Ferry contract awarded to Todd Shipyards (20 months to our new ferry!)

[uppityperson]

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2010056549_webferry13m.html

Washington State Ferries is awarding a contract to Todd Pacific Shipyards to build two additional 64-car ferries, which can carry 750 passengers each.

Todd Shipyards was the only bidder last week and submitted a $114 million bid to build two more 64-car ferries. It is already building the first of the ferries, modeled after the Island Home ferry that serves Cape Cod in Massachusetts.

It is scheduled to be completed this June and will work on the Port Townsend/Keystone route. That's now being served by a ferry leased from Pierce County.

As part of the bid, the boats must be completed in 20 months.