A timeline of the transportation crisis

Passengers aboard the M/V Aurora. (Sept. 19, 2019) Photo by Zachary Snowdon Smith/The Cordova Times

You can read the full story of the Prince William Sound ferry outage here.


November 2018
Mike Dunleavy elected as Alaska governor. Dunleavy campaigned on a promise to reduce spending and restore full Permanent Fund Dividends.

Dec. 3, 2018
Dunleavy sworn in as Alaska governor.

Jan. 15
Alaska State Legislature convenes regular session.

Feb. 13
Dunleavy unveils his proposed Fiscal Year 2020 budget with sweeping cuts to reduce what he describes as a $1.6-billion deficit.The budget includes a $97 million cut to the Alaska Marine Highway System budget,eliminating all funding for October through the following June. The governor’s proposed budget will go on to the Alaska House and Senate.

April 17
Alaska Senate Finance Committee approves a budget proposal including $44 million in cuts to AMHS, which would restore some winter ferry service.

Advertisement

May 15
Alaska Legislature regular session concludes.

May 16
Alaska Legislature convenes first special session.

June 10
Alaska Legislature passes operating budget including $38 million cut to AMHS, a slightly smaller cut than the Senate proposed in April.

June 28
Dunleavy vetoes $444 million in line-item cuts from the Legislature’s operating budget.

July 8
Alaska Legislature convenes second special session.

July 11
Draft winter ferry schedule released, with seven-month gap of service to Prince William Sound.

July 15
An effort to recall Dunleavy begins after backlash over his line-item vetoes.

July 17
Alaska House Finance committee proposes HB 2001, which would reinstate all budget items vetoed by Dunleavy and would provide an additional $5 million for AHMS to restore partial winter service to Prince William Sound.

July 24
Inlandboatmen’s Union of the Pacific, representing ferry workers, strikes after talks break down with the state of Alaska. Sailings are cancelled and all AMHS vessels remain docked as IBU’s first strike in 42 years begins.

July 27
Alaska House Transportation Committee meets in Cordova,hearing testimony from among 250 residents opposing winter ferry service gap.

July 29
Draft AMHS schedule will be scrapped, announces DOT Deputy Commissioner Mary Siroky.

Aug. 1
A campaign to acquire signatures for the recall begins in several locations across the state.

Aug. 2
IBU and state reach agreement ending 10-day strike. AMHS announces sailings will resume Aug. 4.

Aug. 8
Dunleavy signs Fiscal Year 2020 capital budget.

Aug. 19
Dunleavy signs HB 2001,but makes several vetoes including $5 million in DOT funding proposed by House of Representatives, which Stutes said would have restored some winter PWS service.

Sept. 5
DOT releases revised winter ferry schedule, extending ferry service to Cordova by one week from Sept. 12 to Sept. 19. Cordova Mayor Clay Koplin and Cordova Chamber urge residents to fill the ferry in hopes for additional service extensions. Also, volunteers in recall effort deliver 49,006 signatures that had been collected in five weeks to the Alaska Division of Elections for certification.

Sept. 19
Final PWS ferry scheduled until May 2020 runs.

Advertisement