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With a few
fixes, Superferry
should set sail

THE ISSUE Lawmakers have worked out funding for harbor improvements and a ferry company's survey shows residents favor the project.

IT'S no surprise that a survey conducted for a company that wants to run ferries between islands would elicit considerable support for the service. Hawaii residents and businesses would relish having another way besides flying to travel and move goods through the state.

With lawmakers poised to clear state funds for harbor improvements the system would need, it appears ferries are headed for smoother sailing. However, before getting on board, the state is obligated to ensure measures will be in place to safeguard passengers, the agriculture industry and Hawaii's environment.

The ferry proposal hit some rough water earlier in the legislative session when the Senate dropped $40 million for the harbor work from the state's $8.9 billion budget. Lawmakers this week replaced the money, splitting the sum in half and arranging pay-out over two years to allow review next session.

A survey of 1,320 residents from all counties, commissioned for Hawaii Superferry Inc., showed that 86 percent of participants want the service that is set to begin in 2007, first between Oahu and Maui, with calls to Kauai and Hawaii to follow.

Though the survey questions highlighted the ferries' advantages, the strong response clearly establishes residents' desires for an alternative way to get from island to island. Even if travel will take between three and four hours -- far longer than airplane flights -- competitive fares and the option of transporting their own cars make the venture attractive.

Businesses and the agriculture industry also anticipate benefits. Ferries would give tourists another way to get around while fruits, vegetables and products could be packed in a truck and driven from field or factory, on to ferries and then to market, potentially opening more goods to wider distribution.

Still, there are concerns.

About 29 percent of survey respondents saw transfer of alien species as an issue. While not a large number, the results indicate people are at least aware of the risk. The U.S. Park Service and conservation leaders have said procedures are needed to prevent species spread and the agriculture industry has voiced unease about plant disease and pest disbursal. Law enforcement and national security matters also need to be worked out.

A lawsuit that seeks an environmental assessment of ferry operations remains unresolved. State and Superferry officials should seek settlement of this and other problems. The ferry is a worthwhile project, but operating it properly also is worthwhile.

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