Ballooning costs and workforce shortages could mean Washington does something it hasn’t done in more than 50 years: build ferries outside the state.
The ferry Walla Walla has run aground in Rich Passage near Bainbridge Island west of Seattle on Saturday, April 15, 2023. There were no immediate reports of injuries or contamination, authorities said. on Saturday night, the lights aboard the 50-year-old Jumbo class ship grew sharp against the darkening skies.
Lawmakers in Olympia have begun to act, budgeting $1.5 billion over 16 years to build new vessels and convert existing ones to be electric. A bill in Olympia, House Bill 1846, could change all that, opening bidding nationally from the start, allowing yards as far away as Louisiana or Florida to have a chance at constructing the ferries. Under the proposal, local builders would receive a credit on the bid price to give them a slight advantage. It passed both the House and Senate with bipartisan support and now needs to be reconciled before heading to Inslee’s desk.
“We’d like to do it sooner rather than later,” he said of obtaining a contract. “If you do things that can create controversy, it can slow down procurement.” Three boats are due for retirement before 2027; the Tillikum was scheduled to be brought out of service this year. But with contracting moving at the current speed, the earliest new ships would arrive is 2027. As a result, the Legislature is likely to budget nearly $20 million this year just to keep the Tillikum running longer.
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