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State to hold two meetings on Kitsap Ferry's request to halt Bremerton to Seattle service
 
Docket TS-070474
March 9, 2006

State to hold two meetings on Kitsap Ferry's request to halt Bremerton to Seattle service

OLYMPIA, Wash. -- State regulators will hold two meetings this month to hear the public's views on a request by Kitsap Ferry Co. to discontinue passenger-only ferry service between Bremerton and Seattle for a year.

The Washington Utilities and Transportation Commission (UTC) has scheduled both meetings at 9:30 a.m. in the second-floor hearing room of the commission's headquarters, 1300 S. Evergreen Park Drive S.W. in Olympia. The first public meeting is on Wednesday, March 14 and the second meeting is Wednesday, March 28.

The commission will make a final decision to grant or deny Kitsap's request at the March 28 public meeting. If the UTC denies the request, Kitsap Ferry may lose its commercial ferry permit and would no longer have the ability to operate a commercial ferry between Bremerton and Seattle.

I The UTC approved Kitsap Ferry Co.'s request to operate commercial passenger-only ferry service between Seattle and Bremerton in August 2004.

On Feb. 6, Kitsap voters rejected a sales tax increase to support passenger-only ferry service between the county and Seattle. The company said this week it could not continue operations without financial assistance from Kitsap Transit. The transit agency withdrew from the agreement with the ferry company after Kitsap voters rejected a proposed tax hike to pay for the service.

If you are unable to attend the meeting and wish to comment on Kitsap's proposal, contact the Utilities and Transportation Commission by mail at P.O. Box 47250 Olympia, WA 98504, or by e-mail at comments@wutc.wa.gov. You may also fax your comments to (360) 586-1150.