Sometime next spring, there will cease to be a need to plan a strategy before lining up for a ferry at the Clinton dock.

Responding to complaints about Clinton’s double ferry lane from a member of the public at the Northsound Ferry Advisory Committee meeting last Thursday in Freeland, Washington State Ferry officials said the Department of Transportation will convert the Clinton ferry line to a single lane only, mirroring the single line on the Mukilteo side of the ferry run.

George Bueller, a ferry rider at the meeting, complained to WSF officials that the current ferry lineup system — which dumps a single ferry line into two near the ferry dock — is unfair and is a breeding ground for “road rage.” He said the two lines do not move at the same speed, causing some drivers to miss ferry boats while others arriving in line at the same time make it aboard.

“It’s insane, it’s idiotic, it’s stupid,” Bueller said of the current system.

Responding to Bueller, Shelley Burnett, an assistant terminal manager with WSF, said the DOT has plans in the works to convert the ferry line — which runs along Highway 525 — to a single lane in early 2004. That line will feed drivers through up to four ticketing booths at the Clinton dock.

Burnett was not able to give a projected date of the lane conversion.

Mike Swires, the DOT engineer in charge of the project, was not available for comment this week.