The Washington State Department of Transportation Ferry Division held the last of 10 public hearings on its long-range draft plan at the Hall of Fauntleroy Wednesday (Jan. 21), where several of the more than 100 community members present expressed their discomfort with expanding capacity for the Fauntleroy/Vashon/Southworth ferry route.

Most who spoke said repeatedly that widening the ferry dock or making other changes that would increase capacity was not appropriate for their residential neighborhood.

"This community really isn't a commuter community," said Fauntleroy resident Gary Dawson.

Several residents also said they were disappointed that a plan presented in 2005, which would have rerouted the ferry to skip Fauntleroy and head straight downtown from Southworth, was no longer on the table.

That route was expected to relieve demand for ferry service from Southworth to downtown due to increasing development in Kitsap County, particularly the south and central parts of Kitsap County that are growing fast.

Resident Susan Lance Day said increasing commuter traffic would further deteriorate the air quality in the neighborhood. Widening the ferry dock and adding an overhead ramp for passengers would also eliminate views of the Olympic Mountains from nearby homes, such as her own, Lance Day added.

"I don't find that at all acceptable. Fauntleroy is a residential neighborhood," she said. "It wasn't intended to be a busy transportation hub. Don't encourage growth on the peninsula at the expense of our neighborhood."

David Moseley, director of Washington State Ferries, introduced the 22-year draft plan, which was released Dec. 19. He explained that the 2007 State Legislature charged the division to come up with long-range planning options that would address a multi-billion dollar funding gap.

"The system isn't financially sustainable and has not been for some time," said Moseley.

The resulting plan consists of two separate "visions:" Plan A and Plan B.

Plan A keeps the current level of service but includes making some "improvements" to the ferry dock and operations. Plan B is much more "financially constrained" and involves cutting out several routes. But Moseley said Plan B still puts the division in the red.

While B would mean an overall funding gap of $1.4 billion, Plan A would mean a gap of $3.5 billion.

"That's what's facing the state," said aid Ray Deardorf the ferry system's planning director.

This comes from the ferry system's most pressing problem, said Deardorf, which is a lack of a dedicated capital funding stream to meet its ongoing investment needs. Currently there are capacity restraints on the Fauntleroy/Vashon route, which is expected to grow.

While Plan A calls for the replacement of vessels that retire with slightly larger boats to increase capacity, Plan B would not replace those vessels. That would mean in the next three to four years, the Fauntleroy route would be reduced from three to two boats.

Plan A includes some terminal improvements, such as adding lanes for holding areas and building an overhead ramp for passengers. This prompted several in the audience to shout out, "No way."

Plan B would includes some modifications to the dock, but it would not be widened and an overhead ramp would not be built.

The two plans have some elements in common.

Both propose the system to evolve into a no fee reservation system for vehicles, which is expected to cut down the amount of traffic waiting for ferries. Deardorf said each also seek to improve transit connections on both sides of the water, in hopes it would encourage more people to leave their cars behind.

Overtime, both options would increase the cost of vehicle travel on the ferry more than the gradual increase for walk-ons, which is about 2.5 percent a year.

One man wondered if the state planned to include funds to make improvements to the roads in the neighborhood and mitigate noise from the expected increase in traffic if moves to increase capacity were approved.

"This community will die," said Phil Sweetland, a 50 year resident of Fauntleroy. "We cannot afford to have that increased capacity."

Read the entire plan at http://www.wsdot.wa.gov/Ferries/Planning/DraftPlan.htm.

If you wish to comment on the long-range plan email wsfplanning@wsdot.wa.gov or write Washington State Ferries, Attn. Joy Goldenberg, 2901 3rd Ave., Seattle, WA, 98121.

Rebekah Schilperoort can be reached at 783-1244 or rebekahs@robinsonnews.com.