PORT TOWNSEND — Saying the time is right for expanding foot-ferry service, the owner of the Port Angeles-based Victoria Express is talking about expanding his operations to include a high-speed ferry between Port Angeles and Port Townsend — and possibly from Port Townsend to Victoria and Seattle.
Jack Harmon believes that with private-public partnerships, passenger-only ferry service would be an economical alternative to driving between Port Angeles and Port Townsend on U.S. Highway 101.
He notes that Highway 101 and other main highways on the North Olympic Peninsula are growing more crowded as resident, commercial and tourist traffic grows yearly.
“Highway 101, 104 and 103 — all of their infrastructure is not going to be enough,” Harmon told the three Port commissioners at a meeting Wednesday.
“Are we going to build more highways, or are we going to high-speed ferry service?
“I believe it’s high-speed ferry service.”
Leave Port Angeles?
Asked if he might switch his company’s headquarters from Port Angeles to Port Townsend, Harmon said it was far too early to think about that kind of decision.
Harmon has operated Victoria Express for 15 years between Port Angeles and Victoria, and last year added Victoria to Friday Harbor as an additional run.
“We need to work this issue out,” said Harmon.
“This is not just a Port Townsend issue, this is a Puget Sound issue.”
He called Port Townsend “an awesome location” for a high-speed ferry terminal.
However, Harmon said Port Townsend was seriously lacking in facilities to support such an operation.
He urged the Port, the city of Port Townsend and the Jefferson County Economic Development Council “to work together and bring it all together.”
Herb Beck, the Port commission’s chairman, seemed to like Harmon’s vision.
“We need a facility like this to be a key seaport,” Beck said.
Besides possibly running ferries from Port Townsend to Victoria and Seattle (or linking up with Aqua Express in Kingston), Harmon said:
“I think a Port Angeles to Port Townsend route is imminent . . . We can make it now in an hour.
“I believe that I will see that, and I hope that’s one of my boats.”
New facilities
Port officials working with Harmon said his vision was “longterm” and could constitute investment of several million dollars if the Port had to build facilities to accommodate passenger-ferry service on Port property, such as Port Townsend Boat Haven.
Parking is also an issue, Port officials said.
Harmon agreed.
“Parking is a huge issue,” he said. “Where are you going to put the people?”
Port Executive Director Larry Crockett asked Harmon to talk with the commissioners after he had talks earlier about Harmon “moving his operation to Port Townsend in some way, shape or form.”
“This is not a Port Angeles versus Port Townsend situation,” said Crockett, introducing Harmon to the Port commissioners.
“We are always open to new business.”
