PORT TOWNSEND — Mayor Michelle Sandoval isn’t sure if Port Townsend should go into the ferry business — even if the ferry is permanently moored on the city’s waterfront.
“We don’t even know if we want to get one [of the four forcibly retired Steel Electric-class ferries],” Sandoval said.
“We just would like the opportunity to get one if we want. We would do a feasibility study to see if we could.”
The 81-year-old Nisqually, Quinault, Klickitat and Illahee ferries will be put up for sale this week by Washington State Ferries.
Until last November, when state Transportation Secretary Paula Hammond pulled them from service because of corrosion and extensive hull damage, the Steel Electrics had served the Port Townsend-Keystone run and the San Juan Islands.
Sandoval and other city officials asked the state last month about the possibility of having one of the Steel Electrics returned to Port Townsend.
It has been suggested that the ferry be tied up at the city dock off Madison Street and used as a place for meetings, parking, a farmers market or maybe even a restaurant.
“It could be used in a number of ways from parking to conference rooms,” Sandoval said.
“But,” she added, “there are pros and cons to getting one.”
