New Fast Ferry’s Route Planned and Altered

New Fast Ferry’s Route Planned and Altered

By Pat Lynn
For The Star

CIVIC CENTER - State ferry experts are gingerly picking a new route for the soon-to-arrive fast ferry Chenega to avoid any conflict between the fast ferry and animal life and sensitive shore side areas.

As part of the process, the Alaska Marine Highway held what it billed as an “Open House” in Valdez, Cordova and Whittier last week to share their findings and solicit public comment.

In the new age of environmental sensitivity, state ferry planners say the ferry route is being carefully selected to put as much distance as possible between the ferry and fish hatcheries, sea lion haul outs, marine bird rookeries, whale grouping areas, sea otter rafting areas and other locations deemed to be “sensitive.”

About 20 locals showed up Tuesday at the Civic Center to review detailed maps of the route between Cordova, Valdez and Whittier, and to pepper the ferry folks with questions.

However, a controversy was brewing across the state when the state announced that it is moving the Chenega and the other fast ferry, the Fairweather, to a new route connecting Juneau to Petersburg and Ketchikan.

This new route was not brought up by state officials who attended the public input meeting.

The new Chenega ferry, a catamaran by design, is dubbed a “fast ferry” which will cut the travel time between Cordova and Valdez in half. The current ferries do it in over six hours while the Chenega will complete the run in three hours, 15 minutes.

The ferry is now continuing its sea trials and crew familiarization in Juneau. Still ahead are at least 12 routes between Cordova, Valdez and Whittier to certify the crew before the first “revenue run” commences in mid-July, according to Cpt. Richard Gordon of the Marine Highway System.