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Here is the latest edition of the WSF Weekly Update:

June 12, 2025

A message from Steve

This week, we had the honor of welcoming a U.S. Department of Transportation leader. Deputy Assistant Secretary for Intergovernmental Affairs Connor Torossian toured Colman Dock and Walla Walla on a sailing to Bremerton. He was in Seattle for a transportation conference and took the time to visit with our region’s key transportation partners. They included Alaska Airlines, the Port of Seattle and Kitsap Transit. Thank you to our Deputy Assistant Secretary John Vezina and Capt. Scott Schrader and crew for hosting. The USDOT is one of our most important partners. They help fund and support our operations and long-term improvements. Opportunities like this let us show the value of our service and the dedication of our crew firsthand.

On the return trip back to Seattle, John spent time with the crew, having a good conversation with Chief Engineer Jim Bodecker and Assistant Engineer Keith Wilson. He said he was thankful for the chance to hear directly from them and see their commitment to safe, reliable service. It’s important for leaders to meet face to face with our fleet employees. They are the eyes and ears of our ferry system. They see what’s working and what needs to be better. Their feedback helps us make smarter decisions.

Summer sailing schedule starts Sunday, June 15

Our summer sailing schedule begins Sunday, June 15, with big changes on two routes. First, Anacortes/San Juan Islands will have new summer timetables. This will complete the first major schedule adjustments on the route in over a decade. They are part of our multi-year effort to increase on-time performance. That figure has improved 14% since we rolled out updated timetables last winter and spring. We’ll use the spring timetables again in the fall.

Second, Seattle/Bremerton will return to a daily two-boat schedule. This is the first of three routes that we will see increased service in the coming weeks: 

• Fauntleroy/Vashon/Southworth resumes a three-boat schedule daily beginning Monday, June 30.
• A second ferry will operate at Port Townsend/Coupeville every Friday through Monday from July 4 through the end of the route’s shoulder season on Oct. 13.

Thanks to recent and ongoing hiring and training, we are in a better position to staff the three boats needed for this added service. But with 18 of our 21 ferries in operation – the most since 2019 – we’ll have no dedicated backup ferry. We’ll also have fewer crew available for last-minute relief requests. This raises the risk of short-term cancellations due to staffing, equipment or terminal issues. Our updated Service Contingency Plan (PDF 2.4MB) outlines how we’ll respond if a boat becomes unavailable. Our goal is to be transparent with riders by setting realistic expectations and showing how we’ll deliver as much service as possible.

Commission meeting on ferry fare changes June 17-18

We will present to the Washington State Transportation Commission proposed ferry fare and policy changes during its virtual meeting on Tuesday, June 17. These adjustments will help us meet revenue goals set by the Legislature. The public is invited to attend via Zoom. The meeting will also be streamed on TVW. Public comment for the WSTC’s meeting is scheduled for 9 a.m. Wednesday. Written comments can be submitted via email. The Commission is accepting feedback on ferry fare and policy changes through July. A final hearing is planned for early August. Any fare changes will take effect in the fall.

Kingston terminal work starts Monday, June 16  

Work on a seismic retrofit project at our Kingston terminal starts next week. Beginning Monday, June 16, the 5:30 a.m. sailing from Kingston to Edmonds may leave up to 10 minutes late due to construction. This delay is because we need to move the ferry from its overnight tie-up spot into a position where passengers and vehicles can safely load. Some days, the boat may still leave on time, so it’s important for riders to still arrive as scheduled. A later ferry may cause riders to miss the 6:10 a.m. Community Transit Route 909 bus in Edmonds. Riders can check the Route 909 schedule for other times or use Route 130, which leaves Edmonds at 6:27 a.m. Starting Aug. 30, Community Transit will adjust its Route 909 schedule to better match the ferry’s later departure. 

Fauntleroy terminal roadwork Monday, June 16

A reminder for people travelling through our Fauntleroy terminal on Monday, June 16. From 9 a.m. to 7 p.m., crews will be drilling at the intersection leading in and out of the dock. This work is part of a terminal replacement project that includes a new traffic signal on Fauntleroy Way Southwest. During the work, there will be some lane closures, including the bike lane. Flaggers and a police officer will be there to help direct traffic in and out of the terminal.

Colman Dock wins AIA Architecture Award

The American Institute of Architects honored our Seattle Multimodal Terminal at Colman Dock Project last week with an AIA Architecture Award 2025. Only 10 projects worldwide were chosen this year. The award celebrates the best in contemporary architecture regardless of size, budget, style or type. I’m proud to see our facility recognized alongside other amazing buildings from around the world. Thank you and congratulations to everyone who worked on this project.

Sailing stats for week of June 2-8

For the week of June 2-8, we completed 99% of our 2,769 scheduled sailings. This figure is separate from on-time performance. Of the 31 cancellations, 14 were due to vessel-related issues, six because of weather, five were for schedule resets (when a boat is so far behind schedule, we cancel a sailing to get it back on schedule, providing predictability for customers), four due to crewing, one because of an emergency and one for other miscellaneous reasons.

Customer kudos

“A big shout out to the human on (Alaskan Way) in Seattle today in front of the ferry toll booths around 2.30pm/3pm managing a lot of chaos, line cutting and trying to support the Bremerton traffic making the 2.50pm ferry. He was a real hero managing enough for 4 people and keeping his cool throughout! Thank you!!”

-Seattle/Bremerton route customer

Next Weekly Update will be Thursday, June 26

There will be no Weekly Update on Thursday, June 19, in observance of Juneteenth. We’ll catch up in our next Weekly Update on Thursday, June 26.

Steve Nevey
WSDOT Deputy Secretary for Washington State Ferries