Ferry Weekend Update 9/18
Public Hearing – Tuesday, September 22, at 8:30 a.m.
As a reminder, the County Commissioners will host a public hearing on the proposed 2027 ferry fare schedule from 8:30 a.m. – 10:00 a.m. on Tuesday, September 22, in the Commissioners’ Hearing Room. You may join the hearing and provide comments in-person or via Zoom. The hearing will also be televised on TV21, but if you choose to watch it on TV, you will not be able to provide public comments.
More information is available on our 2027 Ferry Budget & Fare Schedule Proposal Website. Please note, new items have been posted, including the updated 2026 Ferry Fare Revenue Target Report and the 2027 fare setting tool.
A public comment period opened September 3 and will be open through the end of the public hearing. To submit comments, email ferrycomments@skagitcountywa.gov or mail 1800 Continental Place, Mount Vernon, WA 98273.
Non-Peak Season Fares & Sailing Schedule Resume October 1, 2026
The last day of the peak season is Wednesday, September 30. Beginning October 1, the ferry will operate on the nonpeak sailing and fares schedules.
Non-peak tickets are now available for pre-purchase on the app, online, and in-person at the ticket office. Non-peak tickets cannot be used prior to October 1. The kiosk in the lobby will begin selling non-peak tickets on October 1. For a smooth travel experience, riders are encouraged to purchase tickets in advance.
Important Reminders:
- All tickets, including peak tickets/convenience passes are valid through December 31, 2026.
- All tickets are fully transferrable.
For full schedules, fare details, and service alerts, visit: www.skagitcounty.net/ferry.
Service Alert – Wednesday, September 23
On Wednesday, September 23, a contractor will be on board performing ultrasonic testing on the vessel’s superstructure. This is a non-destructive method used to check the thickness of metal on the vessel so we can plan maintenance for the 2027 shipyard period.
To allow this work to happen safely, the inside lane of the car deck will be closed all day. In addition, there will be no 2nd 11:15 a.m. sailing that day. All other loading and unloading operations will continue as normal. Thank you for your patience. This important work is necessary to continue preserving our 47-year-old ferry.
Apron Flaps Project Construction Expected Late October
The Ferry Division will be replacing the flaps on the Anacortes and Guemes Island bridge aprons. These are the parts of the bridge at the very end that raise up and down to meet the ferry and help load and unload cars and passengers.
Skagit County is working with the contractor to figure out the best way to execute the construction. Potential dates are somewhere between October 19 and 30, and we expect this project to take five working days to complete.
We are planning for the flap replacement work to possibly occur overnight so we can continue offering passenger-only service during the days. Overnight work requires noise variances we are working to get approved. We will confirm passenger-only ferry service later this month.
This is a maintenance project to replace the flaps due to age, corrosion, and wear. The aprons still need to be replaced, as they were constructed in 1979-1980. A capital project for the full replacement of the aprons will also include recoating the bridges and updating the hydraulic and electrical systems at both terminals. The county has received a federal grant for $5.79M. This year, the county will contract a design and environmental consultant, with construction possibly by 2028.
