Inspection cancels weekend Port Townsend-Keystone ferry runs

Published 10:15 pm Tuesday, January 5, 2010

KEYSTONE — The Keystone-Port Townsend ferry run is cancelled for Saturday and Sunday for an annual inspection.

State Ferries officials said the required inspection of the Steilacoom II means that ferry riders will need to drive around, or use the Mukilteo-Clinton and Edmonds-Kingston ferries as alternate routes between Whidbey Island and the Olympic Peninsula.

Ride vouchers for Port Townsend-Keystone multi-ride vehicle ticket and monthly pass customers are offered during the ferry run’s cancellation.

You can present your multi-ride tickets at Clinton or Kingston, then inform the ticket seller if you need to use the Edmonds or Mukilteo ferries to get to your final destination. Ticket sellers then scan one ride from the Port Townsend-Keystone multi-ride ticket and issue one voucher for travel through Edmonds or Mukilteo, depending on your destination.

The monthly pass walk-on passenger ride program is not in effect because passenger-only service is not being offered during the weekend cancellation.

Like all state ferries, the Steilacoom II is required by federal law to undergo an annual inspection by the U.S. Coast Guard.

State Ferries officials said regular ferry riders in Coupeville and Port Townsend were consulted about the timing of the inspection and ferry run cancellation.

Ferry inspections usually are conducted over a two-week period at the state’s maintenance facility on Bainbridge Island.

However, because the state has no other vessels that can operate on the Port Townsend-Keystone route, the Steilacoom II inspection will be performed in two days at Port Townsend.

For more information about the ride voucher program, call 206-464-6400. To sign up for e-mail alerts about service disruptions and other route information, go to www.wsdot.wa.gov/ferries/email_alerts.

Gale Fiege: 425-339-3427; gfiege@heraldnet.com.