To Whom it May Concern:

Hello, my name is Devin Branson and I am a student at Western Washington University.
I am also the Alternative Transportation Coordinator at our school, and I have been
involved in many regional transportation initiatives. I have met several times with
the Farmhouse Gang, which works on improving mobility in the North Sound. For
several years, a North Sound passenger only ferry network has been considered.
Perhaps more importantly, the Senate Chair of the state Transportation Committee
works closely with the group (and is from Whidbey Island).

I think there is a real possibility to work with the Farmhouse Gang and Senator
Haugen to create a North Sound passenger ferry network. The plans have been
established already, with funding models created, and the new Seattle-Port Townsend
ferry may prove to be the shot in the arm needed to get this project started. Work
still needs to be done to collaborate with different counties and cities to make
this ferry have the funding it needs. A starter route from Seattle to Kingston, Port
Townsend, and Keystone would provide even more stakeholders for this project.
Farmhouse Gang plans call for ferries between Bellingham and Friday Harbor, and
Friday Harbor and Edmonds. The Friday Harbor-Edmonds run could easily be folded into
the Port Townsend run (dropping Edmonds), and timed connections could be made
between the two ferry runs in Friday Harbor.

I encourage you to work on contacting various lawmakers and the press to work on
building a real coalition to create a North Sound ferry network. Funding options
already exist... it is just a matter of getting citizens to push their lawmakers
into action.

Thank you very much for your time, and I fully hope that permanent connections to
the North Sound to Seattle are established in the near future.

Devin Branson
bigcowfirealarm@yahoo.com

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Below is a copy of the comment I posted about the Farmhouse Gang on the
Seattle2PT.com website:

I’m sure now people have started to see the news concerning lawmakers favoring the
Port Townsend-Seattle ferry route-if enough funding can be found.
 I think this is now a perfect opportunity to work on creating a new North Sound
passenger ferry network. In fact, the Farmhouse Gang, which works for
transportation options in Whatcom, Island, Skagit, north Snohomish, and San Juan
Counties has mulled the idea for a few years now. The best way to go about this is
through a joint effort of several counties. You can read a study they have
concerning ferries at:
http://www.discovery.org/scripts/viewDB/filesDB-download.php?id=376
 The Chair of the Transportation Committee, Senator Mary Margaret Haugen, works with
the Farmhouse Gang and could be a vital ally in the effort to start a passenger
only ferry network. The Seattle-Port Townsend ferry proved to be an excellent trial
run and could prove to be the final push the North Sound needs to create a great
water transportation network.
 To make the ferry both affordable to riders and an asset to as many people
possible, the current route would need to be altered to serve Keystone and
Kingston, with future expansion of the route to serve Friday Harbor. By several
counties working together, funding can be found (via a new ferry district, MVET,
sales tax, general funds, etc.) to run the ferry year round with relatively low
fares.
 Please contact your state and local legislatures and urge them to work together to
build an excellent passenger-only ferry network in the North Sound that works for
residents, commuters, and tourists alike.