The San Juan County Council sent a letter to Governor Jay Inslee and a group of state senators and representatives sent a letter to Secretary of Transportation Lynn Peterson in response to proposed cuts to the Washington State Department of Transportation. The recommended ferry service reductions are proposed to save an estimated $3.2 million, offset by associated revenue reductions of $1.1 million, for a net savings of $2.1 million from 2015-17.

For the San Juans, the proposed service reduction includes: extending the winter service from 12 weeks to 20 weeks: no service to Sidney, BC; and reducing service on San Juan Island inter-island routes.

WSDOT’s budget request recommends “some ferry service reductions on least profitable runs and WSF will continue to explore other options to free up additional funds to improve the reliability of staff and equipment.”

Other alternatives that were explored included increasing ferry fares significantly or cutting other department activities.

To read the full budget proposal, go here.

The letters to Secretary Peterson and Governor Inslee are below.

Dear Secretary Peterson,

As members of the State Senate and House of Representatives representing many of Washington’s ferry district communities, we are writing to express our concern with the budget proposal recently submitted by the Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT).

The proposed reductions to ferry service levels and delays in capital investments risk eroding much of the progress made over the past several years and exacerbating the more recent troubles which have shaken consumer confidence in the ferry system. Having witnessed the diminished value of current funding levels and having fought for new transportation revenues over the past several years, we are fully aware of the challenges WSDOT faces with having to do more with less. We understand that with only difficult choices available, difficult decisions must be made. With this in mind, however, we strongly believe that the proposed reductions to WSF service levels are misguided and should be reconsidered.

The future of Washington’s transportation system will see a dramatic rise in ridership and reliance on the ferry system as the population of the Puget Sound area continues to grow at a rapid pace. The Puget Sound Regional Council’s Transportation 2040 plan cites $1.5 billion in state-owned ferry investments that will be needed from 2010 to 2040 to accommodate this growth. Just to maintain current service levels, WSF must replace 16 of its 22 aging vessels by 2040 as well as replace and upgrade a number of terminals. Now is not the time to defer much needed capital investment in these critical projects.

The importance of the ferry system to the overall economic vitality of the state and to those whose livelihoods depend on it, cannot be understated. As such, we implore you to revisit WSDOT’s proposed budget and consider making adjustments to more accurately reflect the current and future needs of the Washington State Ferry system.

Sincerely,

Senator Kevin Ranker

Senator Christine Rolfes

Senator Sharon Nelson

Representative Kristine Lytton

Representative Joe Fitzgibbon

Representative Sherry Appleton

Representative Drew Hansen

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Dear Governor Inslee,

On behalf of the elected officials below, representing Clallam, Lincoln, Snohomish and San Juan Counties, and cities therein, the City of Anacortes, Town of Sidney, BC and Town of Friday Harbor, I am writing to express our collective concern with the Washington State Department of Transportation’s (WSDOT) budget submitted to the State Office of Financial Management. Please also find the letters enclosed from Island, Jefferson and Kitsap Counties. It is our belief that the budget, and the reductions proposed therein, unfairly and disproportionately target the state ferry system and, in turn, ferry dependent communities. All of us are familiar with, and many of us participated directly in, the many conversations regarding the future of the state’s transportation budget last legislative session. We understand the need to make difficult decisions. However, we believe it is important to, at a minimum, retain current levels of service on all ferry routes – to support the increased traffic that has been reflected.

The future of the ferry system is now. Investments, not reductions, need to be made respecting new boats and upgrades to outdated and undersized terminal facilities. Planning to accommodate increased growth must also continue. We don’t want to backtrack on the progress made over the past several years to improve service. Ferries transport people (commuters and tourists alike), goods and services every day of the year just like state highways do. They knit together cross-sound communities, provide the pathway to market and are an essential economic catalyst.

The state ferry system is not a transportation curiosity and thus should not be treated in the budget as such. It should instead be treated for what it is – a vital link in the state’s transportation system.

We urge you to revisit and re-evaluate WSDOT’s budget submittal.

Sincerely,

San Juan County Council

Rick Hughes, Chair

Bob Jarman, Vice Chair

Jamie Stephens, Member