Prince Rupert’s mayor says he presented a range of options to save the Alaska ferry service to the North Coast.
Lee Brain met earlier this week with senior state officials in Juneau, including Transportation Commissioner John MacKinnon, and the Governor’s Chief of Staff Ben Stevens.
Brain says he put forward long-term, medium term, and immediate solutions to reinstate the winter schedule of the Alaska Marine Highway System into Prince Rupert.
He says if it was up to Alaska and city officials, they would have signed a deal in Juneau.
However, Brain says they have to wait up to two weeks to get more information from border protection agencies from both the US and Canada about pre and post clearance issues.
New requirements from the U.S. Customs and Border Agency requires armed guards be present.
The Alaska ferry service is scheduled to stop October 1st.
Brain says there’s a clear desire by Alaskan officials to solve the problem and the majority Southeast Alaskan residents want to see access to Prince Rupert.
