(SitNews) Ketchikan, Alaska – Last week several lawmakers who represent coastal communities urged the Dunleavy Administration to fulfill the Alaska Department of Transportation’s mission statement to “Keep Alaska moving through service and infrastructure” by promptly getting two essential Alaska Marine Highway System vessels back into operation.

DOT recently made an announcement that M/V Leconte and Malaspina would be laid up, leaving the communities of Angoon, Gustavus, Pelican and Tenakee Springs completely without ferry service and leaving Hoonah and Kake with only limited runs. The decision leaves the communities in “existential crisis,” the lawmakers wrote.

“The ferry is the only economical means of transportation for many Southeast Alaskans,” the lawmakers wrote. “We know Railbelt residents would feel similar with a simultaneous closure of the Glenn, Parks, and Richardson Highways. With the multitude of recent, severe budget cuts to AMHS, and delayed maintenance to system vessels, this is leading to future economic and social disasters, if management action is not taken quickly.”

The lawmakers wrote, “This seems to be a funding priority crisis that can be solved. We understand that the department budgeted $1.2 million for repairs to the LeConte and the real cost of repair is closer to $4 million. This is not a valid reason to hamstring these communities and the administration has the tools to solve the problem. There is funding available — $20 million was set aside in an earlier budget for just this type of situation."

Reps. Jonathan Kreiss-Tomkins (D-Sitka), Dan Ortiz (I-Ketchikan), Sara Hannan (D-Juneau), Andi Story (D-Juneau), and Sen. Jesse Kiehl (D-Juneau) signed the November 12, 2019 letter to Gov. Mike Dunleavy and DOT Commissioner John MacKinnon.

M/V Tazlina to Service Parts of the Northern Panhandle

After weeks of effort, discussion, and negotiation, the Alaska Marine Highway System (AMHS) announced Friday, November 15th, that the M/V Tazlina is being brought out of layup status and will begin operating Nov. 21, 2019 to provide service to parts of the northern Panhandle through Jan. 5, 2020.

Crew for the ship are currently being called back to service, and will sail from Ketchikan to Juneau on Saturday. The ship will then dock in Juneau while preparing to return to revenue service.

This return to service is possible due to the collaboration and cooperation from the Inlandboatmen’s Union of the Pacific, International Organization of Masters, Mates & Pilots, and The Marine Engineers’ Beneficial Association to facilitate scheduling of the ship and crew.

The Tazlina is being brought out of layup status to provide as much service to the northern Panhandle as regulations will allow, and will call on Haines, Skagway, Gustavus, and Hoonah.

AMHS is working to resolve a dock issue in Angoon, if the issue can be resolved service will also extend to Angoon.

Service to the northern Panhandle was disrupted this month due to ongoing repair needs with two aging vessels, the M/V LeConte and the M/V Aurora.

On the Web:

11/12/19 Lawmakers' Letter to the DOT Commissioner (pdf)

Edited by Mary Kauffman, SitNews

Source of News:

Alaska House Majority
www.ak.leg.gov

Alaska Dept of Transportation
dot.state.ak.us

 

 

 

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