Washington Ferry Systems Receive Nearly $30 Million in Federal Grants, Murray Announces
U.S. Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), Vice Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, has announced the securing of nearly $30 million in federal funding for Washington state's ferry systems. This allocation includes $22.1 million for King County Metro Transit and $7.2 million for Washington State Ferries. The funding, sourced from the Federal Transit Administration’s (FTA) Passenger Ferry and Rural Ferry Grant Programs, is designated to support the expansion of a passenger-only ferry facility in Seattle. Additionally, it will aid in the operations of crucial rural ferry routes, specifically those connecting Anacortes to the San Juan Islands and Port Townsend to Coupeville. Senator Murray emphasized the daily importance of ferries for Washington residents, not just for tourism, and highlighted her role in amending federal law to allow Washington routes to compete for rural ferry funding for the first time. 
