Date:  Thursday, November 12, 2009

Contact: Marta Coursey, Director of Communications 206-515-3918

PORT TOWNSEND – The Washington State Department of Transportation Ferries Division (WSF) will close the Port Townsend/Keystone route the weekend of January 9-10, 2010, to facilitate a required annual inspection on the Steilacoom II. WSF is announcing this two-day route closure well in advance so that customers can plan ahead. Customers are advised to use the Edmonds/Kingston and Mukilteo/Clinton ferries as an alternate route between the Olympic Peninsula and Whidbey Island.

The Steilacoom II, like all WSF vessels, is required by federal regulations to undergo an annual inspection by the U.S. Coast Guard every year. This inspection includes items such as inspecting the condition of lifesaving equipment, verifying proper operation of navigation equipment and fire suppression systems, and observing crew performance during emergency drills.

In planning the timing of the annual inspection, WSF consulted with community stakeholders from Port Townsend and Coupeville. Weighing the anticipated ridership, the expense of chartering passenger-only service and installing temporary passenger loading/unloading facilities, and the short duration of the inspection period, it was decided to close the route for this one weekend.

Typically WSF performs vessel annual inspections during two-week maintenance availabilities at its Eagle Harbor Maintenance Facility on Bainbridge Island. However, because WSF has no other vessels that can operate on the Port Townsend/Keystone route, WSF will forego the two-week annual maintenance availability for the Steilacoom II and will perform the two-day annual inspection process at Port Townsend rather than at Eagle Harbor. The maintenance that would have been performed at Eagle Harbor will instead be completed during the vessel’s nightly tie-ups.

WSF is working hard to build new ferries for the Port Townsend/Keystone route. Todd Pacific Shipyards is more than halfway through the 18-month construction timeline for the 64-car Chetzemoka, which is scheduled to begin serving the route in late summer 2010. A second 64-car ferry will join the Chetzemoka on the route the following year.

To sign up for free e-mail alerts about service disruptions and other route information, visit www.wsdot.wa.gov/ferries/email_alerts.

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