Legislators propose new federal ferry funds (Seattlepi.com)

Washington would get tens of millions more dollars a year for its ferry system, under a new congressional proposal.

"It's not always easy convincing some of our colleagues here in Washington, D.C., of the importance of a robust ferry system," Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash., said in a news conference with U.S. Rep. Rick Larsen, D-Lake Stevens, and Washington State Ferries chief David Moseley to announce the plan. "They understand investments in roads, highways, and in rail. But many don't realize that for many states, ferries are a crucial link in the transportation chain."

Moseley said nearly one quarter of the nation's 100 million ferry riders use Washington State Ferries, which is the nation's largest ferry system in all measures except route miles, where Alaska places first.

"The federal government has long seen the wisdom of providing financial support for our transportation system in terms of highways and bridges and rail and transit," he said. "Really, the ferry system is all of those things wrapped into one system."

Moseley also noted that four of Washington's 10 ferry routes serve U.S. Navy installations.

The new plan would increase federal transportation package funding for ferries from $67 million to $200 million a year from 2010 to 2015, with half the total distributed based the number of ferry users and route miles, and the rest through a competitive grant process.

The proposal would increase Washington's annual share of preset funding from $5 million to $40.7 million, not counting competitive grants.

The economic stimulus package Congress approved earlier this year allocates another $60 million for ferries. The U.S. Department of Transportation is setting up criteria for allocating that money.

The new measure has support from legislators in ferry-dependent states such as Alaska, North Carolina, New York and Connecticut, and boat-building states, such as Mississippi and Wisconsin, Larsen said. The goal is to make it part of the transportation reauthorization bill, which the House aims to vote on in July and the Senate will take up later this year or next.

Washington cannot use federal money for new ferry hulls because of its requirement that ferries be built in state. But the money could go to other systems for planned new ferries, overhauls such a planned $9 million renovation of the Hyak, and terminal improvements, such as a $26 million project in Anacortes and a $30-million plan for Mukilteo, Larsen said.

The measure also would, among other things:

Allow ferry systems to compete for funds through the federal Clean Fuels Grant Program;
Set up a Ferry Joint Program Office in U.S. Department of Transportation to coordinate federal programs affecting ferries and promote ferries as a component of the nation's transportation system;
Authorize funding for a college or university-based National Ferry Transportation Institute that would focus on improving ferry operations and safety.

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