San Juan County declares emergency over Orcas Island ferry terminal damage

San Juan County has issued a declaration of a state of emergency due to damage at the Orcas Island ferry terminal.

The San Juan County Council issued the declaration during a meeting on Tuesday.

“The threat of imminent marine transportation service disruption to and from Orcas Island demands immediate action to preserve public health and protect life on Orcas Island by ensuring that essential services are available,” the declaration stated.

The county is requesting assistance from Washington Governor Bob Ferguson and the State of Washington. It is seeking coordination, technical and logistical support from Washington State Ferries and other state agencies to speed repairs. It also asked the state to consider financial assistance for businesses facing costly alternative transportation arrangements and to grant additional requests for resources as needs arise.

The county noted essential service providers are arranging alternative transportation, including contracted barges, but those options face cost and capacity limits.

Orcas Island ferry terminal repairs could take up to 2 weeks

In an update Tuesday, the Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) said repairs to the Orcas Island ferry terminal’s transfer span could take up to two weeks after engineers found cracks in two supporting steel beams.

Vehicle restrictions began Monday. Only standard vehicles measuring 22 feet or less can load and unload at the terminal while the restrictions remain in place.

WSDOT said design work is complete, and crews will use bolted connections and steel plates instead of welding to speed up repairs. A contractor was scheduled to begin installing scaffolding Tuesday.

Officials are exploring ways to shorten the repair timeline and allow larger vehicles to cross before the work is finished.

The county said it will continue to monitor the situation and advocate for island communities with state and federal representatives.

It also linked the official Washington State Ferries update page for the Orcas Island ferry terminal, found here.

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