OVERVIEW
The east half of the Hood Canal Bridge is nearing the end of its service
life. Beginning in 2003, construction on a new east half floating section,
new approach structures and a widening on the west half will begin. During
April/June 2006, the new east half will be floated into place requiring
a six to eight week total closure of the bridge.
In February, 1999, two committees were formed from the PRTPO (the Hood Canal Bridge Stakeholders Committee and the Hood Canal Bridge Advisory Committee) to develop a closure mitigation plan. The two committees, with input from the public, developed a list of eleven proposed strategies for mitigation for the 2006 closure of the Hood Canal Bridge. WSDOT completed an analysis of the preferred options and built a proposal that utilizes a combination of the most effective strategies.
The proposed WSDOT mitigation plan included:
WSDOT determined this proposal provided predictable, dependable
service that is multi-modal and lessens the impact to users of the Hood
Canal Bridge during the replacement of the east half floating portion of
the bridge. The options listed above could be provided within the funding
limit of $10 million and among them are the options that rated the highest
in an opinion poll taken at four open house meetings during September/October
1999, and at Hood Canal Bridge committee meetings in October 1999.
In February, 2002, the PRTPO met to vote on the preferred bridge closure mitigation options. However, the projected costs for the passenger-only ferry ($3 million) were actually $6.5 million. and the projected costs of the Port Townsend auto ferry to Kingston/Edmonds ($3.5 million) were actually $6.7 million.
The breakdown of costs are:
Passenger-only Ferry
Water Side Costs
Land Side Costs
Transit
Foot Ferries
$1,500,000
-0-
$1,850,000
South Point
$ 305,860
$ 180,000
-0-
Port Gamble
$ 315,860
$1,430,000
-0-
Fred Hill
-0-
$ 900,000
-0-
Total: $6,500,000
Auto Ferry
Water Side Costs
Land Side Costs
Transit
Auto Ferries
$3,074,000
-0-
$2,100,000
Port Townsend
$ 247,000
$ 21,320
-0-
Kingston
-0-
$ 50,000
-0-
Edmonds
-0-
$150,000
-0-
Jeffco Airport
-0-
$860,000
-0-
Total: $6,700,000
The above costs assume no user fees. There would be no charge for auto or passenger-only ferries, and no charge for transit services.
Based on these new cost figures, only one ferry option could be enacted.
Passenger-only Ferry
Advantages
Disadvantages
Moves 2,700 passengers at the AM peak
Vulnerability to weather shutdowns
Flexible continuous service
No automotive or truck capacity
Shorter runs-approximately 20 minutes
Requires pre-staging of autos
Less impacts to Port Townsend
Requires people to change routine
Large areas available for parking at
Port Gamble and Sunshine Pit
Service will operate in low traffic areas
with minimal impact
Smaller passenger loads are more compatible
with transit and road systems
Auto Ferry
Advantages
Disadvantages
Provides auto and truck passage directly
Will overload the Port Townsend ferry terminal
from Port Townsend to Kitsap Peninsula
and city traffic in the vicinity
and mainland
Requires transit system to deliver 1,400
Provides temporary improvements to
passengers from park & rides to Port Townsend
auto holding areas in Port Townsend
ferry dock for one sailing
Can run in all weather
Requires holding area on or in vicinity of Port
More readily accommodates tourist traffic
Townsend dock for up to 1,400 passengers
Serves only a small portion of auto/truck traffic
Low flexibility of service
Based on the above, the PRTPO endorsed the Southpoint/Port Gamble passenger-only ferry option