Ferry closing next week for ramp installation

The ferry "Wahkiakum" is scheduled to be out of service February 15 and 16 as Bergerson Construction installs a new ramp at the Puget Island ferry landing.

Wahkiakum County Public Works Director Pete Ringen said late last week that the contractor is "able to delay the shutdown for the early morning runs on the 15th which will provide a little more lee-way to those who depend on the ferry."

The ferry will be shutdown starting at 7:30 a.m. Monday, he said, and it will resume normal operating schedule at 5 a.m. on Wednesday.

"In other words, we will operate the 5:00, 6:00, and 7:00 a.m. runs on the 15th as normal," Ringen said.

During the shutdown, the ferry will be at the Westport ramp, where crews will swap out the port engine.

"We will be doing sea trials once the replacement engine is installed, so if someone sees the ferry running, that is what is going on," Ringen said. "This would likely happen the evening of the 15th. Late in the day on the 16th, the contractor should be done with their work to move the ramp to its new position. At this time the ferry can return to Puget Island, however we would not intend to return to regular scheduled operations until the next day, Wednesday the 17th. We plan to have someone from the ferry crew on watch while the ferry is over at Westport."