SEATTLE — Gov. Chris Gregoire this morning signed a contract for $100 million with Todd Shipyards, J.M. Martinac Shipbuilding Corp. and Nichols Brothers Boat Builders to construct three new car ferries within 15 months for the Port Townsend-Keystone route.

The governor and Washington State Ferries leaders also announced at Todd Shipyards that car-ferry service resumes the first week of January on the route linking the North Olympic Peninsula and Whidbey Island after Pierce County agreed to rent the 54-car boat, MV Christine Anderson, to the state.

Until then and beginning this afternoon, the state will contract the MV Snohomish, which has been serving Port Townsend and Keystone since late November, to make four runs a day from Port Townsend to Seattle’s Colman Dock.

Port Townsend-based Puget Sound Express passenger ferry, the 35-seat Olympas, was contracted Wednesday to begin runs at 11:05 a.m. today out of Hudson Point Marina at the end of Water Street to Keystone Harbor ferry terminal on Whidbey Island.

The interim passenger-ferry mitigation comes after Port Townsend leaders and business owners railed on state ferries officials Wednesday during a Port Townsend-Keystone Ferry Partnership Group meeting, saying without a car ferry their businesses were suffering great losses or in jeopardy.

Port Townsend leaders are crafting a media promotional package targeting the Interstate 5 corridor, to let people know there is inexpensive ferry transportation from Seattle and Keystone to Port Townsend.

The Snohomish run from Colman Dock to Port Townsend is expected to cost about $6 round-trip, ferries officials said today. The Hudson Point to Keystone ferry is at the normal passenger rate and schedule.

Construction of three new ferries would replace the 80-year-old Steel Electrics, which state Transportation Secretary Paula Hammond pulled from service Nov. 20 after extensive pitting and corrosion was found in the hull of the Quinault after Hammond ordered a deep hull inspection. She declared the vessel unsafe, or with the potential for being unsafe, leaving the Klickitat idle at the Port Townsend terminal. Later, similar hull damage was found in the Ilahee. The Nisqually has been retired a second time.

“We must act now to replace older ferries with newer, safer and more efficient vessels,” Gregoire said.

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Earlier story:

PORT TOWNSEND – A whale-watching boat will become transportation to Whidbey Island, while Washington State Ferries officials ponder using their motor catamaran to ferry passengers to and from Edmonds or Seattle.

What started Wednesday morning with fearful, frustrated business owners pleading for a car-ferry replacement ended that afternoon with high-ranking Washington State Ferries officials progressing toward a holiday emergency plan to sail more shoppers to Port Townsend.

Pete Hanke, Puget Sound Express co-owner with his wife, Sherri, of the 35-seat whale-watching boat Olympas, said late Wednesday that his vessel was “a go” to start runs to Keystone on Whidbey Island from Hudson Point Marina at 11 a.m. today.

He said that he and state ferries officials worked out a quick agreement Wednesday night.

The Puget Sound Express runs will replace the passenger ferry MV Snohomish, certified to carry up to 149 people across Admiralty Inlet.

Hadley Greene, state ferries communications manager, said late Wednesday night that ferries officials were still considering using the Snohomish to carry passengers from Port Townsend to Edmonds and/or Seattle – possibly as early as Friday, and at a bargain price of between $6 and $7 each way.

“We’re trying to get something going as soon as we can,” said Traci Brewer-Rogstad, state ferry executive deputy director.