Washington State Ferries will receive $38 million from the Federal Highway Administration to improve its ferry service.
Eight other Washington ferry providers — including the King County Department of Transportation — will receive around $4 million in federal money, totaling $42.4 million for the state, the Seattle Times reported. That's more than double received in 2021, ferries spokesperson Ian Sterling said in a statement.
A total of $172 million will be distributed across the U.S. to improve ferry service, marking the first major release of money since the passage of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, Sterling said.
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Out of the 35 states and three territories receiving federal money for ferries, Washington will get the biggest allocation, followed by Alaska with $36 million.
The distribution of the money is determined by data from the Bureau of Transportation Statistics.
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Ferry riders in Seattle and the Puget Sound area have seen their fair share of woes. Since last year, staffing shortages, boat repairs and COVID-19 outbreaks have led to reduced service on Seattle routes and cancellations Most recently, the Cathlamet ferry crash reduced the Fauntleroy-Vashon Island-Southworth route to one boat.
The Cathlamet is likely to be out for months, putting the ferry system in a squeeze. It takes 19 boats to run a full schedule. Washington ferries has 21 boats. Two are held out for maintenance at any time, leaving little room for flexibility, according to the agency.
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For now, the problem of crew shortages is worse than the problem of vessel shortages. Sterling said the federal money will help improve terminals and preserve existing ferries.
