Residents of the San Juans and Anacortes will rally Feb. 18 in Olympia to pursuade legislators to preserve ferry funding. They hope to go armed with vox populi, in the form of a petition. The petition is online at www.petitiononline.com/mod_perl/signed.cgi?plancfcp&101

Washington State Ferries is proposing two options for reducing expenses in the face of expected funding shortfalls. Plan A would continue the current level of service and eventually “upsize” certain routes, but would create $3.5 billion in debt by 2030. Plan B would reduce the fleet and cut back routes, including eliminating the Anacortes-to-Sidney route. That option would leave the agency $1.4 billion in the red. Both plans call for a fare increase of 2.5 percent, a fuel surcharge when gas prices rise, and a reservation system to be phased into all the ferry terminals over a period of 10 years. WSF estimates that by canceling the Anacortes-to-Sidney run it would reduce its debt load by $9.4 million over a number of years. But state Rep. Jeff Morris, D-Mount Vernon, doubts that savings: Gov. Christine Gregoire proposes spending $11.7 million on an Enhanced Driver License program which would allow vetted Americans and Canadians more efficient border crossings.

In addition, implementing a reservation system — the goal is to reduce the back-up of cars waiting to buy tickets — would cost $12 million to implement, analysts say.

Robert deGavre, a member of the San Juan County Ferry Advisory Committee, said the term “eliminating the Anacortes-to-Sidney route” is misleading; what is proposed to be eliminated is a ferry serving the San Juan Islands. The full draft of the long-range plan is available at www.wsdot.wa.gov/ferries/planning/eshb2358

Please go to www.sanjuanjournal.com for the full story.

Residents of the San Juans and Anacortes will rally Feb. 18 in Olympia to pursuade legislators to preserve ferry funding. They hope to go armed with vox populi, in the form of a petition. The petition is online at www.petitiononline.com/mod_perl/signed.cgi?plancfcp&101

Washington State Ferries is proposing two options for reducing expenses in the face of expected funding shortfalls. Plan A would continue the current level of service and eventually “upsize” certain routes, but would create $3.5 billion in debt by 2030. Plan B would reduce the fleet and cut back routes, including eliminating the Anacortes-to-Sidney route. That option would leave the agency $1.4 billion in the red. Both plans call for a fare increase of 2.5 percent, a fuel surcharge when gas prices rise, and a reservation system to be phased into all the ferry terminals over a period of 10 years. WSF estimates that by canceling the Anacortes-to-Sidney run it would reduce its debt load by $9.4 million over a number of years. But state Rep. Jeff Morris, D-Mount Vernon, doubts that savings: Gov. Christine Gregoire proposes spending $11.7 million on an Enhanced Driver License program which would allow vetted Americans and Canadians more efficient border crossings.

In addition, implementing a reservation system — the goal is to reduce the back-up of cars waiting to buy tickets — would cost $12 million to implement, analysts say.

Robert deGavre, a member of the San Juan County Ferry Advisory Committee, said the term “eliminating the Anacortes-to-Sidney route” is misleading; what is proposed to be eliminated is a ferry serving the San Juan Islands. The full draft of the long-range plan is available at www.wsdot.wa.gov/ferries/planning/eshb2358

Please go to www.sanjuanjournal.com for the full story.