Washington ferries
The Washington State Department of Transportation has now formally joined all other government departments in recognizing that, since they are unable to complete their assigned basic mission, WSDOT will refine its primary responsibility to that of social engineering.
The transition has been gradual but consistent. First, it was the HOV lanes that had to remain dedicated 24 hours a day, seven days a week. After all, federal dollars paid for those lanes so they had to be preserved as sacred. Look how easy it has been for DOT to start the shift of HOV lanes to “pay for use” lanes. The next step is to upgrade from HOV-2 to HOV-3 which will do little more than increase congestion or force the two occupant vehicles into “pay as you go” lane commuters.
The toll on the Narrows bridge jumps by almost one-third without apparent government concern. How do we get that kind of fee increase without legislative action? What option do we in Kitsap have other than to pay the toll?
Now WSDOT ferries has a plan to charge more and perhaps require reservations for vehicles during commute hours. The idea is to “encourage” more people to walk on, expand carpools or use their bikes for transportation. Is it possible that the ferries brain trust is so out of touch with the needs of the people of Kitsap County? Can they really believe that our taxpayers and citizens put up with a four-hour commute each day by choice or that paying to take a car cross-sound is really a matter of choice? Do they really believe that if there were other options that commuters would not use them? What part of “ferries are part of the highway system” do they not understand?
Would it be possible for us to elect a governor and legislators who will pay more attention to the primary duties we assigned them under the Constitution and a little less time trying to run our lives for us? With Olympia so deep into our pocketbooks and no relief in sight, when do we stop paying for our family necessities so we can pay our taxes? Just how much more are we willing to take before we actually revolt?
JACK HAMILTON
Silverdale
