How About Them Ferries?
February 14th, 2008 by ed friedrichHi everybody. I’m Ed Friedrich and I cover the ferries, bridges
and other transportation stuff. We’ve been talking about starting
this blog for quite some time, but the way things have been going
with WSF lately, it couldn’t wait any longer.
The story about Mayor Bozeman today sure is getting lots of
comments. I’m glad he’s getting in the mix. He might brush some
people the wrong way to get something done, but he gets something
done. That’s what the ferry crisis needs.
As for riders thinking their route is getting screwed, that’s been
happening as long as I can remember, even when there was plenty of
money in the system. It’s just worse now because boats and cash as
much scarcer.
Some of you might want to slap me for saying this, but WSF usually
has good reasons for what they do. The system has flaws, but the
people I deal with are good folks. I almost feel sorry for them
when they get in messes like the current one. Like when they raced
to get the Hyak on the Bremerton route and it breaks on the first
trip. Ugh. What’s gonna happen next?
I have tons of stuff I want to put up here, but I also have several
stories I’m supposed to write today. So have at it, and I’ll get
back as soon as I can.
EDF
Scripps Interactive Newspapers Group
February 16th, 2008 at 7:17 am
Yup, it’s up and runnin’.
Filtering through the comments that have been made over the past .. oh.. week and a half or so.. seems to me the “general public” has quite a few variations on how the ferry situation that is complicating life not only for Bremer-ville, but for most of the routes in the neighborhood.
Hopefully we (the “general public”), with our combined knowledge, can come up with a plan that can be presented to those in positions of elected office. At the very least, the conversation(s) will bring attention to those in elected positions that the voting public isn’t very thrilled right now with decisions that have been made to date.
My two cents (do I get change?)
JimH
February 17th, 2008 at 9:17 am
It would be interesting to have those who represent us on the state level experience the situation(s) first-hand.
If someone lived in Port Townsend, and HAD to get to their workplace in Keystone, or Port Orchard / Seattle, or Southworth / Seattle, or Bremerton / Seattle, or Kingston / Edmonds.
Take away the crackberries and the laptops, and put the requirements in there they HAD to be on the jobsite at the time most of us do.
I wonder how they would think then?
Okay, so I’m dreaming again. >>sigh
February 17th, 2008 at 8:35 pm
Why build smaller vessels? All new vessels should be built to serve all the runs so there is redundancy. Our weather patterns should be considered, Rougher conditions are in our future whether we like it or not. I recently viewed some pictures of a wave clearing the foredeck of vehicles on the Mukilteo run. We don’t have the time or the money to continue letting government make the same mistakes they always have to get what we’ve always received. Quick fix, poor results, and cost overruns. Thankfully they plan to have them built locally and not, heaven forbid, choose anything like the ferries to Martha’s Vineyard.