Summary

Proposed federal legislation could aid King County Ferry District

Story

King County Council Chair Dow Constantine today praised U.S. Sen. Patty Murray and U.S. Rep. Rick Larsen for their proposal to invest $1.2 billion over six years into public ferry systems across the country.

“As state ferry funding struggles to compete with other programs, it is imperative that the federal government step up to help our ferry systems replace aging boats and terminals, while responding to the demand for new and expanded service,” said Constantine, whose Council district includes the communities of Vashon and Maury Islands and who also chairs the King County Ferry District. “With more than 23 million riders annually, our Washington ferries are a critical transportation link for communities across the state. The federal government already invests in roads, bridges, and rail lines—I applaud this effort by Senator Murray and Representative Larsen to give equal treatment to our marine highways.”

The proposed U.S. Ferry Systems Investment Act of 2009 would commit $200 million per year from fiscal year 2010 through fiscal year 2015 to aid local ferry systems. It would distribute half of these funds using a weighted formula based on total passenger boardings, vehicle boardings, and route miles that would favor large systems such as Washington State Ferries. The remaining funds would be awarded by the U.S. Secretary of Transportation through a competitive process.

The bill could potentially provide funding to local systems that operate passenger ferries, such as the King County Ferry District and Kitsap Transit.