FerriesThursday, November 12
Cracks in the Orcas Island ferry terminal cut off truck deliveries, and San Juan County declares an emergency
The SEAtoday team
If you ship to, sail from or have family on Orcas Island, here's the situation. Washington State Ferries found cracks in two steel support beams beneath the terminal's transfer span during a routine inspection, and since Monday only vehicles 22 feet or shorter can load and unload there. The San Juan County Council declared a state of emergency Tuesday.
More than 16,000vehicles over 22 feet traveled between Orcas and Anacortes last year
That's an average of 45 a day, The Seattle Times reported.
Source: The Seattle Times
- Speed limit on the span: 5 mph
- Lanes: stay left when loading, right when unloading
- Oversize reservations: no-show fees automatically waived
- Repair estimate: up to two weeks
Oversized trucks carrying food, medical supplies and fuel can't use the standard ferry route, and the county says contracted barges have space limits and high costs. On the repair side, contractors have installed scaffolding, and WSF plans steel reinforcement plates and bolted connections instead of field welding. Engineers are also looking at safety measures that could let larger vehicles cross before the work is done.
Orcas terminal restrictions and the emergency came within days
- Nov. 7-8Routine inspection finds cracks in two steel support beams
- Nov. 9WSF bans vehicles over 22 feet and sets a 5 mph limit
- Nov. 10County Council declares emergency; WSDOT says repairs could take up to two weeks
Sources: FOX 13 Seattle, The Seattle Times, MyNorthwest.com
Sources: FOX 13 Seattle, The Seattle Times, MyNorthwest.com