— from Amy Scanlon for Washington State Ferries —
Sunny, warm weather and Mother’s Day contributed to a big boost in ridership last weekend. Still, the number we are carrying remains way down. We’re currently at half our usual traffic volume for this time of year. The governor’s “Stay Home, Stay Healthy” emergency order remains in effect through the end of the month. I continue to encourage everyone to ride our ferries only if absolutely necessary so we can keep our vessels more open for essential travelers.
Saturday, May 9 was our busiest since Friday, March 13, with more than 40,000 riders. On the Saturday of Mother’s Day weekend in 2019 we carried nearly 90,000 people.
As a reminder, we will remain on our winter schedules through June 20 with reduced service on several central Puget Sound routes. We don’t yet know what our summer schedules will look like, but we’re currently working on them with our labor partners. Service levels will be dependent on crew availability, vessel availability, ridership and budget.
Customers can sign up for email rider alerts, check WSF COVID-19 travel updates and follow WSF on Twitter and Facebook for notification of resumption of regular service and other rider information.
Encouraging social distancing at our terminals
To meet social distancing requirements, we’re posting new terminal occupancy guidelines, and installing floor and chair markings to remind customers to stay 6 feet apart. Terminal staff and Eagle Harbor Maintenance Facility crews have completed more than half of our terminals and should finish the rest in the next week.
New occupancy signage at Seattle’s Colman Dock, along with new floor and chair markings to encourage social spacing. In addition, every other turnstile is not being used.
Signs, as well as floor and chair markings were installed at our Edmonds (upper left), Mukilteo (upper right), Clinton (lower left) and Coupeville (lower right) terminals.
King County health directive for cloth face coverings
Starting Monday, May 18, everyone in King County is directed to wear face coverings in most public settings, which includes several of our terminals. For nearly a month, we have strongly recommended that employees wear masks at work. We have already distributed thousands of masks to terminal and vessel crews with the goal that each individual has two to three of them. We’re currently working with the governor’s office and our labor partners on requiring employees to wear a face covering and expect that policy to be in place soon.
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As part of the process of devising summer ferry schedules, I hope that the public will be represented in those discussions. For those of in the San Juans In particular, our Ferry Advisory Committee should insist on nothing less than a seat the table.
[posted by former chair of our FAC and member of the State Transportation Commission]