newsminer.com

JUNEAU -- The Alaska Marine Highway System has released draft schedules for next fall, winter and spring.

That's ahead of past practice and in contrast to the tardy release of the summer schedule earlier this year.

The new winter schedule calls for 407.7 weeks of service, up from 391 weeks the year before when service fell short of the 405 ship-weeks proposed.

"There aren't a lot of changes, but the number is up," said Roger Wetherell, spokesman for the Department of Transportation and Public Facilities.

Two mainline ferries, the Matanuska and the Tustumena, will be out of service for overhauls during the winter.

The Tustumena will be replaced on the Southwest Alaska run by the Kennicott, after the Alaska Legislature added extra money to maintain service in Kodiak, Homer and Seldovia during the winter.

Other notable parts of the schedule include the Taku sailing twice each week from Prince Rupert, British Columbia - once to Juneau and once to Skagway. The LeConte will sail a northern Panhandle route. The fast ferry, the Fairweather, will be overhauled from October to May. Its sister ship, the Chenega, will sail in North Lynn Canal plus Sitka from October to March.

Incoming DOT Deputy Commissioner Jim Beedle said the draft schedule is being released eight weeks earlier than last year.

That's in contrast to the summer schedule, which was two months late, barely made a delayed Milepost Magazine publication deadline and left businesses who rely on independent travelers fearful they'd lose customers.

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