Date:  Thursday, December 22, 2011

Contact: Joy Goldenberg, WSF communications manager, 206-515-3411 (Seattle)

PORT TOWNSEND – The communities of Port Townsend, Whidbey Island, and Kennewick will join Washington State Ferries (WSF) and state and local officials to welcome the new ferry Kennewick to the state ferry fleet at 11 a.m. Friday, Jan. 6.

The event celebrating completion of the ferry will take place aboard the Kennewick at the Port Townsend ferry terminal. This celebration also marks the successful completion of the Kwa-di Tabil class (64-car) ferry construction program. The three-vessel program was completed three months early and $6.7 million under budget.

After remarks by dignitaries, the public can tour the new vessel until 1 p.m. that day. The Kennewick’s in-service date on the Port Townsend/Coupeville route will be announced in early January.

The Salish ferry will operate on its normal schedule throughout the day, so there will be no event parking available at the terminals.

Event directions

• From Whidbey Island: WSF will provide free passage for walk-on passengers on the 10:15 a.m. regularly scheduled sailing aboard the Salish – first come, first served up to the 750-passenger vessel capacity. Walk-on passengers are advised to park at the Coupeville Park and Ride on South Main Street and ride the 9:45 a.m. Island Transit bus Route 6 to the ferry terminal. After the festivities, Route 6 will take attendees back to the park and ride. This bus runs once an hour.
• From the west side: Parking is available in the parking lot adjacent to the Port Townsend ferry terminal.

For more information about the Kwa-di Tabil ferries, visit the program Web page and see photos in our Flickr collection.

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