So why can't we have a ferry to Prince Rupert
I don't know for the rest of the state, but I really miss being able to take a ferry to Prince Rupert. As a kid in SE we use to hop on the ferry and get off in Canada driving the rest the way. After high school, it was a favorite road trip of my buddies and I after we finished fishing and headed off college. Since 2019, its regular sailings have been sorely missed. What I understand to be the big claims are.
They won't let us have guns at their terminal and were unable/unwilling to provide armed officers.
The bulkhead is in poor condition. We can not agree on who has to source the steel in order to repair or rebuild the dock. Funds didn't seem to be an issue, just whose steel went towards the project.
Apparently, we did not comply with international law for safety. We can fix that or only allow Kennicott to make that stop.
Stewart/Hyder is a pipe dream that makes me mad every time I think about it. It just seems like something they say they are looking into, so the missing Prince Rupert leg is downplayed by those who don't live in the area or understand the issue. To address the quick points.
How is a town of 50 supposed to room and border the workforce to build a dock. They will be staying in Stewart, or a float house will have to be included in the base bid price.
It will take too long. It about ~70 miles to Hyder from AMHS current line or by my estimate half a day to get to Hyder and return to the main line. It was a small ask to divert to Prince Rupert to let a few cars off, unlike Hyder.
Economic. While I do not believe a road should be required to make a profit, economically, it does not make sense. The appeal of Prince Rupert was the cheaper fare. To divert ~70 miles to almost double the drive time to Bellingham does not pen out well. Do we want a small ferry from Ketchican to Hyder only? No. Do we want to send a mainline ferry that far out of the way? No. If we build a small dock, it will be abandoned just like Coffman Cove or Petersburg's small terminals due to the economics of low ridership.
I've just been thinking about it again recently and was wondering if anyone else had opinions.