(Juneau, AK) – The Alaska Department of Transportation and Public Facilities proposed Alaska Marine Highway System (AMHS) schedule for fall, winter, and spring 2017-2018 is now available for public review. Scheduled service is similar to last year’s service, and is designed to meet community service needs while staying within available funding and maintaining vessel regulatory and safety standards.

Communities and interested people can review and comment on the proposed schedule for the next 14 days. With the timing of the budget, the public comment period is slightly shorter than those in recent years, to allow the public sufficient lead time to make reservations for sailings that begin on October 1st.

The draft schedule is based on established community service needs and events. It is available online with accompanying documents at dot.alaska.gov/amhs/share/schedule/considerations.pdf.

Written comments will be accepted on or before July 30, 2017 via email at dot.amhs.comments@alaska.gov  and by fax at (907) 228-6874.

A teleconference to hear comments and consider adjustments is scheduled for July 31, 2017, at 10:00 AM for Southeast schedules and at 1:30 PM for Southwest and Southcentral schedules. The toll-free number to participate in either teleconference is 1-515-604-9000, access code 279613.

For people wishing to attend in person, the teleconference will be held in Ketchikan at the Alaska Marine Highway Central Office, 7559 North Tongass Highway. 

The Alaska Department of Transportation and Public Facilities oversees 242 airports, 10 ferries serving 35 communities, more than 5,600 miles of highway, and 731 public facilities throughout the state of Alaska. The mission of the department is to “Keep Alaska Moving through service and infrastructure”.[xyz-ihs snippet=”Adsense-responsive”]

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