Petition and Surveys Now Open
||| FROM ISLAND STEWARDS |||
Island Stewards has launched Common Ground Transit Talks, a community-driven effort to explore how public transportation can strengthen what is already in place, supporting connection and resilience across the islands while
protecting what makes them special.
The project invites every islander, visitor, and local business to participate through a three-step process:
- Sign the Petition – Signing shows that the community is ready to discuss our options. That support opens doors to state and federal funding, ensuring progress without raising local taxes.o Why? Because those most burdened need relief.
o Because reliable transit lowers strain on our roads, plants, and wildlife.
o Because it makes it safer for our teens to socialize, easier for our elders to
visit and sightsee, and possible for working families to access steady year-
round jobs. - Take a Survey –
o Residents: Share how daily travel, housing, work, and ferry life affect your community.
o Visitors: Reflect on your travel choices and their impact on island life. - For Businesses, Professionals, and Citizens Who Want to Help – Complete the Feasibility & Planning Survey to weigh in on logistics, partnerships, and long-term stewardship.
Why Now?
We are hearing “yes” from the people who are already operating at full capacity to bridge the gaps — nonprofits, volunteer drivers, and service providers who know the burden firsthand. Transit isn’t about adding costs or attracting more visitors — it’s about managing the strain we already feel. Every single car trip costs us in road maintenance, ferry congestion, parking, and noise. A small, highly available shuttle system — connected to reliable interisland options — is a practical way to protect our island character while giving people choices.
Our Goldilocks survey showed that nearly 85% of residents feel San Juan County is already at or over capacity. Islanders are already carrying the weight of supporting a thriving local community, and reliable transit is one way to share that burden fairly.
Better connections can ripple outward — amplifying the good work already underway in housing, disaster resilience, and local food security. On islands linked by both water and land, traveling together helps us stay strong while safeguarding the rural character that makes this place home.
Concerns like “it’s too expensive” or “nobody will use it” ignore what our surveys and conversations show: residents, youth, elders, and visitors say they would use a reliable system. Rural transit is already supported by national and state programs like the National RTAP. And far from changing island character, community-shaped transit is rooted in the values that define it: slowing down, sharing rides, caring for neighbors, and protecting nature.
There are endless why’s and just as many how’s. But one thing is clear: the time is now. Our County Council is ready. Our nonprofits are ready. Our island community is ready to connect. Please — sign, share, and add your voice to the conversation. Together we can be the change our islands need.
All surveys are open and links can be found at: islandstewards.org/commongroundtransit
**If you are reading theOrcasonian for free, thank your fellow islanders. If you would like to support theOrcasonian CLICK HERE to set your modestly-priced, voluntary subscription. Otherwise, no worries; we’re happy to share with you.**
I completed your “Goldilocks” survey. I’m one of the ~85% of residents who feel San Juan County is already at or over capacity. This summer proved it! Eastsound was a madhouse, and the packed schedule of events, concerts, etc only added to the Disney World atmosphere that the pro-tourism crowd has facilitated.
As for public transit, we already have Island Rides, a locally-owned tax-exempt organization which is formally incorporated as the San Juan Islands Shuttle System. So even in name, we already have a “small, highly available shuttle system” which has been operating since 2021 and seems to have all the legal and technical infrastructure in place to meet all of the vague feel-good goals mentioned in the article.
According to the Island Rides website, they are funded by the United Way of San Juan County, SJI Community Foundation, Orcas Island Community Foundation, Lopez Island Family Resource Center, local businesses, and individual donors. They will pick you up, drive you around, or even loan you a Chevy Bolt EV for a few hours. Why reinvent the wheel? The public transit system that the article advocates for seems to exist already. Add regular shuttle service between Eastsound and the ferry landing and the vast majority of use cases will be thoroughly covered.
For sure: Island Rides’ 1) Ride-Share + 2) Green CarShare + 3) an EV Shuttle System from ferry landing around OI to frequented destinations and fast charging at Eastsound Airport will go a long way to completing a comprehensive transportation network to meet the needs of OI’s underserved communities. What nonprofit or government entity will step up to provide that third step in the system?
Bruce: I don’t understand your last sentence: “What nonprofit or government entity will step up to provide that third step in the system?” Island Rides has grown to do an excellent job of providing a ” comprehensive transportation network to meet the needs of OI’s underserved communities”; but that is different from serving the transportation needs of all islanders, and replacing the needs of tourists to bring their cars. What would it take for Island Rides to scale up to meet that need; and is there any intention of doing so?
Welcome to the SJIs Island Public Transit Initiative!
Imagine an Orcas Island where…
You can hop on a shuttle from the ferry landing to Eastsound without bringing your car
Kids can get to activities independently while parents work
Visitors can explore our beautiful island without adding to traffic and parking challenges
Neighbors have reliable backup transportation when their car is in the shop
We reduce our carbon footprint one shared ride at a time
Why Now?
Our beloved island faces unique transportation challenges that a well-designed public transit system could help solve:
The Ferry Squeeze: During our 6-month tourist season, ferry reservations are gold. Every car we keep off the ferry means more space for residents and essential services.
The Distance Dilemma: With Eastsound village sitting far from the Orcas ferry landing, bringing a car feels mandatory for most visitors and residents alike.
The Hill Challenge: While we’d love to see more bikes, our terrain demands expert cycling skills that many don’t possess.
The Hidden Costs: Did you know the state subsidizes every vehicle crossing?
A robust transit system could redirect those resources while serving more people.
What We’re Building Together
This group is for dreamers and doers who believe Orcas deserves a public transportation system that works for:
Families: Give kids independence and parents peace of mind
Seniors: Maintain independence without driving
Workers: Reliable transportation to jobs across the island
Visitors: Experience Orcas car-free
Environment: Reduce emissions and preserve what we love about island life
Join Us If You:
Have ideas about routes, schedules, or services
Want to research funding opportunities
Can share expertise in transportation planning
Simply believe this vision is worth pursuing
Want to stay informed as this initiative develops
Together, we can create a transportation solution that strengthens our community, protects our environment, and makes Orcas more accessible for all.
First step: Introduce yourself below and share your vision for public transit on Orcas!
This is a community-driven initiative exploring the possibility of public transportation for Orcas Island.
WSDOT the parent of WSF, and SJC should consider supporting a 3 route shuttle system (Central, East,West) on Orcas and systems throughout the SJIs. This would help give the option for sustainable to and from the SJIs. By giving transportation options that allow travel on the island without having to haul a car across the sound.
But furthermore, it would benefit the communities by reducing traffic and giving the community a way to get around the island through a shared resource. 45 minute to hourly service would be ideal for the 3 routes.
If funding is tight a partnership through local school districts could share underutilized resources.
RCW 28a.160.120 allows for exactly this kind of resource sharing. Wahkiakum County in Washington State whose primary township population of approximately 500 provides a community transit service through this same state law.
I agree with David and Brian. Here’s another point no one has mentioned. As soon as there’s a transit route, there becomes a need for parking at the stops for people who live too far to walk to it. That means gobbling up yet more land for our human infrastructure, adding more impervious surfaces to an already problematic stormwater situation, which is already way too much to “keep the islands a refuge for for the wildlife, forests, and seas we share.” The idea that we are keeping the islands a refuge is a joke.
When we create a quota for visitors, a quota for building permits, a drastic limit to new home size, stop supporting the visitors’ bureau, get serious about enforcing any of the land use ordinances in the county, maybe we can take a breath and see how to better take care of our island community.