THE FAIRHAVEN OPTION A mainland ferry landing for Lummi Island Fairhaven Ferry Terminal The Fairhaven Option! 1
THE FAIRHAVEN OPTION Klayton Curtis December 2010 Overview The option of using the Fairhaven ferry terminal as Lummi Island s mainland terminal has not been fairly assessed and I will present arguments for it to be considered as an alternative landing to Gooseberry Point. This option is presented only if Gooseberry Point is deemed too expensive or troublesome to continue as the mainland terminal. Topics discussed will include travel time, safety at sea, emergency services, schools, long term solution, the feasibility study, parking, public transportation, using Alaska Marine Highway ferry dock, cost and convenience. This option is calling for one traditional ferry for 60-80 vehicles and 100 passengers which is able to safely handle the sea conditions of Bellingham Bay. Opinion In general, it is my view that the ferry situation pre 2010 was acceptable, but only barely, and that the changes that are now coming about (and the ones that may present themselves in the future) make Gooseberry Point an unacceptable long-term solution. If the situation can be returned to a pre-january 2010 scenario, that is preferable. However, if that is not achievable then I believe all resources should be focused on a long-term solution, and in my opinion Fairhaven is the best option. I may not have considered all angles on this and welcome further information. Travel Time The most frequent opposition that I hear to using Fairhaven is the travel time. In order to evaluate the travel time for the diverse lives of islanders, I chose downtown bellingham as a central destination. I will also introduce here an idea that may be a bit outside the box but one that may need to be considered for the long term future, that of using Smugglers Cove (the quarry) or another location closer to Fairhaven as the island s ferry terminal. I will discuss the details of using the quarry in a different section. The travel time from the current island terminal at Beach to downtown Bellingham takes 40 minutes via Slater Road. Using a ferry from Beach to Fairhaven would take 37 minutes (at 14 kts.), then add 8 minutes to downtown Bellingham for a total of 45 minutes. Only 5 minutes longer then the current situation. If the island terminal were at the quarry, the time to The Fairhaven Option! 2
Fairhaven would be 28 minutes and to downtown Bellingham would be 36 minutes. Which is 4 minutes faster then the Beach-Gooseberry-Slater route. Here are travel times that I recorded in Nov. 2010 driving at the posted speed limits with no traffic: Beach to Gooseberry Point (ferry run) - 10 min. (includes loading and unloading) Gooseberry Point to downtown Bellingham - 30 min. Fairhaven Terminal to downtown Bellingham - 8 min. Fairhaven Terminal to I-5 freeway - 5 min. Beach to Smuggler s Cove - 12 min. Beach to Fairhaven (7.6 nautical miles) - 32 min. (~37 min. including loading and unloading ) Smuggler s Cove to Fairhaven (5.3 nautical miles) - 23 min. (~28 min. including loading and unloading) Turn around time would be longer the that of the Beach-Gooseberry Point run with a round trip being about 74 minutes (Beach to Fairhaven) instead of 20 minutes. There would be a loss of convenience in having to plan around a ferry schedule such as this and it would be similar to the current weekend schedule that exists now. It seems that the schedule could be arranged to have a run that would get the school kids to school right on time, and base the day s timing around that. To move the same number of cars as the Chief does now, the ferry running Beach to Fairhaven would need to hold roughly four times the cars, which would be 80 cars. However, vehicle traffic may go down due to the availability of public transportation, so a smaller ferry holding about 60 vehicles may suffice. This schedule will certainly have an impact on commuters, some of whom would have to leave more then an hour earlier then needed. Another idea is that since the Chief is already owned, it possibly could continue to be used for some time, in addition to the new ferry, for double ferry runs at peak times in good weather thereby increasing the frequency to about 40 minutes. Another idea to consider is that when you drive from downtown Bellingham to Gooseberry Point for 30 minutes and then ride the ferry for 10 minutes, you spend most of your time driving. If you spent 8 minutes in the car traveling from downtown Bellingham to Fairhaven and 30 minutes on the ferry from Fairhaven to Beach, those 30 minutes could be spent working on a laptop, visiting with neighbors, doing homework, or just relaxing. People who take 30 minute ferry trips in other locations say that they enjoy that time for many of the these reasons. Also, driving along Slater/Haxton can be stressful and also dangerous at The Fairhaven Option! 3
times. It would seem an overall more enjoyable experience to spend the bulk of the commute on the ferry rather then on the road. In changing to a landing at Fairhaven, there is not so much of an increased travel time to Bellingham as there is a loss of frequency of runs. This effects those on fixed schedules the most, but wouldn t have much of an effect on those that are not. Some people may prefer the benefits of a Fairhaven landing over the convenience of frequent runs. Safety at Sea I have heard and read that the route through Bellingham Bay is not safe and therefore we should not consider Fairhaven. This is simply not true. I talked to Shawn at San Juan Tours which is based out of the Fairhaven terminal and he reported that they ran a pilot program to evaluate the feasibility of running a passenger ferry to the San Juan Islands year round in which they ran their 100 foot boat for three months in the dead of winter to Friday Harbor on Monday, Wednesday and Friday and never had to cancel a run. We all know that the Whatcom Chief has at times been shut down due to weather. If a new larger vessel were built, it would be built to safely make the crossing and would most likely be able to run when the Chief would have been shut down. We have heard that the Chief is nearing the end of it s service and that the county was making plans to replace it. They would probably be replacing it with a larger vessel anyway and would also be needing to replace both docks. Therefore, the issue of rough seas in Bellingham Bay should not be used as a factor to eliminate Fairhaven as an option. Emergency Services There have been comments that the run to Fairhaven or Bellingham would delay the arrival of secondary emergency services such as fire trucks, ambulance and law enforcement. However, if these services are coming from Ferndale or Bellingham, they have to travel the overthe-road distance first before even arriving at Gooseberry Point, and as I have shown, the travel time would be nearly the same or shorter if coming from Fairhaven. Also, if we were to keep the Chief in addition to the new ferry, we could have one ferry stationed at each terminal to travel immediately, as soon as the emergency vehicles arrive at either end. There is a fire station less then one minute from the Fairhaven terminal which would make an arrival time of 33 minutes to Beach or 24 minutes to Smuggler s Cove if a ferry were stationed at Fairhaven. It is true that emergency vehicles may travel faster then the speed limit over the roads and in that case the Gooseberry Point run may be quicker. For travel to the mainland for an emergency in ones own vehicle, say to the hospital, the route via Smuggler s Cove- The Fairhaven Option! 4
Fairhaven-hospital would be about the same amount of time as Beach-Gooseberry-Slaterhospital. Emergency services should be considered in an decision on which mainland terminal to use, but I do not think that we should disregard a better overall option to save ten minutes on secondary services. We have very well equipped primary emergency services on the island with well trained people. If emergency services are that critical to someone, living on an island may not be the best decision. We can not recreate all big city services on the island. Schools I have read that there would be opposition to a Fairhaven ferry because the school children going to Ferndale would have to travel the extra distance and have to get up earlier and would miss out on after school activities. Firstly, there is nothing written in stone that Lummi Island must be part of the Ferndale School District. The island could most likely be changed to the Bellingham School District and the kids would go to Bellingham schools. The travel time would again be comparable to going to Ferndale schools and the kids would have access to after school activities. Secondly, I have heard from everyone I ask that the Bellingham schools are rated better then the Ferndale schools, but that is somewhat subjective I suppose. Long-term Solution Here are few things that I feel make Fairhaven favorable as a long-term solution. The first one that I personally think of being a geologist is that when the big earthquake hits (and we are overdue according to some) our region will subside relative to sea level by up to 10 feet, therefore cutting off Gooseberry Point from the mainland and effectively forcing us to use Fairhaven (see Whatcom County tsunami scenarios). There is also the continual threat of the Nooksack flooding, also cutting off Gooseberry Point. Other issues include the lease from the Lummi Nation that would need to be continually renewed, the unresolved parking issue, and other issues that arise due to negotiating with a sovereign nation as our mainland terminal. I do realize that a lot of work would need to be done to develop Smuggler s Cove into a ferry terminal, and that it would be wasteful to no longer use the Beach terminal, but those options can be looked at for long term future development and it is possible in the short term to continue to use the Beach terminal. However, developing Smuggler s Cove or another site closer to Fairhaven (such as the Salvation Army camp or Sunrise Cove) would in the long run use the shortest amount of time to get from the island to Bellingham and I feel it would be the most reliable situation overall. The Fairhaven Option! 5
Feasibility Study In the Gooseberry Point Ferry Dock Relocation Feasibility Study that was put out by the county public works department, the reasons that Fairhaven was not chosen for further investigation are given in appendix A and B. It turns out that Fairhaven was ranked 6th and the top 5 were chosen for deeper consideration. As I read through why Fairhaven was ranked lower then some of the others, I found myself disagreeing with the authors assessments. I will go through the ones I disagree with here: Consistency with County Vision Ranking -1 Explanation: Year round (365 day) service may be more difficult given extreme storm conditions and open water crossing in Bellingham Bay. Rebuttal: Given the proper vessel this would not be an issue. They give Safety of an Alternative Boat a ranking of 0 on the same page saying a new boat would provide a safe means of crossing in all weather. I am not really sure what the county vision is anymore, but I would give this at least a +1 Safety of Ferry Ranking: -1 Explanation: Existing boat could not be used safely in adverse weather. A new boat, if properly designed, could provide safe service but at a considerable expense. Rebuttal: The county has already agreed that a new vessel is needed. Safety would not be an issue with a new vessel therefore the ranking should not have been negative. In fact, with the age of the Chief and the recent surprise leak, a new ferry would be a move to a more safe situation overall. Ranking should be +2 Reliability of Service Ranking: -2 Explanation: Longer travel time, especially during adverse weather, would reduce the number of runs per day and the level of service provided. Rebuttal: As I have shown it would not be that much of a longer travel time into Bellingham. Reliability would be better then the existing situation where rough weather stops the Chief, an earthquake or flooding can cut off Gooseberry Point, or the Lummi Nation ends the lease. Ranking should be a +2 Fosters Development of a Multi-Modal Center (for the Lummi Nation) Ranking: -2 Explanation: The location off the Reservation would do nothing to foster the development of the multi-modal center on the Reservation. Rebuttal: This feasibility study was to find an alternative dock. Using negative points for not develop reservation amenities is not appropriate. Ranking should be 0. The Fairhaven Option! 6
Available Land Ranking: -2 Explanation: Availability of land unknown although the land would be very expensive. Rebuttal: The idea would be to use the existing facilities at Fairhaven and therefore not need to purchase more land, which would cut down dramatically on relocation costs. Ranking should be +2 Local Infrastructure Ranking: 0 Explanation: Water, sewer and power appear to be available to this industrialized portion of the Bellingham waterfront. Rebuttal: Again, the idea is to use the existing infrastructure at Fairhaven. Ranking should be +2 A total gain of 15 points as used in the appendix A table in. This would put Fairhaven the number one choice and seven points ahead of the current number one choice. I also noticed that the annual lease amount for the existing dock was left blank, therefore the actual costs for staying at Gooseberry Point would be higher then what is stated in the report. Using Smugglers Cove There are some issues in using Smuggler s Cove that need to be looked into more closely if it were to be considered; It is privately owned and the owners would have to be willing to sell. If the owners would want to keep it as a quarry, the safety of passengers and drivers would need to be addressed and blasting only done when no one was around. I don t know if the roads through Scenic Estates are private or county, but if they are private the owners may not allow ferry traffic. The roads in Scenic Estates are also narrow and the houses close to the road, so vehicle speeds would have to be quite slow when driving through. Parking The parking situation at Gooseberry Point is untenable over the long term, not only for the current difficulties of safety and overcrowding, but because if the area develops as the tribe would like it to these issues will only become worse and the tribe is likely to extract a premium for the use of the land. Parking at Fairhaven, on the other hand, has established secure parking areas with room for expansion. Public Transportation Fairhaven is already an established public transportation hub with bus, rail, and ferry services. By adding the Lummi Island ferry to the list we can take advantage of those features The Fairhaven Option! 7
and encourage more services, such as more frequent bus service. Again, this would bode well for those wishing to walk on the ferry and it would probably reduce vehicle traffic. Using the Alaska Marine Highway Ferry Dock This is one area in which I have not done any research. I am not sure if the Alaska Marine Highway (AMH) would be interested in sharing their dock or if scheduling of two ferries could be worked out. It seems that the AMH ferry is only there on Fridays and if I remember correctly it arrives in the morning and off-loads passengers, then it is serviced for turnaround and loaded in the evening. If they would be willing to move the ship off the ferry ramp for their turnaround, the Lummi Island ferry could use it during the day on Friday and then let the AMH ferry unload and load during the Lummi Island run. Of course, if a new ferry is built it could be built to fit that dock and ramp. Cost If the AMH dock could be used, it would dramatically reduce the cost of using a site other then Gooseberry Point. This option was not in the Gooseberry Point Ferry Dock Relocation Feasibility Study and therefore is not in the mix of ideas being considered at this time. To the best of my calculations, and using the counties numbers in the feasibility study, it would save 11.4 of the 56.2 million dollars cost projected to relocate the dock from Gooseberry Point. If the costs for maintenance of the mainland dock were shared with AMH, it would also save the county money. Convenience and Aesthetics The conveniences and services of the Fairhaven terminal, and having downtown Fairhaven within walking distance, are other features to consider. The aesthetic appeal of the facilities and amenities such as a cafe, clean warm restrooms, shops, seasonal decorations, and frequent community activities may seem esoteric but I think everyone would find using Fairhaven quite pleasant when compared to the bleak scene at Gooseberry Point. Below are a few photos, and if you have not visited the facilities, it may be worth stopping for a look next time you are in the area. The Fairhaven Option! 8
The Fairhaven Option! 9
Conclusions Having the ferry operations and costs put back to the pre-2010 status seems to be the preferred option for everyone. If this can t happen, I hope that Fairhaven would be considered for the reasons I have given here. It would be expensive at first and would cause some changes to life on the island, but I think that in the long run it would end up a better situation then now exists. At the very least, I hope I have given more detailed information and ideas then I have yet seen presented. Much more work needs to be done to find out if some of these things can actually happen, but I hope that Fairhaven will at least not be considered a dead option. At best, it would be nice to see a cost analysis comparing Gooseberry Point (at the rates the tribe is asking for) and Fairhaven, both with new boats and new docks. I hope this information helps move things towards a solution. The Fairhaven Option! 10