Oregon Public Broadcasting

When you think of Washington's state ferry system, you probably think of the hulking boats that cross Puget Sound. But the state also operates a smaller ferry that serves rural eastern Washington.

It's old and needs to be replaced, though there's no money for a new one. Doug Nadvornick reports on Washington's forgotten ferry.

To reach the Keller Ferry, you do a lot of driving. From Spokane, you head west through wheat country for an hour to the town of Wilbur. That's where I meet Colville tribal councilmember Jeanne Jarred.

Washington's "Martha S" ferry is 62 years old and showing its age, but it still provides an important connection for rural eastern Washington residents.

We turn onto state Highway 21 and go another 15 miles through hilly sagebrush to the edge of the Columbia River. We stop at the ferry terminal -- for about two seconds. The attendant immediately waves us on.

Attendant: "Thank you."

Doug Nadvornick: "Thank you."

Shortly after boarding, we're off -- the only passengers on the Martha S. Our 15-minute journey across Lake Roosevelt will take us to the next paved segment of Highway 21.

A few miles down the road, we'll stop in the tiny community of Keller, where Jeanne Jarred lives.

Jeanne Jarred: "Our family moved to Keller. My father worked as a logger. He moved us to Keller, approximately 1949. And I remember crossing this ferry then as a child. It must have been brand new then."

Indeed -- the Martha S made its maiden voyage in 1948.

Washington Transportation Department officials say nearly 200 vehicles make this crossing every day. Jarred says it's busier in the summer.

Jeanne Jarred: "When fishing season opens, when high school graduations are taking place, other functions, recreational functions on either side, can make your wait quite long."

Last October, that wait was about three weeks, after inspectors made a rather disturbing discovery.

Coast Guard inspectors ordered this rusted section removed from the hull of the "Martha S" ferry last fall. It has since been replaced by new steel.

Al Gilson from the state Department of Transportation shows me a one foot-by-three foot piece of rusted steel.

Al Gilson: "This is the inside of the hull from the boat."

There are several dime-sized holes. The metal is noticeably thin. A repair crew cut this piece from the Martha S and welded in a new section. Jeanne Jerred says people found out what it means not to have the ferry at all.

Jeanne Jerred: "When that happens, it's necessary to take alternate routes that add probably an hour to an hour-and-a-half travel time, one way, to any route that you would take."

Jerred says that's quite an inconvenience for rural folks who drive to bigger cities to go shopping or to the doctor. It's also a pain for school children who have to spend a lot more time on the bus.

Dave Iverson, the superintendent of the school in Keller, says, even with the ferry, it's not an easy trip.

Dave Iverson: "That thing gets full, especially with some bigger vehicles. You get some pickup trucks on there, you can't open your door. And so if something did happen on that, could people even get out?"

The state wants to replace the Martha S with something a little bigger and a lot newer. 

Republican Representative Joel Kretz says the legislature did set aside money for a new boat in last year's budget. Kretz represents the district where the ferry runs.

Joel Kretz: "We had it in last year and it disappeared like the last day of session and so, we're going to be on top of it, but it's to be a tough go this year."

That's because the state faces a two-point-seven billion dollar budget deficit. Lawmakers did keep in a million dollars to fix the Martha S. Dale Luiten, who's overseeing that project, says the ferry will be idled for a month this summer.

Dale Luiten: "We're hoping that this little retrofit gives us at least five more years."

Jeanne Jerred isn't thrilled with the prospect of riding the old boat for that long.

Jeanne Jerred: "We're very concerned about having to continue the use of a vessel that has long outlived its usefulness and its lifetime."

That's motivating her to lobby Washington's Congressional members, the governor, state legislators -- anyone who recognizes the value of a ferry, even in a dry, rural area.