So, Bainbridge is “snooty.”

This and other perceptions of island folk by our neighbors in Bremerton come courtesy of the current Seattle Weekly cover story, a diverting read should you happen to pick one up. The feature – aside from giving Bremertonians the chance to call Bainbridge Islanders some remarkably rude names – plumbs “The Great Divide” between the two communities: cultural, political, economic, and particularly with regard to transportation.

The author, who grew up on Bainbridge, cites B-town resentment with islanders for our superior ferry service, from posh boats to early roll-out of amenities like wi-fi access.

Bremertonians, the complaint goes, are stuck with run-down tubs, awkward late-night hours, and poor service. Much of the resentment seems to stem from the demise of Bremerton’s fast foot-ferry service some years back, following environmental litigation by Rich Passage shoreline dwellers.

Here at least, we sympathize. We were as disappointed as any Bremertonian at the failure of last year’s countywide tax hike to put new, low-wake foot ferries on the Bremerton-Seattle run. We’re all for transportation parity if for no other reason than self-interest: more traffic on your ferry run, less traffic on ours.

But the old wheeze that “Bainbridge gets the best boats because they’re rich and spoiled” is silly on its face, given the relative ridership on our two routes. Statistics show that ridership on the Bremerton run stagnated for decades, as did the city itself. Meanwhile, thanks to the Agate Passage and Hood Canal bridges and related highway improvements, the Winslow terminal became the conduit by which Kitsap and Olympic peninsulas reach Seattle. That led to a self-perpetuating cycle: as Bainbridge-Seattle ridership ballooned, it got newer and bigger boats, which attracted more riders, which inspired Washington State Ferries to plan for more riders from Bainbridge still. Downtown Bremerton is finally seeing an economic renaissance, and with its excellent and modern ferry terminal, is the logical conduit for Central Kitsap commuters. Ferry service simply has yet to catch up.

Where we diverge from the sentiments in the Seattle Weekly piece is the idea that the best bridge to the Great Divide – economically and culturally – is just that: a bridge from Bremerton to Bainbridge. Tellingly, nobody quoted in the story from either town expressed real interest in one; the only “pro-bridge” voice continues to be an amateur transportation planner in North Kitsap. But on that level alone, the idea fails; condemning scores of multi-million-dollar properties to pave the way for a span – not to mention a thru-way to Winslow or some mythical ferry terminal at Port Blakely – makes no financial sense. It’s a political dead end.

And really, are Bremerton and Bainbridge so far apart? Crack open a dusty Review and you’ll see that it once wasn’t uncommon for islanders to head into the “other” big city – the one to our west – to shop the department stores or take in a movie. The Silverdale mall boom brought an end to those days, but islanders can hardly be blamed for that development or Bremerton’s subsequent economic malaise. What we need now, more than another bridge, is a reason to cross it.

To that end, our neighboring city controls its own destiny through forward-thinking urban planning and investment like that which has revitalized the Bremerton waterfront over the past few years. With new condos and restaurants, and frankly superior boating amenities, in some ways it’s even starting to – dare we say it? – outshine Winslow. We hope that trend continues, and better ferry service would indeed help.

Who knows, as Bremerton becomes a draw once again, we islanders might even get envious and figure out a way to come visit.