Date:
Monday, December 15, 2008
Contact:
Marta Coursey, Director of Communications, 206-515-3918
PORT TOWNSEND – Washington State Department of Transportation Ferries Division (WSF) will contract with a private operator to provide passenger-only ferry service on the Port Townsend/Keystone ferry route beginning Monday, Jan. 5. The service will run for approximately four weeks while the Steilacoom II is out of service for maintenance and its U.S. Coast Guard required annual inspection. The Steilacoom II, leased from Pierce County, is the only vehicle ferry that will work for Keystone Harbor’s challenging conditions.
On Dec. 10, three companies submitted proposals for providing passenger-only service. WSF is currently reviewing the proposals and will announce a selection soon.
WSF will install barges in the vessel slips at both the Port Townsend and Keystone terminals in order to allow the passenger vessel to land safely and to make it easier for customers to load and unload. The barges meet Americans with Disabilities Act accessibility standards and provide direct access to the Port Townsend and Keystone terminals.
Sailing times have been adjusted to improve transit connections on both sides of the route. Crossing times are approximately 25 min. each way. Beginning Monday, Jan. 5, the Port Townsend/Keystone passenger-only sailing schedule will be:
|
Leave
Port Townsend |
Leave
Keystone |
|
6:20 a.m. |
7:10 a.m. |
|
8:15 a.m. |
9:10 a.m. |
|
10:15 a.m. |
11:10 a.m. |
|
12:15 p.m. |
1:10 p.m. |
|
2:15 p.m. |
3:10 p.m. |
|
3:50 p.m. |
4:35 p.m. |
|
5:20 p.m. |
6:10 p.m. |
|
7:00 p.m. |
7:45 p.m. |
|
8:30 p.m. |
9:15 p.m. |
Passenger fares will remain the same – $2.60 for a one-way full fare. Wave2Go multi-ride cards are also accepted. The vehicle holding lanes at both terminals will serve as park and ride lots for passengers.
The temporary passenger-only schedule is designed to coordinate as closely as possible with transit service on both sides of the route. Customers looking for information on transit connections can call Island Transit at (360) 321-6688 ext. 3 (or toll free at 800-240-8747) or Jefferson Transit at 800-371-0497.
For more ferry system information, please visit the WSDOT Ferries Division Web site at
http://www.wsdot.wa.gov/ferries/. To sign up for free e-mail alerts about service disruptions and other route information, click on the link in the far left column of the Web site.
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