||| EARTHRISE BY JAY KIMBALL |||


san juan county transportation GHG emissionsBy far, the most significant chunk of local direct greenhouse gas emissions (GHGs) in San Juan County come from transportation – about 78%. County transportation emissions primarily come from local/resident driving, visitor driving, and ferry diesel emissions. (see chart at right)

The goal is to cut GHG emissions roughly in half by 2030 and net-zero by 2050 while ensuring there are affordable mobility options for all. Looking at similar-sized island communities can help us consider transportation best practices and options for providing clean, affordable transportation here.

Transportation in other island communities

The table below summarizes standard transportation options for Martha’s Vineyard, Nantucket, Mount Desert Island, Salt Spring, and Bainbridge, compared to San Juan County.

island transportation comparison

San Juan County has the largest land area spread across multiple islands. Each island has its own transportation needs and mobility lifestyle. There’s likely no single “one size fits all” clean transportation solution that will serve our multi-island geography. The county also has the largest senior population, which can increase the need for senior-friendly transportation services to support aging in place. Some senior centers in the county provide a mix of transportation services to the senior community, within the island, and occasionally to the mainland.

Some other takeaways from the data above:

  • Public transit is available and substantial in all but San Juan County. Martha’s Vineyard has the most extensive system, with 13 routes served by 32 buses, 16 of which are electric. All public transit services are transitioning to electric buses and shuttles as fast as possible, funded by state and federal clean transportation grants. Public transit rider fees range from free to $3 per ride, with senior, teen, and frequent-rider 50% discounts commonly offered. Public transit has the benefit of predictable schedules, which can be helpful for visitors and locals alike. 
  • Uber/Lyft and Taxis are available on most islands listed above. No Uber/Lyft service is currently available in San Juan County, but we have Island Rides, an excellent free EV-based transportation service primarily serving vulnerable locals. Rides may be scheduled in advance or on-demand as usage allows. IslandRides delivers groceries, prescriptions, Meals-on-Wheels, or any needed supplies to the homes of those who do not drive. Uber/Lyft and taxis can be a good way for drivers to earn income on a flexible schedule. Typical ride fares range from $10 to $50, depending on demand. Service can be unpredictable, especially during ferry arrival/departure rush hours and bad weather events. Martha’s Vineyard and Nantucket each have dozens of taxi services.
  • Car Rental services are available on most islands, especially Martha’s Vineyard and Nantucket, with up to 12 rental car companies providing rental vehicles. San Juan County has M&W Car Rental and Sales, serving SJI, Orcas, and Lopez Islands. They have 60 rental cars and do about 5,000 rentals yearly, with pickup locations at the Orcas Airport and ferry landing, Spring Street, Roach Harbor, and Lopez Village.
  • Ferry Service is available on most of the islands listed above. Walk-on is very popular for Martha’s Vineyard and Nantucket, where drive-on fares in summer can exceed $250 roundtrip. But unlike walk-on service in San Juan County, visitors to the other islands have lots of options once they arrive on island, including public transit, rental cars, Uber/Lyft/taxis, and rental cars. Most of the islands are looking to transition from diesel to electric ferries. San Juan ferries are scheduled for electrification post-2035. Two ferry electrification approaches are the most common – battery storage and green hydrogen with fuel cells. Washington State Ferries says these greener ferries will significantly reduce operating and maintenance costs and virtually eliminate engine noise and vibration.

Emerging transportation solutions for San Juan County

San Juan County is one of the only counties in the state without a public transportation service. Substantial funds and grants are available from state and federal sources to help our county transition to cleaner transportation solutions. In recent discussions with public transit experts from Washington’s Department of Transportation (WashDOT), they emphasized two key goals:

  • Reduce GHGs to 2030 and 2050 net-zero emission goals. 
  • Increase access to affordable equitable transportation for everyone, particularly those that can’t afford a car and insurance or are physically unable to drive.

For example, WashDOT encouraged testing a free electric shuttle bus service on one of our islands, running on main roads on a regular, predictable, convenient schedule. Most bus services only collect about 5% of the operating cost from fares. The rest comes from federal, state, and local public transit program funding. By keeping it free, there’s no need for collection and accounting. Operations are simplified.

Such a shuttle service would serve both local and visitor populations. Benefits include:

  • Convert a portion of visitor drive-on ferry traffic to walk-on. This may take pressure off the ferry system, making it easier for locals to get on and off-island. Visitor GHG emissions are the largest sector of county transportation emissions – 41%.
  • electric transportation examples - eFerries, eShuttles, and autonomous taxisPopular with teens and seniors who are unable to drive. Imagine jumping on a shuttle to Cascade Lake with friends after school.
  • Supports family resource center low-income constituents who often struggle with the cost of car ownership – car, insurance, fuel. San Juan County’s low-wage tourist economy places it near the bottom of the working-wage barrel among Washington counties.
  • Bainbridge and other communities are experimenting with on-demand public transportation for those that may be disabled or not near a main shuttle route.
  • A new category of jobs for the county. Public transportation jobs typically pay a good living wage with benefits, including healthcare and savings plans.

Reducing drive-on ferry traffic may stimulate new modes of transportation in the county:

  • Solar walk-on electric ferries are deploying around the world. During the sunny tourist season, they would be popular moving between the numerous public docks in town centers around the islands. As range and cost improve, routes could be added to Anacortes, Bellingham, Victoria, and Seattle. On cloudy days, the solar ferries could be backed up with high-speed charging at public docks.
  • Uber/Lyft service would create a new class of flexible schedule jobs for locals while providing on-demand service for walk-on visitors. Grants may be available to create subsidies for drivers to incentivize the purchase of an EV for the service.
  • Autonomous on-demand micro-transit is in development by companies like Zoox, targeting metro areas first, with testing underway in San Francisco, Seattle, and Las Vegas. We may eventually see these services here. They are similar to Uber/Lyft but driverless. Please take a look at the Notes below for more information.
  • Bicycle paths along public rights-of-way to facilitate safer passage of local and visitor cyclists.

Lopez Community Land Trust car-share sharing stationOne final service, common on the mainland, is starting here in San Juan County – Car-Sharing. Lopez Community Land Trust (LCLT) was recently awarded a grant that covered the purchase of an EV, one year of insurance, and the administration of a car-sharing program. The project serves lower-income rural residents living in LCLT affordable housing neighborhoods. About 11% of the county’s population lives below the official poverty line. Car-sharing can help ease the cost of getting around.

LCLT project goals include increasing accessibility, decreasing costs associated with individual car ownership, reducing the number of gas-powered vehicles in our neighborhoods, and reducing harmful carbon emissions. They purchased an EV with enough range to drive to Seattle and back without requiring a charge. The EV is currently shared among 12 people, with more in the works. The member cost is $60 per year and 20 cents per mile.

The Orcas Island OPAL community is also considering a Car-share program.

Transportation Poll

Here’s a brief one-question poll. After you take it, you will see what other readers have selected as their preferred island transportation options.

Thinking about future potential transportation options in the islands, which modes of transportation are you most likely to use?

 

Thank you! Please share this poll with other islanders.


Earthrise: A Climate Action Journal

This climate action journal offers information and actions we can take together, locally and globally, as we care for this precious Earth.

The best way to heal a living system, is to connect it with more parts of itself.” ~ Margaret Wheatley

If you like what you read here, pass it forward to a few friends and ask them to do the same. Like a pebble tossed in a pond, the rings emanate outward, reflecting and growing exponentially. “Going exponential” is what it will take to reverse the climate extremes that are accelerating around us.

Thank you…

+ Get an alert when there’s a new Earthrise post: Notify Me!

+ Previous Earthrise posts:
• First Light • Robert Dash – photographer, educator, environmentalist • Extreme RainA Poem for the Snow Leopard •
How the Chinese spy balloon can inspire climate action • Tidal energy in the Salish Sea •
• The biggest source of county greenhouse gas pollution


Notes

The biggest source of county greenhouse gas pollution

Here’s a fantastic video showing visitors moving to, around,  and from Nantucket on a Saturday in July.

Earth Day at The Odd Fellows Hall will discuss the Orkney Islands hydrogen ferry project

Washington State Ferries (WSF) is embarking on an ambitious initiative to begin the transition to an emission-free fleet through a hybrid electric ferry system. WSF operates the largest ferry system in the United States. It is also the biggest contributor of greenhouse gas emissions of any state agency in Washington, burning 19 million gallons of diesel fuel to support 24 million passengers every year. Learn more.

Hydrogen-Powered Ferry for San Francisco

Process underway to construct a regional PNW hydrogen hub

Zoox Autonomous on-demand micro-transit

Puget Sound walk-on ferry study

If a county or town wants to establish a public transportation service, it can form a Transportation Benefit District (TBD). About 110 cities and towns in Washington haveTBDs, many of which are funded by sales taxes or vehicle license fees. TBDs can help unlock access to substantial federal and state public transportation funding. Anacortes is one example of a town that formed a TBD.

Example Transit Map: Salt Spring Island

Salt Spring Island Transit map

Tom Eversole, Orcas Island Senior Center Board President, posted a comment below with great data on Orcas Island seniors. This chart, prepared by Lynnette Wood, helps deepen our understanding of aging in place on Orcas.

Orcas Island senior trends


 

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