Anchorage Daily News

The new summer state ferry schedule is out, and officials are sticking with a decision to cut in half the number of vessels carrying passengers and vehicles between Alaska and Bellingham, Wash.

The Alaska Marine Highway System released its summer schedule Tuesday. In past years, the schedule has been out before the end of the year. The later release drew strong criticism from elected officials and business representatives in southeast Alaska, who said it hampered trip planning and may have already cost Alaska visitors.

Managers at The Milepost, a popular Alaska guidebook, said they would be able to include the schedule in their 2008 publication. They had expressed concern that the schedule would miss their publication date.

Ferry officials said they do not expect delays next year.

"While we apologize for the delay in getting the schedule out, we are happy to present the schedule to those interested in traveling with us, and we certainly don't expect any future schedule release delays," said Dennis Hardy, deputy commissioner of marine operations.

Ferry reservations staff will call customers who inquired about trips when the schedule was unavailable, said John Falvey, system general manager.

The schedule offers few changes made from the draft schedule released in early January.

Ferry managers did not change their decision to end the weekly summer run by the Malaspina to Bellingham.

Loss of that run was criticized in southern Panhandle communities who fear the effect of seeing only the Columbia making a single weekly trip to Washington state. Critics said it would cost their communities travelers and tourism dollars.

Marine Highway officials said they hope travelers unable to take the ferry from Bellingham would instead drive through Canada to Prince Rupert and take the ferry from there.

The change to the Malaspina schedule means more service in Lynn Canal. It will make daily runs between Juneau, Skagway and Haines and free the fast ferry Fairweather to improve service to Sitka.

Besides cutting out one vessel from the Bellingham run, the schedule reduces Gulf of Alaska crossings.

ADVERTISEMENT