Description
Making ferry travel cleaner and more efficient requires not only vessel electrification, but also strategies to reduce single-occupancy vehicle trips and incentivize low-emission travel. More than 40% of Washington State Ferries (WSF) vehicle traffic is carried on King County routes.
King County will work with WSF, the Washington State Transportation Commission, and the Ferry Advisory Committee on Tariffs to align pricing and operations with climate and equity goals, reducing per-person emissions and congestion on cross-Sound routes. Potential areas of advocacy include:
- Advocating for WSF to adopt per-foot pricing for vehicles, ensuring that larger, higher-emission vehicles pay proportionally more while smaller, more efficient vehicles pay less.
- Advocating for WSF loading/unloading policies that prioritize carpools, transit connections, and low-emission vehicles, making sustainable choices faster and more convenient.
- Exploring ways to incentivize personal electric vehicle usage in partnership with regional transportation providers;
- Partnering with Kitsap Transit and other local and regional agencies to make it easier for commuters to leave cars behind when travelling by WSF vessels.