west end of the route, she would probably not support a plan that would hurt the economy in Coupeville and Whidbey Island. "I feel we are partners and we won't do something rogue," Sandoval said. Sen. Mary Margaret Haugen, D-Camano Island, who is also the chair of the Senate Transportation Committee, said Whidbey Island residents have nothing to worry about. "The state is not getting back into the passenger-ferry business," Haugen said. "And [one-ferry service] wouldn't be better for Coupeville." Haugen, Sandoval and Central Whidbey Chamber of Commerce President Sarah Richards support an idea proposed at the Legislature's Joint Transportation Committee meeting Nov. 17. Representatives of the Cedar River Group, a policy-consulting firm that's working on ferry issues, suggested that WSF officials put off building two 144-car ferries and build four 64-car ferries of the Island Home design instead. The Island Home is a vessel being used in Martha's Vineyard, Mass. The Legislature directed Washington State Ferries to build new ferries for the Keystone route, which is currently being served by the Steilacoom II, a small vehicle ferry leased from Pierce County. Building four ferries of the Island Home design would allow Washington State Ferries to put two vehicle ferries on the Keystone route, and send two others to the Point Defiance-Vashon Island route and the inter-island route in the San Juan Islands. Cedar River Group officials have suggested that the state could make up for the delayed delivery of the 144-car ferries by moving one Superclass ferry from the San Juan Islands to the Clinton-Mukilteo route, which needs more space for transporting vehicles. Cedar River Group officials also presented another idea at the meeting. They said the agency could save millions of dollars if the Legislature waives a state law that prohibits out-of-state shipyards from building state ferries. According to John Boylston, a naval architect at the meeting, the shipyard that built the original Island Home - Halter Marine of Mississippi - could build another one for just $47 million. That's because Halter has already done engineering for the Island Home, and labor and steel are cheaper in Mississippi. But Haugen said she does not support the idea of building ferries out of state, no matter how much money it might save. "We need jobs here," she said. State Rep. Norma Smith, R-Clinton, also a member of the Joint Transportation Committee, said she, too, is reluctant to outsource construction of state ferries. However, she said she had not yet made up her mind about the issue. Another option would be to ask the Legislature for more money. Despite the troubled economy and what is expected to be a tight state budget year, both Haugen and Smith expressed confidence that two boats will be built for the Keystone-Port Townsend route. WSF Assistant Secretary David Moseley said he isn't sure what the Legislature would decide. But he did confirm that his agency is preparing for the worst. "We've been asked to look at what a system would look like with no new revenue," he said. The range of possible scenarios include significantly reduced service, such as running the ferry only when it's reached its vehicle-carrying capacity, or significantly increasing fares. Despite a 35 percent drop in traffic on the Keystone route since the loss of the Steel Electrics, it's unlikely to be shut down because the route is considered critical for the transportation of military personnel between the Whidbey Island Naval Air Station and Navy facilities on the west side of Puget Sound. Moseley dismissed all of those scenarios as just rumor: "We are not at that stage yet." Moseley said he understood that Todd's bid came in high because of the short, 18-month timeline that would require significant overtime. But Moseley said the issue hadn't been raised in a pre-bid conference held months ago with six interested Washington shipbuilders, including Todd. "I didn't hear anyone say it's going to cost you more money," Moseley said. WSF has 90 days to either accept or reject the bid. However, Moseley said the Whidbey community deserves a quick decision, which is why an effort will be made to take no more than a month. "I'm sure they are very anxious about what will occur," he said. ==================================================== OK, so let me ask the question here. To listen to the locals in Port Townsend (and I do understand that they are a major stakeholder here, but...) the whole issue of this ferry route is one of how do we get the tourists to town, and how do we get them here in appropriately-sized groups, and where else can we get tourists in here from? Is that really the question? Sure, I would like to see a passenger ferry from Downtown Seattle to the front door of my business, too. And, if I were them, I want the State to pay for it. But isn't the whole point of a state ferry system to provide ferry services to the whole state? Isn't it better for the economy of PT and the whole Olympic Peninsula if we have a reliable and frequent service for cars and trucks to get from Whidbey to Port Townsend? Sure, I see where the PT Chamber is coming from. More business for them and their own hometown. But I draw the line at the point where is happens at the expense of commuters and others who use the route. The time to discuss is past. The time to act is now.
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Post by EGfleet on Nov 26, 2008 21:23:44 GMT -8
Keystone route to get only one ferry - at least for now
By Justin Burnett Examiner Staff Writer
Washington State Ferries will accept Todd Pacific Shipyard's bid to build one 64-car ferry for the Keystone-Port Townsend route, Sen. Mary Margaret Haugen told the Island County Council of Governments Nov. 26.
"The bid has not been [made official], but the decision was made yesterday; we will be going ahead with one boat," Haugen said, adding that the announcement had not yet been made public.
On Nov. 13, Washington State Ferries opened the bidding process for the construction of two new 64-car ferries based on the Island Home design - a ferry designed in Seattle that serves Martha's Vineyard in Massachusetts. Earlier this year, the state Legislature set aside set aside $84 million to build replacement vessels for the Steel Electrics, which were retired for safety reasons in November of 2007.
Todd was the only Washington shipbuilder to turn in a bid. To build both vessels, Todd quoted a cost of $124.4 million - about $28.5 million more than WSF's estimated cost of $95.9 million.
Todd also provided a bid to build just one ferry for $65.4 million. That offer was $16 million more than WSF's $49.4 million estimate for a single vessel.
Following the meeting, Haugen said state Transportation Secretary Paula Hammond contacted her Nov. 25 to inform her that Gov. Christine Gregoire had given the OK to accept Todd's bid to construct just one vessel.
But Haugen insisted that two vessels will ultimately be built for the route. Money that has been set aside for the construction of 144-car ferries will likely be used for the construction of at least one more ferry based on the Island Home design, she said.
"We have money budgeted, just not appropriated," Haugen said.
However, even though she said the money is available now, she said the governor was unwilling to accept Todd's bid to build both boats because their quote may have been inflated because they were the only bidder. Haugen said Gregoire was only willing to accept Todd's bid to build one ferry because a replacement vessel is needed on the run as soon as possible.
"We're going to bite the bullet," she said.
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Post by Kahloke on Nov 26, 2008 22:16:10 GMT -8
I thought I read in one of the news articles after the initial bid by Todd, that part of the reason the bid was so high is because of the compressed time frame which WSF wants these vessels to be built in. I am curious how much lower the bid would, or could, be if the ferry system didn't need the construction to be so rushed. I understand we need a boat ASAP, but I wonder if WSF has explored any other options with Todd - my guess is they have. I suppose what I am thinking here is, maybe WSF goes ahead and bites the bullet for the first vessel (which it sounds like they are doing in that article above), just to get a ferry in the water rapidly. But for the second boat, perhaps the construction doesn't need to be rushed, and so maybe we can get a break on the price. I wonder what kind of a difference that would make to the bid price, or is that not a big enough factor to matter?
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FNS
Voyager
The Empire Builder train of yesteryear in HO scale
Posts: 4,948
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Post by FNS on Nov 26, 2008 23:06:34 GMT -8
Looks like, if this stands as decided, there is some great news for TNE (Todd, Nichols, Everett), the consortium building the new ferry. It'll be interesting to see Todd's contribution being launched. If you remember, the SPOKANE was launched without her passenger decks. The same would be for the new Keystone ferry as the passenger decks and wheelhouses would be waiting several dozen miles north to be barged from Nichols for mating, most likely, at Everett. It's better to have one built than none. Also, it'll be wise to build just one at an escalated construction schedule. This'll allow all parties to evaluate the first one and then make changes to the next one(s) if need be. Time to don your hard hats and get to work, TNE!
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Post by Barnacle on Nov 28, 2008 11:55:31 GMT -8
Yes, I think at this point we should be happy that a keel is finally going to be laid.
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Post by old_wsf_fan on Nov 28, 2008 20:14:58 GMT -8
AMEN Brother!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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Post by BreannaF on Nov 29, 2008 6:57:15 GMT -8
I really hate to say this, but......
Would it be odd, under the circumstances, not to believe that this will really happen until I actually see a keel being laid?
I want this to turn out well as much as anyone else. I really do. It's just that this process has twisted around in so many ways so far, that I ready to not believe that a boat being built until we see a boat being built.
I presume all will go just fine. But we have been disappointed before....
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Post by EGfleet on Dec 1, 2008 10:02:48 GMT -8
Bid for new ferry could be awarded Monday
By Barney Burke Leader Staff Writer
Washington State Ferries is expected to award a bid for the construction of a new ferry for the Port Townsend-Keystone route on Monday, Dec. 1.
On Friday, WSF Communications Director Marta Coursey told The Leader that Washington Secretary of Transportation Paula Hammond and David Moseley, assistant secretary, WSDOT Ferries Division, are scheduled to meet at 7 a.m. Monday and act on the one bid, from Todd Pacific Shipyards.
Coursey said it's not clear whether the award of bid would be for one or two ferries. The Legislature had budgeted $84.5 million for two new ferries, but Todd bid $65.5 million for one and $124.5 million for two.
On Nov. 26, Sen. Mary Margaret Haugen, D-Oak Harbor, issued a press release suggesting that WSF would go ahead with one ferry for now. Haugen chairs the Legislature's Joint Transportation Committee.
The new ferry, based on the Island Home of Massachusetts, can hold 65 vehicles, about the same as the Steel Electrics Klickitat, Quinault, Illahee and Nisqually. The circa 1927 ferries were abruptly retired by Hammond on Nov. 20, 2007 to concerns over rusty hulls. WSF has sold those four ferries for scrap, and they are about to be towed to Mexico from WSF's Eagle Harbor facility on Bainbridge Island.
Still unsolved is how to maintain service on the PT-Keystone route if WSF is unable to extend its lease of Steilacoom II with Pierce County. Pierce county loaned that ferry to WSF because no other state ferry is both certified to cross the Strait of San Juan De Fuca and fit into Keystone Harbor.
The Steilacoom II lease expires in August 2009, but the first new ferry isn't expected to be completed until at least six months after that. Moseley has said several times recently that WSF is working with vessel brokers to find another ferry to buy or lease. If WSF finds a foreign-built ferry that would work, he will seek an exception the U.S. Jones Act, he said.
Meanwhile, the PT-Keystone route will be limited to passenger service only for about three weeks beginning Monday, Jan. 5. Steilacoom II is due for its annual inspection and dry dock maintenance. WSF is arranging passenger service through private providers.
In addition to these two ferry service issues, Jefferson County is facing another major transportation problem in 2009: replacement of the eastern span of the Hood Canal Bridge. That six-week project is scheduled to start May 1, 2009.
Edited to fix broken font size tag
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Post by SS Shasta on Dec 2, 2008 16:20:49 GMT -8
It would be very foolish if WSF didn't order the 2nd vessel for this route as there FIRST PRIORITY even if the solution is to shift funds from the 144's to finish this project. The Port Townsend-Keystone issue needs to be solved now and having just one vessel is clearly no solution.
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Post by EGfleet on Dec 5, 2008 9:56:16 GMT -8
Budget troubles threaten Keystone ferry
By Justin Burnett Examiner Staff Writer
Washington's transportation chief warns that if the state Legislature doesn't come up with more money for Washington State Ferries, service on the Keystone-Port Townsend ferry route could be reduced.
The agency's current revenue stream isn't enough to maintain service on all routes as currently scheduled, Washington Transportation Secretary Paula Hammond said.
"The ferry system as it is doesn't have the money to sustain itself," she said.
That's the warning sounded by Hammond as the state Legislature prepares to head into its biennial budget negotiations when the 2009 session gets under way in January.
Unless legislators can boost the WSF budget, Hammond said there may be no other choice but to cut costs.
Service reductions are among the cost-saving options available, she said.
"That's something that's being considered for all runs unless we get more revenue," she said.
Hammond didn't elaborate on what reduced service might look like on the Keystone route. But she said that while people are quick to remember whispers in the Legislature that the Keystone run may be shut down permanently, they are worrying themselves for nothing.
If the state was planning to close the route, WSF would not have accepted Todd Pacific Shipyards' bid to build a new 64-car ferry for the route.
"That ought to make our intentions fairly obvious," Hammond said.
Todd was the only Washington shipbuilder to submit a bid. To build both vessels, Todd quoted a cost of $124.4 million - about $28.5 million more than Ferries' estimated cost of $95.9 million.
Todd also submitted a bid to build just one ferry for $65.4 million - $16 million more than Ferries' $49.4 million estimate for a single vessel.
While the decision was not formally announced until Dec. 1, Sen. Mary Margaret Haugen delivered the unofficial news at an Island County Council of Governments meeting Nov. 26. Haugen learned of the decision the day before, when Hammond informed her that Gov. Christine Gregoire had given the OK.
After an initial effort to build three smaller ferries that were later deemed unsuitable for the Keystone route, WSF officials had sought bids for two new 64-car ferries based on the Island Home - a ferry designed in Seattle that is currently operating in Martha's Vineyard in Massachusetts. That vessel was built in Mississippi three years ago for $33 million - about half the amount the state will pay Todd to build a modified version of the same vessel.
The Legislature has budgeted $84 million to build replacement vessels for the Steel Electrics, which were retired for safety reasons in November 2007.
Len York, the CEO of Nichols Brothers Boat Builders in Freeland, said the bid award to Todd is great news for his company - and for the Whidbey Island economy.
"I'm really pleased to hear that," York said. "It's going to be a significant piece of business for us."
The Freeland shipyard expects to earn about $6 million for its work as a subcontractor for Todd. York said Nichols eventually may be able to rehire some of the workers laid off Nov. 20.
"There will be an opportunity to bring some of those folks back, but it won't be right away," York said.
The workers won't be brought back until construction begins, which is still months away, he said. Planning and design work must be completed first.
While the contract award may be great news for Nichols, some Whidbey residents are worried that WSF officials may decide to build only one vessel for the Keystone route. Sue Cunningham, owner of the Blue Goose Inn in Coupeville, said she is very concerned about the level of service and has sent e-mails to Hammond and to local elected officials asking them to stay on top of the issue.
"I think we need two boats, minimum," said Cunningham, who will take over as president of the Central Whidbey Chamber of Commerce in January.
Haugen insisted that the route will eventually have two ferries again. Money that had been set aside to build 144-car ferries will likely be used for the construction of at least one more ferry based on the Island Home design, she said.
"We have money budgeted, just not appropriated," Haugen said.
While Haugen said the money is available now, she said Gregoire was unwilling to accept Todd's two-ferry bid because the quote may have been inflated due to the fact that the company was the sole bidder. Haugen said Gregoire was willing to accept Todd's bid to build one ferry only because a replacement vessel is needed on the run as soon as possible.
"We're going to bite the bullet," she said.
It's been more than a year since the Steel Electric ferries were pulled from service on the Keystone route. Delivery of the new Island Home-design ferry won't happen until at least June 2010.
Since February, the state has provided car-ferry service on the Keystone route using the Steilacoom II, a vessel leased from Pierce County. The route will be served by a private passenger-only boat for up to four weeks beginning Jan. 6, when the Steilacoom II goes into drydock for maintenance and repairs.
WSF officials haven't said yet how they plan to provide car-ferry service after the lease for the Steilacoom II ends in August 2009. Some speculate that the agency may offer to buy the Steilacoom II, which could eventually be used as a second vessel on the Keystone route during the busy summer tourist season, saving the state the cost of building a second Island Home.
WSF officials are still looking for a used ferry to buy or lease for the route.
The federal Jones Act requires U.S. ferries to have been built at an American shipyard, but if a suitable foreign-built vessel is found, the agency plans to seek an emergency exception to the law.
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Post by Kahloke on Dec 5, 2008 11:09:10 GMT -8
Budget troubles threaten Keystone ferry
By Justin Burnett Examiner Staff Writer Washington's transportation chief warns that if the state Legislature doesn't come up with more money for Washington State Ferries, service on the Keystone-Port Townsend ferry route could be reduced. The agency's current revenue stream isn't enough to maintain service on all routes as currently scheduled, Washington Transportation Secretary Paula Hammond said. "The ferry system as it is doesn't have the money to sustain itself," she said. That's the warning sounded by Hammond as the state Legislature prepares to head into its biennial budget negotiations when the 2009 session gets under way in January. Unless legislators can boost the WSF budget, Hammond said there may be no other choice but to cut costs. Service reductions are among the cost-saving options available, she said. "That's something that's being considered for all runs unless we get more revenue," she said. If they are looking to cut service, I will re-iterate what I have been saying all along: CUT Sidney, permanently! I don't know what kind of savings that would produce, but it would eliminate those landing fees at Sidney, SOLAS certification, US Customs, and it would provide more vessel flexibility having Chelan back in the mainline fleet. It would also simplify the Anacortes Terminal project, not having to accommodate Customs. Additionally, I would look at cutting a lot of those late night/early morning sailings on the Puget Sound routes. Does there really need to be a ferry from Seattle to Bainbridge at 2:00am? If you live on a peninsula or island, like me, you are making a choice to give up some of the conveniences of living in the city. Besides, unless you live on Vashon, you can always drive around via the Narrows Bridge. It might not be convenient, but in the wee hours of the morning, there wouldn't be much traffic. Another cost reduction idea I have is the inter-island ferry in the winter. I know it only operates Monday-Friday on the winter schedule, but I am wondering if it is possible to eliminate the inter-island ferry altogether, and go daily with a schedule more like the 3-boat Saturday-Sunday schedule? They could use 2 Supers and an Issaquah-124, say Elwha (or Hyak), Yakima, and Chelan. It's the maintenance season, so I imagine there would be a fair amount of vessel rotation, as there is today, but it could work. Nobody likes to hear about service cuts, but the economic situation is pretty bleak, and drastic steps need to be taken. It will be interesting to watch and see how things unfold.
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Post by InWashington on Dec 5, 2008 15:14:14 GMT -8
I have wondered through all of of this if the Port Townsend/Whidbey Island people who so vehemently opposed relocating the Terminal at Keystone so any of the Evergreen/Issaquah class boats could be assigned to the route are having any hindsight issues.
One of their main points was that they did not want that many cars being put on to their streets.
I bet having any cars on their streets might seem nice in a fews weeks.
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