Southeast Alaska residents protest proposed ferry cutbacks

KETCHIKAN, Alaska (AP) – Southeast Alaska residents are worried ferry service will fall next year to what may be the lowest level in decades.

Concerned residents filled the room and overflowed into hallways at Friday’s listening session in the Sitka Legislative Information Office, the Ketchikan Daily News reported.

Speakers made a number of suggestions to raise revenue for the Alaska Marine Highway System, like selling assets and imposing tolls on roads to the north.

“The Alaska Marine Highway System is basically Alaska’s only toll road. We’re the only ones who actually have to pay a fare to use our roads,’’ Charles Morgan said in Sitka. “... Have you looked at putting any kind of a toll on roads up north? How would they like it if the only time they could get was once a week at 3 in the morning on Tuesday, (if) that was their only access to the highway to get from Fairbanks to Anchorage?’’

The 2016 draft schedule takes three ferries out of summer service and allows one to sail for 25 days in May.

Rep. Jonathan Kreiss-Tomkins, D-Sitka, said most speakers expressed support for the ferry system while asking for steady service rather than short bursts during different times of year.

“This is the most concern and frustration that I’ve ever seen with the ferry system,’’ he said after the meeting

He said his staff researched records and believes the plan would reduce service in Sitka to the lowest level dating back to at least 1964.

“There’s system-wide problems, of course, but we’re an outlier,’’ he said.