Ferry ridership drop expected to end

EVERETT – State officials say they expect a decade-long downward trend in ferry ridership in Western Washington to level off.

The Herald of Everett reports that between 1999 and 2009, ferry ridership dropped by about 3.6 million people – a decline of more than 15 percent.

Officials say that fare hikes, gasoline prices, service reductions and the recession have played a part in the drop in ridership.

Ray Deardorf, planning director for the ferry system, says the state expects ridership to grow to 28.3 million in 2026, a forecast based on economic and population projections.

The ferry system has raised fares by 70 to 80 percent in the last 10 years, Deardorf said, because a large chunk of the ferry system’s budget was cut by the passage of the $30 car tab law. More than 20 percent of the ferry’s budget came from that tax. Fare increases were necessary to offset the cuts.

Additional costs have come from replacing four ferries that were more than 80 years old. Along with higher gas prices and the recession, many factors contributed to the decline.

“We had sort of a triple whammy” in 2008, Deardorf said.