Beverly Kincaid, president of MTAK, states, “I am pleased that a cross-section of Kitsap residents recognize that the County’s economic future is largely dependent upon a seamless transportation system that allows for efficient cross-sound movement while relieving the demand for car ferry service; this is all about livable communities.”

Though the survey covered a range of topics, a few key findings were apparent:

The vast majority of Kitsap County residents (90 percent), even those who do not regularly commute across Puget Sound, recognize the importance of direct, fast connections to jobs in King County.

Kitsap County residents support public transportation (82 percent*) and recognize that passenger only ferries are a natural and necessary evolution of the transportation system.

Long-term Kitsap residents who have witnessed the on again/off again history of state passenger ferry service support (68 percent) a locally-controlled passenger ferry service.

There is significant support (59 percent*) across the county for three-tenths of one cent local sales tax to support Kitsap-based passenger ferry service.

In 2006, Washington State directed the responsibility for operating Puget Sound passenger-only ferry service to local governments — specifically counties and local transit agencies. In response, Kitsap Transit prepared a draft passenger ferry investment plan.

The Marine Transportation Association of Kitsap (MTAK) contracted with PRR, a public affairs and research firm to conduct the survey which has a margin of error of +/- 3.46 percent. Both registered voters and non-voters were included in the sample.

Copies of the random survey report are available at: http://mtak.org/POFSurveyReport.pdf.