PORT HADLOCK — Golf clubs and small dogs are fine, but prison transfers and extra luggage are not.
These are just some of the rules for the foot ferry that will run between South Point and Lofall during the six-week Hood Canal Bridge closure that will begin May 1.
Rules were clarified during Thursday morning’s round table business meeting in Port Hadlock at the Jefferson County Library.
“The prisoner transfers are not going to happen,” said Dave Turissini, manager of Jefferson Transit, “at least, not on the foot ferry.”
Turissini was joined by Katheline Becker, spokeswoman for the state Department of Transportation; Christina Pivarnik, spokeswoman for the city of Port Townsend; and Susan Whitmire of Kitsap Bank.
As for bags, Turissini explained that the passenger ferry will be much like an airline, in that it will allow one personal bag and one small carry-on bag per passenger.
“If you come with a handcart full of bags, it’s probably not going to work,” Turissini said.
“If it’s golf clubs or a larger package, we can work with you.
“No one is going to be at the dock with a tape measure and a scale, but we are going to use the rule of reasonability.”
Becker said that rules also will apply to small animals.
“There is a limit on the size of animals, and they need to be in a carry on case,” she said.
“Small animals will work, but not your German shepherd, even if he is in a case — unless of course it’s a service animal. Then there are different rules.”
The ferries will be able to accommodate up to seven bicycles in each crossing, Becker said.
Becker also said any questions about luggage or use of the new ferry can be posted on the blog hosted by DOT at http://hoodcanal bridge.blogspot.com/ and that they will be answered by staff members.
Becker said that, in addition to the normal runs during the day, a staffed ferry will be on-call between 11 p.m. and 4 a.m. to shuttle people with medical emergencies across the the water.
With only 62 days left until the closure, Turissini summed up all the rules and regulations.
“It’s going to be a huge inconvenience,” he said.
“What took two minutes will now take 50.
“This is just a way to keep a lifeline open on that route.”
Marketing
Pivarnik spoke briefly about the city’s continued efforts to keep people coming to Port Townsend during the closure.
She discussed a “southern strategy” of marketing to cities south of U.S. Highway 101 and down Interstate 5.
“We’re working very hard to keep people coming,” she said.
“We’re targeting to the south, to areas like Portland and Olympia where the bridge isn’t an issue.
“We won’t even need to mention that the bridge is closed.”
The bridge will be closed during replacement of its eastern half.
That is expected to take six weeks, but Becker said the time frame could change for better or worse.
“The construction contract was designed to minimize the bridge closure,” she said.
“The company has eight days of incentives to finish early.
“They have a history of meeting incentives, so there is a possibility.
“The work can also be delayed due to weather.”
Three meetings are being scheduled for citizens to come and listen to business leaders talk in March.
The first two meetings are March 11 at 2:30 p.m. and 6:30 p.m. at the Jefferson County Library, 620 Cedar Ave., Port Hadlock.
The third is March 25 at 6:30 p.m. at the Quilcene High School, 294715 Highway 101, Quilcene.
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Reporter Erik Hidle can be reached at 360-385-2335 or at erik.hidle@peninsuladailynews.com.
