PORT TOWNSEND — State Sen. Jim Hargrove, unopposed in the Nov. 4 general election after 24 years as a state lawmaker, expressed support for a Port Townsend-Edmonds ferry route for commercial trucks during the May-June 2009 Hood Canal Bridge construction closure.

The Hoquiam Democrat — who represents the 24th Legislative District, which covers Jefferson and Clallam counties and a portion of Grays Harbor County — said he thought it was a good idea.

“Think of all the trucks it would take off the road,” Hargrove told about 60 people attending Monday’s Port Townsend Chamber of Commerce luncheon at Fort Worden State Park.

Tim Caldwell, Jefferson County Ferry Advisory Committee chairman, asked Hargrove about his position on the Port Townsend-Edmonds late-night commercial run.

Hargrove said the six-week bridge closure would likely cause heavy trucks to “beat up” U.S. Highway 101 with commercial distributors detoured down 101 around the bridge.

The Hood Canal Bridge’s eastern half will be replaced during the closure.

Washington State Ferries officials are seriously considering adding a Port Townsend-Edmonds commercial run, which is supported by Port Townsend Paper Corp. mill executives, who say they could move 15 of their trucks in each direction.

The 50-car Steilacoom II ferry, which the state is leasing from Pierce County for the Port Townsend-Keystone route, is too small to handle commercial trucks weighing 80,000 pounds or more.

That rules out Port Townsend Paper Corp. trucks hauling finished kraft paper products from its mill to its box-making plants in British Columbia, Canada.

In July, former Port Townsend Chamber of Commerce general manager Caldwell, now Port Townsend office manager for Puget Sound Energy, presented Moseley with the idea of creating a temporary ferry run between Edmonds and Port Townsend during the Hood Canal Bridge closure.

Each run would have room for about 30 trucks, and Port Townsend Paper mill managers have confirmed they could use up to 15 spots going both ways.

Hargrove said the way is cleared to build two new 64-car Island Home-model ferries for the Port Townsend-Keystone route with legislation he supported to set aside $85 million to do so.

“There is nothing going to get in the way of that,” he said.