Sorted by date Results 101 - 120 of 120
Despite the proposed statewide budget cuts, our legislators will not close paved highways elsewhere in the state. Likewise, they won’t restrict two-lane highways down to a single lane. But that will be the effect a proposal by a legislative subcommittee that is proposing a 10-percent cut to the Alaska ferry system. Some proposals call for taking ferries out of service, including replacement vessels that go into service when vessels are taken out of service for repairs or annual Coast Guard required overhauls. Southeast communities will not o...
A number of public hearings on Alaska Marine Highway System’s operating budget have been scheduled this week, allowing ferry users the opportunity to give their input to state legislators as they draw up a budget. In a media release, Southeast Conference highlights the ferry system’s importance to the region’s communities, and further warns of a possible $9.5 million cut to AMHS being weighed as the Legislature finds ways to address a $3.5 billion deficit anticipated for the 2016 fiscal year. If that sized cut goes ahead as planned, servi...
The Alaska Department of Transportation and Public Facilities (ADOT&PF) announced travel fares on the Alaska Marine Highway System will increase 4.5 percent starting May 1. The new fare structure went into effect with the new year, but will not affect reservations already made in advance. Some fares will not be affected by the new structure. The ADOT&PF release said fares that are “disproportionately higher” than the majority of AMHS fares will remain unchanged. The department reports the fare increase will help cover operating costs and mee...
The Alaska Department of Transportation and Public Facilities announced Friday it will be delaying the implementation of its upcoming unaccompanied minor policy for Alaska Marine Highway System (AMHS) services. The new policy would no longer allow children under the age of 18 to travel unaccompanied on the ferry system. Currently, travelers aged 12 to 15 can show a note from their parents or legal guardians allowing them to travel alone, and no restrictions are in place for those aged 16 and older. Exemptions to the new policy include...
Alaska Governor Sean Parnell announced Saturday that Ketchikan-based Vigor Alaska will construct two new day ferries for the Alaska Marine Highway System (AMHS). Construction of both vessels is scheduled to begin in October, and completion is estimated to take four years. Each vessel will be a 280-foot, “roll on–roll off” type passenger ferry, capable of carrying 450 passengers and up to 60 vehicles. The ships will cost $101 million to construct. “I’ve lived in Ketchikan all my life,” said Ketchikan shipyard worker Norm Skan. “It’s such...
The proposed Alaska Marine Highway System (AMHS) schedule for the summer 2015 season is now available for public review and comments. The schedule can be viewed online at www.dot.state.ak.us/ amhs/share/schedule/considerations.pdf. Comments on the proposed scheduled are due by Sept. 23 and may be submitted via email dot.amhs.comments@alaska.gov and by fax at 907-586-8365. Those interested may also participate in a teleconference where AMHS will hear comments and consider adjustments. The teleconference is scheduled for Sept. 25 at 10 a.m. and...
Representatives from the Alaska Department of Transportation (ADOT&PF) gave a public presentation on their long-range transportation plan for Southeast Alaska last Wednesday. The presentation was followed by a public comment period, which centered largely on ferry service and the Kake Access project. ADOT&PF's draft Southeast Alaska Transportation Plan (SATP) is a 20-year plan for the region which recommends projects for roadways, airports and ferry service. Regional trends, current priorities and projects, as well as maintenance costs and... Full story
The Petersburg Borough Assembly unanimously approved a letter to the Alaska Department of Transportation & Public Facilities and a union representing ferry service employees to settle a labor contract dispute in a timely manor so as to not disrupt ferry service by the Alaska Marine Highway System (AMHS), which has already decreased in Petersburg during the past several years. “We, of the Petersburg Borough, encourage a timely and equitable settlement of this dispute,” the letters states. “In addition, we continue to suggest to AMHS, and their...
Commercial troll fishery public meeting to be held in Petersburg The Alaska Department of Fish and Game will hold commercial troll public meetings in Petersburg on Wednesday, April 2 at 12:30 pm in the Petersburg Library Conference Room. Meeting topics will include, but are not limited to, plans for the 2014 spring and summer troll fisheries, the 2014 Pacific Salmon Treaty Chinook salmon abundance index and quota, and a review of the 2013 troll season. All members of the public are welcome to attend. State seeks public input on ferry schedule...
The Petersburg Borough approved a resolution urging Governor Sean Parnell and the Alaska legislature to increase transportation funding across the state. The Alaska Municipal League, or AML, is urging municipalities across Alaska to request increases in transportation funding. AML is a statewide nonprofit organization representing 140 cities, boroughs and unified municipalities that aims to influence state and federal decision-making. The AML drafted its own resolution that asks for a local match component for state funded transportation grants...
AMHS: Thanks for celebrating To the Editor and Mayor Jensen: I would like to extend a sincere thank you for helping us make the Petersburg community celebration for our 50 Anniversary a great success. Many people came to help celebrate and it was indeed an honor to welcome a very large group of Petersburg citizens to the Malaspina to enjoy the Leikerring dancers, the beautiful handmade cookies, dignitary speeches and thank you exchanges. It was wonderful to see so many members of the community enjoying dinner in the ship's cafeteria and partici...
The Alaska Marine Highway System will celebrate with towns all along the Southeast for the 50 year anniversary of service to this area. The Motor Vessel Malaspina made its inaugural trip to Petersburg at 6 p.m. Sunday, April 28, 1963 and Friday, the Malaspina will make port here again at 6 p.m. “We have activities scheduled once people have boarded,” Petersburg Chamber of Commerce Director Sally Dwyer said. “That is when the Leikerring Dancers will dance being led by Heidi Lee.” Dwyer said she did not know what the ferry system had schedul... Full story
In recognition of the 50th Anniversary of the Alaska Marine Highway System, we present these pages with news reports from the archives of the Petersburg Press in 1962 and 1963. The historic timeline information was provided by the AMHS. The arrival of MV Malaspina in 1963 was big news for the city, the region and the State of Alaska. The new transportation service connected Southeast communities as they had never been before, and it changed the way passengers and freight were transported to and from the towns that made up Southeast Alaska. We...
24 Alaska becomes the 49th state and M/V Chilkat becomes the first state owned ferry 1963 The Alaska Marine highway System is founded, providing many roadless communities with a way to “driove” from one town to the next. M/V Matanuska, M/V Malaspina and M/V Taku are built Service expands to Prince Rupert, British Columbia 1964 M/V Tustumena is built. March 27: Earthquake! Ports in Valdez and Cordova are damaged 1967 Service extended to Seattle, Washington. linking the system to the Lower 48 1974 M/V Columbia, the largest vessel in the fle...
Questions regarding the decrease in port departures were a topic of discussion by Petersburg City Council Monday evening. Petersburg Mayor Al Dwyer addressed a letter to Alaska Department of Transportation and Public Facilities Deputy Commissioner of Marine Operations Michael Neussl asking about the reduced ferry schedule for 2013. “Our community has seen an overall decrease in port departures by 19.5 percent since 2002 and an 18.6 percent decrease in passenger disembarkment over the same time period,” Dwyer noted. “These two facts are clear... Full story
The Alaska Marine Highway System (AMHS) said that its Port Efficiency Policy will go in effect June 1. The new policy states that an AMHS ferry will bypass a port call if there is no scheduled traffic destined into or out of that particular port. Scheduled traffic is defined as a reservation in place 24 hours in advance of the scheduled departure time from the port in question. Travelers are encouraged to make reservations in advance....
PETERSBURG — The Alaska Marine Highway ferry Matanuska crashed into the face of the Ocean Beauty Seafoods dock in Petersburg at 1:00 p.m. Monday. The M/V Matanuska was negotiating a turn in Wrangell Narrows prior to the accident as it prepared to dock at the Petersburg ferry terminal on its southbound trip. Heavy damage was sustained to the face of the Ocean Beauty dock. Dock piling were broken and the hydraulic crane was dangling over the water. In addition to the dock damage, the second f...
The Petersburg City Council on Monday voted in favor of supporting the Alaska Marine Highway (AMHS) Bellingham run, and the replacement of current ferries. According to the resolution, AMHS has been serving Alaska's coastal communities with vehicle, freight and passenger transportation for about 50 years. As in the hard-link road and rail system throughout the interior of Alaska, the ferry system relies on State and Federal funding. But also similar to the roadway, it will never be...
Hello again from the Alaska Legislature. Well, it’s still snowing and we’re still debating Education Funding, Oil and Gas Taxes, and lots of other issues that are so important to Alaska’s future. I hope we’re able to get it all done within the next 38 days. The high cost of energy is one big issue that impacts all of us. The mission of the Alaska Energy Authority (AEA) is to “reduce the cost of energy in Alaska”. To that end, the AEA worked with Southeast Conference to produce the Southeast A...
