COUPEVILLE — The name change is now in print. Washington State Ferries’ fall schedule refers to the Port Townsend-Coupeville route.
For years, it was the Port Townsend-Keystone ferry.
The Washington State Transportation Commission voted in July to rename the terminal on Whidbey Island.
The ferry that crosses Admiralty Inlet from Port Townsend doesn’t land at Coupeville, a town of about 1,900 on Whidbey Island.
Coupeville is about four miles north of Keystone Harbor, where the terminal is located.
Keystone has no ZIP code. No town exists there.
The Central Whidbey Chamber Commerce spearheaded the drive to change the name of the ferry dock.
Business leaders argued the “Coupeville” name is more familiar with tourists visiting the island.
The name change will help eliminate confusion visitors may find when they research ways to travel to Whidbey Island, they said.
Changes to be seen
The name change is on the state ferries system webpage, www.wsdot.wa.gov/ferries.
The fall sailing schedule says “Port Townsend/Coupeville,” with an asterisk to explain the terminal’s former name.
“These changes will start to roll out in printed materials as well in the coming months,” said David Moseley, the assistant secretary for the state Department of Transportation ferries division, in his weekly update released Friday.
There also will be new signs at the terminal and a new highway sign.
New ferry in October
Coupeville secured a federal transportation enhancement grant of slightly more than $41,000 to cover costs associated with the name change.
The route between Port Townsend and Whidbey Island is waiting for a new ferry.
The first sailing of the 64-car MV Chetzemoka — the first new state ferry in more than a decade — is now expected to be sometime in October.
The 50-car ferry Steilacoom II, which the state leases from Pierce County, has sailed the route since 2008.
The Steilacoom II lease expires at the end of September.
But the state ferries system has made arrangements to keep the boat through October, according to Marta Coursey, state ferries system spokeswoman.
The Chetzemoka’s inaugural sailing originally was set for next Sunday.
But that was delayed because of a discovery during sea trials of a vibration in the propulsion system at high speeds.
The state ferries system has said that the problem has been fixed, and that it will take formal possession of the ferry this week.
Crew training
That will signal the beginning of a crew-training period scheduled to last at least six weeks.
Captains, engineers and crews will become familiar with this new class of ferries, to continue testing its operating capabilities and to practice a variety of emergency and security drills, Coursey said.
Both Port Townsend and Coupeville have planned inaugural celebrations for the ferry, which Gov. Chris Gregoire is expected to attend.
The $65.5 million Chetzemoka and a second ferry, the Salish, will replace 80-year-old Steel Electric-class ferries.
Transportation Secretary Paula Hammond pulled the Steel Electrics from service in late November 2007, saying they were unsafe.
Two ferries had served the route before the Steel Electrics were pulled off.
The Salish is expected to join the Chetzemoka on the route in spring 2011.
