VASHON, Wash. — Washington State Ferry riders are going to have to wait until 2028 for new vessels, which will restore the agency's service on all routes.
"These ferries need to be functioning and budget needs to be a priority and we need to get the ferry system working," said Jennifer Braathen. A strong message to the Washington State Ferries system from Braathen, who has been relying on its services to get to and from her home on Vashon Island for 30 years.
"This is our livelihood we depend on being able to get back and forth,” said Braathen. “There's a lot of people that not only live on the island, but tourism as well and so it really impacts everybody."
KING 5 has reported on the obstacles the ferry system has encountered over the years, dealing with aging vessels and staffing shortages. Both of which are impacting services on routes.
"Every day you're commuting, you never know what you're going to get,” said Braathen. “So, you're really at the mercy of the ferry system which is obviously very problematic most of the time."
This past week Washington State Ferries released a new contingency plan. The agency said full route restoration is not expected until it gets new ferries in 2028.
Currently, it has 15 reliably operating vessels, with six other boats out of service due to staffing and mechanical issues.
Washington State Ferries said restoration will be gradual and depends on when new vessels enter service. Routes like the Fauntleroy - Vashon – Southworth and Seattle - Bremerton would all get another boat.
However, the international service to Sidney, BC, is completely shut down right now. The agency hopes to restore that route in 2030.