SEATTLE — Washington State Ferries (WSF) received $4.8 million in federal funding to refurbish six aging boats in its fleet, Sens. Patty Murray and Maria Cantwell announced Wednesday.
The federal grant will pay for upgrades on WSF’s Issaquah Class Vessels, originally constructed between 1979 and 1982. The vessels currently serve travelers on the Fauntleroy-Southworth-Vashon, Mukilteo-Clinton, and Anacortes-San Juan Islands routes.
“Our ferry system is a critical part of our transportation network and ridership is growing. With this money, WSF will extend the useful life of six vessels by five to ten years, which will help improve service reliability throughout the ferry system,” Cantwell said.
The project will improve passenger amenities allowing for more space between passengers in high-occupancy areas. Each of the vessels can carry 90-124 vehicles and 1,200 passengers per trip, according to WSF.
“Here in Washington state, ferries are really important to our daily lives and commutes—so we need the federal government to make a serious investment in this mode of transportation,” said Murray.
The funding came from the Federal Transit Administration’s 2023 Ferry Programs Grants. The Washington State Department of Transportation is providing an additional $960,000 for the project.
According to Cantwell’s office, 43% of the 21 WSF vessels met the target for “state of good repair” in 2022.
Her office said without refurbishment, vessels will continue to deteriorate, and service disruptions will become even more commonplace.
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