(The correct version of Sunday’s story appears elsewhere on our Web page.)
EDITOR’S NOTE: A front-page story about construction of new state ferries, which appeared in Sunday’s edition of The News Tribune, contained inaccuracies and incomplete information.
Due to a computer error, an early draft of the story was published instead of the completed version. A corrected and updated version of the story “Ferry on a costly fast track” is available online in the Local section of thenewstribune.com.
The thrust of the story remains the same: The state is spending more than it otherwise would on ferries, because it is in a hurry to replace vessels that were taken out of service and because of its tendency to redesign vessels.
However, some of the figures used to support that premise in Sunday’s story are wrong.
Among the points that need clarification and correction:
–Sunday’s story quoted state Rep. Larry Seaquist, D-Gig Harbor, claiming the state ferry system already had spent $52 million designing a new 144-car vessel. David Moseley, head of Washington State Ferries, said the state has spent only $14.6 million on the design of that vessel.
–Sunday’s story also had Seaquist stating the full cost of the first 64-car ferry, which is now under construction, would be $85.5 million because it would cost an additional $20 million to outfit the vessel with lifeboats and other features. In fact, the state is spending only $11.5 million to outfit that ferry, of which $6.5 million is “contingency” funds which may or may not be spent, Moseley said.
–The story stated four Steel Electric-class ferries taken out of service in November 2007 over safety concerns were “in use in Mexico.” In fact, Moseley said only that the vessels were “in Mexico.”
–Sunday’s story omitted the fact that, although the construction cost of the first 64-car ferry was $65.5 million, bids received Thursday to build two or three more ferries level out the cost per vessel at about $55 million. Moseley’s reaction also was omitted. He said, “I’m pleased that the bids came in at the lower price. We thought that would be a likelihood, given what we learned from building the first one.”
–The story also omitted Moseley’s response to criticism from some legislators that the ferry system has a history of tinkering with boat designs, which tended to drive up construction costs. Moseley said, “We’ve heard a lot of the criticism in how we over-managed‚ the construction management of boats in the past.” But the lower bids for the second and third 64-car ferries “demonstrates the efficiency and effectiveness of our partnership with Todd (Shipyards),” Moseley said.