Transportation Commission Office – PO Box 47308 – Olympia, WA 98504-7308
Contact: Reema Griffith, WSTC Executive Director, 360-705-7070 (Olympia)
The public can offer testimony by attending in person or virtually
SEATTLE – The Washington State Transportation Commission will hold a public hearing on Thursday, Aug. 10, on its proposal to raise ferry fares for passengers and vehicles by 4.25 percent each year for the next two years. If approved, the new ferry fare rates will be applied each October in 2023 and 2024.
While the commission’s fare proposal raises fares for vehicles and passengers, it also gives a larger discount to those buying multi-ride passes by including an additional 1 percent discount added to the existing discount amounts (which vary by type of travel as well as route and season). Under the proposal, the additional discount on the multi-ride passes would expire on Sept. 30, 2025.
The final in-person public hearing is at 9 a.m. on Thursday, Aug. 10, at the Puget Sound Regional Council Board Room, 1011 Western Ave., Suite 500, in Seattle. The meeting will also be streamed on TVW. The commission is expected to vote on the proposal during the meeting; public testimony will be accepted at the hearing before the vote takes place. Those interested in attending virtually may register on the commission’s website. If virtual attendees would like to testify, they will need to indicate their interest during the meeting by placing their name in the Q&A box found on screen.
The commission’s proposal aims to meet revenue requirements set forth by the Legislature in the enacted 2023 state Transportation Budget, requiring $418.6 million in ferry fare revenue be generated between July 1, 2023, and June 30, 2025. The fare proposal is based upon recommendations from Washington State Ferries, which held a series of online community meetings throughout the ferry system this spring to gather public input.
For more information about the ferry fare proposal or to view the meeting agenda, visit the commission’s website at wstc.wa.gov
Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) Information: Individuals requiring reasonable accommodations may request written materials in alternate formats, sign language interpreters, physical accessibility accommodations, or other reasonable accommodations by the Commission Office at 360-705-7070 or Transc@wstc.wa.gov. Persons who are deaf or hard of hearing may contact the event sponsor through the Washington Relay Service at 7-1-1.
Title VI Notice to Public
It is the Washington State Transportation Commission’s (WSTC) policy to assure that no person shall, on the grounds of race, color, or national origin, as provided by Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be otherwise discriminated against under any of its programs and activities. Any person who believes his/her Title VI protection has been violated, may file a complaint with WSDOT’s Office of Equity and Civil Rights (OECR). For additional information regarding Title VI complaint procedures and/or information regarding our non-discrimination obligations, please contact OECR’s Title VI Coordinator 360-705-7090.