Washington's ferry system must meet the needs of the communities it serves

THE Washington state ferry system is in trouble. Our revised draft long-range plan released Jan. 31 describes needs ranging from $1.3 to 3.2 billion in new funding over the next 22 years, depending on which ferry future you envision.

We operate the largest U.S. ferry fleet, carrying 23 million passengers a year. But ridership is falling. The costs of operations are climbing. Meanwhile the system does not have a sufficient, dedicated source of funding.

We love our ferry system. The ferries are the workhorse of the marine highway system; reliable and dependable. We do not want to lose our Northwest icons.

For eight years we have shuffled funds within transportation accounts to keep the system operational. But in 2007, fares were frozen and the terminal-improvement program was halted while the long-term needs of the system could be fully analyzed. The Legislature is now completing its study and faces the reality that we cannot continue to operate without a reliable, sustainable funding source.

This planning effort calls for a policy discussion that defines a range of scenarios that seek to balance service goals and funding requirements.

Assistant Secretary David Moseley and his staff worked hard this year, visiting every ferry-served community multiple times to listen and discuss ways to improve the ferry system. More than 1,300 people attended the 10 public hearings on the draft plan. We received hundreds of letters and e-mails. We heard loud and clear that ferry communities oppose a plan that would eliminate service and pare the system.

Now our goal is to help the Legislature develop a plan for long-term service and a reasonable vessel-construction program, along with a financial strategy to support them.

We have analyzed the problem extensively. The time is now for us to settle on a ferry system that meets the needs of the communities it serves.