Inslee grants $1.5M to boost San Juan Island ferry service

OLYMPIA, Wash. - Gov. Jay Inslee announced $1.5 million in emergency and short-term funding to restore ferry services in the San Juan Islands, which have been plagued by cancelations and delays due to ongoing crew shortages.

The funding, announced during a Tuesday meeting with local leaders and residents, aims to alleviate serious transportation issues that have affected the islands’ residents and service providers.

The San Juan Islands have seen only 81% of scheduled interisland ferry sailings completed, with an average on-time performance of just 41%. In contrast, the rest of Washington State Ferries (WSF) system routinely completes 95% of its sailings.

Inslee acknowledged the urgency of the situation during the meeting. "Medical emergencies don’t wait until Monday. Parents need to know their children won’t be stranded on another island after school," he said. "This funding can serve as a bridge until legislators come up with longer-term funding."

The funding package includes $1 million from the Department of Commerce’s Emergency Rapid Response program. This will allow San Juan County to contract with local water taxi providers, charter businesses and barge services when the interisland ferry is unavailable. In addition, $500,000 from the Governor’s Emergency Fund will be allocated to increase winter weekend service on the interisland route, improving workforce availability and service levels.

"We have been making steady progress on restoring service throughout our ferry system, but that progress has yet to reach these islands," Inslee said. "The unique challenges facing the interisland route are simply untenable and create real risks for residents."

Several community members spoke about the urgency of the new funding, including the principal of Friday Harbor High School, sanitation and public works employees, a resident who travels weekly for cancer treatment and a local hospice nurse. Steve Nevey, assistant secretary for Washington State Ferries Division, noted WSF’s appreciation for the ideas community members brought forth.

"We appreciate the community’s engagement and willingness to help brainstorm solutions, and of course, we appreciate the governor’s willingness to turn these ideas into actions," Nevey said. "WSF is ready to put these new tools to work so we can alleviate the dire service challenges on this route."

The emergency funding will help sustain supplemental ferry services through next spring, with long-term solutions expected to be discussed during the 2025 legislative session.

The Washington State Ferries will be holding two virtual community meetings this month, Sept. 24 and 25, where participants will be able to ask questions and provide comments. Participants can register to attend the meetings online.