Passenger-only ferry service — Authorized — Investment plan.
RCW 36.57A.200
in effectA public transportation benefit area having a boundary located on Puget Sound may provide passenger-only ferry service. For the purposes of this chapter and RCW 82.14.440 and 82.80.130 , Puget Sound is considered as extending north as far as the Canadian border and west as far as Port Angeles. Before a benefit area may provide passenger-only ferry service, it must develop a passenger-only ferry investment plan including elements to operate or contract for the operation of passenger-only ferry services, purchase, lease, or rental of ferry vessels and dock facilities for the provision of transit service, and identify other activities necessary to implement the plan. The plan must set forth terminal locations to be served, projected costs of providing services, and revenues to be generated from tolls, locally collected tax revenues, and other revenue sources. The plan must ensure that services provided under the plan are for the benefit of the residents of the benefit area. The benefit area may use any of its powers to carry out this purpose, unless otherwise prohibited by law. In addition, the public transportation benefit area may enter into contracts and agreements to operate passenger-only ferry service and public-private partnerships and design-build, general contractor/construction management, or other alternative procurement process substantially consistent with chapter 39.10 RCW.
A public transportation benefit area having a boundary located on Puget Sound may provide passenger-only ferry service. For the purposes of this chapter and RCW 82.14.440 and 82.80.130 , Puget Sound is considered as extending north as far as the Canadian border and west as far as Port Angeles. Before a benefit area may provide passenger-only ferry service, it must develop a passenger-only ferry investment plan including elements to operate or contract for the operation of passenger-only ferry services, purchase, lease, or rental of ferry vessels and dock facilities for the provision of transit service, and identify other activities necessary to implement the plan. The plan must set forth terminal locations to be served, projected costs of providing services, and revenues to be generated from tolls, locally collected tax revenues, and other revenue sources. The plan must ensure that services provided under the plan are for the benefit of the residents of the benefit area. The benefit area may use any of its powers to carry out this purpose, unless otherwise prohibited by law. In addition, the public transportation benefit area may enter into contracts and agreements to operate passenger-only ferry service and public-private partnerships and design-build, general contractor/construction management, or other alternative procurement process substantially consistent with chapter 39.10 RCW.
Source: WA Statutes (Official Site)URL: https://app.leg.wa.gov/RCW/default.aspx?cite=36.57A&full=trueFetched: 6/29/2026