Weight limit raised for ferry

Wahkiakum County commissioners on Tuesday cancelled the eight-ton weight limit for the ferry Oscar B.

Construction of a new loading ramp has been completed at the Westport ramp, so Wahkiakum County Public Works Director Pete Ringen recommended the commissioners remove the eight-ton limit, which was established to accommodate the temporary dock which the ferry used while the new ramp was constructed.

After discussion, the board voted to remove the eight-ton limit but limit loads to the maximum allowed for the old ferry, the Wahkiakum, while the board considers changes to the rate schedule.

"The new ramp at Wesport opened today," Ringen said in introducing his recommendation. "That's a huge accomplishment for Clatsop County.

Ringen continued, saying his office has had many queries from drivers of trucks of all sizes wanting to know when the limit would be lifted. This is especially important to drivers of small delivery trucks, he said, who can save time and mileage by using the ferry.

The only restriction which Ringen recommended was a restriction on overloads.

"The ramp is designed to handle all legal loads," he said.

Commissioner Blair Brady didn't want to lift the restrictions without considering the county's next steps, including modifying the rate schedule.

He also wondered if the Puget Island ramp, which needs extensions, is set to handle the largest legal loads.

"Could we look at the rate structure before lifting the limit," he asked. "We want to make sure we cover costs."

He added that he wants to discourage chip trucks and logging trucks, perhaps pulling trailers.

"Empty log trucks I can see," he said. "But fully loaded, or a

mule train, you know, I don't think that would be very much in our interest. Safety wise, either.

"What would we currently charge for something like that?"

"That's an issue to be dealt with, and maybe the answer is to say we're going to take the types of vehicles we took on the Wahkiakum until we adjust the fare schedule," Ringen responded.

Brady suggested raising the weight limit slightly to 15 or 20 tons.

Commissioner Dan Cothren doubted any chip truck drivers would want to use the ferry. Their hauling contracts are based on certain routes that don't include the ferry, and there is little chip hauling coming out of Wahkiakum forests at the moment.

Ringen emphasized that the new ferry and its approach alignments are designed to accommodate large trucks.

"That ferry is part of the highway system, and that's how we justified the funding for it," he said. "So it's difficult to say, 'Okay, X, you can go on it, but, no, Y, you can't because you're a certain class of vehicle, and we don't like you.'"

Brady said he could accept Ringen's suggestion to use previous weight limits and he added he is concerned about the feasibility and traffic impacts of large trucks using the ferry.

Ringen suggested they require large trucks to schedule trips by appointment.

"That could work," Brady said.

He suggested they delay lifting the limits until they established the restrictions, but Ringen countered that the route is a public highway and part of the state highway system.

"Pete has addressed the issues," Cothren said. "I don't think it's a big thing."

Brady moved that the county lift the eight-ton restriction but limit loads to those allowed previously on the Wahkiakum while they work on fare adjustments. Commissioner Mike Backman seconded the motion, and it passed.

There were no precise weight limits for the Wahkiakum; fares were based on length.

Ringen said Wednesday that the US Coast Guard had certified the Wahkiakum for a net tonnage of 20 tons, or 40,000 lbs., and the Oscar B. for 240,000 lbs.

"There has been a more informal way of handling larger vehicles that was more or less known to the captains and the local community as to what we allowed on the ferry Wahkiakum," Ringen said. "The biggest trucks were generally allowed to go across in an un-loaded condition.

"Because Oscar B. does not have the same weight restrictions as Wahkiakum, the limiting factor tends to be deck space, and also the operational considerations to keep things flowing smoothly with regular passenger cars and pickups."