WSF weekly update anticipates a few reduced service disruptions for Labor Day weekend

||| FROM PATTY RUBSTELLO for WASHINGTON STATE FERRIES |||

Labor Day weekend ferry travel

If your holiday weekend plans include a ride aboard our ferries, plan for long vehicle boarding lines and possible disrupted sailings due to COVID-19 cases and quarantines among crew, the global shortage of mariners and the possibility of an employee job action in response to the upcoming state employee vaccine mandate. No new vehicle reservations are being taken for travel on Friday, Sept. 3, through Monday, Sept. 6. Existing reservations for those dates are not affected, but no new ones can be made. This reservation suspension is intended to increase the reliability of existing reservations and of customers reaching destinations.

The busiest sailings will be westbound (or onto an island) Thursday through Saturday, Sept. 2-4, then eastbound (or off island) Sunday through Tuesday, Sept. 5-7.

On Monday, Sept. 6, there will be a few Labor Day schedule adjustments on most routes. Holiday sailings are marked on the timetables for each route. Customers are encouraged to sign up for ferry email alerts and check terminal conditions before traveling. A face covering is required in all indoor areas of vessels and terminals in compliance with the governor’s “Washington Ready” proclamation and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s order for public transportation. People using state highways to get to the ferry terminal should plan ahead for potential holiday travel backups and delays with real-time traffic information on the WSDOT traffic app for mobile devices.

U.S. Sen. Patty Murray visits Colman Dock to promote federal infrastructure funding

Deputy WSDOT Secretary Amy Scarton and I had the honor of hosting a tour of our Colman Dock construction site for U.S. Senator Patty Murray and King County Executive Dow Constantine yesterday. The Seattle terminal project, partially funded with more than $200 million in federal dollars, is a great example of construction that could be funded with the new Infrastructure Investments and Jobs Act, which recently passed the U.S. Senate. We were able to show the completed King County Water Taxi terminal, the completed section of the Colman Dock terminal and what’s yet to come. WSDOT would see a substantial benefit from projects funded under the proposed federal legislation.

With U.S. Sen. Patty Murray and WSDOT Deputy Secretary Amy Scarton during a tour of Seattle’s Colman Dock yesterday.

I had the honor of presenting U.S. Sen. Patty Murray with our 70th anniversary commemorative pin during a tour of Seattle’s Colman Dock.

One-boat service for Seattle/Bremerton route starting Tuesday, Sept. 7

Because of crewing challenges and a shortage of available vessels, our Seattle/Bremerton run will be reduced from two to one-boat service after Labor Day. Starting Tuesday, Sept. 7, Chimacum will operate only the #2 sailings on the route’s schedule while Kaleetan undergoes necessary drydock work through mid-October.

Although the slower and smaller Salish is available, this difficult decision was made based on analysis of its performance on our Seattle/Bremerton route earlier this summer. During that time, we had to cancel a midday roundtrip to allow it to catch up and when it did fall behind schedule, it often conflicted with the other boat on the run, either at a terminal or in Rich Passage. These conflicts made for a worse traveling experience for our riders than providing reliable one-boat service. I understand the impact this service disruption will have on many of you and thank you in advance for your patience and understanding.

“My son fell and gashed open his chin. We had hoped to catch the 10:05 [p.m.] to Fauntleroy and proceed to [the hospital emergency room. …] We missed the boat by a few minutes. The wonderful kindness of the […] dock worker was such a gift to us. [Ticket Taker Dana Jorgenson] was getting off work when we arrived on dock. We asked about the ferry and explained we were headed to ER. Both [she] and the woman working confirmed the ferry was gone and next was at 11 p.m. […]

“A few minutes later, [Dana] returned with great care and kindness to tell us of the 10:55 boat from the south end (Tahlequah) and suggest that might get us to an ER sooner. [She] was so kind, thoughtful and caring. It changed our stress to calm. […] The thoughtfulness in returning to the dock and caring for us was such a kindness and blessing to us in a stressful time… we wanted to acknowledge and send our thanks […].” –-Fauntleroy/Vashon route customer