PORT TOWNSEND — Work on a $36 million expansion of the Port Townsend ferry terminal is suspended, for now.
Whether or not work resumes on the ferry terminal that connects Port Townsend with Keystone on Whidbey Island “depends upon further discussion with the city and the community”‘ and perhaps with the state Legislature, said W. Michael Anderson, executive director of Washington State Ferries, on Saturday.
“We’ve been at this for some time now — the planning, the design and public meetings.
“It’s really been only lately that it’s risen to the top” of the community awareness “and out of respect for the community, we’re calling a time out to figure out where we want to go from here,” Anderson said.
The state wants to know what the city wants to do, Anderson said.
“The city had expressed angst about us moving forward.
“Until we get some clarity about it, we won’t continue on the project.”
Anderson said that a Nov. 9 meeting on the issue was still on if the city wanted it.
Deputy Mayor Michelle Sandoval, was asked by state Rep. Lynn Kessler, D-Hoquiam, to meet Nov. 9 with state Transportation and ferries officials and Sen. Mary Margaret Haugen, D-Camano Island, whose district includes the Keystone Ferry Terminal.
“We certainly are not refusing to meet with the city,” said Anderson on Saturday.
“If they’d like to have that meeting, we’ll be there.”
Sandoval, hearing that news on Saturday said, “Then we’ll have it, most definitely.
“If this meeting is still on then I see this as a positive step.”
“What has occurred is that they have heard our concerns. Our community has felt like they haven’t listened to us.
“Once the Nov. 9 meeting happens, we hope to be in the position of being stakeholders in this project instead of being the recipients of their plan.
“They have listened to us that they need to put on the brakes temporarily.”
