TRANSPORTATION: Senators Murray, Cantwell Announce Critical Ferry Investments in Washington State

Federal grants will support key statewide infrastructure modernization, ferry terminal projects in King & Kitsap counties 

Both senators championed 2015 legislation authorizing competitive ferry grant program

(Washington, D.C.)  – Today, U.S. Senators Patty Murray (D-WA) and Maria Cantwell (D-WA) announced new federal grants to support Washington state’s ferry infrastructure and make improvements to several ferry terminals in the Puget Sound region. The grants, awarded through the Federal Transit Administration’s (FTA) Passenger Ferry Grant Program, will support multiple ferry terminal projects in King and Kitsap counties to better accommodate ferry service, as well as efforts to modernize Washington State Department of Transportation’s (WSDOT) terminal and ferry communications system.

“Our ferry system is an indispensable part of our state’s infrastructure, helping tens of thousands of Washingtonians commute daily to work and school, facilitating critical commerce across our state, and connecting communities to vital services. Maintaining and improving our ferry systems is critical to our local economy and culture, and I’m proud to see these investments we fought for in Congress flow to Washington state,” said Senator Murray.

“As ferry traffic continues to grow throughout Puget Sound, it’s critical we invest in our aging ferry system to more efficiently move people and products. These grants will not only update widely used ferry terminals, but it will also modernize communications infrastructure at terminals and aboard ferries, and maintain the safety and security of passengers,” said Senator Cantwell.

FTA’s Passenger Ferry Grant Program provides competitive funding for projects that support passenger ferry systems in urbanized areas. Both senators fought to secure funding for the program in the 2015 FAST Act. Additionally, Senators Murray and Cantwell have successfully championed proposals from Washington state in the competitive grant program, including supporting WSDOT efforts to improve its communications infrastructure and ferry accommodations for bicycle passengers in Seattle, and plans from Kitsap Transit to make modifications to the Bremerton and Kingston terminals to support their new fast ferry service.

“These investments will provide critical infrastructure for the largest ferry system in North America,” said Amy Scarton, assistant secretary of the ferries division for the Washington State Department of Transportation.

More information on FTA’s Passenger Ferry Grant Program available here. More details on Washington state’s awards available below: