PORT TOWNSEND – State legislators and Department of Transportation officials plan to meet Monday afternoon in Seattle to discuss the future of the state’s fleet of Steel Electric-class ferries, state Rep. Lynn Kessler says.
The corroded, 80-year-old ferries were abruptly pulled from service by state Transportation Director Paula Hammond late Tuesday afternoon.
Transportation officials are facing the wrath of not only legislators who serve on the transportation committees for both the state House of Representatives and Senate in Olympia, but powerful lawmakers from the 24th and 10th districts, which are linked by the idled ferry link between Port Townsend and Whidbey Island.
One of those is Kessler, who is not only one of three lawmakers from the Olympic Peninsula’s 24th District, but as majority leader the No. 2 ranking Democrat in the House.
“Suffice it to say that I am so, so upset and very disappointed,” said Kessler, of Hoquiam.
Kessler along with Sen. Jim Hargrove, D-Hoquiam, and Rep. Kevin Van De Wege, D-Sequim, represent Clallam and Jefferson counties and one third of Grays Harbor County.
Just across Admiralty Inlet from Port Townsend is Keystone, which is represented by Sen. Mary Margaret Haugen, D-Camano Island, the powerful chairwoman of the Senate Transportation Committee.
Both knew the four-ferry Steel Electric fleet was aged and leaking, but neither was warned of a sudden halting of car ferry service – especially on the eve of the holiday season.
“I did not see this coming,” Kessler told the Peninsula Daily News.
“I knew there were problems but – I repeat – there was no warning for me.”
Haugen spokesman Steve Breaux said that “losing a ferry run is like losing a bridge – just like the Alaskan Way Viaduct and the 520 bridge – and should be addressed accordingly.”
Monday’s private meeting, probably at the state ferries office in Seattle, will include Hammond and ferry officials to talk about what the state will do next, Kessler said.
