Weekly update

Read the weekly update from

WSDOT Deputy Secretary Steve Nevey, head of Washington State Ferries.

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Each January, there is a special edition recapping the previous year. View the 2025 Year in Review (PDF 557KB).

Here is the latest edition of the WSF Weekly Update:

Feb. 19, 2026

A message from John

Steve’s out this week, delegating his authority, including the WSF Weekly Update, to me. I appreciate his trust and his modeling good leadership in using his leave and prioritizing his well-being. This has also made me reflective on my relationship with the leave my colleagues and I earn each year.

As a member of Generation Jones, I’ve always been proud of maximizing both my annual and sick leaves, feeling righteous for not taking vacations or using sick time. As I age and work with younger leaders, including Steve, they’ve changed my perspective in seeing the value and necessity of breaks from work. The pressure, especially at an operational agency, to be available 24 hours a day, seven days a week, is real and unsustainable. Likewise, it’s all too easy to create an atmosphere in which people feel guilty for completely disconnecting, believing they should be available, even when on leave. Honestly, I’ve haven’t shown an appropriate relationship with leave, which I understand sends a subtle (overt?) message to colleagues that they shouldn’t either. This is something I’ll work on.

There’s a lazy narrative public employees don’t work hard or take advantage of the leave system. That’s not what I see. My colleagues – on vessels, at terminals, at our warehouse, our Eagle Harbor Maintenance Facility or headquarters – care deeply about the quality of their work and do everything possible to support our customers and each other. Staying home when sick and taking leave in no way undermines that commitment. WSF will be stronger when every employee feels he/she/they can take time to rejuvenate, recharging batteries all too easily drained by the daily grind.

Four individuals in coveralls work with a chain hoist in a well-lit industrial room with machinery and metal flooring. — A great example of our employees’ commitment to excellence is the work done early Tuesday morning by the *Wenatchee* engine room crews and colleagues from our Eagle Harbor Maintenance Facility. This teamwork and dedication kept the vessel in service while repairs were done, ensuring no sailings were missed.

Weekday delays crossing SR 305 Agate Pass Bridge start Monday, Feb. 23

If you use the State Route 305 Agate Pass Bridge to reach our Seattle/Bainbridge route, plan for extra travel time next week. Travelers can expect delays of 30 minutes or more during the day due to annual bridge cleaning. On Monday, Feb. 23, through Friday, Feb. 27, traffic will be reduced to one alternating lane from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Consider traveling early or late in the day or reschedule discretionary trips. Other alternatives include taking the Bremerton or Kingston ferries.

Road work taking up one of two lanes on a bridge — Traffic will alternate using a single lane across the SR 305 Agate Pass Bridge during daytime cleaning work next week.

Thousands of bicyclists on Seattle/Bainbridge route Sunday, Feb. 22

If you’re traveling on our Seattle/Bainbridge ferry on Sunday, Feb. 22, be ready for possible delays and limited space for vehicles. Thousands of bicyclists will head to the island for the annual Chilly Hilly ride. Expect a lot of bikes on our Seattle departures from 7:55 to 10:40 a.m. Return trips from Bainbridge will be busiest from our 11:35 a.m. to 3 p.m. sailings. If you’re bringing a vehicle, consider traveling at a different time or using another route. Please follow directions from our staff and Cascade Bicycle Club volunteers at our terminals and aboard our ferries.

Cyclists in colorful attire walk their bikes onto a ferry. — A lot of cyclists are expected on our morning sailings out of Seattle and on Bainbridge departures midday through afternoon on Sunday, Feb. 22.

Sailing stats for week of Feb. 9-15

We are now sharing on-time performance data to help our customers better understand how our system is running. For the week of Feb. 9-15, our systemwide on-time performance (sailings that left within 10 minutes of their scheduled departure) was 93.1%. By comparison, it was 94.5% during a similar week last year (Feb. 10-16, 2025). To view our on-time performance by month going back to 2017, visit our on-time performance reports page.

Customer kudos

“I just wanted to share with you an interaction I had with a deck hand named Eric (Friedman, ordinary seafarer) on the Puyallup on February 9, both directions he was polite and courteous. He was working the gangway. Thank you!”

-Edmonds/Kingston route customer

John Vezina
WSDOT Assistant Secretary for Washington State Ferries

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Drive safe in winter weather

Slow down on ice and snow.

It's easier to skid or lose control traveling at higher speeds. Give yourself more time to stop.

Carry chains, practice installing them.

Winter conditions could mean chains are required on your route. Practice putting them on your vehicle ahead of time.

Pack your winter car kit.

Carry extra supplies like warm clothing, ice scraper and brush, jumper cables and other emergency items.