WSDOT

Washington State Ferries is operating on alternate schedules on most routes until further notice. These changes will help offer more predictable and reliable service systemwide in the face of crewing shortages due to a global shortage of mariners that has been worsened by the pandemic. WSF will attempt to add service when possible, and will provide notifications when full service can temporarily be restored to a route.

For Thursday, May 26, the following routes are operating on alternate schedules:

• Port Townsend/Coupeville Alternate Service: Reservations Available 
• Seattle/Bremerton Alternate Service
• 2-Boat Fauntleroy/Vashon, 2-Boat Fauntleroy / Southworth, 2-boat Southworth/Vashon

The following routes are running the regular spring schedules:

• Anacortes/San Juan Islands: Reservations available
• Mukilteo/Clinton
• Edmonds/Kingston
• Seattle/Bainbridge Island
• Point Defiance/Tahlequah

The schedule page online shows the currently active schedules in the top section, and the inactive schedules are below.  Please note that the active schedules may change daily depending on crew availability, so please be sure to monitor email alerts and check the Travel Alert Bulletins page for updates. 

The Marion Street Pedestrian Bridge at Colman Dock will be closed for several days next week. The bridge will be closed from 7:55 a.m. to 2:40 p.m. on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday, May 31 through June 2, for partial demolition work on a building at the corner of Western Avenue and Columbia Street. There will also be periodic closures as early as 7:05 a.m. and as late as 5:20 p.m. on Wednesday and Thursday only. Signs in the area will direct passengers onto surface streets between Colman Dock and First Avenue.

Customers traveling by vehicle in the area should note that Western Avenue between Marion and Columbia will also be closed during this time.

Customers taking a ferry as part of their Memorial Day travel plans should be prepared for a busy holiday weekend.

Passengers are encouraged to check sailing schedules in advance and give themselves plenty of extra time to get to their destination as there will likely be longer waits if driving aboard.

Due to the holiday, the routes below will be operating on the following adjusted service schedules for only Monday, May 30:

Anacortes/San Juan Islands: Holiday Schedule

Mukilteo/Clinton: Sunday Schedule

Port Townsend/Coupeville: Sunday Schedule

Edmonds/Kingston: Weekday Holiday Schedule

Seattle/Bainbridge: Saturday Schedule

Fauntleroy/Vashon/Southworth: Sunday Schedule

Point Defiance/Tahlequah: Sunday Schedule

Customers can also use several tools in advance to help their trip go as smoothly as possible. They can check terminal conditions before leaving home as well as follow WSF’s Twitter account for automatic updates on travel conditions. People using state highways to get to the ferry terminal should also plan ahead for potential backups and delays with real-time traffic information on the WSDOT traffic app for their mobile device.

Passengers are also highly advised to check for daily service announcements the night prior to travel as there could be changes due to crew or vessel availability.

Due to ongoing maintenance, only the West Elevator is available until further notice.

Join the Fauntleroy Ferry Terminal Trestle & Transfer Span Replacement project team at community meetings tomorrow and Wednesday to learn more about work to preserve the West Seattle terminal.

WSF is hosting two meetings this week. The first will be on Tuesday, May 24 from noon-1:30 p.m., and the second will be on Wednesday, May 25 from 6-7:30 p.m.

Come hear updates from the project team, review terminal alternatives and initial screening results and share your input and questions.

You can visit the project website to register for either meeting and learn more about this important work. 

The Fauntleroy Terminal Project's online open house is now available. You can learn more about why the project is needed and share your input on draft alternatives for the terminal. The feedback period is open now through June 13 at engage.wsdot.wa.gov/fauntleroy-terminal.

WSF staff will also review information featured in the online open house during the upcoming community meetings scheduled for next week. You can visit the project website to register for one of the meetings on May 24 or 25

Interisland service on the San Juan Islands route is suspended until the 2:20 p.m. sailing from Friday Harbor today, May 25, due to a crew shortage. The #4 vessel Tillikum is expected return to service at that time this afternoon. Meanwhile, customers needing to travel between islands will need to use one of the other three remaining boats to get to their destination. 

We will continue to provide details about the potential for unscheduled stops  when more information becomes available.

Vehicle reservations for summer travel on the San Juan Islands and Port Townsend/Coupeville routes between June 19 and September 24 are now available to reserve.

Reservations can be made online at www.takeaferry.com or by calling 206-464-6400 and speaking with an Information Agent.

The Marion Street vehicle and bicycle exit are now open for customer use. Reopening this exit will improve loading and offloading times for both Bremerton and Bainbridge vessels. It was closed in October 2020 to build the new concrete trestle and for the Seattle Department of Transportation (SDOT) to repave Alaskan Way and build new sidewalks. 

Vehicles and bicycles may depart at either exit when there’s only one vessel at Colman that’s loading or unloading. Passengers should follow all directions from terminal attendants who will lead you to the correct exit when unloading. If using the Marion exit, be sure to follow the SDOT traffic signal before navigating through the intersection. SDOT is working on Alaskan Way, and crews may intermittently close the Marion exit or reduce outbound traffic to one lane. 

For more information about ongoing construction at Colman Dock, please visit the project webpage.

Today, the new and improved ORCA system launched for hundreds of thousands of transit customers across the Puget Sound region with access to a new myORCA.com website, myORCA smartphone app, and real-time value loading for ORCA cards.

Normal fare collection resumes today for all regional transit agencies who accept ORCA cards. All current ORCA cards, including youth, senior, ORCA LIFT, and reduced fare cards work with the new system. ORCA customers do not need to get a new card.

The transition to the new ORCA system will continue as crews replace over 6,000 card readers and vending machines across the region over the next few months.

The ORCA team and agencies are aware of a few vending machines, card readers, and customer service that continue to experience technical issues but are working to resolve most of these issues by the end of the week.

To get the most up-to-date information about ORCA service over the next few weeks, visit the rider alerts webpage of the agency you plan to travel with at the links below:

• Community Transit: https://www.communitytransit.org/alert
• Everett Transit: https://everetttransit.org/AlertCenter.aspx?CID=Rider-Alerts-4
• King County Metro: https://kingcounty.gov/depts/transportation/metro/alerts-updates.aspx
• Kitsap Transit: https://www.kitsaptransit.com/blog/rider-alerts
• Pierce Transit: https://www.piercetransit.org/pierce-transit-detours-rider-alerts/
• Sound Transit: Service Alerts: https://www.soundtransit.org/ride-with-us/service-alerts
• Washington State Ferries: https://wsdot.com/ferries/schedule/bulletin.aspx

Customers can still add cash to their cards at vending machines, customer service locations, and participating retailers. A new online account is not required to access the system. 

New ORCA features include:

• New ORCA website. com features real-time card loading, mobile phone accessibility, more payment options, and the ability to manage multiple cards. This new site replaces the current com site.
• Smartphone app. Customers can use the myORCA app to manage their account from any location 24/7 with the same functionality available on the new website. The app is available on Apple’s app store and the Google Play store.
• Business account website. com replaces biz as the place where employers manage their ORCA programs.

Single-ride and pass prices remain the same. Reduced fare programs will also still be available. Visit myORCA.com to learn more.

Later in 2022 and 2023, ORCA will be adding more stores to the retail network and introducing a smartphone option.  After these features are delivered, the ORCA agencies will engage with customers to identify improvements and new features.

This effort marks the start of ongoing improvements to the ORCA system over the next several years.

Visit myORCA.com to learn more about upcoming improvements, to create your new account and sign up for project updates.

The passenger elevator on the #1 vessel Chelan is back in service.

The passenger elevator on M/V Salish is temporarily out of service for maintenance and repairs.  Updates on a repair status will be provided when more information becomes available. We apologize for the inconvenience.

The ADA restroom on the M/V Sealth car deck is temporarily out of service.  There are ADA compliant restrooms in the main passenger cabin.  We apologize for the inconvenience. Updates will occur when conditions change.

Washington State Ferries is actively working to bring service to pre-pandemic levels. While that won’t happen overnight, staff have developed a plan that outlines how to get there. Customers are encouraged to take a look at WSF’s COVID-19 Service Restoration Plan to get a clearer picture of what challenges the agency continues to face and what it will take to resume pre-pandemic service. WSF will provide regular updates on progress as it continues to restore service.