New vehicle restrictions at the Orcas Island ferry terminal due to bridge structural concerns

Heads up to drivers who use the Orcas Island ferry terminal.

During a recent inspection, engineers found cracks in the steel under the transfer span, which is the part of the slip that raises and lowers to meet up with the ferry to allow vehicles to drive on and off.

Because there are concerns for the structural integrity of the bridges, Washington State Ferries (WSF) has announced the following vehicle restrictions:

• Only vehicles under 22 feet in length can load and unload at the Orcas terminal.
• Vehicle speed is limited to 5 miles per hour while loading and unloading.
• Vehicles must stay on the east side of the terminal bridge (left during loading and right during unloading)

Any vehicles over 22 feet in length that are heading to Orcas Island will not be loaded at Anacortes, Shaw, Lopez, or Friday Harbor, WSF said.

According to WSF, customers with reservations for vehicles 22 feet in length or longer will not be charged no-show fees.

“These restrictions are needed to maintain safe terminal operations. We will send an update as soon as we have a repair timeline and options for larger vehicles that are currently on Orcas Island,” WSF said.