PORT TOWNSEND — A Steilacoom II ferry reservation system required some tweaking this week, but Washington State Ferries officials believe they have accomplished what they set out to do:
Provide temporary ferry service on the Port Townsend-Keystone route, and eliminate traffic backups on Water Street during a time when there is no off-site overflow parking space.
That has given ferries officials more time to plan for future overflow parking while two new ferries are built in the next three years.
Off-site ferry terminal overflow parking was proposed at the city-owned Port Townsend Chamber of Commerce Visitor Information parking lot at Jefferson Street and Sims Way.
“We don’t have to act in haste now,” said Rick Sepler, city planning director, who works closely with ferries issues affecting Port Townsend.
With the retirement of the Steel Electric-class vessels in November 2007, the Port Townsend/Keystone route now operates with only one boat and reduced capacity while two new 60-car Island Home-class ferries are being being built.
To decrease wait times during the busy 2008 summer season, a city of Port Townsend-supported state ferries reservations pilot program was set up.
The visitor center parking lot site was deemed necessary last year for ferry overflow because a shoreline commercial and residential development is proposed at Indian Point, the stretch of Water Street connecting to Gaines Street, Sims Way and Washington Street.
It also gives the chamber more time to make room by relocating the visitor center to Jefferson Transit’s Haines Place Park and Ride off 12th and Landes streets.
Chamber officials expect to move the visitor center late this year.
