Dungeness Line, operated by Port Angeles-based private transportation operator Olympic Bus Lines, will skirt around the six-week Hood Canal Bridge closure beginning May 1, taking a new route to Seattle, the company’s president said Friday.
“This is going to make our lives so much easier,” said Jack Heckman, adding that if there were enough demand the company would add a second bus to the temporary route.
Washington State Ferries and the Department of Transportation, he said, approached Heckman to work out the alternate route during the closure to replace the bridge’s east half.
Heckman said the service, using the Port Townsend-Keystone ferry to Whidbey Island and the Clinton-Mukilteo ferry from South Whidbey to the Interstate 5 corridor to Seattle, would avoid what he anticipated as a “nightmare” of confusion and inconvenience if his passengers had to cross Hood Canal by temporary public transit and water shuttle services.
That would involve leaving and boarding buses and ferries with baggage in tow.
Even Dave Turissini, Jefferson Transit general manager, urged passengers to take the Dungeness Line.
“For those with baggage, that’s the way to go,” he said.
As is the case on the normal Dungeness Line route using the Kingston-Edmonds ferry, Heckman said Washington State Ferries and the Department of Transportation allow priority boarding to private transportation operators, guaranteeing them a place on the ferry, often allowing them to the front of the ferry waiting line.
“So people can stay on the same bus,” between Port Angeles and Seattle, Heckman said.
The Dungeness Line stops at the Greyhound bus depot and hospitals in downtown Seattle, then moves on to the Seattle-Tacoma International Airport, where the service picks up airport passengers to take them back to the North Olympic Peninsula.
Prices would remain the same from Port Angeles and include stops in Sequim, Discovery Bay to Port Townsend, Heckman said.
They are, one way to or from Seattle, $39; round trip to Seattle, $69; one way to SeaTac, $49; and $79 for a SeaTac round-trip.
Heckman said the company planned to make a test run over the weekend and finalize its schedule Tuesday.
During the bridge closure, Jefferson Transit will provide temporary bus service on both the Jefferson and Kitsap County sides of Hood Canal, with Victoria Express providing water shuttle service.
Temporary parking lots with up to 1,500 spaces have been set up at Fred Hill Materials Shine Pit in Jefferson County off Highway 104 and Port Gamble on the Kitsap side.
Temporary ferry docks have been built at South Point on the Jefferson County side and Lofall in Kitsap County.
Those wishing to cross the canal while the bridge is out can take free Jefferson Transit buses or drive to the Fred Hill Materials site, then board a shuttle bus to the South Point dock, board the water shuttle, deboard at Lofall, then take a shuttle to the Port Gamble parking lot to catch a bus to Kitsap destinations, such as ferries crossing to Seattle.
Heckman said advance reservations are strongly recommended. Those with reserved seats will board first.
For reservations or information, including fares, luggage restrictions and connections, phone Olympic Bus Lines between 8 a.m. and 6 p.m. at 360-417-0700 or 1-800-457-4492.
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Port Townsend-Jefferson County Editor Jeff Chew can be reached at 360-385-2335 or at jeff.chew@peninsuladailynews.com.
