More Money Coming Our Way For Ferry System
Every year, our ferries carry 26 million people and 11 million cars.
Those numbers make us the country's largest ferry system, and state lawmakers hope we'll see a big chunk of federal dollars when President Bush signs the transportation authorization bill.
$285 million will be up for grabs.
Washington state ferries will see in increase in support from $38 million to $67 million over the next five years.
In addition, the Southworth ferry terminal will receive $5 million, the Bainbridge Island terminal will get $2.5 million, and the Mukilteo terminal will receive $5 million.
Senator Patty Murray says the money is "strictly" for capital improvements.
"That means new vessels, new terminals and upgraded facilities and that money can also be used to help Washington state keep our ferries in working order," she said.
You've already seen federal dollars in action: money from homeland security paid for bomb-sniffing dogs, cameras in terminals and on boats, and most noticeable of all, Coast Guard escorts.
But this new money will be for improving the terminals and ferries.
"You will see terminals that need huge attention," said Doug McDonald, Washington Transportation Secretary. "Some... you will see that the systems needs have far outstripped the condition of terminals."
Along with terminals, the five oldest ferries will be replaced.
McDonald says the plans are there, it's just a matter of when the changes will happen, starting with Seattle's Colman Dock.
"This terminal is the most complicated and we're working in a very complicated program with the city to fit this terminal into the new Seattle waterfront," he said.
The entire process is complicated because no one knows how much of the $285 million we'll see. More than 30 states in the country have ferry systems and each one will be competing for those dollars.
So it could be a while before those changes happen.