Just two short years ago, it felt like we were a stranded island shouting into the wind.
Boats were constantly canceled without warning, leaving passengers helpless or stranded. Ferry crews were stretched beyond their limits. And the Triangle Route — the literal lifeline for our island — was unpredictable, unreliable and broken.
Today, while the crisis is far from over, we now have a collective voice, and real, tangible wins. And we have you, Vashon, to thank for that.
Because of the determination of this island and the coalition we’ve built together, Vashon will see the return of the 3-boat summer schedule by June 2025. True, there will be disruptions. But there will also be improved service. A revised, rider-informed 2-boat schedule will follow to fill those inevitable downtime gaps. Thanks to your voices, our midday water taxi has a path forward for continued funding. And thanks to your pressure, lawmakers passed legislation (HB 1264) to ensure WSF crew wages keep pace with labor markets — finally addressing a root cause of crew shortages.
We also saw the preservation of funding for the new Fauntleroy dock, along with selection of a mid-sized model to accommodate more cars. The legislature preserved investment to keep new hybrid vessel construction moving, with new boats hitting the water in 2029. Critically, our regional coalition stopped an effort to quietly disband Washington’s Ferry Advisory Committees — our community’s only formal seat at the table.
These wins didn’t happen because someone gave us permission. They happened because hundreds of you showed up. You filled out surveys, signed postcards, testified and told your stories. You showed up in Olympia, at our local meetings, and on the docks. You turned frustration into fuel.
Over the past 18 months, Vashon has become a regional leader in marine transportation advocacy. And we’ve extended that power beyond our shores: Through Fix Our Ferries, we are now connected with neighbors in the San Juans, Whidbey, Kitsap, Des Moines and beyond. Together, we’re building a future where ferry communities speak with one voice. Little by little, that voice is finally being heard.
We are grateful beyond words to our 34th District delegation — Senator Emily Alvarado for her persistence in securing water taxi funding, and Representatives Joe Fitzgibbon and Brianna Thomas for their leadership in the House and fighting on our behalf in Olympia. We are also grateful to Representative Greg Nance for his tireless work to innovate and to address our regional ferry crisis; we thank Councilmember Teresa Mosqueda for standing with us in King County. And we heartily thank the ferry workers on the boats and in the terminals who show up every day to keep us moving.
Most of all, we thank you, Vashon. Our community doesn’t wait for change to come from the outside. We build it ourselves. This campaign has shown what islanders can do when we are organized, focused, and united.
There’s still work ahead. New boats are still years away. Budget threats loom. And we must hold WSF and Governor Bob Ferguson accountable for promises made.
But today, we take a breath, we thank each other, and we keep going as volunteers united in power.
The IFA Steering Committee is comprised of Wendy Aman, Amy Drayer, Beth Lindsay, and Rick Wallace.
