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WASHINGTON STATE FERRIES |
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WSF looking at 5 alternatives to reservation implementationposted 01/12/2010
Sign up to be a FROGWashington State Transportation Commission Survey posted 01/10/2010
Starting on Jan. 12, there will be survey crews on board the ferries throughout the system and will be signing up riders to join the F.R.O.G. To learn more and join the F.R.O.G' visit www.ferryridersopiniongroup.com. Reservations for San Juans ferries in Phase II WSF recommendationsposted 12/19/2009
State receives one bid for new ferriesposted 10/09/2009 Fall ferry schedule begins SundayThe fall sailing schedule goes into effect on Sunday, Sept. 27. Significant changes are included due to the need for adherence to Coast Guard touring watch regulations. Crews must have a certain number of hours off between shifts. In order to have a 6 a.m. boat leave from Friday Harbor, the last sailing from Anacortes is now an hour earlier at 7:25 p.m. every night but Friday for Friday Harbor and Monday through Thursday for Orcas and Lopez. Shaw Island's last sailing is 6:35 p.m. FULL STORY Ferry fares increase Oct. 11:
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Ferry infoANACORTES FRIDAY HARBOR SCHEDULE ANACORTES/ORCAS ISLAND SCHEDULE ANACORTES/LOPEZ ISLAND SCHEDULE ANACORTES/SHAW ISLAND SCHEDULE A VESSEL STATUS PDF of all of the ferries regarding maintenance, drydock and inspection needs is available on the WSF Web site.
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Hiyu backReduced inter-island capacity for at least one week posted 06/20/2009 The 34-auto ferry Hiyu will operate on the San Juan inter-island route for approximately one week beginning Saturday, June 20 while maintenance on the 144-car Kaleetan is completed. The Kaleetan was scheduled to come out of the shipyard and begin service in the San Juan Islands on Sunday, June 21 for the start of the summer sailing schedule. Crews have been working extended hours to complete work on the Kaleetan. Washingtons State Ferries officials say emerging maintenance needs will likely extend the vessel's maintenance period for up to one week. The Hiyu – the ferry system's only backup vessel – will replace the 90-auto Sealth on the inter-island route. The Sealth, along with the 144-auto Elwha, 144-auto Yakima and 124-auto Chelan will provide service between Anacortes and the San Juan Islands for the start of the summer sailing schedule. Once the Kaleeten returns to service, it will join the Elwha, Yakima and Chelan, and the Sealth will return to the inter-island route. Travelers should expect significant vehicle-capacity reductions and are advised to arrive early and allow extra time for long waits at all terminals in the San Juan Islands while the Hiyu serves the inter-island route. WSF also encourages San Juan Islands customers to walk on instead of taking their vehicles. Construction of 144-car ferries moved up 2 years by Morris amendmentposted 04/13/2009 "We need these 144-car ferries sooner rather than later," said Morris. "This is a great victory, especially during this tight budget year, to bolster the service to our island communities as soon as possible." The state transportation budget passed Friday, April 10, 2009 by the state House of Representatives places greater priority on construction of ferries vessels over terminal improvements. Work can begin now on three 64-car Island Home ferries to be delivered by 2012, and construction will begin two years earlier in 2014 for two 144-car ferries. The MV Hyak ferry will be rebuilt to get 30 more years of service. The House budget also reduces the use of consultants, cuts overhead, invests preservation dollars more strategically, among other savings according to Morris. No checks accepted at WSF as of Feb. 25posted 01/26/2009
Eliminating checks and Canadian currency as forms of payment. Customers who use checks are encouraged to use other forms of payment accepted by WSF including: cash, Visa, MasterCard, American Express, Discover, debit cards, traveler’s checks and money orders.
For more information on these changes and the new ReValue cards for senior or disabled passengers, call 1-888-808-7977 or visit the WSF Wave2Go store online at www.wsdot.wa.gov/ferries/wave2go/ beginning Feb. 25. WSF long-range plan options:
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Anacortes/San Juan Islands |
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| Present - Feb. 26 | ||
| Vessels | Vehicle Capacity | Service Impacts |
| Elwha | 144 | NONE |
| Kaleetan | 144 | |
| Sealth | 90 | |
| Klahowya | 87 | |
| Feb. 27 – March 8 | ||
| Elwha | 144 | Reduced capacity by 20 vehicles (Chelan replaces a 144-car vessel) |
| Chelan | 124 | |
| Sealth | 90 | |
| Klahowya | 87 | |
| March 9 – 30 | ||
| Elwha | 144 | Vehicle capacity reduced. Inter-island route downsized until beginning of Summer Schedule (June 22) |
| Chelan | 124 | |
| Sealth | 90 | |
| Hiyu | 34 | |
posted 02/19/2008
Gov. Chris Gregoire signed legislation authorizing construction for up to three new car ferries for communities served by the Washington State Ferry system. These new ferries would carry up to 100 vehicles per trip.
The first of the boats authorized by Senate Bill 6794 is scheduled for delivery in 14 months. The three boats will join the three 144-car boats that are in the process of being designed. The design and construction of six boats nearly simultaneously is unprecedented for the state’s ferry system.
"Today we take a significant step forward in securing the safety of the ferry system for future generations," Gregoire said Feb. 14. "I requested this legislation to allow the state Department of Transportation to quickly begin building new boats to serve ferry commuters. Highway safety is my first transportation priority, and ferries are an important part of this network."
In November, four of the ferry system’s Steel Electric-class vessels were taken out of service due to safety concerns about hull corrosion. This decision led to suspension of vehicle service on the Port Townsend-Keystone ferry route and to service disruptions on other routes. The new 100-vehicle ferries will begin serving the Port Townsend-Keystone route in April 2009.
"I appreciate the Legislature moving quickly on this bill so we can get the ferry building process under way and get these new boats in the water as fast as possible. I especially thank the prime sponsors, Senator Mary Margaret Haugen and Representative Judy Clibborn. We have been working closely together, along with other legislators and state Transportation Secretary Hammond, to make sure we address the needs of ferry riders as quickly as possible," Gregoire said. The bill action comes on the heels of the hiring last week of a new director for the ferry system. The governor has asked the new director, David Moseley, to focus on three areas of improvement to help ensure Washington state has a healthy, cost-effective ferry system well into the future.
The improvement areas are:
"We are ready to go and we’re motivated," Hammond said. "We’ve set an aggressive deadline to get the first of these ferries operating by April 2009. Now we’re ready to show people we can deliver."
"This is an important first step toward fixing our neglected ferry system," said Haugen, D-Camano Island, chair of the Senate Transportation Committee. "I’m looking forward to getting appropriate vessels on the Keystone-Port Townsend run as well as holding Washington State Ferries accountable for its operations and maintenance plans."
The legislation also calls for the ferries to be built in Washington, with the goal of maintaining and growing the maritime building industry, providing local family-wage jobs and maintaining the shipbuilding infrastructure needed to ensure Washington has the maintenance and construction services needed to serve the ferry system into the future.
"Over the next 30 years, most of the other vessels in the fleet will need to be replaced as well," said Clibborn, D-Mercer Island, chair of the House Transportation Committee. "This is the start of a new generation of boatbuilding, and it only makes sense for us to keep these jobs in Washington."
posted 02/19/2008
San Juan County Council Chair Howie Rosenfeld said he is heartened by Governor Christine Gregoire’s statements in signing Senate Bill 6794, authorizing the construction of up to three ferries.
"We were initially concerned because the ferries being authorized are smaller boats," Rosenfeld said, "but in her statement, the Governor unconditionally reconfirmed her commitment to the long-planned construction of the three new 144 car ferries that we expect to provide the most benefit to San Juan County."
He noted that the governor also asked the Department of Transportation to produce a plan to replace the entire ferry fleet.
The Members of the San Juan County Council, in meetings with legislators in Olympia on February 6, learned of concerns that if the construction of the smaller boats was given top priority, there would be no dry-dock space available in Washington’s shipyards to begin the construction of the larger boats for years.
Councilmember Kevin Ranker spoke with the Governor’s office Friday morning and confirmed that the Governor’s intent was to have one of the smaller ferries built immediately. That ferry is scheduled to be in service on the Port Townsend-Keystone route by April 2009. According to the Governor’s spokesperson, the Governor does not intend to allow the construction of the smaller boats to delay the construction of the larger ferries needed to replace the aging and ailing fleet that services San Juan County.
Ranker said that after his conversation this morning, he joined Chairman Rosenfeld in being "cautiously optimistic."
"I am greatly pleased to see the Governor so clearly focused on the needs of the Ferry system." Rosenfeld concluded. "The battle for the funding to rebuild the ferry system that our islands depend upon has just begun, but I am feeling much more hopeful now than I was just a few weeks ago."
posted 02/11/2008
WSF might be able to provide a passenger ferry for service to the San Juans, San Juan County Council Chair Howie Rosenfeld told the Ferry Advisory Committee. He asked the FAC members for their thoughts on whether the possibility would be helpful.
FAC member John Whetten said the parking fees at Anacortes ferry terminal would have to be addressed in order for a passenger ferry to work out in the islands. Right now it is more economical for people to park on the ferries than in the lots. Reducing fees would help alleviate vehicular traffic regardless of whether a passenger ferry was brought onto the route.
The members discussed if a report was necessary to back up the request. FAC member Pat McKay suggested going ahead and asking WSF to reduce the fees this year without a report. "All they can do is say no."
The FAC discussed the spring schedule, which assigns the Chelan to the Sidney International sailing. The committee had proposed the smaller boat be placed on the route as opposed to the larger Elwha. Doing so frees up space for domestic traffic.
posted 02/11/2008
The San Juan Ferry Advisory Committee met this morning at 8:30 a.m. today. Ed Sutton was appointed interim chair. San Juan County Chair Howie Rosenfeld and county Councilmember Bob Myhr attended the meeting.
The meeting focused on clarifying the role and procedures of the FAC. Sutton said, "The quicksand in which we wandered was due to lack of definition of the committee....The committee wandered into areas into which it had no business...The FAC never had autonomy. It is advisory."
Rosenfeld said, "We need to make sure we speak in this county (regarding ferry issues) with one voice otherwise is is very destructive. We want to have good relationships with our state legislators and Washington State Ferries. Yes, we need to be squeaky wheels, but in a way so that they care. So that they don't have to become sarcastic about us."
The FAC will meet at 8:30 a.m. on the second Monday of each month in the council's conference room in the Legislative Building. Notices will be posted on San Juan Islander and in other media. The meetings are open to the public.
posted 02/07/2008
David Moseley is the new Washington State Department of Transportation Assistant Secretary for the Ferries Division. Moseley, vice president for the Institute for Community Change in Seattle, had been Federal Way city manager from 1999 to 2006. He assumes the position vacated by former WSF CEO Mike Anderson who retired in 2007.
Gov. Chris Gregoire, Sen. Mary Margaret Haugen and Rep. Judy Clibborn joined Transportation Secretary Paula Hammond in making the announcement Feb. 6 in Olympia. "I am pleased to be here today to launch a new day and a new direction for the Washington state ferry system," said Gov. Gregoire. "Over the next 18 months, I have asked Secretary Hammond and her new ferry system assistant secretary to transform the state ferry system so during these changing times it will remain the safest, most responsive, and highest caliber system in the world."
The governor specified three areas of improvement she hopes will ensure that Washington state has a healthy, cost-effective ferry system well into the future. They are:
"We are committed to having a sustainable, well run state ferry system that will continue to serve the Puget Sound communities long into the future," said Hammond. "I believe David brings the organizational and management experience we need to see the Ferries Division continue its long and respected history of serving the citizens of Washington."
Moseley joins WSDOT during a time of increased scrutiny after Hammond took all four of the Steel Electric class vessels out of service due to safety concerns about hull corrosion. This decision led to vehicle service being suspended on the Port Townsend-Keystone ferry route and service disruptions on other routes.
"This is a big job with big challenges," Moseley said. "Working with the Governor, Secretary Hammond, Sen. Haugen, Rep. Clibborn, WSDOT and ferry system staff, ferry communities, riders and labor, I am confident we will strengthen the ferry system to provide the best service possible and begin to restore the public trust and confidence in the ferry system."
Moseley has 15 years of service in city manager positions for three Washington State cities. Previously he directed the Department of Community Development, the Division of Youth Services, and the Community Accountability Program (juvenile justice) for the City of Seattle. Other experience includes Staff Director, Speaker of the Washington State House of Representatives and Director, Telegraph Avenue Community Center (Oakland). David was a Presidential Appointee to the National Advisory Committee for Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention. He received his Masters of Divinity from Golden Gate Theological Seminary and his BA from Willamette University.
Since its creation in 1951, Washington State Ferries (WSF) has become the largest ferry system in the United States and the third largest in the world, carrying more than 24 million passengers each year.
WSF operates 23 vessels and 20 ferry terminals, from Point Defiance (Tacoma) in the south, to Sidney, British Columbia in the north. Thousands of commuters, employers, students, tourists and commercial shippers depend on WSF every day for safe, reliable transportation across the Sound.
posted 02/07/2008
Six cars on the ferry Sealth were damaged when waves broke over the car deck Tuesday, Feb. 5, 2008. The incident occurred during rough weather halfway across Rosario Strait between Strawberry Island and Anacortes during the 11 a.m. sailing from Lopez to Anacortes.
According to the incident report the weather was a "bit rough but not unusual", when the 90-car ferry left Lopez Island. Captain Jack Santi, who has 41 years of experience, had the deck hands short load the 90-car ferry, leaving two car lengths at the bow in case of heavy seas.
When the ferry ran into the rough weather with 8 to 10-foot swells, the captain dropped the speed of the ferry. No passengers were injured according to the report. Of the six cars damaged, most involved nicks/minor fender-benders. One windshield was broken.
A tow truck was required to offload the car with the damaged windshield. The delay caused by waiting for the tow truck resulted in cancellation of a round trip to Orcas Island.
posted 01/29/2008
PRESS RELEASE: The San Juan County Council acknowledged the time and dedicated service the Chair of the County’s Ferry Advisory Committee (FAC) has given to the county, but voted 4 to 1 to dismiss him from the committee. In the words of Council Member Rich Peterson, the recent actions of Committee Chair Alex MacLeod had "caused damage so severe that he needs to be removed."
The Council also voted 5-0 to issue a letter of reprimand to longtime committee member Ed Sutton of Orcas Island, while also expressing appreciation for his service. PRESS RELEASE
updated 01/29/2008 - posted 01/28/2008
Two weeks after holding an illegal meeting, San Juan County Ferry Advisory Committee Chair Alex MacLeod was removed from the committee. The county Council voted 4-1 (Council Bob Myhr was absent) to remove the Shaw Island resident from the volunteer position. By a unanimous vote, Orcas Island resident Ed Sutton will remain on the committee but will be sent a letter of reprimand.
The two men attended an executive session of the council to discuss the charges brought against them. Normally executive sessions are held behind closed doors. Both men asked for them to be held in public. MacLeod interrupted Sutton's session and repeatedly asked what right the council had to hold the hearing. He was told he was out of order. STORY
Sidney service resumes March 30
posted 01-19-2008
Washington State Ferries has been working with the U.S. Coast Guard to schedule vessel dry-docking that meets safety concerns and minimizes impacts to customers. Between now and the start of the summer schedule on June 21, adjustments in vessel assignments are anticipated as WSF must downsize the vessel size on some routes to allow vessels to go in for maintenance and repairs. These changes will be felt throughout the system, but primarily on the Seattle/Bremerton and Anacortes/San Juan Islands routes.
The Hiyu is now scheduled to be in the San Juans from early February through mid-June. MORE INFORMATION
posted 01-19-2008
A VESSEL STATUS PDF of all of the ferries regarding maintenance, drydock and inspection needs is available on the WSF Web site.
posted 12/14/2007
Governor Chris Gregoire proposed investing $100 million in the Washington State ferry system to improve safety and increase capacity. Her 2008 supplemental budget proposal allows for the retirement of the 80-year old Steel Electric Class ferries, the oldest in the fleet.
On November 20, 2007, Secretary of Transportation Paula Hammond pulled the Steel Electric Class ferries from service due to safety concerns. Since this time, the Port Townsend-Keystone car ferry route has relied on temporary passenger-only service, with the use of the 149-passenger Snohomish ferry.
"Washington State Ferries is in dire need of new vessels on the Port Townsend-Keystone route," noted Secretary of Transportation, Paula Hammond, "and Governor Gregoire’s commitment to construction of three new ferries affirms that we all understand the significance of this route to those communities."
Governor Gregoire also announced that WSF plans to rent a ferry from Pierce County in order to resume car ferry service on the Port Townsend-Keystone route by mid-to-late January 2008. Until then, WSF and the communities have developed shared solutions that include the hiring of a private contractor (Puget Sound Express) operating passenger-only service on the Port Townsend-Keystone run and moving the Snohomish to provide temporary service between Port Townsend and Colman Dock (Pier 52) in Seattle for an extended time into the New Year holiday shopping season. Service begins today for both routes.
"We understand the many strains that the lack of car service on the route means to our communities," observed Traci Brewer-Rogstad, WSF Deputy Executive Director, "and we are moving quickly to help our passengers and local businesses by whatever means necessary."
posted 12/08/2007
WSF PRESS RELEASE: As inspections on its Steel Electric class ferries have progressed, Washington State Ferries (WSF) reports updated information on the status of the two ferries that are in drydock at Todd Pacific Shipyards in Seattle for inspection and maintenance work.
The Quinault and Illahee have been in drydock since November 28. Since then, crews and shipyard staff have worked around the clock to prepare and inspect external and internal hull spaces of both vessels to find any steel problems. Removing paint on the vessels’ 80 year-old riveted steel hulls allows WSF to determine the feasibility and extent of needed repairs.
On Tuesday, November 20, Washington State Secretary of Transportation Paula Hammond announced that WSF would pull all four of the Steel Electric class vessels out of service due to concerns about their safety. Work on the Quinault revealed significant hull pitting along the keel that WSF believes likely extends to all four Steel Electric class vessels. This decision led to vehicle service being suspended on the Port Townsend-Keystone ferry route.
Ongoing work is revealing more pitting and corrosion. "As work has progressed on the Quinault, inspections have revealed additional steel that needs to be replaced and the extent of needed repairs continues to grow," said Paul Brodeur, WSF Director of Vessel Maintenance and Preservation. "These are old vessels and until all the paint is removed on the hull we will not know the full extent of the problem." At this time, 70 percent of the paint on the hull has been removed and WSF has discovered that at least 45 percent of the Quinault’s hull will need to be replaced before the vessel can return to service. This percentage may increase if WSF finds more pitting as it completes inspection of the Quinault and Illahee over the next few weeks.
In the same dry-dock at Todd Shipyard, workers are hydro blasting the Illahee’s hull to remove the paint and inspect the steel underneath. Early inspections of the outside of the vessel show that there are areas with pitting that require repair, similar to what has been found on the Quinault.
"These new developments add complexity to our decision about how much to invest in these 80 year-old boats," said Paula Hammond. "We are moving forward quickly with plans to replace the Steel Electric class vessels, and I understand how difficult it is for residents of Port Townsend and Whidbey Island to be without vehicle ferry service."
"We will continue to do everything we can to keep our communities informed and to work closely with them and policy-makers as decisions are made and new information becomes available."
WSF plans to use emerging information about the condition of the Quinault and Illahee to inform decisions about next steps. "We continue to assess the full range of hull pitting and this will help determine the extent and the cost of needed repairs. As we move forward, our first priority is the safety and service needs of our customers," Hammond said.
Background: WSF owns four Steel Electric class vessels – Quinault, Klickitat, Illahee and Nisqually. These vessels, built in 1927, predominantly serve the Port Townsend-Keystone and San Juan Islands inter-island routes. They are the only ferries in the system capable of operating in Keystone’s narrow and shallow harbor.
posted 11/17/2007
On Wednesday, November 21, Washington State Ferries will provide an extra sailing to Lopez Island at 3 p.m. and an extra sailing to Lopez and to Orcas Island at 9:30 p.m.
The ferry system will sail on a regular Thursday fall schedule on Thanksgiving Day, Thursday, November 22.
WSF will also continue with the pilot program which loads up to 20 regular-length (under 20 feet) vehicles bound for Friday Harbor on the 12:05 p.m. sailing to Lopez. At Lopez, the cars offload and continue up the road to Odlin Park, turn around in the park and head back to the terminal to board the 1:10 p.m. inter-island sailing to Friday Harbor.
posted 11/08/2007
The Washington State Transportation Commission is working with Opinion Research Northwest to gather your opinions on issues and plans concerning the future of ferry service on your route. WSTC invites you to participate in one of a several small group discussions or online forums. Interested? To sign up, call (866) 461-0700 and ask about the Ferry Recruit or email FerryRecruit@nwrg.com. To learn more about the project go to www.nwrg.com or call Katie at 206-624-6465.
Washington State Ferries has completed an Origin and Destination On Board Survey Report. The surveys are conducted every six or seven years, the previous one was done in 1999. The surveys asked passengers about their typical routes, how they get to and from the ferry terminal, and the purpose of their trips. The results are used by WSF planners and decision makers in long-range planning.
WSF conducted the surveys onboard more than 300 sailings around the ferry system between October 14 and November 4, 2006.The survey evaluated topics such as when people were traveling, what mode of transportation they used, travel origins and destinations.Of the 31,663 surveys distributed to ferry passengers, WSF received 13,801 survey responses, a return rate of more than 43 percent. MORE INFORMATION
posted 09/28/2007
Washington State Ferries switches to the Fall Schedule Sunday, Sept. 30. In an attempt to alleviate the five-hour gap in departures from Anacortes to Friday Harbor between 9:30 a.m. and 2:40 p.m., the San Juan Ferry Advisory committee made a suggestion that WSF agreed to try on a trial basis. For four weeks, up to 20 cars each day will be loaded on the 12:05 p.m. sailing to Lopez Island.
The cars will disembark at Lopez, drive to the end of the line and load with the interisland vehicles already in line. Regional Operations Manager Jayne Davis said the trial is being limited to 20 cars to give it a chance to succeed. No commercial vehicles or over-sized vehicles will be included in the 20 vehicles.
Theoretically the cars could be stuck on overload on Lopez. Capt. Jack Hamstra did not think that would be likely.
Besides helping break up the five-hour gap, SJ FAC member Rob DeGravre noted it would reduce the chronic overload on the 2:40 sailing by 20 vehicles.
Because this is a being done on a trial basis, Davis said this "cool, super secret sailing." does not appear on the schedule. WSF will evaluate it after the four-week trial period. If it does not negatively impact the rest of the schedule, it could be incorporated into the spring schedule.
SAN JUAN ISLANDER © 2009
