Alaskans pushing back on Governors plans for Ferry Service

Changes to the Alaska Marine Highway are likely regardless of the
details of an ongoing study in the Ferry Service

As regular readers of the blog are aware, the fate of the Alaska Marine Highway System has been in somewhat of a state of suspense of late, with Alaskan Governor Mike Dunleavy awaiting a report on what his options may be for the future of the Marine highway that links Alaskans up and down the Southeast coast and into Prince Rupert.

Governor Dunleavy is scheduled to be in Kethcikan today and if things go as they have in other communities that the Governor has visited in recent weeks,  he may get a first hand sense at some of the concern over his plans that could see some drastic changes ahead for the AMHS.

Since the call for a report into the future of the AMHS, employees of the Marine Highway and residents in the communities that will be affected by any potential changes have held rallies to share their support for the beleaguered Transportation service that has been part of the fabric of Alaskan life since 1963.

Today may be the day where Ketchikan residents get to share some thoughts, with the Governor in Alaska's First City to make a presentation to the Ketchikan Chamber of Commerce luncheon, as well as having a stop planned as guest speaker at an aviation conference in the city., in recent weeks the has been touring the state to outline his 10 year Budget Blueprint for Alaska.

A key feature of his document is a reduction in services in a number of areas, with one of the highest profile elements that of the Ferry service with a range of cuts and other elements part of the discussion ahead.

In March the State issued a Request for Proposals for a consultant to compile a  report on AMHS Economic Reshaping, the deadline for applicants for that project was April 2nd, with report due to be delivered by October 15th, which is an extension from the previously planned deadline of early August.

The scope of the review can be explored further here.

Earlier this year an amended budget allowed for the AMHS to set the schedule for the spring and summer season, but larger and perhaps more permanent decisions will make for some of the conversation between the Governor's Office and the Transportation Department.

All options are said to be up for review from current funding models to the prospect of a complete change for the AMHS by way of a public/private partnership.

Last winter, the service to Prince Rupert was suspended from the start of January until the end of February, a two month period which left the AMSH terminal in Prince Rupert a ghost town of lost sailings between the two communities.

Traffic volumes through the AMHS Terminal in Prince Rupert have
declined as the schedule cuts of the last year took effect

The Governor will consider his options once the report has been provided, though it seems safe to say that he's going to be receiving lots of advice on the issue between now and the fall.

You can review some of the background to the AMHS saga and the reaction from many communities in the state from our Marine Transportation archive page here.

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