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A recent change in the state's plans to construct new ferries has been touted as more flexible by Gov. Sean Parnell's administration -- but a Southeast Alaska state senator isn't on board with the modifications.
It doesn't have cars, pavement or yellow lines, but make no mistake: the Alaska Marine Highway System isn't just a means of transportation for tourists, it connects communities throughout the state.
"Over half of our highway system is over water,” said state Sen. Dennis Egan (D-Juneau). “It's recognized by the Federal Highway Administration, and we get federal funding for that system."
That’s why Egan, who chairs the Senate Transportation Committee, has concerns about the latest ferry replacement plan from the Alaska Department of Transportation and Public Facilities. The document calls for two new Alaska-class vessels to service the Lynn Canal, a body of water that connects Skagway and Haines to Juneau, rather than one larger ferry as previously planned.
DOTPF Commissioner Patrick Kemp says the new vessels would be state-of-the-art, with sufficient range for mid-range trips.
"It's a boat, about, we're envisioning somewhere between 280 and 300 feet," Kemp said. "It would hold 55 vehicles, and it would do a day-boat service it would be a 12-hour day boat."
Egan says new boats wouldn't be able to handle rough winter storms, which he says are responsible for the cancellation of three December sailings alone between Juneau and Haines, as well as some extremely rough trips in between.
"We had a group of kids from Juneau that were going to Whitehorse to play sports, and 20 of them were throwing up, so that's not a good thing," Egan said.
Kemp says Egan's concerns about the new design don't hold water.
"The seakeeping will be much, much better than we have now," Kemp said. "It will have a bulbous bow and a modified hull form."
Kemp says one of these new vessels will be based in Haines and bring 15 to 20 permanent jobs to the small community, with potentially up to four daily arrivals and departures.
The commissioner says a more detailed draft of the new ferry plan will be released sometime next week. A joint House and Senate Transportation Committee is set to hear public comment on this issue at a meeting Thursday afternoon at the state Capitol.
Contact Adam Pinsker