The state ferry system today announced that the Friday Harbor ferry terminal will get a safety upgrade thanks to a $240,000 grant from the Federal Highway Administration.

The Washington State Department of Transportation Ferries Division will use the funding to build a barrier and gate to keep walk-on customers separated from vehicle traffic during ferry loading and off-loading. The project will also include signs to direct foot passengers to the terminal exit, town landmarks, and pick-up/drop-off areas.

“Safety is our top priority, and we welcome the chance to improve the service we provide to our customers at the Friday Harbor terminal,” David Moseley, assistant secretary for WSF, said in a prepared statement.

Nearly 200,000 walk-on passengers passed through the Friday Harbor terminal last year. Separating walk-on passengers and vehicle traffic will improve safety and traffic flow for both groups of ferry customers, and improved signage will help walk-on passengers more easily make their way from the ferry into town, according to WSF.

State Ferries applied for the grant funding from FHWA’s Ferry Boat Discretionary Funding Program. Project design will get under way as early as next month. Construction is scheduled to begin in late 2012, with completion expected by late 2013.

Detailed terminal information, including traffic cameras, is available on the Friday Harbor terminal page.

For more,visit, http://www.wsdot.wa.gov/ferries/vesselwatch/TerminalDetail.aspx?terminalid=10