PORT TOWNSEND — Washington State Ferry Chief David Moseley likely will be pelted with questions about the state’s plans for the MV Salish today, said the Port Townsend Ferry Advisory Board chairman.
Moseley, assistant transportation secretary, will discuss the state of the ferry system — and the outlook for the future of the Port Townsend-Coupeville route — at the noon Jefferson County Chamber of Commerce at the Port Townsend Elks Lodge, 555 Otto St.
“People will want more specifics about the plans for the Salish,” said Tim Caldwell, Port Townsend Ferry Advisory Committee chairman, referring to the MV Chetzemoka’s sister vessel, which, up until early November, was scheduled to become the second 64-vehicle boat on the route in the spring.
Budget cuts
Moseley has said budget cuts mandated by Gov. Christine Gregoire may force the reallocation of the boats, moving the Salish, now under construction, to the San Juan route rather than to the route between Port Townsend and Whidbey Island.
Caldwell said this news is not welcomed by Port Townsend residents, who have seen a reduction in ferry service, struggling with one-boat for the three years since the aging Steel Electrics — two of which plied the route — were retired because of corrosion.
Level of service
“If we can get that second boat, we will have a level of service that compares to what we had 10 years ago,” Caldwell said. “We are not asking for anything more than we had — only a return to original service levels.”
The meeting will be Moseley’s first appearance in Port Townsend since the Nov. 14 inaugural sailing of the Chetzemoka, which took over the Port Townsend-Coupeville route and was the first new state ferry constructed in more than a decade.
The topics expected to be covered at the meeting include efficiencies and reform of the ferries, the upcoming legislative session and new vessel programs.
But the agenda item of most interest, Caldwell said, will be the proposed options for service reductions.
Under the present proposed option, the Salish would replace the 87-car Evergreen State, which would be shifted to the Fauntleroy-Vashon Island-Southworth route to replace the Issaquah, a 124-car vessel that would be moved to the Seattle-Bremerton route.
The Issaquah would replace a 144-car Super Class ferry on the Seattle-Bremerton ferry route in the fall, winter and spring, as well as a Super Class ferry on the Anacortes-San Juan Islands ferry route in the summer — permitting the idling of one of the state’s four 144-car Super Class ferries.
No backup
Since the Chetzemoka and the Salish are the only two state ferries that are able to navigate Coupeville Harbor, there will be no backup for the Chetzemoka if it goes out of service and the Salish is allocated elsewhere.
Caldwell said he expects Moseley to address escalating fuel costs and what options the ferry system will have should there be a sharp increase in fuel prices.
Moving the Salish to the San Juan route is one of the options for trimming nearly $17 million from the state ferries system’s 2011 budget.
No decision will be made for several months.
The Office of Financial Management will consider the options, some of which may be incorporated into Gregoire’s budget proposal, which is expected to be presented after Monday, Dec. 13.
The governor’s proposed budget will be debated by the state Legislature after it convenes Monday, Jan. 10, for a session extending until April.
The state Transportation Department has been asked to cut $212 million. The state is facing a $5.7 billion budget deficit for 2011-13.
The chamber of commerce meeting is free and open to the public. Those who want to eat lunch can get a salad for $9 or a full meal for $12, cash or check.
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Jefferson County Reporter Charlie Bermant can be reached at 360-385-2335 or charlie.bermant@peninsuladailynews.com.
