Ferries built out of state could cost state less
Washington State Ferries could save millions of dollars by opening new ferry construction to shipyards outside the state, slowing the vessel speed and idling slower at the docks.
By Susan Gilmore
Seattle Times staff reporter
Washington State Ferries could save millions of dollars by opening new ferry construction to shipyards outside the state, slowing the vessel speed and idling slower at the docks.
Further, the state should put off building two new 144-car boats and instead build four like the 64-car boat planned for the Port Townsend-Keystone route.
Those findings were presented Monday to the Joint Transportation Committee (JTC), by consultant Kathy Scanlan of the Cedar River Group, a public-policy consultant used frequently by the ferry service.
The JTC, comprised of state lawmakers, was created during the 2005 legislative session to review and research transportation programs and make recommendations to the Legislature and state government.
Consultant and naval architect John Boylston, who contracts with the Cedar River Group and the JTC, also briefed the lawmakers, saying the state could save 20 percent in ferry-building costs if the bids were open to any U.S. shipyard. Currently, bids are accepted only from Washington shipyards.
He said in Mississippi labor is 20 percent cheaper than here, and steel prices here can be 30 percent higher than on the Gulf Coast.
Boylston said Halter Shipyards in Mississippi built the first Island Home, a model being considered for the Port Townsend boat which is now in use in New England. Halter told him it could build a Washington Island Home ferry for $47 million, far below the single $65 million bid offered last week by Todd Pacific Shipyards in Seattle.
But what Todd and Boylston said drove up the cost, in part, was the state's 18-month construction schedule — something Boylston said is impossible for any shipyard to meet. If Todd gets the bid, it will pay $6,000 each day it is late.
Boylston said Todd's bid seemed reasonable. The Halter estimate didn't include extra design work, required bonds, which would add $2 million to the price, an estimated $2 million to bring the boat to Washington and the estimated $2 million penalty Todd will face for a delivery one year late — which Boylston said is certain to happen.
The state plans to decide in the next two weeks whether to accept Todd's bid.
In other findings given to the JTC by Scanlan:
• Reducing vessel speed by 1 knot (1 knot equals about 1.15 mph) could save $6 million a year — 12 percent of fuel costs — although it could affect schedules. Slowing idle speeds at the dock from 60 rpms to 30 could save $27 million between 2009 and 2030.
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• The state should put off until 2021-2030 construction of two of proposed six new 144-car boats now in the design phase, and instead build four Island Home boats to serve Port Townsend, Point Defiance and the San Juan Island inter-island route.
• The state's cost estimate for the 144-car boats is low. The state's estimate is $115 million per boat in 2008 dollars; the consultants put the cost at $135 million.
The JTC was also given ferries' new customer survey, Monday. It found:
• There's been a sharp drop in commute trips on the ferries, from 68 percent of the total in 1993 to 48 percent this year.
• Ferry fares could rise as much as 60 percent before the cost of lost riders exceeded revenue from higher fares.
• Fewer than one in 10 riders say they could change their travel habits to avoid peak commutes.
• A 20 percent fare increase would decrease those driving on the ferries by 9 percent, increase those walking on by 9 percent and increase the percentage of those who wouldn't take the trip by 53 percent.
• When asked important issues on their ferry-riding decision, time was three times as important as cost.
Transportation
Tuesday, November 18, 2008
Washington State Ferries plans to save money by building boats out of state
Saturday, March 22, 2008
Seantor Murray brings home Federal Pork for transportation
News Release
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King County: Murray Adds $131.7 Million for Transportation, Housing and Community Development Priorities in King County
For Immediate Release:
Thursday, July 12, 2007
(Washington, D.C) – Today, U.S. Senator Patty Murray (D-WA) announced that she has included $131.7 million in funding for King County transportation, housing and community development projects in the Transportation, Housing and Urban Development Appropriations bill. Senator Murray is the Chairman of the Transportation, Housing and Urban Development (THUD) Appropriations Subcommittee.
"This funding will go toward keeping King County's highways safe, continuing the growth of our transit system, providing more affordable low-income housing, building neighborhood centers and keeping our ferry system efficient," said Senator Murray. "Our transportation infrastructure is critical to keeping our economy growing and I am committed to providing funding that will reduce congestion, create jobs, and improve quality of life. I am also determined to steer investment to building affordable housing and neighborhood centers that will give low-income King County residents the resources they need to provide stability for themselves and their families."
Projects funded by Senator Murray in King County include:
Coal Creek Parkway Expansion, Newcastle -- $1 million
This project will widen Coal Creek Parkway from two to four travel lanes and will include sidewalks, bike lanes, curbs, gutters, and drainage facilities. This project will also include the replacing of the existing two-lane May Creek Bridge with a new, four-lane one. Coal Creek Parkway is the only north and south roadway alternative to I-405 between the cities of Bellevue and Renton, which makes it a vital regional corridor.
Newcastle Mayor Jean Garber praised Senator Murray for providing funding for the Coal Creek Parkway Expansion: "Newcastle is most appreciative of Senator Murray's efforts to secure funding for the Coal Creek Parkway project. The Senator recognizes the importance of completing this project prior to I-405 construction, and this funding moves us along toward that goal."
Sound Transit, University Link -- $30 million
University Link will extend light rail from downtown Seattle north to the University of Washington. This corridor is the most densely developed residential and employment area in the central Puget Sound region and state. University Link received the highest rating from the Federal Transit Administration in the “Annual New Starts Report for FY 2007.” This funding will support Sound Transit’s efforts to complete final design and continue with property acquisitions.
Sound Transit, Link Light Rail -- $70 million
Sound Transit is constructing an initial 14-mile light rail system from downtown Seattle to Seattle-Tacoma International Airport. Senator Murray has previously secured $310 million for this project.
Highpoint Neighborhood Center Construction -- $600,000
The Seattle Housing Authority is nearing completion of a redevelopment of the former public housing community at High Point, which has one of the highest concentrations of poverty in Seattle. The High Point Neighborhood Center will provide a variety of programs such as Head Start, employment training, youth tutoring, adult education, and other programs to assist low-income individuals and families. The funding secured by Senator Murray will be used to replace existing facilities with a new center.
El Centro de la Raza, Facility Improvements -- $300,000
Funding secured by Senator Murray will help El Centro de la Raza complete their capital campaign to update their century-old building. Specifically, funding will assist with the cost of replacing the facility’s roof, which is in dire need of replacement. El Centro de la Raza offers a range of services that include child care and development, after school programs, homeless assistance, first-time homeownership workshops and counseling, English-as-a-Second Language classes, and senior wellness and meal programs, among others.
Asian Counseling and Referral Service, New Building Construction -- $500,000
The Asian Counseling and Referral Service (ACRS) provides a variety of services for the Asian Pacific American community in the Seattle-area, including: mental health and substance abuse treatment, domestic violence intervention, job training, naturalization assistance, food bank and nutrition programs, elderly care, and a legal clinic. Serving 18,000 clients a year in more than 30 languages, the ACRS has been recognized as a national leader in providing services to low-income Asian Pacific Americans. The funding secured by Senator Murray will support this effort and enable the ACRS to provide greater access to these critical services.
Hiawatha Village Low Income Housing Development, Seattle -- $750,000
This funding will help complete the construction of Hiawatha Village, which is a unique and innovative structure that seeks to maintain affordability in a low-income Seattle neighborhood. The 102-unit condominium development will sell 52 of its units to low-income, first-time homebuyers, and some of the units will only be available for re-sale to other low-income families. This project will promote property investment and provide low- and moderate-income families with affordable and quality units. This funding will complete the project.
Vashon Island Passenger Ferry, King County -- $600,000
The Vashon Island Passenger Only Ferry is the only direct mode of transportation between Vashon Island and downtown Seattle. The ferry is crucial for the residents of Vashon Island, and allows the retailers and businesses located there to be economically successful. This funding will allow for increased accessibility between Vashon and Seattle, reduce commute times, and encourage commuters to use public transportation.
Rainier Vista Boys & Girls Club -- $500,000
The Boys and Girls Clubs of King County needs to replace the current Rainier Vista facility, which is being demolished as part of the redevelopment of the former Rainier Vista public housing project. This funding will assist the Boys and Girls Club in building a new, expanded facility that will allow for expanded programming and services.
Daniel Johnson, President and CEO of Boys & Girls Clubs of King County discussed the importance of this funding:
"We are thrilled that Senator Murray has once again led the way for children and families in Seattle," said Johnson. "The anticipated $500,000 is a huge boost to our campaign to build a state of the art Boys & Girls Club and teen center in the heart of Rainier Vista, one of the highest need communities in the state. The Club will serve as a beacon of hope for thousands of youth who need us most."
Nisei Veterans Memorial Hall Renovations -- $250,000
The funding provided will complete the Nisei Veterans Committee renovation project at its Memorial Hall in Seattle. It will allow for expanded educational activities about the internment and military service of Japanese Americans during WWII. In addition, it will enable the Nisei Veterans Committee to restart its low-income seniors’ lunch program.
Passage Point Transitional Housing Construction, King County -- $500,000
This project is a partnership between King County and the YWCA, which is redeveloping the Passage Point property into a 70-unit transitional housing project. The housing will be aimed at stabilizing families where a parent is coming out of prison and seeking to re-unite with their children, with the goals of reducing homelessness and recidivism. The campus-like setting will also provide treatment and counseling, and will serve to foster healthy parent-child relationships. This funding will complete the construction and the project.
South Lake Union Streetcar Project Capital Improvements -- $1.15 million
This project will help complete the City of Seattle’s South Lake Union revitalization plan by building a streetcar line connecting Westlake Center to the South Lake Union neighborhood. The Streetcar will increase access to the new waterfront park, is vital for attracting job development, and will help to improve and upgrade the Mercer Street corridor and essential utilities.
Auburn A-B Street NW Corridor Connector -- $1.8 million
This project will link three grade separated arterials between Auburn Station and S. 277th Street. The project is part of a comprehensive downtown revitalization plan for Auburn’s downtown core. The funding secured by Senator Murray will complete the final phase of the project and fund construction from 10th Street to 14th Street.
Des Moines Creek Trail Access Project -- $500,000
This funding will support efforts by the City of Des Moines to increase public access between the Des Moines Beach Park National Historic District, Des Moines Marina, and Des Moines Business District. This connection will support expanded recreational, cultural and historic tourism activities. The Des Moines Creek Trail is part of the larger Puget Sound regional trail system.
Advanced Materials in Transport Aircraft Structures – $1 million
This mark doubles the annual funding the center has been operating on for the last three years. The AMTAS center at the University of Washington is an FAA Center of Excellence where extensive research and testing and training is conducted on composite materials. This program has contributed significantly to the 787 effort.
Spiroid Winglet Fuel Efficiency Research -- $3 million
The funding will go toward the spiroid research project that would explore next generation winglet designs and technologies to enhance wing lift and stability and generate increased aircraft fuel efficiency. Given the current impact of fuel prices on airline cost drivers and concerns about aircraft engine emissions, any improvement in aircraft fuel efficiency through next generation winglet technologies translates into decreased pollution, increased aircraft efficiency and performance, and reduced airline fuel costs.
Pacific Highway South Bus Rapid Transit-- $14.25 million
This funding would go toward the Pacific Highway South RapidRide project which runs from Sound Transit's Light Rail Station at 154th Street (north of SeaTac Airport) to the Federal Way Transit Center (near SeaTac Mall), a distance of 10.35 miles. The funding will increase efficient bus service to a rapidly growing area of King County.
Washington State Ferries -- $5 million
This funding will go toward Washington state ferries and is from the federal Ferry Boats and Ferry Terminal Facilities Program.
The THUD Appropriations bill passed the full Appropriations Committee today and will now move to the full Senate for consideration.
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Monday, March 10, 2008
Our Ferries are in bad shape; 16 of 28 need repairs
Corrosion in the State Ferry System
Policy Highlighter 1/31/08
By Bob Williams
The Washington State Ferry (WSF) system knows it has a big problem. More than half of its fleet is manning the lifeboats, just in case.
No fewer than sixteen of the state’s 28 ferries are in drydock, or will be soon, for emergency repairs to address safety concerns. One of them, the Yakima, is being inspected every four hours until drydock space opens up for needed repairs. So grave are some problems within the system that the Department of Transportation has inquired about repair facilities in Portland. How the ferries would get there is in question. If they are dangerous to operate in the Puget Sound, we wonder how they would stand up in the Pacific Ocean.
Of course, all of this comes in the wake of the state’s original Titanics (the four steel-electric ferries that served the Port Townsend-Keystone run) being retired for safety reasons right before Thanksgiving, 2007. Since then, serious problems have been discovered on a number of other vessels including ships where as much as 80 percent of the hull has eroded away.
The following is a summary status of WSF troubled vessels:
Steel Electric Ferries | |
Name | Status |
Ilahee | Permanently pulled out of service on Nov. 20, 2007 |
Klickitat | Permanently pulled out of service on Nov. 20, 2007 |
Nisqually | Permanently pulled out of service on Nov. 20, 2007 |
Quinault | Permanently pulled out of service on Nov. 20, 2007 |
Car & Passenger Ferries | |
Name | Status (Capacity) |
Chelan | In drydock at Todd Shipyard until the end of Feb. (124 cars) |
Chinook | On standby. Was supposed to be sold on eBay, but sale canceled due to steel electrics being permanently pulled out of service. (passenger only) |
Hiyu | In drydock at Dakota Creek until Feb. 6. Developed a leak near its keel and inspectors found 80-90% of parts of its hull had corroded away. This ferry might be needed as a Pierce County backup ferry while WSF leases the Steilacoom II. (34 cars and 200 passengers) |
Hyak | In drydock at Dakota Creek. Significant corrosion had eaten away as much as 75% of parts of the hull. (144 cars) |
Evergreen State | Will be drydocked at an unannounced date for repairs and possible engine replacement. Needs steel repaired or replaced on hull by May 1. (87 cars and 983 passengers) |
Kaleetan | Will go to dry dock in mid-April with no known return date. Needs steel repaired or replaced on hull by May 1. (144 cars) |
Rhododendron | Went to Todd Shipyard on Jan. 14 and will be there until repairs are completed. (48 cars) |
Sealth | Will be drydocked in late Feb. for an unannounced period. (90 cars) |
Spokane | Will be drydocked at the end of Jan. or vessel must go out of service. Needs steel repaired or replaced on hull. No replacement boat has been designated. (188 cars) |
Tillikum | Will go to drydock in mid-April until the end of May. Needs steel repaired or replaced on hull by May 1. (87 cars) |
Wenatchee | In maintenance in Eagle Harbor and will be drydocked in late Feb. for an unannounced period. (202 cars) |
Yakima | Transferred from Anacortes/SJI run to Bremerton/Seattle so it could be inspected every 4 hours. Needs steel repaired or replaced on hull by May 1. (144 cars) |
This litany raises serious questions about WSF management and policy that demands legislative attention. Unfortunately, we are seeing precious little in the way of public action. The chair of the Senate Transportation Committee, Sen. Mary Margaret Haugen, has determined that no public hearings are necessary. She is quoted in the Everett Herald (January 11, 2008) as saying:
“I think there’s been incompetence, no question about it. Has there been fraud? No. We know bad decisions were made. I don’t think there was criminal behavior or deliberate action to mislead us.”
There has been an historical trend of both the Senate and House Transportation Committees failing to address the root problems identified in 40 WSF audits and whistleblower complaints over the last two decades.
How can legislators improve the ferry system if they are kept in the dark about the actual conditions of the ferries and refuse, over a period of years, to exercise their oversight responsibilities? Obviously, they can’t.
And that is how we find ourselves in this position.Bob Williams is the president of the Evergreen Freedom Foundation, a public policy organization in Olympia, Washington, dedicated to the advancement of individual liberty. He is known as a national expert in the areas of fiscal and tax policies, election reform and disaster preparedness. He received his Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from Pennsylvania State University. Bob worked as a GAO auditor of the Pentagon and Post Office before moving to Washington state where he served five terms in the Washington state legislature and was the 1988 Republican nominee for governor.
Gregoire's Surprise Appointment as WS Ferry Chief: David Moseley
WSDOT announces David Moseley as new Assistant Secretary for Washington State Ferries
Date: Tuesday, February 05, 2008
Contact: Lloyd Brown, WSDOT Communications Director (360) 705-7075 (Olympia)
 David Moseley, new Assistant Secretary for Washington State Ferries |
OLYMPIA – Gov. Chris Gregoire, Sen. Mary Margaret Haugen and Rep. Judy Clibborn joined Transportation Secretary Paula Hammond today as she announced David Moseley as the new Washington State Department of Transportation Assistant Secretary for the Ferries Division.
Moseley, Vice President for the Institute for Community Change in Seattle, had been Federal Way city manager from 1999 to 2006. He assumes the position vacated by Mike Anderson who retired in 2007.
“I am pleased to be here today to launch a new day and a new direction for the Washington state ferry system,” said Gregoire. “Over the next 18 months, I have asked Secretary Hammond and her new ferry system assistant secretary to transform the state ferry system so during these changing times it will remain the safest, most responsive, and highest caliber system in the world.”
The governor specified three areas of improvement she hopes will ensure that Washington state has a healthy, cost-effective ferry system well into the future. They are:
- A fleet preservation and maintenance program that sets the standard for industry best practices.
- A restructured, nimble, organization that provides outstanding customer service and in partnership with each of the communities it serves, and meets the needs of a growing Puget Sound region.
- A funding plan that is lean, and sustainable in the long-term, and that accommodates the preservation of vessels and regular replacement within their planned life span.
Moseley joins WSDOT during a time of increased scrutiny after Hammond took all four of the Steel Electric class vessels out of service due to safety concerns about hull corrosion. This decision led to vehicle service being suspended on the Port Townsend-Keystone ferry route and service disruptions on other routes.
“This is a big job with big challenges,” Moseley said. “Working with the Governor, Secretary Hammond, Sen. Haugen, Rep. Clibborn, WSDOT and ferry system staff, ferry communities, riders and labor, I am confident we will strengthen the ferry system to provide the best service possible and begin to restore the public trust and confidence in the ferry system.”
Moseley has 15 years of service in city manager positions for three Washington State cities. Previously he directed the Department of Community Development, the Division of Youth Services, and the Community Accountability Program (juvenile justice) for the City of Seattle. Other experience includes Staff Director, Speaker of the Washington State House of Representatives and Director, Telegraph Avenue Community Center (Oakland). David was a Presidential Appointee to the National Advisory Committee for Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention. He received his Masters of Divinity from Golden Gate Theological Seminary and his BA from Willamette University.
Since its creation in 1951, Washington State Ferries (WSF) has become the largest ferry system in the United States and the third largest in the world, carrying more than 24 million passengers each year.
WSF operates 23 vessels and 20 ferry terminals, from Point Defiance (Tacoma) in the south, to Sidney, British Columbia in the north. Thousands of commuters, employers, students, tourists and commercial shippers depend on WSF every day for safe, reliable transportation across the Sound.
Passenger only ferry to end between Seattle and Bremerton as too expensive
New york Times
National Briefing | Northwest: Washington: Ferry Service To End
Published: September 20, 2003
The nation's largest ferry system, Washington State Ferries, will halt passenger-only service between Seattle and the fast-growing Navy port of Bremerton beginning today, inconveniencing thousands of commuters and tourists who use the boats to cross Puget Sound. The service, once part of a grand transportation vision of getting people to use mass transit, has proven too expensive. Fares cover less than 30 cents of each dollar of costs. The operating subsidy on the run was nearly $4 million last year.
Friday, March 7, 2008
WFS lists passenger-only ferry for sale on E Bay
The Washington state ferry Chinook is up for sale again on eBay.
The 10-year-old passenger-only boat was advertised last month with a minimum bid of $4.5 million. There were no takers but Traci Brewer-Rogstad, the ferry system's deputy executive director, says there were some telephone calls of interest.
The Chinook was relisted on Tuesday at the same minimum price, and as of Thursday morning no bids were listed. The boat was used on runs between Seattle and Bremerton but has been mothballed for four years
Hammond sees tolls on I 90, 520; surface road maybe for Viaduct
State's new DOT chief faces big challenges
It shouldn't be hard to find people unhappy with new Transportation Secretary Paula Hammond.
There are the ferry riders whose trips have been disrupted by aging, broken-down boats.
There are the truck drivers who lost millions of dollars when I- 5 was closed during the December floods in Lewis County and when the mountain passes were shut down this winter because of avalanches.
There are the ferry workers who have seen their schedules upended by the uncertainties of which boats would be running on which routes.
Yet Hammond, who took over the state's top transportation job in November, is so popular, and comfortable in her role, she can even mock herself.
"I'm the person who shuts things down," she joked at a recent meeting.
Hammond, 51, the first woman to head the state Department of Transportation, is no novice when it comes to transportation issues. She's been with the DOT for nearly 30 years, working her way up from entry-level engineer.
She was the chief aide to former Secretary Doug MacDonald, who recommended her as his successor. Hammond manages more than 7,000 employees, 7,000 miles of highways, 3,300 bridges and tunnels and 29 state ferries that carry 26 million passengers each year.
She is paid $163,500 a year.
"What we've learned in the past three to four months is how much we've taken the transportation system for granted and how much we can't," said Hammond, sitting in her Olympia office near the state Capitol, where she's been spending much of her time this winter. "My job is to be steward of the system. We have to keep transportation whole."
She knows she's been clobbered with the ills of the state ferries and the closed freeways. Yet even those people most affected don't blame Hammond.
One reason may be that she's been on the job only a few months.
"Paula Hammond is new. She couldn't do anything," said Bremerton resident Ann Erickson, who has been critical of what she sees as Bremerton taking the brunt of the ferry woes. "Every little hiccup and burp, they punish Bremerton, and we're sick of it," she said.
Erickson blames legislators, not Hammond, for the trouble. "We have to give Paula a chance. Let's give her a chance to see what she can come up with."
Gordon Baxter, lobbyist for the Inlandboatmen's Union, which represents workers on the state ferries, agrees.
"I think she's been doing a great job," he said. "She's the first one who's had the nerve to say, 'Let's look at all the vessels and the fleet and not make a political decision, but a decision that is best for the system and best for the users.' Yanking those four Steel Electrics out of service, that couldn't have been an easy decision."
Hammond pulled the four 80-year-old boats out of service in November because of extensive hull damage, eliminating car-ferry trips between Keystone on Whidbey Island and Port Townsend. It caused a huge uproar.
MacDonald, who retired in July, said he's not sure he would have had the political nerve to do the same thing.
"Her decision to pull the four boats was a very gutsy decision that showed her quality — no baloney," MacDonald said. "I wonder if I would have been so bold or so decisive. I'm not sure I could have done it."
State Sen. Cheryl Pflug, R-Maple Valley and member of the Transportation Committee, said she supported Hammond's appointment, but criticized her appointment of David Moseley as new head of the state ferries.
"I was critical of hiring a director of ferries with no maritime experience," said Pflug, who believes Gov. Christine Gregoire heavily influenced the decision.
From "grunt work" to top job
Hammond was born and raised in Klamath Falls, Ore., and graduated in 1979 from Oregon State University in civil engineering, one of eight women in a class of 120. Recently she returned to Corvallis with her two daughters to be inducted into the OSU College of Engineering's Academy of Distinguished Engineers.
She had several job offers after she graduated and accepted the one from the Washington Department of Transportation.
Her first job was engineer I, inspecting an asphalt plant in Montesano. She also worked on the survey crew for the replacement of the Hood Canal Bridge. "It was grunt work young engineers had to do," she said.
The benefit is that she knows a lot of the people she now bosses.
"When I applied for the [top DOT] job I was overwhelmed by the support I got," Hammond said. "I have a sense we are a very big family."
Even though she considers him her mentor, Paula Hammond is no Doug MacDonald. She doesn't send e-mails at 2 a.m. She doesn't have a cellphone glued to her ear. She's unlikely to pull over when she sees a road-construction site, as MacDonald was prone to do, often making him late to meetings.
It annoys her when she's at a meeting and all the participants are working on their BlackBerries. When she pulls out her own at home, her children chide her.
She has three: son Greg, 19, who attends Western Washington University; daughter Rachel, 16, who wants to be a government lawyer; and daughter Kerry, 10, who has an artistic flair. Both girls are active in Irish dancing.
Hammond said one reason she's been able to balance her work and home life is her husband, Alan, to whom she's been married nearly 30 years. A land surveyor with the Department of Fish and Wildlife, he's the one who picks the girls up from school.
"I have very little free time," she said. "Doug [MacDonald] had no life."
By her own accounts, Hammond is not a patient person.
"I'm the kind of person who likes decisiveness," she said. "My style is to make a decision and move forward, and it's nice to have a governor like that."
"Never loses her cool"
Much of Hammond's work recently has been dealing with the Legislature on various transportation issues. House Transportation Chairwoman Judy Clibborn, D-Mercer Island, gives her high marks.
"What a breath of fresh air," she said. "She never loses her cool. I saw her at 4 a.m. on Snoqualmie Pass, at 8 a.m. in Olympia and at noon in Spokane with the governor."
As for the decision to pull the four ferries out of service, "I think she did everything she had to do, and she had the guts to do it," Clibborn said.
"She answers questions straight and owns up to things that go wrong." Clibborn said she had no idea when Hammond was appointed that she was an engineer. An engineer hasn't led the department, known for political appointments, since 1981. When MacDonald was hired six years ago, he confessed that he knew little about roads and engineering.
MacDonald said that when Hammond was his chief of staff, a lot of the day-to-day work got funneled through her office.
"A lot of stuff went in her door and out her door," he said. "In dealing with the Legislature, there's a quality of candor about her and a sense of humor. Her personality is enormously warm and open. She's had to deal with one crisis after another in an extraordinary way."
Hammond said she doesn't spend every day wondering what MacDonald would have done, and that's probably no more apparent than when she was dealing with the ferry crisis.
If she'd known what faced her in ferries, would she still have taken the job? Yes, she says.
"Every problem has a solution," she said. "We knew when we lost the [motor-vehicle excise tax] we had to rebuild the fleet. We let it linger too long until things started to suffer."
But she is no apologist for the DOT. She said when the ferry system realized two years ago it couldn't build a new dock in Keystone, it took too long to come up with a new plan.
"Is the DOT clean in all this? No," she said. "We knew we needed more than the three 144-car ferries, but there was group indecision. We were put in a place where there was no answer."
She said the sense of ownership people feel about the ferry system has never been fully understood, but it's finally caught the attention of the Legislature. She said a substantial revenue source is needed for ferries, and raised the possibility of a property tax for ferry commuters.
On other transportation issues, Hammond said she is optimistic about the Alaskan Way Viaduct. Work is being done now on the south end, and Gov. Christine Gregoire is expected to decide by the end of the year on what to do with the central waterfront portion.
Hammond said the state will look at a surface option for the viaduct, "but it would have to prove it can take a lot of the traffic." Some surface-option critics say that's a high hurdle for the state to overcome.
As for Highway 520, she believes that both that bridge and the Interstate 90 bridge will eventually have tolls to pay for the 520 replacement. Hammond is a believer in user fees, time-of-day tolling, and HOT lanes that drivers pay to use. "We're beyond the place where the gas tax can sustain us," she said.
Hammond was appointed by a Democratic governor, but says she's made friends across the political spectrum.
"Many of my Republican friends are telling me I'm doing a good job," said Hammond. "That's a small measure of satisfaction."
Susan Gilmore Seattle Times staff reporter
Tuesday, March 4, 2008
New ferry chief has no maritime experience; has divinity degree
State's new ferry chief says building boats is first prioritySeattle Times staff reporter
David Moseley, (see pic...he's first left), new head of Washington State Ferries, was riding a ferry the other day when a bike commuter offered a suggestion.
Why not put lockers at Colman Dock, so commuters like himself could leave a change of clothes from his sweaty biking gear?
The idea was intriguing to Moseley, who began his job Monday and plans to spend the next few weeks riding the boats and talking to commuters.
He hopes to generate ideas such as the lockers to engage ferry riders and temper concerns about recent problems with broken-down boats and disrupted schedules.
"I want to get their ideas how to make their lives better," said Moseley, who acknowledges righting the ferries won't be an easy task. The system is $500 million in the hole, the aging fleet needs to be replaced, and fares are so high Moseley doesn't think they can be raised any time soon.
At the same time, the state is moving forward on building six new ferries and is engaged in several studies that could decide how the ferries are run.
"A strategic thinker"
Moseley, 60, former head of the Seattle Department of Community Development, was appointed last month to head the agency following the resignation of Mike Anderson. Moseley will be making $141,000 a year.
Moseley has no maritime experience and was not even a finalist for the job when the four contenders were brought to Seattle in January for interviews.
Those on the search committee said Moseley's name didn't appear until three days into the interview process. Although Moseley was appointed, it wasn't by a unanimous decision by the search committee.
Transportation Secretary Paula Hammond said there were 20 applicants for the job and when her chief assistants Steve Reinmuth and David Dye chose those to interview, Moseley wasn't on the list.
"They came back and said we're not in love with anyone yet," Hammond said. "David Moseley was not on their list, but I thought they should interview him so he was added to the list. I liked his city-management experience and wanted a strong manager, a strategic thinker."
Job one: new boats
Moseley's first priority will be shepherding the construction of the new ferries. Bids on boats to replace the Steel Electric Class boats taken out of service in November are scheduled to come out March 20, with the first boat expected to be finished next year.
While the state initially planned to build three boats modeled after the Pierce County boat Steilacoom II, now loaned to the state for the Port Townsend-Keystone run, the state now thinks only one of the boats will be that design and the other two will be modeled after the so-called Island Home design for boats that run in the Nantucket area of Massachusetts. That boat is larger and considered more stable.
The state also plans to build three 144-car boats; they should be designed by fall, with construction starting next year.
Moseley knows his job won't be an easy one. "There's no question sufficient sustainable resources is the key question," he said. "We're at the edge of what we can expect from the fare box."
Much of his job will be courting legislators to try to win money for the ferry system, which he acknowledges won't be easy with all the other competing causes. He said he met with legislators Monday, "and they are stepping up to the plate."
Moseley said while he knows he faces a daunting task with the state ferry system, it's not the first time he's entered a bleak situation. He said when he was hired as city manager of Ellensburg, he faced severe financial problems and a troubling audit, but when he left the city was in strong financial shape.
Moseley said the ferry system needs more riders, which is difficult with high fares and all the disruptions that have been plaguing the system lately.
Moseley is a graduate of Willamette University in Salem, Ore., and has a master's of divinity degree from the Golden Gate Theological Seminary in Mill Valley, Calif., which led one DOT worker to say, "I am impressed that at least he has a degree in divinity — because WSF will now need help from someone not of this world."
His other goals
Asked what he hopes to accomplish in the first six months on the job, Moseley said he wants to convince riders that the ferry system is listening to them.
He said he wants to work with his staff to encourage innovation and make sure the right people are working on the issues.
And he wants to work with the local ferry communities to put together a legislative package for the 2009 session.
Moseley said he doesn't feel overwhelmed by the job he faces and says he isn't daunted by critics who fault him for having no maritime experience.
"They liked my management and leadership," said Moseley. "I thought I had something to offer, and that's why I submitted my résumé."
Monday, March 3, 2008
WSF to downsize. Ferries farebox to stick at 75% of cost?
Turnaround time for state ferries?
David Moseley, Washington state's new ferries director, talks about the challenges ahead of him Monday, March 3, 2008, his first day on the job at the Capitol in Olympia, Wash.
By Associated Press
OLYMPIA, Wash. (AP) - Washington's ferry chief, upbeat on his first day on the job, said Monday he's expecting a real turnaround at the problem-plagued ferry system and expects to retire a happy man someday.
David Moseley said he even saw a rainbow as he headed to a midday meeting with legislators from ferry-dependent districts.
"I said to myself, `OK, I'm taking it as a good sign."'
It has been mostly storm clouds lately for the nation's largest ferry system - boats pulled from service, schedules thrown out the window, angry riders left without key connections, tight finances and critical audits.
Moseley, 60, who spent most of his adult career as an administrator for Seattle, Federal Way, Ellensburg and Steilacoom, doesn't have a maritime background and was purposely brought in as an outside "change agent" by the governor and her Department of Transportation.
"I'm thrilled at this opportunity," notwithstanding the mountain of problems, Moseley said in a wide-ranging interview with The Associated Press. "At this point in my career, it's exactly the challenge I'm looking for.
"The ferries are not just a Washington state icon, they're a lifeline for people."
Moseley said it feels like the ferry system is in its turnaround moment. Six new boats are in the pipeline and the ferry system will develop a clear plan for maintaining and replacing its aging vessels so the state never again has to deal with the sudden removal of boats from service and not having backup plans, he said.
In November, the state suddenly took four Steel Electric Class vessels out of service, fearing they were no longer safe to operate after inspectors found pitting and corrosion.
That temporarily left the Port Townsend-Whidbey Island run without car service. The ensuing passenger-only service had to rely for a while on a whale-watching boat.
The Steel Electric vessels also served the interisland run in the San Juan Islands.
The Port Townsend run was eventually supplied with a loaner vessel, the Steilacoom II from Pierce County and lawmakers have approved construction of three replacement vessels - one the same size and design as the 55-car Steilacoom II and the others a little larger - 76-car boats. Three 144-car vessels also are being designed.
"Getting those six vessels is critical to getting predictable service" and backup boats, Moseley said. "Then we can give a sigh of relief."
The bid for the first small boat will be awarded this month and it should be delivered in 14 months and the other two small boats within an additional year, he said. The first big boat will be delivered two years from this summer, and the others after that, he said.
The governor and Legislature will be given long-term recommendations for a follow-up schedule for building new boats and maintaining the existing ones, he said. Transportation Secretary Paula Hammond talks about a 60-year life cycle for ferries, meaning many of the boats would need replacing in the next few decades.
The ferry agency also is being reorganized, downsized somewhat, and integrated better into the umbrella state transportation agency, Moseley said. Olympia plans to come up with a long-term financing plan and will work to repair the system's reputation.
Moseley said he expects to regain public confidence, as the state brings the new boats on line, and schedules and service are more reliable. Service has suffered on the Port Townsend, Bremerton and Point Defiance runs in recent days.
The state ferry system carries 24 million passengers and 11 million vehicles a year on 10 cross-Puget Sound runs.
Moseley also said he wants to make transparent, publicly accountable operations a key part of the agency's culture. "When you tell people what you know, when you know it, that breeds confidence," he said.
Ferry riders are frustrated and even cynical about promises, but do support their marine highways, he said.
"They love the ferries. People want this thing to succeed. That's a value that we can draw on."
Asked how long he'd like to hold the post, Moseley said seven to 10 years.
What would success look like?
"When I retire, people talk about the little blip when the ferry system had a rough time back in 2007, 2008 - how it was an aberration and how the system now has good maintenance, enough boats, a reliable schedule," he said.
He said he'd like to restrain growth in ferry fares, which soared by 70 percent over the past decade as lawmakers tried to have the farebox cover 80 percent or more of the operating cost. Fares, now frozen for two years, cover about 75 percent of the cost, he said.
The ferry system has a two-year operating budget of $414 million and a construction and maintenance budget of $286 million
Thursday, February 28, 2008
USA Today raises concerns about WSF's aging ferries
Nation's fleet of ferries has some old-timers at work
Built in 1964, when Lyndon Johnson was president and The Beatles first came to America, the 250-foot-long Susan Anne is one of many old boats in the nation's aging ferry fleet. Most are at least decades old, and some were built before World War II.
Ferries such as the 44-year-old Susan Anne are at the heart of a spirited debate among engineers and public officials about when — or even if — old boats reach an age when they can no longer operate safely. Washington state is mulling mandatory retirement for its ferries, and Greece now requires ferries to be taken out of service after 30 years. But many experts say that age is just a number for a well-maintained ferry, and that public safety isn't an issue.
In November, Paula Hammond, Washington state's transportation secretary, ordered four 80-year-old ferries removed from service after corrosion was found in two boats' steel hulls. A month earlier, 160 cracks had been found in the four boats' hulls, but only one posed a structural concern, says Paul Brodeur of Washington State Ferries, the state agency that owns 28 ferries and operates the nation's largest system.
The Coast Guard, which oversees the safety of most U.S. ferries, says the corrosion was "a major concern," but not severe enough to cause the ferries to sink. Extensive corrosion could cause a boat to capsize or sink by allowing water to leak in through a hole in the hull.
Hammond decided not to repair the boats and ordered them permanently removed from service because "safety is our number one priority." A special inspection of 14 other old ferries found nine that needed steel replaced or repaired.
Hammond says that "keeping boats for 80 years is not going to happen again." Washington legislators aim to develop a vessel-replacement strategy that replaces boats at 60 years, she says.
By that standard, more than one quarter of the USA's ferry fleet would face retirement in the next 20 years, a development that could cost governments and private operators an estimated $1 billion or more for replacement.
A USA TODAY analysis of Department of Transportation data shows that, in 2006, 23% of 625 ferries for which age information is available were 40 years or older; 5% were 60 years or older. The oldest is the Adirondack, built in 1913. It sails Lake Champlain between Burlington, Vt., and Port Kent, N.Y.
Lots of passengers
Ferries are a vital part of America's transportation system, carrying more than 97 million passengers annually in 38 states. About 24 million ride each year on Washington State Ferries' extensive system.
New York's Staten Island Ferry shuttles about 20 million passengers annually. Ferries operated by the Texas Department of Transportation carry more than 8 million passengers annually, mostly in the Galveston and Corpus Christi areas.
Experts are divided on the danger that old ferries present. Some say that ferries, like old bridges and tunnels, are part of the country's aging infrastructure, and that many may need to be retired to ensure passenger safety.
Metal-fatigue expert Dave Hoeppner says many U.S. ferries are too old, prone to metal fatigue and corrosion, and probably should be retired. "Ferries are in the true dark ages related to fatigue," says Hoeppner, a mechanical engineer who is a professor at the University of Utah and has consulted for the Navy, NASA and the Federal Aviation Administration. "I still ride them but keep the life jackets within view at all times."
But many don't believe in a retirement age for ferries, because design, maintenance and operating conditions vary. They say ferries' steel hulls are designed to withstand the rigors of age, and with proper maintenance, refurbishment and inspection, can sail for many decades without compromising passenger safety. The Coast Guard regularly inspects ferries and says they are safe to travel on.
"Ferries generally lead fairly benign structural lives," says Paul Miller a professor and naval architect at the U.S. Naval Academy. "If the vessel has been well designed, well maintained and meets current regulations, it should have an indefinite structural life."
Others agree that old age by itself shouldn't be a concern. Rik van Hemmen, vice president of a marine consulting and engineering firm in Red Bank, N.J., says, "There are plenty of ships 50 years old that are in better structural condition than those 15 years old."
John Gilbert Jr., a marine engineer for a firm of naval architects in Hingham, Mass., says that "just because a ferry is old, it doesn't mean it's used up its useful life." The U.S ferry fleet is "probably the safest in the world," he says.
"The bridges you drive your car on probably don't see as good maintenance as that done by ferry operators," he says.
Transportation historian Brian Cudahy says he cannot recall a fatal U.S. ferry accident since 1900 that was caused by failure of a boat's structure or its maintenance.
But in developing countries, aging and often overloaded ferries have capsized and killed thousands in the past few decades.
In February 2006, about 1,000 passengers were killed when a 36-year-old Egyptian ferry capsized in the Red Sea. More than 1,800 died in September 2002 when a Senegalese ferry sank off the coast of Gambia. In November 1999, a Chinese ferry sank near Yantai, killing 282 people.
Outside the USA, several governments and boat operators are retiring older ferries.
Just north of the Washington border in British Columbia, private ferry operator BC Ferries has begun a program to modernize its fleet, which consists of 36 boats with an average age of 34 years. BC Ferries plans to replace 26 boats within the next 15 years "to provide the best in safety and comfort" for passengers.
George MacPherson, president of the Canadian boatbuilding union Shipyard General Worker's Federation of British Columbi., says 50-year-old ferries should be retired for safety reasons. Ferries operating in rough water, such as those between Newfoundland and Nova Scotia, might be retired sooner, he says.
Ed Kent, who has consulted on ferries for local governments in Newfoundland and Labrador, says they wear out sooner. "Once a ferry hits 35 years old, you're playing Russian roulette with the safe operation of the fleet."
Consultant Andrew Kendrick, vice president of BMT Fleet Technology, in 2006 advised the government of Newfoundland and Labrador to replace all ferries older than 30 years with newer boats.
"As vessels get older, they need more maintenance, but maintenance budgets never keep pace," says Kendrick.
Change after tragedy
Greek law mandated the retirement of ferries 35 years or older, but it was changed to 30 years or older after 80 lives were lost in the sinking of a 34-year-old ferry off the coast of Paros in September 2000.
Twice every five years as part of a broader inspection program, Washington State ferries are pulled out of the water and inspected for about eight hours by two to four Coast Guard inspectors, says Lt. Commander Todd Howard, the Coast Guard's chief of domestic vessel inspection in Seattle.
Two inspectors use flashlights to visually inspect each boat's structure. Inspectors are not seeing fatigue cracks in ships on a routine basis, says Howard.
"Finding cracks with the naked eye is extremely difficult," but visual inspections "are adequate," Howard says. Many cracks are found when inspectors find moisture or water seeping through, he says.
If rust or pitting is found, inspectors may use ultrasonic tests. The tests measure steel thickness but are "not an end all, be all," because they don't detect cracks and might not detect some pitting, Howard says.
Taking a look
Jim Matthews, a mechanical engineer from Canada, says such tests aren't always reliable. Whether an inspection is visual or done with detection equipment, "you absolutely miss cracks in inspections," he says. When steel is brittle, "a very small defect can sink the vessel in catastrophic failure."
Bruce Hutchison, of The Glosten Associates, a Seattle firm of naval architects, says weight growth of old ferries is a concern. Old ferries are repaired, renovated and modernized, and various systems and equipment are added to meet new regulations. The boats could become heavier than their design weight, and less stable.
Ferry operators say that the Coast Guard requires a stability assessment when such changes are made.
Peter Lauridsen, a consultant for the U.S.-based Passenger Vessel Association, which represents about 475 ferry and other passenger boat operators, says boats "can continue to operate indefinitely if well-maintained."
But the association is concerned that the Coast Guard has shifted its emphasis from marine safety to security since the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks.
"The Coast Guard shifted too far toward homeland security and placed not enough resources and emphasis on its other missions, including marine safety," says Edmund Welch, legislative director of the association.
Admiral Jim Watson, director of prevention policy at Coast Guard headquarters in Washington, D.C., says the quality and the number of ferry inspections have not changed, but inspectors have been unable to meet the desired inspection times requested by passenger boat operators.
"There's been an huge amount of growth in the marine industry," Watson says, "and we're stretching our personnel resources to the limit to keep up with that growth."
In a proposed fiscal year 2009 budget submitted to Congress this month, Coast Guard Commandant Thad Allen requested money to hire 276 new marine inspectors.
Adam Wronowski, vice president of Cross Sound Ferry Services, which operates the Susan Anne and seven other ferries across Long Island Sound, says he has not seen a drop-off in Coast Guard oversight over his ferries.
According to a certificate of inspection on the Susan Anne, its steel hull and internal structure were last inspected by the Coast Guard in April 2007 and passed. The next hull exam is scheduled for June 2009.
A USA TODAY reporter sailing on the Susan Anne this month saw rust in some areas of the car deck and the bow. Wronowski says the rust is not a concern and would not be visible after the ship is painted in the spring.
"We pride ourselves in the way we maintain our vessels," so age is not an issue with the Susan Anne or his company's other boats, he says. "Age is only an issue if a vessel has not been maintained well."
In Burlington, Lake Champlain Ferries operations manager Heather Stewart says the company has no plans to replace the nation's oldest ferry, the Adirondack, or any of the company's nine boats.
The company's ferries operate safely because "we have an aggressive maintenance program and replace parts before they get fatigued," she says.
The Adirondack now sits out of service at the dock. The 1913 boat wasn't designed to accommodate today's tall trucks, so it isn't used on Lake Champlain Ferries' winter routes.
But beginning in May, as it has done every summer since 1954, the Adirondack will carry cars and passengers. Other company ferries will carry trucks on the 80-minute journey across Lake Champlain from Burlington to Port Kent.
In five years, on Jan. 15, 2013, the company expects to celebrate the Adirondack's 100th birthday.
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