Coupeville terminal glitch disrupts ferry service
Published 12:01 am Sunday, September 28, 2014
PORT TOWNSEND — Temporary repairs have been made to the transfer span for vehicle boarding at the Coupeville terminal after problems led to disruptions in ferry service between Port Townsend and Whidbey Island last week.
Eight sailings were canceled between 10:15 a.m. and 12:30 p.m. Thursday, said Marta Coursey, Washington State Ferries spokeswoman.
Service on the MV Kennewick and MV Salish ferries resumed at 1:15 p.m. that day, with vehicles limited to a single lane and to a 32,000-pound weight restriction at the Coupeville terminal.
By Friday, two-lane loading with no weight restriction had resumed.
Crews had reported atypical movement in the transfer span and apron — the part of the terminal that cars drive over to board the vessel — at the Coupeville terminal at about 10:30 a.m., Coursey said.
They shut it down to assess the apron hinge mechanism before reopening the transfer span to one-lane traffic with weight restrictions.
On Thursday night, crews reinforced the hinges with bolts, which allowed two-lane loading without weight restrictions.
Permanent repairs planned
A plan will be made for permanent repair, Coursey said.
“In the meantime, Washington State Ferries is confident the temporary repairs will allow full access from Coupeville without weight or loading restrictions,” she said.
Terminal staff have a system for checking the transfer span and apron every week and “will ensure extra diligence in reviewing the checks and balances in place on the apron mechanism,” she said.
