Bill aims to revive historic Mosquito Fleet as state ferries struggle

With the Washington State Ferry system continuing to struggle to stay at full capacity and no new boats expected until 2030, at the earliest, is it time to bring back the Mosquito Fleet?

One lawmaker is pushing the idea, and it’s getting some traction in Olympia.

The towns and communities around Puget Sound and Lake Washington can thank the thousands of boats that made up the original Mosquito Fleet between the 1850s and 1930s. Any place that had a dock became a hub of activity, and towns grew around it.

Washington State Representative Greg Nance wants that back.

“We think passenger only ferries can benefit neighbors in Grays Harbor, connecting Ocean Shores and Westport, or neighbors along Lake Washington, connecting Bellevue and the University of Washington, or along the Columbia River, helping to connect folks from Vancouver and then tourists in Portland to some of the attractions, wineries and otherwise along the Columbia River,” he testified last year when his bill was introduced.

Can you imagine dozens or even hundreds of small passenger-only ferries criss-crossing Puget Sound or even Lake Washington, creating an almost unlimited list of destinations?

Under current law, most local governments, ports, tribes, or even private companies cannot start their own passenger ferry service.

Nance’s bill would change that.

“How investing in passenger-only ferries can put boats back on the water faster and cheaper, taking lessons from our maritime history and heritage to build a more connected, healthier and prosperous future for all of us,” he said in 2025.

Why is this coming up now?

Rep. Nance has seen, firsthand, how the state ferry disruptions have impacted his community in Kitsap.

“This has been six really, really difficult years for those of us that count on ferries,” he said in the 2026 legislative session. “We count on boats to get to work, to school, to the doctor, to the airport, basic things in life, and for six years we’ve had a lot of delays, cancellations, and disruptions for all of that.”

Bainbridge Island School Board Chair Evan Saint Clair testified in favor of the bill last session. He said the state ferries have become unreliable.

“Every single time they’re late, I lose time,” he said. “I lose my ability to be productive with my family, be productive with my business, and be productive with my life.”

Nance said this is about local communities stepping up to serve their own needs.

“This is all about getting folks back to work, back to school, back to the doctor, by empowering local ports, counties, and public transit benefit districts to provide passenger ferry service to better connect folks around the sound.”

So how would this work?

The bill would allow a group looking to create a passenger-only ferry district to create a 3-percent sales and use tax.

Counties could implement a parking tax if they have fewer than one million people. They could implement tolls and charge for advertising.

The bill passed the House 84-to-11 this session. It awaits a hearing in the Senate Transportation Committee. The bill died in the Senate Rules Committee last session.

Chris Sullivan is a traffic reporter for KIRO Newsradio. Read more of his stories here. Follow KIRO Newsradio traffic on X.

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