Viewpoints
Ferry system failures
By Ronald Currit
February 21, 2008
Thursday
This is a letter I sent to Governor Palin adding my voice to
the dissension about the Ferry system.
I would like to take this opportunity
to add my voice to the long list of people complaining about
the ferry system.
I would like to find out how much money the State spends to maintain
the roads in Alaska, I am sure it is not cheap!
The only roads I have ever heard of that do not cost money to
maintain are toll roads which thankfully we do not have .
I am sure that the ferries seem like a very expensive road to
maintain but so are all our other roads!
I am also unsure of how we can justify cutting our traffic from
the South and then almost doubling the ferries in the north,
where are the passengers coming from when they can not get to
the ferries?
Driving through Canada is not
an option for many people, as I am sure others have expressed
to you.
Did you know that many of our
Ferry employees have to PAY Canada $200.00 every year just to
park at Prince Rupert (they don't even get off the Ferry). This
payment is because they have something in their legal history
and it has no time limit!
I thought we had laws against
double jeopardy, but the Canadians do not apparently!
Now we should really rely on roads and day ferries to travel
in Southeast. But these roads are not here and probably never
will be -- case in point the road from Juneau to Skagway was
stopped by the environmentalists! What makes the State think
that if such a simple road project can be stopped so easily they
(the environmentalists) are going to let us build roads throughout
Southeastern Alaska?
Might it be wiser to not spend millions on upgrades and repairs
on our antiquated fleet and put out that same money on newer
more efficient ships?
Could you during your busy schedule take the time to look into
this and find a way to keep the people of Southeastern Alaska
supplied with the basic requirements such as medical services,
food, and supplies that we rely on, that are delivered to us
by ferry?
Ronald Currit
Thorne Bay, AK
About: "Alaska since 1959
and a ferry user since 1964."
Received February 19, 2008
- Published February 21, 2008
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