COUPEVILLE — The Central Whidbey Chamber of Commerce in Coupeville is pushing the state to change the name of Whidbey Island’s Keystone ferry terminal to the Coupeville terminal.
The change would mean the route between Port Townsend and Keystone would become the Port Townsend-Coupeville route.
The Central Whidbey Chamber of Commerce is calling for letters of support to go along with an application to the Washington State Transportation Commission to officially rename the terminal for the community known for its Penn Cove mussel farm and quaint waterfront downtown.
Not simple change
“We just thought it would be just as simple as changing the name of the ferry route,” said the chamber’s executive director, Lynda Eccles.
“What we found out was we have to change the name of the ferry terminal. So we decided to go whole-hog.”
Already, Eccles said, support letters are expected from state Sen. Mary Margaret Haugen, D-Camano Island, and Rep. Barbara Boxer, R-Oak Harbor, with more from Whidbey Island mayors, business groups, organizations and other chambers on the way.
Those letters will be submitted with the application to the transportation commission, she said.
The chamber is preparing for the August launch of the first of two new Kwa-di Tabil-class ferries on the Admiralty Inlet crossing.
“We are hoping for official confirmation by August so we can have an unveiling of that name at that time the ferry is launched and celebrated,” Eccles said.
Celebration
A lot of celebration and ferry riding is expected when both Port Townsend and Coupeville throw parties to dedicate the Chetzemoka, the first of the two new ferries to ply the waters between Port Townsend and Whidbey Island.
The route now is covered by the Steilacoom II, which is leased from Pierce County.
Reema Griffith, Washington Transportation Commission executive director, said her agency had been approached “informally” about changing the Keystone ferry terminal’s name to Coupeville terminal.
“We don’t name routes,” she said. “They want to change the name for the Keystone terminal.”
Griffith said the state would have to figure the cost of changing the name on printed and Web materials and signs over time.
“The onus is on the locals who want to make the name change,” she said. “They’ve got to do their due diligence and the vetting of it.
“We want to see a public meeting to allow the public to come forward and comment.”
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Port Townsend-Jefferson County Editor Jeff Chew can be reached at 360-385-2335 or at jeff.chew@peninsuladailynews.com.
