WA governor’s $1B borrowing plan to buy new ferries sinks in Legislature

OLYMPIA [Tom Banse]—Budget writers in the Washington Legislature on Monday declared their intent to eventually buy more hybrid electric ferries to modernize the state ferry fleet.  But newly unveiled House and Senate transportation spending proposals left at the dock a $1 billion borrowing request from the governor to pay the tab, raising doubts about when and how […]

Florida company selected to build hybrid-electric ferries for WSF, sparking local job concerns

Washington State has selected Florida-based Eastern Shipbuilding Group to build three new 160-vehicle hybrid-electric ferries for Washington State Ferries (WSF) at a cost of $714.5 million, a decision that prioritizes cost savings but has raised concerns about bypassing local shipbuilders and its impact on Washington’s economy. “After careful consideration and conversations with legislative leaders, I […]

Gov Ferguson announces ferry service expansions, including a new hybrid-electric boat

SEATTLE—Governor Bob Ferguson, joined by Chair of Senate Transportation Committee, Senator Marko Liias (D-Edmonds), Representative Greg Nance (D-Kitsap), and Bremerton Mayor Greg Wheeler, announced new service expansions to the Washington State Ferry system Thursday, June 13, including a second boat to the Seattle-Bremerton route beginning this weekend. “We are a ferry dependent community. And for […]