— from Washington State Ferries —
The Washington State Department of Transportation (DOT) is partnering with the Port and City of Anacortes to explore innovative public-private partnerships to enhance the 35-acre ferry terminal site. This could include commercial opportunities such as retail stores, lodging, and food options. WSDOT would like to hear from Anacortes and San Juan Islands residents, tribes, and ferry passengers to ensure these opportunities meet your priorities.
Please take a moment to fill out a brief online survey to share your ideas about potential opportunities for the ferry terminal property. To take the survey, visit www.surveymonkey.com/r/WSDOTAnacortesSurvey. The survey will only be available for a few weeks. You can learn more about the project at www.wsdot.wa.gov/Funding/Partners/AnacortesFerryTerminal.htm.
The idea of allowing commercialization of the acreage around the ferry terminal strikes me as a very real threat to the natural shoreline/imperiled ecosystem. Further, the development of commercial enterprise at the terminal (think strip malls with franchised conveniences, waste, and parking lot runoff, traffic, etc) would be particularly desirable to the suburbanized housing developments that have overcrowded the shorelands around the terminal. It strikes me as the final suburban ‘nail in the coffin’ to that area. This would benefit the people living in those developments way more than the passengers on the ferry.
The ferry terminal, if it needs improving, should scale its footprint back–create an even more modest but modern building for the workers. Increase the natural shoreline beauty and simplicity. Let passengers bring their provisions with them and picnic near the water if they so choose when they are waiting for the ferry. Let that set the tone for their gateway experience to the islands. If we still value the rural qualities of the place we call home.
This survey may be more important than we think in preventing a radical and very unwelcome change in the environment. Read between the lines and use your imagination as to how the development would go. Take the survey and voice your concerns!
Agree with Norris Carlson. This idea is also geared for tourists; but who will it actually draw, and what kind of message would this ugly casino-like atmosphere of shopping and entertainment give them about our gateway? In no way is any of this of any benefit to locals who use the ferries as actual transportation to do necessary things like commute to jobs, go to medical appointments, fix vehicles, and the like; yet our ferries continue to be cut while all this talk of grandeur prattles on.
WSF continues to make bad decisions, such as retiring boats like the Hyak (proven, reliable, analog ferries) in favor of newer electronic ferries that are not time-tested, and that break down far more often and are more expensive to repair, due to the specialized nature of repairing anything electronic… not to mention what happens should the power grid be taken out in a disaster such as a major earthquake.
Please do the survey and look at the questions geared toward growth, entertainment, shopping, and gobbling up more shoreline for profits for a few, while offering only over-crowding of the islands and no improved ferry services, no priority reservations for locals, and an ugly casino-themed “gateway” to the Golden Cash Cow of the San Juan Islands. (At least Coney Island had character and rides!)
This idea seems to condone more exploitation of the environment, profit for Industry and benefit for all the residents or vacationers within the new ugly ticky-tacky erosion-causing housing developments choking the shorelines. It’s clear to see what’s driving the bus, and it’s not the needs of San Juan County residents or the rights of the environment.
How about an amusement park so we would have something to do while waiting for late ferries?
KEEP YOUR EYE ON THE BALL
WSOT management should focus on improving ferry service not real estate development.
Dear DOT: BUILD MORE BETTER FERRIES to replace our handicapped fleet. Leave the “private-public partnerships” out of it. What we need is reliable ferry service, not diversions to distract us from not being able to get a ferry when we need it.
CASINOS? Are they crazy? Isn’t getting a ferry when you need it enough of a crapshoot as it is? What is with this mission-creep everywhere in government. Focus on your core mission. When the ferries are operating reliably and fares are affordable, perhaps then you can think about “amenities.” Transportation hubs should have restrooms, seating, and a food concession or vending machines.