02/15/2008: "New Ferries On The Horizon"

Gov. Chris Gregoire has signed Senate Bill 6794, which authorizes the construction of up to three new 100 car ferries to serve the Port Townsend-Keystone route in April 2009

In a county press release, Council Chair Rosenfeld is quoted as stating, “in her statement, the Governor unconditionally reconfirmed her commitment to the long-planned construction of the three new 144 car ferries that we expect to provide the most benefit to San Juan County.”

According to the Governor’s spokesperson, the Governor does not intend to allow the construction of the smaller 100 car boats to delay the construction of the larger ferries needed to replace the aging and ailing fleet that services San Juan County.

Councilman Ranker said he joined Chairman Rosenfeld in being "cautiously optimistic,” and that “I am greatly pleased to see the Governor so clearly focused on the needs of the Ferry system.” Rosenfeld concluded. “The battle for the funding to rebuild the ferry system that our islands depend upon has just begun, but I am feeling much more hopeful now than I was just a few weeks ago.”

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Gregoire stated “I requested this legislation to allow the state Department of Transportation to quickly begin building new boats to serve ferry commuters. Highway safety is my first transportation priority, and ferries are an important part of this network.”

The first of the boats is scheduled for delivery in 14 months. The three boats will be in addition to the three 144-car boats that are in the process of being designed..

The action of signing the bill follows the hiring last week of David Moseley as the new director for the ferry system.

The governor has asked Moseley to focus on three areas of improvement: A fleet preservation and maintenance program that sets the standard for industry best practices; a restructured, nimble organization that provides outstanding customer service in partnership with each of the communities the system serves, and that meets the needs of a growing Puget Sound region; and a funding plan that is lean and sustainable in the long term, and that accommodates the preservation and regular replacement of vessels in their planned life span.

“Over the next 30 years, most of the other vessels in the fleet will need to be replaced as well,” said Clibborn, D-Mercer Island, chair of the House Transportation Committee. “This is the start of a new generation of boatbuilding, and it only makes sense for us to keep these jobs in Washington.”