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CEDAR CITY, Utah (AP) -- With the Utah Department of Transportation threatening to shut down the Lake Powell ferry as too costly to the state, members of the San Juan County Commission are hoping to find a way to save the service.
The state said in July that it could no longer afford to subsidize the ferry, which runs between Bullfrog and Hall's Crossing, and would likely shut it down in October.
But San Juan County Commission Chairman Lynn Stevens said Thursday he doesn't believe the service is doomed.
An Aug. 31 meeting has been scheduled among employees of the Transportation Department, the governor's office and officials from San Juan, Kane and Garfield counties. Stevens hopes a financial strategy to ensure the ferry's survival can be developed.
"The County Commission believes there is a way to keep it open, and we believe it's part of the state transportation network just as much as some bridge somewhere would be," Stevens told the Deseret Morning News in Salt Lake City.
"I am optimistic that there is a solution that will save the ferry," he said. "I don't know the details of what the final answer is, but certainly we can cut some costs there (and) potentially share some of the operating costs with the Glen Canyon National Recreation Area, which could result in cutting down on the number of worker trips required by UDOT to go down there occasionally."
Transportation Department spokesman Tom Hudachko confirmed that one of the state's biggest ferry expenses is the cost of sending workers to adjust the wedge, or ramp, which connects the ferry to land, each time the lake's water level drops. With trips as often as once a week, the cost so far this year has exceeded $50,000, he said.
Fuel costs and marine insurance also have risen dramatically since 2001, when UDOT put a second ferry in service between the two communities, Hudachko said. The second ferry was dry-docked in June and will not return to service due to the expense.
"Revenues are just flat and expenses are just on the uphill slope here, and we don't see revenues going up," Hudachko said.
A complete shutdown in October remains a possibility "if we don't come to some sort of resolution on reducing the subsidy," he said.
If San Juan County could supply workers who could move the wedge whenever needed that would help and could be part of the solution, he said.
Hudachko said the state has received about 35 e-mails or letters from citizens, and another dozen or so from government officials, expressing concern about the possible closure.
John Njord, UDOT executive director, was scheduled to give an update on ferry funding to the Utah Transportation Commission on Thursday in Cedar City, but no decision was expected. The commission meets in Blanding in October and could make a decision at that time.
(Copyright 2005 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
