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Post by rusty on Jul 13, 2010 17:40:06 GMT -8
Do you think they'll change the road sign exiting the dock to actually point toward Coupeville?
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Post by BreannaF on Jul 14, 2010 0:14:29 GMT -8
[rant by a madman after midnight]
Problem) Complaint that you don't get enough tourists in your area. Solution) Insist that state only use small ferries on local route to restrict number of tourists coming in.
Problem) Need to spread the word that people should visit the "historic community" of Coupeville (as prominently noted on the chamber website). Solution) Change the name of one of the oldest historic places in the neighborhood that they might visit.
So..... do we want to attract business or not. This isn't even rearranging the deck chairs on the Titanic, it's simply renaming the deck chairs.
[/rant]
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Post by SS San Mateo on Jul 17, 2010 18:34:38 GMT -8
I've noticed there haven't been any "last sailing(s) sold out" alerts in quite awhile. Has traffic dropped down that much or is WSF not bothering to send out those alerts anymore for this route?
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Post by lmtengs on Jul 17, 2010 21:13:22 GMT -8
Oy! So this is what the Washington Transportation Commission spends it's time on? This is stupid. It's not Coupeville. It's Keystone. It will always be Keystone. Gotta love politics Agreed it will always be Keystone.. If we can get at least 75 other people to WSF headquarters to have a peaceful protest with signs and stuff, I'll come down to take part
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Post by EGfleet on Jul 18, 2010 3:48:14 GMT -8
I've noticed there haven't been any "last sailing(s) sold out" alerts in quite awhile. Has traffic dropped down that much or is WSF not bothering to send out those alerts anymore for this route? It's been sold out all weekend: Saturday, July 17, 2010 6:29PM
Port Townsend / Keystone - Reservation Status July 17 & 18 For Saturday and Sunday, July 17 and 18, all advance reservations are full from Port Townsend and Keystone.
Limited standby spaces remain with a 90 minute advance arrival advised. Walk on space is available on all sailings. Alternate routes are Edmonds/Kingston and Mukilteo/Clinton.
I suspect the Lavender Festival up in Sequim is largely responsible.
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Post by SS Shasta on Jul 20, 2010 10:09:23 GMT -8
I have recently noticed that press articles are now describing this route as "the ferry between Port Townsend and Whidbey Island" or similar words. Guess that sounds better than Port Townsend to Coupeville run as the landing at Keystone is several miles from Coupeville. To add to this confusion, we could call it the Port Townsend/Oak Harbor run . All of this is silly, but for me it will always be the Port Townsend-Keystone Route!!
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Post by Barnacle on Jul 20, 2010 11:25:35 GMT -8
Or if you really want to get screwy, you could always call it the Port Townsend-Deception Pass Ferry.
I mean, they're both on Highway 20, aren't they? ;D
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Post by EGfleet on Aug 4, 2010 9:31:45 GMT -8
All I can say ...what a waste of money...
Coupeville finds terminal name change money
By NATHAN WHALEN Whidbey News Times Reporter Aug 03 2010, 3:13 PM · UPDATED
How much is a name change? For the ferry system, it looks like about $9,000 per letter.
The state Department of Transportation will have to shell out approximately $90,000 to change the name of the Keystone ferry terminal to the 10-letter “Coupeville” ferry terminal.
To help the ferry system pay the costs of the name change, the town was recently awarded $41,000 in federal Transportation Enhancement dollars by the Skagit / Island Regional Transportation Planning Organization.
“Since we were the ones initiating the request, I thought we could be involved with paying the cost involved,” Mayor Nancy Conard said.
The RTPO awarded the grant on July 28.
The Central Whidbey Chamber of Commerce with help from Conard and others successfully lobbied the Washington State Transportation Commission last month to change the name of the Central Whidbey ferry terminal, arguing the name Coupeville is more recognizable than Keystone.
Coupeville, Oak Harbor and Langley, along with state legislators and Whidbey-based chambers of commerce, all endorsed the name change. The local ferry advisory board was against it.
Federal transportation enhancement dollars were given to the Washington State Department of Transportation which dispersed portions of the federal money to the 14 RTPOs that cover 38 of Washington’s 39 counties. Only San Juan County isn’t represented in an RTPO.
Coupeville town leaders will take the grant money and turn it over to Washington State Ferries to pay for part of the name change costs.
The ferry system expects to pay $40,000 in “hard costs” for printed materials and $50,000 is needed to pay for technology changes, staffing, and to develop a communications plan to inform riders of the pending switch.
Conard said she consulted with ferry officials to determine the $41,000 amount to request from the RTPO.
Marta Coursey, communications director for the Ferries Division, described the news of the grant as “great.”
The name change comes as the ferry system puts the finishing touches on the Chetzemoka, which was scheduled to start serving the Port Townsend to Coupeville route Aug. 29. However, ferry workers are busy resolving a vibration issue in the vessel’s driveline. Nearly a week after discovering the problem, ferry officials didn’t know as of Wednesday afternoon whether the issue will affect the Aug. 29 inaugural sailing, Coursey said.
That’s the same date the Keystone Ferry Terminal officially becomes the Coupeville Ferry Terminal.
RTPO money spread around
In addition to the $41,000 awarded to Coupeville, Island Transit was awarded $50,000 by the Regional Transportation Planning Organization to build five bus shelters, which includes the installation of concrete pads and bicycle racks. The agency received an additional $50,000 to build a bus pullout, shelter and bike rack near the intersection of Highway 525 and Woodard Avenue in Freeland.
Island County Public Works received $198,000 to complete engineering and design of a non-motorized trail along Highway 525 near Freeland. RTPO transportation planner Donna Keeler said the trail would be similar to the one recently constructed connecting Coupeville to Rhododendron Park.
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Post by SS Shasta on Aug 5, 2010 9:19:18 GMT -8
Why doesn't the State send this $90,000 bill to the Central Whidbey Chamber of Commerce? The tax payers always seem to become victims of these stupid and silly schemes. One could also note that $90,000 would be of great benefit to the Whidbey Camano Land Trust as they struggle with funding to preserve Trillium Woods.
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Post by EGfleet on Aug 5, 2010 12:11:48 GMT -8
Why doesn't the State send this $90,000 bill to the Central Whidbey Chamber of Commerce? The tax payers always seem to become victims of these stupid and silly schemes. One could also note that $90,000 would be of great benefit to the Whidbey Camano Land Trust as they struggle with funding to preserve Trillium Woods. Read the article a little more carefully. They ARE putting up $41,000.00 toward the cost. To help the ferry system pay the costs of the name change, the town was recently awarded $41,000 in federal Transportation Enhancement dollars by the Skagit / Island Regional Transportation Planning Organization.
“Since we were the ones initiating the request, I thought we could be involved with paying the cost involved,” Mayor Nancy Conard said. That leaves a mere $49,000.00 to come from to DOT. ;D
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Post by SS Shasta on Aug 5, 2010 14:00:53 GMT -8
Why doesn't the State send this $90,000 bill to the Central Whidbey Chamber of Commerce? The tax payers always seem to become victims of these stupid and silly schemes. One could also note that $90,000 would be of great benefit to the Whidbey Camano Land Trust as they struggle with funding to preserve Trillium Woods. Read the article a little more carefully. They ARE putting up $41,000.00 toward the cost. To help the ferry system pay the costs of the name change, the town was recently awarded $41,000 in federal Transportation Enhancement dollars by the Skagit / Island Regional Transportation Planning Organization.
“Since we were the ones initiating the request, I thought we could be involved with paying the cost involved,” Mayor Nancy Conard said. That leaves a mere $49,000.00 to come from to DOT. ;D Guess that is my problem. I DID READ THE ARTICLE CAREFULLY. Washington State RTPO's are voluntary associations of local government funded through State and Federal dollars. Apparently the $41,000 is coming from Federal dollars which is just another way to fleece the taxpayers. My suggestion is that the Central Whidbey Chamber of Commerce, a private organization, foot the bill rather than the public.
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Post by SS Shasta on Oct 4, 2010 5:58:08 GMT -8
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Post by Barnacle on Oct 4, 2010 6:43:39 GMT -8
Where was Judd when all this was being debated?
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Post by chokai on Oct 4, 2010 10:58:26 GMT -8
Where was Judd when all this was being debated? It's much easier/less time consuming to rant about a decision after it's been made than actually particpate in the decision process right? :-P
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lifc
Voyager
Posts: 471
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Post by lifc on Oct 13, 2010 20:03:02 GMT -8
This decision to change the name is a travesty in light of the current economic situation, I for one, will always call it Keystone.
On another matter, when the economy was good and before the unfortunate removal of the Steel Electric's from service, how well did the two SE's do handling the peak summer traffic at Keystone? I know some of you have a better idea of this than I do. Jim
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Post by Barnacle on Oct 14, 2010 7:20:31 GMT -8
This decision to change the name is a travesty in light of the current economic situation, I for one, will always call it Keystone. As will I, but I rebut that the current economic situation had nothing to do with making this a travesty.
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lifc
Voyager
Posts: 471
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Post by lifc on Oct 14, 2010 8:13:41 GMT -8
I agree.
Stilll wondering how well the two old SE's handled the traffic back then?
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Post by Kahloke on Oct 14, 2010 8:53:08 GMT -8
I agree. Stilll wondering how well the two old SE's handled the traffic back then? From what I can recall on the few times I took the PT-KEY run when the SE's were still in service, the route was routinely overloaded during the summer, even with two vessels operating there. Keep in mind, that was before reservations.
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lifc
Voyager
Posts: 471
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Post by lifc on Oct 14, 2010 9:21:29 GMT -8
Firstly, I think the reservation system is only a band aid, it merely shifts the loading patterns around and disscourages travel on high volume days. I personally know people who did not go to Port Townsend because of no available reservations. No one bothered to tell them that they only reserve 25 spaces on the SEII and the rest are first come first serve. I went on one of these trips one of my friends would not because she could not get a reservation , and there were 15 empty spots on the boat.
So in other words, as the economy rebounds, the two 64 car KdT Ferries projected to be there in the summer will not be adequate for the loads, wonderful, such great planning.
I know keeping about the same car capacity was what the politicos gleaned from Port Townsend, however, sometimes someone has to show some leadership and foresight. I think an 80 car boat would have had more utility, been able to use Keystone, extended the one boat season there, and been a replacement for the Evergreen Class on Inter-Island and in a pinch elsewhere. If the PT people did not want an increase in car volume, just don't run the larger one as much.
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Post by Kahloke on Oct 14, 2010 9:44:58 GMT -8
Slight detour here....
Back when the state was still considering dredging or relocating Keystone, and the 144-car ferries were being planned (ahhh, those were the days), I thought two Evergreen Class vessels would have been perfect for the route, at least until it came time to retire them.
Alas, none of that happened, and here we are with these new "tub-toy" ferries which are barely useful from a vehicle capacity standpoint. But, everyone here already knows that, so I now return you to our regularly scheduled discussion....
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Post by EGfleet on Oct 14, 2010 9:51:49 GMT -8
I agree. Stilll wondering how well the two old SE's handled the traffic back then? From what I can recall on the few times I took the PT-KEY run when the SE's were still in service, the route was routinely overloaded during the summer, even with two vessels operating there. Keep in mind, that was before reservations. It wasn't so bad when the state ran the second boat more than 8 hours a day for the shoulder season. Part of the fall out from I-695 was that second boat was pared down from 16 hours a day during the shoulder season to 8 hours.
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Post by Low Light Mike on Nov 5, 2010 20:34:55 GMT -8
Port Townsend's "Quincy St. Dock" hearkens back to the days when WSF would sell naming-rights to Hollywood TV show companies. Besides giving a " Welcome to the fascinating world of forensic medicine," this dock gave a welcome to travelers from Whidbey Island. But seriously, Quincy St. is in the downtown "Presidential district" and is so named as to distinguish itself from Adams Street. Here's a historical sign on the side of a nearby building: I visited on October 27/28, 2010 during an overnight stay (Bishop Victoria Hotel, highly recommended by myself). - this overnight allowed me to do both evening and early-morning photography in the downtown waterfront area. -------------------- The view down Quincy Street, towards the water: - the view from the South. - the view from the North. - the old vehicle holding-compound area.
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Post by Low Light Mike on Nov 5, 2010 21:41:06 GMT -8
Photos of Port Townsend terminal, showing the work underway on Berth #1. - from October 27/28, 2010:
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Post by EGfleet on Nov 11, 2010 16:53:09 GMT -8
Not hard to see that the San Diego was a kissing cousin to the Steel Electrics. I seem to recall reading somewhere that she was drawn off the same plans, in fact.
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Post by lmtengs on Nov 11, 2010 17:28:21 GMT -8
Whatever happened to the San Diego?
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