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Essential trips only on Washington State Ferries this holiday season, WSDOT asks

By Michelle Baruchman, The Seattle Times
Published: December 21, 2020, 7:56am

Travelers should limit their trips aboard state ferries this holiday season to only those that essential to avoid spreading COVID-19, the Washington State Department of Transportation has advised.

Those who must travel should plan for delays and review sailing schedules that have been adjusted due to ridership and crew availability during the coronavirus pandemic.

The Seattle-Bainbridge Island route will run on a Saturday schedule on Dec. 25 and Jan. 1. The last trip from Bainbridge Island on Saturdays, Sundays and holidays is at midnight; the final trip from Seattle on the weekends and holidays leaves at 12:45 a.m.

On the Seattle-Bremerton route, the last sailing leaves Bremerton at 9 p.m. and the final sailing from Seattle departs at 10:30 p.m.

For the Mukilteo-Clinton route, the last trip from Clinton is at 9 p.m., and the last trip from Mukilteo is at 9:30 p.m. on Saturdays, Sundays and holidays.

The usual final trips on all three routes have been suspended.

In addition, service on the Mukilteo-Clinton route will be suspended for 18 hours, between 11:45 p.m. Dec. 28 and 5:35 p.m. Dec. 29, as crews prepare for the opening of the new Mukilteo multimodal terminal about 5:50 p.m. Dec. 29.

Two ferries, instead of the usual three, have been operating between Fauntleroy, Vashon Island and Southworth. The late-night sailings have been suspended.

The final round trips on the Edmonds-Kingston route have been suspended on Fridays and Saturdays, and the route between Anacortes and the San Juan Islands has been operating on a winter schedule. Service to Sidney, B.C., was suspended in March due to the closure of the Canadian border.

Overall ferry ridership between July and September was down 44 percent compared with the same period a year ago.

Passengers who board a state ferry in a vehicle have been advised to remain in their car or truck throughout the sailing due to the pandemic. All riders must wear a face covering inside the ferry.

State ferries may limit the number of walk-on passengers on a sailing to allow for social distancing.

Travelers can sign up for ferry email alerts and check COVID-19 travel updates on state ferries at wsdot.wa.gov/ferries.

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