Sen. Murray Announces $10 Million TIGER Grant for New Mukilteo Ferry Terminal

Investment will help replace 60-year-old structure that is seismically vulnerable and strained by traffic congestion

Murray: “It’s critical that our well-used ferry system keeps pace”

(Washington, D.C.) – Today, Sen. Patty Murray (D-WA) announced the U.S. Department of Transportation has awarded the Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) $10 million to build a new ferry terminal in Mukilteo through the TIGER (Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery) grant program Sen. Murray created in 2009. The current structure, built in 1952, is seismically vulnerable, plagued by traffic congestion and safety concerns, and has not been significantly repaired since the early 1980s. The Mukilteo-Clinton ferry route is the busiest route for vehicle traffic, and has the second highest annual ridership in Washington state’s ferry system.

“With dramatic expansion happening all around the Puget Sound, it’s critical that our well-used ferry system keeps pace so it can continue to create jobs and serve families, workers, business owners, and freight customers,” Sen. Murray said. “I applaud Secretary Foxx for recognizing how important the ferry system is to our state’s economy, and I will continue to fight for federal transportation investments like TIGER that support families and a growing Washington state economy.”

Earlier this year, Sen. Murray wrote an official letter of support, urging Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx to consider funding the ferry project, citing the project’s importance to the regional economy and increasing ferry reliability and safety. In addition to the Mukilteo Multimodal Ferry Terminal Relocation grant, Sen. Murray also announced today that the City of Tacoma has been awarded $15 million to expand the Tacoma LINK streetcar line.

Since Sen. Murray created the TIGER program, it has awarded $4.1 billion to 342 innovative, multimodal projects around the country, including $204 million going to 13 projects in Washington state. Past projects include the North Spokane Corridor, the Mercer Corridor Redevelopment, the South Park Bridge Replacement in King County, the West Vancouver Freight Access project at the Port of Vancouver, improvements to I-5 to relieve congestion around JBLM, and moderation of Terminal 46 at the Port of Seattle. The Mukilteo Multimodal Ferry Terminal Relocation grant is the first TIGER project awarded in Snohomish County.

Background on Mukilteo Multimodal Ferry Terminal Relocation Project:

• The new terminal will include four vehicle toll booths, dedicated lanes and priority loading for bicycles and carpools, and a new passenger terminal with an elevated pedestrian loading bridge connecting to the upper passenger deck of ferries

• Separates the ferry terminal from public streets to ease congestion and restore public access to the waterfront

• Includes a new transit center and improved connections to an adjacent commuter rail station

• The existing ferry terminal and tank farm pier will be removed, eliminating thousands of tons of toxic debris from Puget Sound

• WSDOT completed all environmental reviews in August 2014 and the first phase of construction began this summer

• According to WSDOT, the new ferry terminal is estimated to open in 2019