05/06/2005: "BOCC & FH Council Wants More Ferry Traffic"

FERRY_ADVIS-1 (32k image)

SJC Ferry Advisory Committee At Work

If a way can be found to shave a few minutes off of the unloading of ferries at Friday Harbor, there would be an argument to be made that an extra boat load of cars and people can be shipped from Anacortes directly to Friday Harbor. With encouragement from the BOCC, Bob Distler and the Ferry Advisory Council have been pushing this idea, and now the owner of the "bottle neck" (the Town of Friday Harbor) has agreed to spend $250,000.00 of state money to continue to study the problem, and in conjunction with the Port of FH and the State, come up with a solution to this pressing problem. Commissioner Kevin Ranker went to the FH Town Council on Thursday and assured them there would be more money coming from the State that would provide an additional $350.000.00, or more, of additional "study" money, if needed.

Some concern was expressed by members of the Council that if the results of the study show improvement are to be made, can the Town then pay for them. Once again Ranker felt that there is more State money to go after. And there may very well be so: the State Transportation Commission plans to develop A program of target investments to address bottlenecks and chokepoints …and future visions that support growth.

The question not asked and not answered, was to what extent the study of traffic flow, would include a study of the potential positive and negative impacts on the town, the island, and the county as a whole.

Town Council member Rosenfeld was encouraged by the news and offered congratulations to all involved.