Whatcom County receives $25 million grant to replace Lummi Island Ferry

The Lummi Island ferry is next in line for a major upgrade!

Whatcom County Public Works just got a $25 million grant to replace its decades-old ferry and fix up the dock.

The Lummi Island Ferry is loved by many: it’s been hauling people along the half-mile route for 64 years.

Soon that run will come to an end. It’s being replaced with a newer and larger vessel around March of 2029.

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Lummi Island resident Laurie Jones tells us the boat has been their connection to the mainland for as long as she can remember.

“I hope it’s going to be a great new ferry, but I’ll miss our old ferry,” Jones said. “It’s like Tommy the Tug or something; it’s a great ferry.”

James Lee with Public Works says the $25 million federal grant from the Maritime Administration will be used in two ways.

“One is going to be construction of the new ferry vessel, and then the other is going to be doing ferry terminal improvements to get the terminals ready to accept the new ferry vessel,” Lee said.

He said the boat’s car capacity will go from 16 to 20 vehicles per trip, the dock will be retrofitted for the larger boat and updated, and the boat will have fewer mechanical issues because it’s brand new.

All of that is a big improvement for the boat’s 176,000 annual passengers.

Jette Baker, a Lummi Island resident, said this will be a nice change of pace.

“Our ferry has a lot of mechanical issues and weekend breakdowns. It’s really a hindrance not knowing if you can count on it; a new ferry will be everything,” Baker said.

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Even though the new ferry won’t be in the water until 2029, Baker said this is something everyone is looking forward to.

“It’s time for something new,” Baker said. “More modern, more efficient; it will be sad when it goes since it has memories for all of us; it’s been a while,” Baker said.

Lee said Washington Senator Maria Cantwell helped pioneer the mission to get the federal grant.

She said in a statement, “This federal investment will allow construction to begin to replace a 64-year-old ferry used by over 175,000 passengers each year as the only link between Lummi Island and mainland Whatcom County.” Now and for decades to come, residents will have a reliable way to get to the mainland for vital services like jobs, groceries, education, and health care.”