Charlene Haught Johnson News

Construction on the South San Francisco Ferry Terminal begins at Oyster Point Marina with an official groundbreaking ceremony. At 10:30 a.m. on Monday, October 19, 2009 civic leaders will kick-off the start of construction of the $26m ferry terminal. Ferry service is scheduled to launch in 2011. Congresswoman Jackie Speier, along with South San Francisco Mayor Karyl Matsumoto and WETA Board Chair Charlene Haught Johnson will turn over the first spade of dirt commencing the start of construction. The project will provide one hundred seventy (170) construction-related jobs & over twenty new full-time maritime operations and supervisory jobs.

On Dec. 12, the San Francisco Bay Area Water Emergency Transportation Authority (WETA) christened the first of its fleet of ferries, Gemini, to enhance the region’s emergency response capability and water transit network. Representative Barbara Lee (D-Oakland) and WETA Board Chair Charlene Haught Johnson performed the christening ceremony. Ms. Haught Johnson applauded the Bay Area for coming together to forge strong partnerships to enable WETA to build a fleet of ferries that are revolutionizing the ferry industry.

The San Francisco Bay Area Water Transit Authority ordered two more passenger ferries, continuing its mission of expanding ferry service in the San Francisco Bay area, using ferries that are 10 times cleaner than the existing vessels in the bay. The new ferries, each with a capacity of 199 passengers and capable of speeds up to 25 knots will be built by Kvichak Marine Industries, Inc. in Seattle Washington. In the past year, WTA has awarded four new vessel contracts, more than have been built for the Bay Area in the previous 10 years. Charlene Haught-Johnson, President of the WTA Board of Directors, is pleased with WTA’s progress. “We already have two vessels under construction in Seattle, Washington that are planned for late 2008 delivery.

The San Francisco Bay Area Water Transit Authority (WTA), a regional transit agency, announced that Governor Davis signed Senate Bill (SB) 915 (D-Perata, Oakland) giving the WTA the green light to develop seven new Bay Area ferry routes, expand existing ferry routes, and build 31 new boats. The new law, signed on October 10, 2003, makes the WTA a permanent transit agency. The WTA is authorized to operate a comprehensive San Francisco Bay area regional public water transit system. “We are on the brink of a new and exciting future for ferries on San Francisco Bay. The State’s approval is a significant step towards delivering more boats, new routes and good landside connections,” said Charlene Haught Johnson, President, WTA Board of Directors. “We thank the Governor and Legislature.

The San Francisco Bay Area Water Transit Authority (WTA) announced that the recently signed Senate Bill (SB) 915 (D-Perata, Oakland) gives it the go ahead to develop seven new Bay Area ferry routes, expand existing ferry routes, and build 31 new boats. Signed October 10, 2003, the bill makes the WTA a permanent transit agency. "We are on the brink of a new and exciting future for ferries on San Francisco Bay. The State's approval is a significant step towards delivering more boats, new routes and good landside connections," said Charlene Haught Johnson, President, WTA Board of Directors. "We thank the Governor and Legislature. This new law brings to fruition the work of hundreds of people who've advocated for enhancing our region's public transit system with water-transit," added Ms.

The San Francisco Bay Area Water Transit Authority is starting to build boats, issuing a Letter of Intent to Award a contract to Nichols Brothers Boat Builders to construct two new 149 passenger vessels. Vessel construction will start this summer, and the first boats will be delivered by 2007. “We’re proud to be leading the way with regional ferry service,” says Charlene Haught-Johnson, chair of the Board of Directors of the Authority. “We’ve promised to deliver a reliable, cost-effective, convenient and environmentally friendly water transit system. These boats are the first of 10 new boats that the Authority expects to build over the next 10 years. Mary Frances Culnane, the Authority’s Manager of Marine Engineering, will manage the construction contract for the Authority.