Stimulus Funds on Way to Kitsap Transit, State Ferries - Kitsap Sun

By Ed Friedrich (Contact)
Friday, June 19, 2009

Washington, D.C.

Transportation stimulus funds are making their way across the country.

Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash, announced Friday that $20 million has been released for Washington state mass transit projects, including $2.8 million for Kitsap Transit and $5.2 million for Washington State Ferries.

Kitsap Transit, as determined in early March, will get $1.9 million for new vans, $875,000 for a small ferry for its Port Orchard-Bremerton route, and $95,000 for its Charleston-base expansion.

In April, the transit board approved spending $1 million in stimulus funds for 46 Toyota Sienna vans off the state list and in May authorized buying 31 larger vans from Bay Ford of Port Orchard for $844,000. They’ll replace old vans in the Rideshare program.

The $875,000 for the Port Orchard ferry would go toward buying and enlarging the Admiral Pete, which Kitsap Transit now leases from Kitsap Harbor Tours. The total cost is estimated at about $1.3 million, executive director Dick Hayes said.

Murray also said Friday that about $5.2 million of the $8.4 million designated for Washington State Ferries vessel and terminal preservation has been released.

Ferries director David Moseley said last week that the federal government has set aside another $5 million in non-stimulus money for boat preservation and $950,000 for propulsion systems for new vessels.

He said WSF has also applied for $26 million to replace the Anacortes terminal, $9 million to refurbish the Hyak, $7.6 million for projects to make boats more energy-efficient and $2.1 million to retrofit ferry engines to reduce air pollution.

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