PORT TOWNSEND – A decision on the aging Nisqually’s future on the Port Townsend-Keystone ferry run has been delayed for at least a month, a Washington State Ferries spokeswoman said Wednesday.
“We need more time to think about it and all the needs and benefits,” said Hadley Green.
A cost analysis of the needs of the other three 80-year-old Steel Electrics ferries – the Klickitat, Illahee and Quinault – will be factored into the final decision.
Other ferry issues will come before the Port Townsend-Keystone Ferry Partnership’s meeting on Friday.
The group of Port Townsend and Whidbey Island representatives will meet at 9:30 a.m. at the Pope Marine Building at City Dock, Madison and Water streets.
The meeting will include discussion about a new Port Townsend holding site for overflow vehicle parking.
Green said the list of potential remote parking sites has been narrowed to one on state Highway 20 (Sims Way) fronting the Port of Port Townsend Boat Haven, and another on Jefferson Street at Sims Way where the existing Port Townsend Visitor Information Center is located.
The Nisqually was taken out of service on Sept. 9 to comply with Coast Guard inspection requirements, including removal of concrete ballast to inspect the vessel’s hull.
The Illahee and Quinault are in drydock for maintenance, leaving the Klickitat the one ferry on the route.
The state ferries system hired a third-party inspection company, International Inspection, to conduct comprehensive surveys of all four Steel Electric vessels.
