Washington State Ferries
Encyclopedia
Washington State Ferries is a passenger and automobile ferry
service owned and operated by the Washington State Department of Transportation
that serves communities on Puget Sound
and in the San Juan Islands
. It is the most used ferry system in the world and the largest passenger and automobile ferry fleet in the United States
and the third largest in the world by fleet size. Having carried 11 million vehicles annually, the service is also the largest in the world based on the number of vehicles carried.
The ferry system has its origins in the "Mosquito Fleet
", a collection of small steamer lines serving the Puget Sound area during the later part of the nineteenth century and early part of the 20th century. By the beginning of the 1930s, two lines remained: the Puget Sound Navigation Company (known as the Black Ball Line
) and the Kitsap County Transportation Company
. A strike
in 1935 forced the KCTC to close, leaving only the Black Ball Line.
Toward the end of the 1940s the Black Ball Line wanted to increase its fares, to compensate for increased wage demands from the ferry workers' union
s, but the state refused to allow this, and so the Black Ball Line shut down. In 1951, the state bought nearly all of Black Ball's ferry assets for $5 million (Black Ball retained five vessels of its fleet). The state intended to run ferry service only until cross-sound bridges could be built, but these were never approved, and the Washington Department of Transportation runs the system to this day.
As of 2011, there are 22 ferries on Puget Sound operated by the state. The largest vessels in this fleet carry up to 2500 passengers and 202 vehicles. They are painted in a distinctive white and green trim paint scheme, and feature double-ended open vehicle decks and bridges at each end so that they do not need to turn around.
Ferry classes and names are:
Most Washington State Ferry routes are legally part of the state highway system, frequently with no road portion on one end or the other.
From October 1986 to September 9, 1989 and from April 23, 1990 to Sept. 21, 2003 a passenger-only service ran on the Seattle-Bremerton route
. It was shut down because of limited profitability and because of continued lawsuits of residents living on the waterway used by the ferry to prevent the high-speed ferries built for the run from running at their full speed. The slower speed made the crossing time similar or equal to the auto ferry operating on the same route, making the passenger-only service redundant.
The current passenger-only ferry route between Seattle and Vashon Island is designated State Route 339
, with no road portion at either end. This route is no longer operated by Washington State Ferries, as responsibility was passed to the King County Marine Division in fall of 2009.
Ferry
A ferry is a form of transportation, usually a boat, but sometimes a ship, used to carry primarily passengers, and sometimes vehicles and cargo as well, across a body of water. Most ferries operate on regular, frequent, return services...
service owned and operated by the Washington State Department of Transportation
Washington State Department of Transportation
The Washington State Department of Transportation , was established in 1905. The agency, led by a Secretary and overseen by the Governor, is a Washington governmental agency that constructs, maintains, and regulates the use of the state's transportation infrastructure...
that serves communities on Puget Sound
Puget Sound
Puget Sound is a sound in the U.S. state of Washington. It is a complex estuarine system of interconnected marine waterways and basins, with one major and one minor connection to the Strait of Juan de Fuca and the Pacific Ocean — Admiralty Inlet being the major connection and...
and in the San Juan Islands
San Juan Islands
The San Juan Islands are an archipelago in the northwest corner of the contiguous United States between the US mainland and Vancouver Island, British Columbia, Canada. The San Juan Islands are part of the U.S...
. It is the most used ferry system in the world and the largest passenger and automobile ferry fleet in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
and the third largest in the world by fleet size. Having carried 11 million vehicles annually, the service is also the largest in the world based on the number of vehicles carried.
History
Puget Sound Mosquito Fleet
The Puget Sound Mosquito Fleet was a large number of private transportation companies running smaller passenger and freight boats on Puget Sound and nearby waterways and rivers. This large group of steamers and sternwheelers plied the waters of Puget Sound, stopping at every waterfront dock...
", a collection of small steamer lines serving the Puget Sound area during the later part of the nineteenth century and early part of the 20th century. By the beginning of the 1930s, two lines remained: the Puget Sound Navigation Company (known as the Black Ball Line
Puget Sound Navigation Company
The Puget Sound Navigation Company was founded by Joshua Green in 1913. It operated a fleet of steamboats and ferries on Puget Sound in Washington and the Georgia Strait in British Columbia...
) and the Kitsap County Transportation Company
Kitsap County Transportation Company
The Kitsap County Transportation Company was an important steamboat and ferry company that operated on Puget Sound. The company was originally founded in 1898 as the Hansen Transportation Company.-Hansen Transportation:...
. A strike
Strike action
Strike action, also called labour strike, on strike, greve , or simply strike, is a work stoppage caused by the mass refusal of employees to work. A strike usually takes place in response to employee grievances. Strikes became important during the industrial revolution, when mass labour became...
in 1935 forced the KCTC to close, leaving only the Black Ball Line.
Toward the end of the 1940s the Black Ball Line wanted to increase its fares, to compensate for increased wage demands from the ferry workers' union
Trade union
A trade union, trades union or labor union is an organization of workers that have banded together to achieve common goals such as better working conditions. The trade union, through its leadership, bargains with the employer on behalf of union members and negotiates labour contracts with...
s, but the state refused to allow this, and so the Black Ball Line shut down. In 1951, the state bought nearly all of Black Ball's ferry assets for $5 million (Black Ball retained five vessels of its fleet). The state intended to run ferry service only until cross-sound bridges could be built, but these were never approved, and the Washington Department of Transportation runs the system to this day.
Fleet
Ferry classes and names are:
- Jumbo Mark II ClassJumbo Mark II Class ferryThe Jumbo Mark II Class ferries were built for Washington State Ferries between 1997 and 1999, at Todd Pacific Shipyards in Seattle. Each ferry can carry up to 2500 passengers and 202 vehicles, making them the largest ferries in the system, and are the second longest double-ended ferries in the...
:- Puyallup
- Tacoma
- Wenatchee
- Jumbo ClassJumbo Class ferryThe Jumbo Class ferries were built by Washington State Ferries in 1973 to supersede the Super Class ferry. They have a capacity of 2000 passengers and 206 vehicles.Ferries in this class include:* M/V Spokane* M/V Walla Walla- External links :**...
:- Spokane
- Walla Walla
- Super ClassSuper Class ferryThe Super Class ferries are 144-car class ferries operated by Washington State Ferries. In addition, they can carry up to 2500 passengers.- History :...
:- Elwha
- Hyak
- Kaleetan
- Yakima
- 144 Auto Ferry144 Auto FerryThe new 144 Auto Class ferries are proposed additions to the Washington State Ferries fleet. The ferries are intended to replace aging vessels currently in service. The new ferry design is based on the Issaquah 130 Class and the Super Class ferries. The Issaquah Class vessels are the most...
(design phase)- under development
- Issaquah 130 ClassIssaquah 130 Class ferryThe Issaquah 130 Class ferries were originally built as the Issaquah 100 Class and later upgraded to a 130 car capacity. All of these vessels have also had the interior refurbished...
:- Cathlamet
- Chelan
- Issaquah
- Kitsap
- Kittitas
- Issaquah 100 ClassIssaquah 100 Class ferryThe Issaquah 100 Class ferries were built for the Washington State Ferries in the early 1980s. Each Issaquah ferry can carry 1200 passengers and 100 cars...
:- Sealth
- Evergreen State ClassEvergreen State Class ferryThe Evergreen State Class ferries were built by the Puget Sound Dredge and Bridge Company for Washington State Ferries beginning in 1953. This class was the first built after the state agency was created in 1951...
:- Evergreen State
- Klahowya
- Tillikum
- Kwa-di Tabil Class100 Vehicle Class ferryThe Kwa-di Tabil class of ferries, previously known as the 100 Vehicle Class and later 64 Vehicle Class, will replace the retired Steel Electric ferries. The new vessels are intended to serve lower traffic routes and will carry up to 64 vehicles...
:- ChetzemokaMV ChetzemokaMV Chetzemoka is a Kwa-di Tabil class ferry built at Todd Pacific Shipyards in Seattle, Washington for the Washington State Ferries. It was scheduled to start on the Port Townsend-Coupeville...
- SalishMV SalishMV Salish is a Kwa-di Tabil class ferry built at Todd Pacific Shipyards in Seattle, Washington for the Washington State Ferries. It was scheduled to start on the Port Townsend-Coupeville .-Design:...
Entered Service July 1, 2011 - KennewickMV KennewickMV Kennewick is a Kwa-di Tabil Class ferry planned to enter service in 2012 for Washington State Ferries.-Characteristics:Kennewick will measure in length, have a beam of , a draft of and a displacement of 2,050 tons...
(under construction at Todd Shipyards; expected to enter service, late 2011)
- Chetzemoka
- Other vessels:
- Rhododendron (Expected retirement date, late 2011)
- Hiyu
Former vessels
- Steel Electric ClassSteel Electric Class ferryThe Steel Electric Class ferries became part of the Washington State Ferry System when Puget Sound Navigation Company was acquired in 1951. They were built on San Francisco Bay for service on Southern Pacific and Northwestern Pacific Railroad routes across that bay.-History:The Steel Electric...
(Removed From Service November 20, 2007):- Illahee Scrapped in 2011, Ensenada, MEX
- Klickitat Scrapped in 2009, Ensenada, MEX
- Nisqually Scrapped in 2011, Ensenada, MEX
- Quinault Scrapped in 2009, Ensenada, MEX
- Passenger-Only Fast Ferry ClassPassenger-Only Fast Ferry Class ferryThe Passenger-Only Fast Ferry ferries were built by Dakota Creek Industries in Anacortes, Washington for Washington State Ferries beginning in 1998. They are unique in the system for being propelled by water jets rather than traditional propellers...
(sold in December 2008):- Chinook (renamed MV Golden Date)
- Snohomish (renamed MV Napa)
- Skagit/Kalama ClassSkagit/Kalama Class ferryThe Skagit/Kalama Class ferries were high-speed passenger vessels built for Washington State Ferries in 1989. The Skagit and Kalama were the only ferries in this class...
(Passenger-Only, sold in February 2011):- Kalama
- Skagit
- Wood-Electric Class
- MV Chetzemoka (1927)
- MV Kehloken
- MV Klahanie
- Other vessels:
- MV Chippewa
- MV Crosline
- MV EnetaiFerryboat Santa RosaSanta Rosa was a Steel Electric Class ferry built in Alameda, California, for Northwestern Pacific Railroad. She started out serving Southern Pacific Railways on their Golden Gate Ferries line on San Francisco Bay....
- MV Kalakala
- MV Kitsap (1925)
- MV KulshanMV KulshanThe MV Kulshan was a passenger ferry operated by the Washington State ferry system on Puget Sound from 1970 to 1982.-Beginnings:The Kulshan started her maritime career as the MV Crown City in Oakland, California in 1954...
- MV Leschi
- MV Olympic
- MV Rosario
- SS San Mateo
- SS Shasta
- MV Skansonia
- MV Tyee
- MV Vashon
- MV Willapa
Routes
- Seattle-BremertonSeattle-Bremerton FerryThe Seattle-Bremerton ferry is a ferry route across Puget Sound between Seattle and Bremerton, Washington. Since 1951 the only ferries employed on the route have belonged to the Washington state ferry system, currently the largest ferry system in the United States.-History:The Seattle-Bremerton...
(SR 304Washington State Route 304State Route 304 is a road in Kitsap County, Washington, United States. Its western end is at an interchange with the SR 3 freeway in Bremerton. The road runs in an easterly direction to the Bremerton state ferry terminal...
) - Seattle-Bainbridge IslandSeattle-Winslow FerryThe Seattle-Winslow ferry is a ferry route across Puget Sound between Seattle and Winslow, Washington, on Bainbridge Island. The route is also called the Seattle-Bainbridge ferry...
(SR 305Washington State Route 305State Route 305 is an east/west route in Kitsap County, Washington, United States.-Route description:SR 305 is located mostly within Kitsap County on the western side the Puget Sound. Its northwestern end is at an interchange with the SR 3 freeway northwest of Poulsbo. The Agate Pass Bridge lies...
) - SouthworthSouthworth, WashingtonSouthworth is an unincorporated community on Puget Sound in Kitsap County, Washington, United States. It is best known for being the west end of the Fauntleroy-Vashon Island-Southworth Washington State Ferries run. Landmarks include Southworth Grocery, a US Post Office, ferry terminal, clay cliffs...
to Vashon Island to FauntleroyFauntleroy, Seattle, WashingtonFauntleroy is a neighborhood in the southwest corner of Seattle, Washington. Part of West Seattle and situated on Puget Sound's Fauntleroy Cove , it faces Vashon Island, Blake Island, and the Kitsap Peninsula to the west...
(West SeattleWest Seattle, Seattle, WashingtonWest Seattle comprises two of Seattle, Washington's thirteen districts, Delridge and Southwest and encompasses all of Seattle west of the Duwamish River. It was incorporated as an independent town in 1902 and was annexed by Seattle in 1907. Among the area's attractions are its saltwater beach parks...
) (SR 160Washington State Route 160State Route 160 is a road in Kitsap County and King County, Washington, United States. Its western end is at an interchange with the SR 16 freeway near East Port Orchard. The road runs in an easterly direction to the Point Southworth state ferry terminal...
) - Point Defiance-TahlequahPoint Defiance-Tahlequah FerryThe Point Defiance-Tahlequah ferry is a ferry route across Puget Sound between the Point Defiance ferry terminal in Tacoma and Tahlequah, Washington, on the southern tip of Vashon Island. Since 1951 the only ferries employed on the route have belonged to the Washington state ferry system,...
(south end of Vashon Island) (SR 163Washington State Route 163State Route 163 is a state highway in the U.S. state of Washington, running from SR 16 in Tacoma to the Point Defiance Park ferry terminal. It continues as the Point Defiance-Tahlequah ferry route and ends at the Tahlequah terminal.-History:...
) - ClintonClinton, WashingtonClinton is a community and census-designated place located on southern Whidbey Island in Island County, Washington, United States. The town was named after Clinton, Michigan. As of the 2010 census, the village was 928. However, the post office serves at least 2,500 people.Clinton is the western...
to MukilteoMukilteo, WashingtonMukilteo , which means "good camping ground", is a city in Snohomish County, Washington, United States. The population was 20,254 at the 2010 census. It is on the shore of the Puget Sound, and is the site of a Washington State Ferries terminal linking it to Clinton, on Whidbey Island.Mukilteo is...
(SR 525) - Edmonds-KingstonEdmonds-Kingston FerryThe Edmonds-Kingston ferry is a ferry route across Puget Sound between Edmonds and Kingston, Washington. Since 1951 the only ferries employed on the route have belonged to the Washington state ferry system, currently the largest ferry system in the United States...
(SR 104) - KeystoneKeystone, Island County, WashingtonKeystone is a small unincorporated community on Whidbey Island in Island County, Washington, in the northwestern United States. It is near the Keystone Ferry Landing, a dock for the Washington State Ferries route to Port Townsend that provides a maritime link for State Route 20 across Admiralty Inlet...
to Port TownsendPort Townsend, WashingtonPort Townsend is a city in Jefferson County, Washington, United States, approximately north-northwest of Seattle . The population was 9,113 at the 2010 census an increase of 9.3% over the 2000 census. It is the county seat and only incorporated city of Jefferson County...
(State Route 20) - AnacortesAnacortes, WashingtonAnacortes is a city in Skagit County, Washington, United States. The name "Anacortes" is a consolidation of the name Anna Curtis, who was the wife of early Fidalgo Island settler Amos Bowman. Anacortes' population was 15,778 at the time of the 2010 census...
to (any or all of the following [in most common route order]) (SR 20 Spur)- Lopez IslandLopez IslandLopez Island is the third largest of the U.S. San Juan Islands. Lopez Island is in land area. The 2000 census population was 2,177.-History:...
- Shaw IslandShaw IslandShaw Island is the smallest of the four San Juan Islands served by the Washington State Ferries. The island has a land area of 19.952 km² and a small year-round population of 240 , with only a slight increase during tourist season. The Wilkes Expedition, in 1841, named the island after John Shaw,...
- Orcas IslandOrcas IslandOrcas Island is the largest of the San Juan Islands, which are located in the northwestern corner of Washington state in San Juan County, Washington.-History:...
- Friday HarborFriday Harbor, WashingtonFriday Harbor is a town in San Juan County, Washington, United States. The population was 2,162 at 2010 Census. Located on San Juan Island, Friday Harbor is the major commercial center of the San Juan Islands archipelago and is the county seat of San Juan County.-History:In 1845 the Hudson's Bay...
(on San Juan IslandSan Juan IslandSan Juan Island is the second-largest and most populous of the San Juan Islands in northwestern Washington, United States. It has a land area of 142.59 km² and a population of 6,822 as of the 2000 census....
) - Sidney, British ColumbiaSidney, British ColumbiaSidney is a town located at the northern end of the Saanich Peninsula, on Vancouver Island in the Canadian province of British Columbia. It is one of the 13 Greater Victoria municipalities. It has a population of approximately 11,300. Sidney is located just east of Victoria International Airport,...
(The service's only CanadianCanadaCanada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
port-of-call) (Seasonal, operates April through December)
- Lopez Island
From October 1986 to September 9, 1989 and from April 23, 1990 to Sept. 21, 2003 a passenger-only service ran on the Seattle-Bremerton route
Seattle-Bremerton Ferry
The Seattle-Bremerton ferry is a ferry route across Puget Sound between Seattle and Bremerton, Washington. Since 1951 the only ferries employed on the route have belonged to the Washington state ferry system, currently the largest ferry system in the United States.-History:The Seattle-Bremerton...
. It was shut down because of limited profitability and because of continued lawsuits of residents living on the waterway used by the ferry to prevent the high-speed ferries built for the run from running at their full speed. The slower speed made the crossing time similar or equal to the auto ferry operating on the same route, making the passenger-only service redundant.
The current passenger-only ferry route between Seattle and Vashon Island is designated State Route 339
Washington State Route 339
State Route 339 is a ferry route designated as a state highway in the U.S. state of Washington. It connects Vashon Island's Vashon Heights ferry terminal to downtown Seattle's Pier 50, via a passenger-only ferry, the MV Skagit. The ferry is financed by the King County Ferry District and tolls...
, with no road portion at either end. This route is no longer operated by Washington State Ferries, as responsibility was passed to the King County Marine Division in fall of 2009.
Other ferries
There are several other publicly operated, private, and passenger-only ferries in Washington state.See also
- Alaska Marine HighwayAlaska Marine HighwayThe Alaska Marine Highway or the Alaska Marine Highway System is a ferry service operated by the government of the U.S. state of Alaska. It has its headquarters in Ketchikan, Alaska....
- Ferries in Washington StateFerries in Washington StateWashington is home to a number of public and private ferry systems, most notably the state-run Washington State Ferries.-History:Due to Washington's unique topography, featuring large, deep bodies of water with many peninsulas and islands, ferries are a natural means of connecting communities in...
- Inter-Island Ferry AuthorityInter-Island Ferry AuthorityThe Inter-Island Ferry Authority is a ferry service in the U.S. state of Alaska with its headquarters based in Craig on Prince of Wales Island.-History:...
- BC FerriesBC FerriesBritish Columbia Ferry Services Inc. or BC Ferries is a de facto Crown Corporation that provides all major passenger and vehicle ferry services for coastal and island communities in the Canadian province of British Columbia...
- Keller Ferry
- King County Ferry DistrictKing County Ferry DistrictThe King County Ferry District is a special-purpose district in King County, Washington that owns and operates passenger ferry services. Its governing board of directors is composed of all nine members of the Metropolitan King County Council...
- Black Ball LinePuget Sound Navigation CompanyThe Puget Sound Navigation Company was founded by Joshua Green in 1913. It operated a fleet of steamboats and ferries on Puget Sound in Washington and the Georgia Strait in British Columbia...