County seeks input on new ferry design

Wahkiakum County has embarked on the process to replace the aging ferry Wahkiakum, and county officials will host a meeting next Tuesday, 2 p.m., to gather public input on what the new vessel should offer.

The meeting will be in the River Street Meeting Room.

Public Works Director Pete Ringen said the engineers working on the project will use the input to develop preliminary designs.

One concern, he told the board of commissioners on Tuesday, is whether or not to have public restrooms on the vessel.

"They would have to be ADA (the Americans with Disabilities Act) accessible," he said. "That adds quite a bit to the cost."

In effect, the engineers have said, the vessel would have to be 2 1/2 feet wider than if it didn't have the restrooms.

The engineers from Elliott Bay Design group will present concepts. Among the issues to be covered would be:

--vehicle deck arrangement;

--pilot house considerations;

--propulsion system;

--hull form, and

--the ADA and restroom considerations.

A questionnaire will be available for the public to write their responses.