Last week, King County announced great news for Vashon: new Saturday service for the Vashon Water Taxi as well as an additional Friday evening sailing on the popular route.

Beginning on Oct. 11, the water taxi will operate eight additional round-trips between Pier 50 in downtown Seattle and the Vashon Ferry Terminal. View the new schedule at tinyurl.com/t8uddr79.

More than $1 million in funding for the expanded service comes from the state legislature as part of the state’s transportation budget adopted earlier this year — an effort led by Sen. Emily Alvarado, representing Vashon in the 34th legislative district, and supported by King County Councilmember Theresa Mosqueda, also representing Vashon, and King County Executive Shannon Braddock.

During the legislative season, The Beachcomber detailed Alvarado’s efforts to protect passenger ferry service in articles posted at tinyurl.com/mrkb3ta8 and tinyurl.com/432xsens.

Amy Drayer, a member of the steering committee of Islanders for Ferry Action, an advocacy group formed by the Vashon Chamber of Commerce in 2023 to address chronic ferry service disruptions, hailed the key players in the decision as well as many islanders who have advocated for improved marine transit.

“We wholeheartedly commend Representative Alavardo for her absolute tenacity in securing the funding, which she’s been working on even before the legislative session started early this year,” Drayer said. “At the same time, we are grateful for the stewardship from Councilmember Mosqueda’s office and appreciate how deeply she listened when the Vashon community spoke about our needs and preferences for expanded service.”

“This is a shining example of what’s possible when government and community collaborate,” Drayer said.

In a Sept. 17 press release from her office, Mosqueda called the expanded service “a major milestone in our continued efforts to enhance connectivity to the mainland — supporting Vashon’s community health, local economy and creating more opportunities for recreation and enjoyment for communities on and off the island.”

A frequent island visitor, Mosqueda added that she “couldn’t wait for a Saturday sail” to spend a day on Vashon.

Metro General Manager Michelle Allison also said that Saturday service, for islanders, would mean more opportunities for islanders to visit the brand-new Seattle waterfront and other places in the county. For mainlanders, Allison said, the enhanced service would mean “more connections with family, friends and local businesses on Vashon.”

“Over the last year, the expansion of the weekday service to Vashon has shown just how valuable providing greater transit options can be not only for Vashon, but for our region,” said Marine Division Director Terry Federer.

In the press release, Alverado described Vashon’s passenger-only ferry not as a niceity, but rather, a necessity.

“I’m pleased that the State Legislature was able to partner with King County to expand this essential, high-demand and reliable transit service,” she said.

On social media, islanders also celebrated the decision to expand service — but with some longtime residents pointing out the county’s decision had actually only partially restored what had once been seven-day-a-week foot-ferry service.

In an email to The Beachcomber, island historian Bruce Haulman confirmed that from 1990-2000, Washington State Ferries’ passenger-only ferry between Vashon and Seattle’s Pier 50 dock had provided Saturday and, in many years, even Sunday service as well as weekday service.

Weekend service ended when WSF cut the service to weekdays only, after the 1999 passage of Tim Eyman-backed Initiative 695 — a ballot measure leading to years of unstable funding for transportation services including highways, ferries and other local transit.

After the Washington State Legislature voted in 2006 to end state funding of WSF’s passenger-only service altogether, King County created its own ferry district in 2007 to pay the costs of the Vashon-Seattle route as well as the year-round operation of the West Seattle Water Taxi.

Since 2015, the Vashon route has been served by the Sally Fox, a new county-owned vessel named for the late island activist who had fought for the continuation of passenger ferry service to the island.

And on Oct. 11, for the first time in 25 years, Saturday service will be back — but for now, only as a pilot program that will allow the program to run for one year, ending in 2026.

Efforts by Islanders for Ferry Action to ensure sustained funding for the route will continue, said Drayer. And Erin House, spokesperson for Councilmember Mosqueda, also signaled Mosqueda’s long-term commitment to improving transit options for islanders.

“It’s never our intent to have pilots that are launched and don’t materialize as long-term policy change,” said House. “Just as riders showed with midday service, we’re hoping there will be strong ridership numbers for Saturday and additional Friday service to Vashon that show the importance of continuing this service. Councilmember Mosqueda will continue to look to state partnership and possibly explore tools we can tap into at the county level to shore up connectivity to the mainland for Vashon-Maury Island.”

Water taxi fares to Vashon are $7 for adults ($6 with an ORCA card). Passengers 18 and under ride free. Reduced fares are available for people with disabilities, people with lower incomes and seniors.