Submitted by San Juan County

San Juan County is pleased to launch an informational page to help assist residents and visitors navigate the Washington State Ferry System by consolidating timely information, links to useful sites, answers to FAQs, and opportunities for feedback into a single, user-friendly location and all geared towards San Juan riders.

“This is a service the County has needed to provide for a long time,” said Council Chair Jane Fuller. When Governor Inslee and Assistant Secretary of the Washington State Ferries Division of Transportation Nevey visited Friday Harbor, Council member Fuller talked about the County’s ongoing work to launch this resource. “I’m glad that we now have a place to share our local efforts to improve ferry service in the islands as well as collect feedback from the community.” Fuller also sits on the County’s Ferry Advisory Committee (FAC).

FAC members contributed answers to FAQs such as ‘Why Do Some Routes/Terminals Have Reservations and Others Do Not?’ ‘Why Can’t Islanders Get Priority Access?’ ‘When Will Ferry Service Get More Reliable?’ and more.

The site also includes a place for users to provide feedback to the County’s FAC and WSF leadership. Local input is important in helping to identify trends and set priorities as all involved are committed to improving service wherever possible. Users must register on Engage to submit SJC FAC feedback.

“We hope the community will utilize this page as a resource,” said FAC member and former chair Ken Burtness. “Not only does it highlight basic information like the schedules, but also where to find specifics like medical priority access, how to view WSF on-time performance reports, and more.”

The County Council and the FAC look forward to using the feedback generated on this platform to continue its ongoing communications and engagement with WSF to identify local solutions to ongoing challenges experienced by WSF riders here in San Juan County. The data will be used by the FAC and County Council in its ongoing advocacy efforts with the State and Federal governments for continued improvements to and funding for our vital ferry service and marine highway.

The County is grateful for the efforts of the FAC, volunteer David Robison, and others who contributed to the breadth of information hosted on the page. You can visit the page on the County Engage platform here: https://engage.sanjuancountywa.gov/san-juan-county-ferry-information