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Ferries

Midday Scan: Viaduct museum; see you in court over liquor jobs; Kalakala's 'significance'

Wed, Dec 7, 11 a.m.

By Pete Jackson

Maybe the money for a viaduct museum helps Pioneer Square. Costco's initiative faces a court challenge. McGinn talks police reform. And the owner of the one-time ferry Kalakala speaks of the "global" importance of the dilapidated ship.

Kingston-Seattle ferry bounces on iffy financial seas

Fri, Nov 4, 7:38 a.m.

By C.B. Hall

Passengers' ability to use the ORCA card could provide a boost. But one expert wonders if the service should be seasonal, as is common with passenger-only boats.

The fragile state of Washington's ferries

Wed, Oct 26, 2 a.m.

By C.B. Hall

A recent disruption in ferry service to the San Juan Islands illuminated just how close Washington's ferry system is to the edge. Can a new government task force resuscitate the struggling system?

Whale-watching for free, aboard the state ferries

Fri, Oct 21, 8:34 a.m.

By Sue Frause

The orcas are venturing south into the Sound this time of year, and the Ferry system has ways to spot them; plus on-shore viewing sites facilitated by The Whale Trail.

The Cascadia conundrum: Balkanized transportation

Tue, Oct 4, 2 a.m.

By Knute Berger

Puget Sound is a poster child for the problems of regional transportation planning. One big roadblock: long-standing distrust of Seattle.

Navigating Puget Sound's traffic can require shifty moves

Wed, Aug 3, 2 a.m.

By Sue Frause

People wondered why I was riding the shuttle from Mukilteo to Sea-Tac in order to get to a Sounders soccer game. But it worked out to be pretty reasonable.

Standoff resolved on Lummi Island ferry

Fri, Jul 8, 5:51 p.m.

By Bob Simmons

The peace treaty contains an unusual clause for dealing with the media, and appears to be a climb-down by the Lummi Nation.

Anacortes' ferry terminal: case study for how NOT to do a public-private partnership

Mon, Jun 27, 2 a.m.

By C.B. Hall

Such partnerships are all the rage in times of lean budgets, but they can run into roadblocks, as this project illustrates. For one thing, the state is a partner with no money.

Ferry 'reform' passes in Olympia, staving off big cuts (for now)

Thu, Jun 2, 2 a.m.

By C.B. Hall

Gov. Gregoire's sweeping reform proposal never went anywhere, but it did spur other bills. Efforts to fund the flagging system ran afoul of Republican opposition. A long-term solution proved impossible.

Ferry system to get fresh Band-Aids

Mon, Apr 18, 2 a.m.

By C.B. Hall

Gov. Gregoire appears to have given up on the comprehensive reforms she demanded in January. San Juan Islands legislators are talking about the best session in a long time.

Rough seas for Puget Sound's foot ferries

Wed, Feb 9, 2 a.m.

By C.B. Hall

Mechanical problems, low ridership, money woes, and scant coordination among water and land transit systems: What else can go wrong? And what's the best route to calmer waters?

The would-be county killers

Tue, Feb 1, 2 a.m.

By Knute Berger

A new proposal in Olympia targets counties that are obsolete and take more than they give back. It's an aggressive opening to an important debate.

Letter to Editor: Protect ferry workers

Sat, Jan 29, 2 a.m.

By Letters Editor

Why do politicians want to pick on hard-working staffers?

To fix the ferry system, sell those boats

Thu, Jan 20, 1:45 p.m.

By Scott St. Clair

The governor's proposal to shift some funding to a local district just moves the problem around. So how about privatizing the system?

Gregoire's encouraging push toward a new localism

Thu, Jan 13, 2 a.m.

By David Brewster

Disaggregating the mushy amalgam of federal, state, and local programs is the hot new idea in political reform, with appeals to the left and right. It's encouraging to see the governor promoting this kind of divestment.