Alaska ferry service faces heavy cuts affecting communities with no road access

The Matanuska of the Alaska Marine Highway entering the Wrangell Narrows. Image by mark byzewski / CC BY 2.0

Alaska lawmakers have put forward a funding package that proposes a ten percent cut in the ferry system that connects the southern parts of the state.  The Alaska Marine Highway System, a network of passenger and transport ferries that operate from the Aleutian Islands to Southeast Alaska, serves a number of communities that otherwise have no road access. Supporters of the ferry system say that the funding cuts would result in a dramatic reduction in service. A representative from Fairbanks, Alaska, said the reduction in funding reflects ‘the need to bring the state of Alaska’s budget more in line with its fiscal situation.’ Read more: adn.com