Wrangell would see one northbound ferry every other week during October and November, and one southbound ferry the other weeks in October and November under the draft winter schedule released by the Alaska Marine Highway System.
That’s down significantly from the current summer schedule of one northbound and one southbound stop each week.
“At what point do we just say, ‘We don’t have a ferry system anymore,’” Mayor Steve Prysunka said. “We just get these schedules that are horrendous in the fall.”
The community received one northbound ferry in all of November 2020, and none in December, with just one southbound stop in January this year.
Under the draft fall/winter 2021-2022 schedule released the evening of July 13, ferry service to Wrangell for October and November would include a northbound stop by the Kennicott on Mondays the first and third weeks of the months as the ship continues to Juneau and then to Gulf of Alaska ports, and a southbound visit on Wednesdays the second and fourth weeks of the months on the Kennicott’s return voyage to Bellingham, Washington.
Petersburg would receive the same level of service for the two months.
In December through April, the Matanuska would stop in Wrangell once a week southbound (Monday) and northbound (Friday) for three weeks each month, when the Matanuska makes the full run to Bellingham. But then one week each month, the Matanuska would go only as far south as Ketchikan, giving Wrangell two stops in each direction those weeks.
Budget cuts that have led to pulling ships out of service to save money and maintenance issues with the older vessels have cut into the ferry system’s schedule in recent years.
Legislators tried this year to restore much of the past budget cuts, but Gov. Mike Dunleavy vetoed the additional funding. The state fiscal year started July 1.
A lack of vessels forces the reduced level of service. The Matanuska and the Aurora will be out of service for winter overhaul during October and November. Then the Kennicott will be in winter overhaul Jan. 6 through March 9; the LeConte will be pulled for its winter overhaul January and February; and the Columbia will remain in money-saving layup status.
That will leave the Matanuska as the only operating ferry for several Southeast communities for January and February. The Aurora will be working in Prince William Sound.
Public comments on the draft schedule are due by July 27 and may be emailed to dot.amhs.comments@alaska.gov, or faxed to 907-228-6873.
A teleconference with the Department of Transportation is set for 10 a.m. July 29 for Southeast residents to comment on the draft schedule. The toll-free number for the teleconference is 1-515-604-9000, access code 279613.
Prysunka is skeptical that public comments will change anything, noting that he has served on the borough assembly for seven or eight years and comments have never led to a change in the draft schedule.
“It’s time now for us to stop pretending someone will rescue us,” the mayor said of diminishing ferry service, advocating for Southeast communities to band together and investigate if there are any feasible options for a municipally operated ferry system of some kind, though he acknowledged any service would require a subsidy.
The department said it plans to release its proposed summer 2022 schedule for public comment soon after the fall/winter 2021 schedule is adopted.
The Legislature and governor agreed in this year’s budget to fund the state ferry system for 18 months, through Dec. 31, 2022, rather than the usual 12-month spending plan, to allow the Department of Transportation to set schedules further in advance, giving travelers more notice to plan their trips.
More details on the draft winter schedule are available at dot.alaska.gov.
Reader Comments(0)