OLYMPIA, WA (MyBellinghamNow.com) – Washington ferry travel may be expanding to Bellingham and Canadian waters.
HB 1923 would establish a so-called “mosquito ferry fleet” that provides passenger-only service to several locations.
Among other routes, the Mosquito Fleet Act would provide inter-San Juan Island travel to and from Bellingham.
Anacortes could also get another route that would transport people to and from Sidney, BC on the smaller, passenger ferries.
Before the COVID-19 pandemic, travelers were able to take ferries to Canada, but availability issues prevented its restoration. Washington State Ferries had estimated the route would be restored around 2030 several years ago as the system struggled to get back online following numerous woes.
My Bellingham Now previously reported on bill sponsor Rep. Greg Nance championing the success of mosquito fleets in his homebase of Kitsap County.
The bill passed out of the House last session but died upon third reading in the Senate. This session, the bill has reached its second hearing in the Senate as of Monday. The law would go into effect on July 1 if signed by the governor.
Though the bill would establish the ferries, it would be left up to the governing bodies along the Puget Sound and Grays Harbor to create the fleet and letting voters agree to the added costs.
