Bainbridge Island Ferry Advisory Committee -BI FAC

Our BIFAC Bi-Monthly meeting will be held tomorrow 3/12/2025 at 6:30PM via Zoom. Agenda below. FAC Meeting details in the link.

1) Discussion on proposed SR-305/High School Road Roundabout impacted by Ferry Traffic Lines, including Community Feedback Data and WSDOT responses [Richard]
2) Follow-up: improving communications and public awareness of BIFAC, including public meeting venue [Joe]
3) WSF 3% card fee discussion [Anthony]
4) Discussion of the 2026 Legislative Session in respect to its impacts on ferry service in general (i.e. include fast, passenger ferries aka Mosquito fleet) and WSF in particular [Joe]
5) Update from WSF on Bainbridge & Bremerton Sailing Schedule Task Force [Richard]
6) EX Comm Update [Richard]
7) Plans for free public wi-fi at Coleman Dock [Joe]
8 ) Follow-up: Clarification on the location of Vessel Watch at Coleman Dock and the BI ferry terminal. [Joe]
9) Other issues, Public Comments, and Open Q&A
10) Adjourn

Kitsap County Ferry Advisory Committees Washington State Ferries committees were established in the early 1960s by the Marine Division of Washington State Department of Transportation to promote improvements in the ferry system through interaction with ferry riders, Washington State Ferries, the Transportation Commission and the State ...

Regarding the 3% transaction fee announced by Washington State Ferries (WSF):

During a meeting last year between WSF and the leaders of each Ferry Advisory Committee (FAC), the 3% card transaction fee was discussed. The chair of BIFAC had pointed out that all major card brands explicitly forbid surcharging debit or prepaid cards, even if the transaction is processed as "credit". When merchants sign up to accept these cards, they agree to follow these rules. Violating them can lead to fines or termination of their ability to process payments.

In a WSF presentation to the Washington State Transportation Commission (WSTC) on these fees, WSF and WSTC acknowledged receiving many questions about debit cards. WSF indicated that they had removed PIN pads during COVID and thus have no way of differentiating between credit and debit cards. The presentation can be seen at the link below, at the 1:42:00 mark (with transcript). WSTC pushed back on the rationale, timing, and fairness.

We have this as an agenda item to follow up on our next BIFAC meeting in 3 weeks, specifically on how the feedback from the AG, how they are avoiding the merchant rules, and specific plans to address debit cards.

Washington State Transportation Commission - TVW The Washington State Transportation Commission convenes for a meeting in Olympia.

We attended the WSDOT open house for the planned roundabout at High School Road and SR305. We will be summarizing some of the conversations with WSDOT and WSF and how they responded to the key concerns gathered from community feedback provided through comments on this page and the Bainbridge Islanders FB group.

You can still provide input on the project in their online open house through February 20, 2026 at the following link:
https://engage.wsdot.wa.gov/sr-305-high-school-rd

The Washington State Transportation Commission’s February 18/19 meeting is nearly here! Join us online on Zoom or TVW -- Washington Public Affairs Network or in-person at the County Road Administration Board Room in Olympia.

Agenda highlights:
▪️The effect of global tariffs on the transportation sector and Washington’s economy.
▪️The “15-minute” city concept of making key services available in walkable and bikeable neighborhoods.
▪️Preparations under way to replace the Interstate 5 bridge over the Columbia River.
▪️Changes to the process of setting toll rates and policies.
▪️The latest on the addition of a credit card transaction fee to fares for Washington State Ferries.

🗨️ Public comment online and in-person is scheduled for 9 a.m. on February 19.

💻To register to attend virtually and to review the agenda, visit https://wstc.wa.gov/agendas/2026/01/23/meeting-agenda-february-18-19-2026/

As Chair of the Bainbridge Island Ferry Advisory Committee, I've reviewed the 130+ comments submitted across the different FB groups regarding the WSDOT proposed roundabout. In preparation for the WSDOT Roundabout Pre-Design Open House tomorrow on B.I., I've had these comments bucketed into themes to show the prevalence of concerns and comments, as shown in the first table below. Since many of the comments/concerns have already been addressed on the WSDOT planning website for this project, I've created a report on the issues presented and whether they've been addressed yet by WSDOT (2nd table below). This Community Feedback Report will be provided to WSDOT, and the full report can be viewed at the following link. https://docs.google.com/document/d/1kvW97sb-t-chUMGbmJLi7xqwERd94UFTdrAndy2LUiA/edit?usp=sharing

Important information for those planning to go to the Seattle Seahawks Super Bowl Parade tomorrow.

Tomorrow is a big day! The Seattle Seahawks will be celebrating their big win along with an estimated 750k friends and fans. What should you know?

Expect crowds. Like a LOT of people. You will likely have to wait hours to get on your desired sailing. Pack your patience. Arriving early and leaving late will minimize wait times.

Purchase your tickets ahead of time. There will be thousands of people trying to buy tickets at the same time which may overwhelm ticket sales in Seattle. You can purchase tickets at kiosks or online.

We will be on two-boat service on our Bainbridge and Bremerton routes, and two boat-schedule on our Fauntleroy-Vashon-Southworth route with a bonus boat.

Sharing images from WSDOT's preliminary design proposal for the roundabout at 305 and High School Road (please note: the BIFAC is just sharing this information, we are not responsible for the design or the change). One thing we note is this initial design does not currently seem to address the potential for a long ferry line backing up north of High School Road during peak periods. We will be attending the in-person session to provide this and other feedback. We highly encourage interested community members to attend the design feedback session from WSDOT or submit your feedback through their online portal. https://wsdot.wa.gov/construction-planning/search-studies/sr-305-high-school-road-pre-design

This is a project led by WSDOT that the BIFAC has been monitoring for over a year, as the traffic circle at 305 and High School Road will have significant implications on ferry traffic during high season. If you have feedback to share, WSDOT is accepting comments and has set up an in-person opportunity to provide feedback. Please see the post below for more details.

Hey Bainbridge Island, we need your input: We're planning a roundabout at the intersection of SR 305 and High School Road due to the intersection’s history of serious and fatal crashes. We’re asking the community to provide feedback on the design of the roundabout and if there are any other features they want us to look at. See the design concepts and leave your feedback at this link: engage.wsdot.wa.gov/sr-305-high-school-rd

We’re also hosting an in-person open house at Woodward Middle School (9125 Sportsman Club Road NE, Bainbridge Island WA 98110) from 5 to 7 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 11. We invite you ask your questions and leave your comments at that event, too!

For those that weren't able to attend the WSF Community meetings on 1/22/2026, here's a recording of the evening session (6pm)

Winter Community Meeting #2 Recording – January 21 Enjoy the videos and music you love, upload original content, and share it all with friends, family, and the world on YouTube.

For those that weren't able to attend the WSF Community meetings on 1/22/2026, here's a recording of the noon session (12pm)

Winter Community Meeting #1 Recording – January 21 Enjoy the videos and music you love, upload original content, and share it all with friends, family, and the world on YouTube.

Latest overall WSF satisfaction results from the Ferry Rider's Opinion Group (FROG) 2025 Winter Ferry Performance survey, with comparisons through 2014. Key findings from WSTC (Washington State Transportation Commission) below. For anyone interested in joining FROG to provide feedback through their surveys, here's the link: https://pacificmarketresearch.opinioninsight.com/portal/community_1_1_1.php/page/38

• Overall satisfaction with WSF was 69% in 2025, up
significantly from 54% in 2024, 58% in 2023 and only 39%
in 2022.
• Conversely, 21% of respondents were dissatisfied overall – a
significant decrease compared to 2024 (36%) and 2023
(35%) (see Graphic A).
• Systemwide, 24% were dissatisfied with the timeliness of
departures, and 49% were satisfied. Similarly, 23% were
dissatisfied with on-time/dependable arrivals, and 51%
were satisfied. These metrics were significantly improved
compared to 2024, when 41% were dissatisfied with the
timeliness of departures and 38% were dissatisfied with the
timeliness of arrivals