Kitsap ferries may take reservations

Washington State Ferries is recommending a reservation system for all of Kitsap County’s ferry terminals – and all but four of the rest.

The preference for the program comes out of a draft study prepared by the ferry system. The study is part of a plan authorized by the Legislature in a long-term project that could result in drivers being able to reserve a spot on boats.

The new system would mean all drivers using the Bremerton, Bainbridge and Kingston terminals could reserve a spot on sailings, but not until 2015 at the earliest. In Southworth, reservations would be available only to commercial vehicles. In all except the Southworth run, drivers could use reservations to return as well, assuming modifications to the Edmonds terminal happen.

David Moseley, Washington State Ferries director, said a reservation system is designed to improve the experience for ferry customers, reduce backups at terminals and help the system make better use of what it has.

He said the other major ferry systems in the world all use reservation systems.

“We’re behind the curve on this, not ahead of the curve,” he said.

Expansion to the Kitsap routes not beginning until 2015 is designed to get any defects in the system out of the way before broad expansion.

“We have heard some anxiety about this and how it would change their experience,” Moseley said. “We’re not going to implement these alternatives unless we know we’ve got each one right before going to the next one.”

The phasing also allows there to be a break between state funding cycles.

The study considered five options, ranging from only continuing to use reservations where they’re being made now to having every terminal adopt the program.

The ferry system already uses reservations on the Port Townsend-Keystone and Anacortes-Sydney, B.C. runs. The cost to expand the system to all but four terminals would add $6.5 million to the $18 million long-range funding plan.

Eventually WSF wants to hold 90 percent of a vessel during peak hours and half off-peak for those making reservations. Those numbers could change, however, if congestion around the terminals is solved at a much lower number.

Terminals that didn’t make the cut for the reservation system don’t have vehicle holding areas 20 percent to 50 percent larger than the boats that serve them.

Edmonds doesn’t now, but the study suggests it wouldn’t take much to change that. In Fauntleroy, Tahlequah and Vashon Island it would take more.

The return trip to Southworth seeing reservations is unlikely, unless the Fauntleroy terminal sees major expansion or boats start running from the Colman Dock instead of West Seattle.

Mukilteo meets the standard but is using a lot leased for five years. Without a more permanent solution, reservations won’t be considered there, according to the study.

The ferry system would integrate the Wave2Go ticketing system with the reservation system currently in place beginning in May, then expand reservation use in 2011 to the San Juan Island and Sydney runs.