HomeMy WebLinkAboutPort Townsend-Coupeville route – alternatives to existing Long-Range PlanPort Townsend-Coupeville route – alternatives to existing Long-Range Plan Version. 0.9
Summary of possible alternatives to existing Long-Range Plan for Port
Townsend-Coupeville route.
WSF is about to start work on the next Long-Range Plan. Revising the current plan will be the
best opportunity to change course if service on PT-CV is to be improved.
WSF 2040 Long-Range Plan says:
• Convert three 64-car (K-D-T) boats to hybrid-electric ~ 2032 (“mid-life” refit, à la Jumbo
Mark IIs; K-D-Ts were built in 2010-2011).
• Projected growth for PT-CV route 2020-2040 is 49%, but no means are stated to
accommodate that amount of growth.
• Constraints:
o Not practical to use more than 2 boats on route
Single slip at Keystone Harbor
90-minute cycle time
o Not possible to use larger boats (Keystone).
o Extending service hours will not be effective as a strategy to manage 49%
growth; current peak-season service schedule (2 boats) is from 6:30 am to 10:00
pm (PT departure).
o Lengthening 2-boat service season as a strategy will not be effective because
demand on PT-CV is highly seasonal; tourism, not local, traffic.
Keystone Harbor
LRP calls for “safety and navigation study”; not yet funded.
Prior studies (2003, 2007) vetted and recommended several alternatives for expanding
Keystone Harbor or building new dock nearby. Progress was interrupted by removal of all
Steel Electric class boats from service in 2007; these were the only WSF boats capable of
docking in Keystone Harbor.
Expand harbor:
• Would accommodate single slip (as today), but allow for larger boats (e.g., 124-car or
144-car classes).
• Would be subject to the same tidal current cancellations as today.
New dock:
• Two slips, improved reliability.
• Improved SR-20 road access.
• Sufficient holding area for 200+ cars (needed for reservations system, 124-car boats).
• No issues with tidal currents.
• Reduced likelihood of groundings.
• Eliminates cost and environmental impact of periodic dredging of Keystone Harbor.
• New dock and terminal would meet current seismic standards, account for projected
sea level rise and tsunamis.
Port Townsend-Coupeville route – alternatives to existing Long-Range Plan Version. 0.9
• Can use existing WA state-owned shoreline.
Options for 64-car boats
1. No change – keep 64-car boats, perform traditional-style mid-life (diesel, etc.)
refurbishment.
1.1. Pro
1.1.1. Lowest capital cost.
1.1.2. Least technical / project risk.
1.2. Con
1.2.1. On-going diesel pollution.
1.2.2. Highest fuel cost.
1.2.3. Cannot accommodate projected demand growth.
2. Hybrid 64 – replace K-D-T diesel-mechanical drive with hybrid-diesel-electric system.
2.1. Pro
2.1.1. Lower diesel pollution.
2.1.2. Lower fuel cost.
2.2. Con
2.2.1. Highest capital cost to convert drive and control systems.
2.2.2. Highest technical / project risk (witness problems, delays converting Wenatchee).
2.2.3. Highest maintenance cost.
2.2.4. Cannot accommodate projected demand growth.
3. Electric 64 – battery-only, no diesel engines.
3.1. Pro
3.1.1. Zero diesel pollution.
3.1.2. Lowest fuel cost.
3.1.3. Lower maintenance cost (compared to hybrid); unknown how compares to cost
of maintaining existing diesel-mechanical propulsion and controls.
3.2. Con
3.2.1. High capital cost to replace drive and control systems.
3.2.2. Moderate technical / project risk.
3.2.3. Cannot accommodate projected demand growth.
Alternative to 64-car boats
New 124-car class is called for in LRP as follow-on to the five 144-car (now 160-car) hybrid-
electrics currently out for bid.
To use new 124-car class on PT-CV route as well as Pt. Defiance-Vashon route:
• Design and build a fleet of 124-car class boats as soon as possible to replace 6 aging
Issaquah class boats.
• As soon as a new 124-car boat is available (est. 2035, when K-D-Ts will be 25 years
old), don’t refit K-D-Ts at mid-life; instead, sell them on the international market while
they still have good value.
1. Pro
1.1. Avoid all costs of refurbishing or hybridizing 64-car boats.
Port Townsend-Coupeville route – alternatives to existing Long-Range Plan Version. 0.9
1.2. Accommodate projected growth.
1.3. Use one boat year-round on existing 10+ daily (90 minute) sailing schedule; if demand
ever grows to exceed capacity, add additional service for peak season or special
events.
1.4. Allows more standby (non-reservations) space to be made available; e.g., reserve only
60% or 75% of spaces on boat (~75 or 90 cars), leave the rest for ad-hoc travel.
1.5. Expanded docks (PT-CV) allow use of any WSF vessel on any route.
1.5.1. Reduced costs for training, operations, maintenance, spare parts.
1.5.2. Increased crew flexibility – reduced need for specialized knowledge of operations
for specific vessels.
2. Con
2.1. Requires expansion or relocation of Keystone Harbor.
2.2. Requires doubling of Port Townsend dock space; 200 car spaces would be sufficient to
serve the reservation system when 100 car spaces per sailing are reserved, with the
remaining spaces used for standbys.
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On December 16, 2024, the City of Port Townsend adopted as one of several legislative
priorities:
“Protect and enhance the Port Townsend-Coupeville and Edmonds-Kingston Ferry Service as an
important segment of the maritime highway and a critical economic connector to and from Port
Townsend and the Olympic Peninsula. Over the coming years, consider enhancements of ferry docks
and load/unload areas to gain efficiencies, access, and better use of the ferry system as well as larger
hybrid-electric vessels to provide better service and address financial and technical challenges of
converting existing 64-car diesel-mechanical boats to hybrid-electric.”