Millions of federal dollars on the way to state’s ferry systems
There are fresh woes for Washington state ferry riders. Another boat is out of service, this time because of mechanical issues.
The ferry Chelan on the San Juan Island run had to be pulled from service Sunday afternoon for repairs, forcing the remaining vessels to add additional stops to pick up passengers on that very busy run.
But help may soon be on the way.
Federal officials are promising millions of dollars to the ferry systems in this state — more than $42 million, to be exact. It’s part of federal officials’ infrastructure money. The lion’s share would go to Washington State Ferries.
Riders say this is very welcome news.
“That would be amazing,” said Summer Ostrander, of Bremerton.
This longtime ferry rider didn’t mince words when told about federal officials’ infusion of cash to the beleaguered Washington State Ferries.
“That would be amazing to get our ferries back and get newer ferries,” she said. “I feel like the ferries have been the same since I was born and that’s 40 years, so.”
Well, not quite. But it has certainly been a struggle over the last couple of years, what with the agency’s aging flotilla and the coronavirus making keeping enough staff on board a challenge.
Then on Sunday, the Chelan developed mechanical troubles that knocked it off the busy San Juan Island ferry run, at the height of the summer.
“I used to commute on the ferry,” said Jeanne Burger who grew up in Bremerton.
For even seasoned riders, the ferries have been experiencing rough seas.
“That seems to be happening more frequently now than it used to,” she said.
But ferry officials insist they are making some headway.
“We’ve been able to restore three of our routes to regular service,” said Katherine Mesa, a WSF spokeswoman. “And that’s on Anacortes, Mukilteo-Clinton, Seattle-Bainbridge.”
And more help will soon be on the way. Federal officials are promising more than $38 million in infrastructure money to Washington State Ferries. Another $4.1 million will go to eight other ferry systems, including in Pierce, Skagit and Whatcom Counties, Kitsap Transit, and even the Confederated Tribes of the Colville Reservation, northwest of Spokane.
“That seems like a good idea to me, so yeah,” said Nels Challinor, of Bainbridge Island.
The people at Washington State Ferries are cheering, too. They say this is more than double what federal officials sent last year.
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