Travel time 30 minutes | Waterway Puget Sound | |
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Route Edmonds – Kingston, Washington Carries Washington State Route 104 Authority | ||
The Edmonds–Kingston ferry is a ferry route across Puget Sound between Edmonds and Kingston, Washington. Since 1951 the only ferries employed on the route have belonged to the Washington state ferry system, currently the largest ferry system in the United States. The last regularly operated steam ferry on the West Coast of the United States made its final run on this route in 1969.
Contents
Map of Edmonds - Kingston Ferry, Washington, USA
Description
The route crosses the Puget Sound with Edmonds, Washington as the eastern terminus and Kingston, Washington as the western terminus. The crossing is generally 30 minutes from either terminal.
History
After 1951, the main ferry on the route was the MV Nisqually (capacity: 616 passengers; 59 automobiles), with the steam ferry Shasta operating as a reserve boat. Other ferries used on the route were the Klahanie, the steam ferry San Mateo, and the Evergreen-class motor ferry MV Evergreen State (capacity: 981 passengers, 87 autos).
In 1968 the Evergreen-class ferry MV Tillikum (capacity: 1,200 passengers, 87 autos) was assigned as the regular boat on the route. On Labor Day 1969, the San Mateo became the last steam ferry on the West Coast of the United States to run a regular route.
By the early 1970s, the relief vessels on the run included MV Illahee and MV Quinault. Another vessel sometimes used on extra summer runs in the early 1970s was the MV Kehloken.
Terminals
Both terminals at Edmonds and Kingston are equipped with overhead passenger loading. Edmonds is equipped with one vehicle slip, while Kingston is equipped with two. There is also a passenger only dock at Kingston for the now defunct Soundrunner service to Seattle.
In the early 1970s, the terminal at Kingston held an extra slip for a spare boat, which was used on extra runs or when the regular vessel was not operating on the route.
Current status
The regular two vessels assigned to the route are the Jumbo Mark II MV Puyallup and Jumbo class MV Spokane. The MV Walla Walla is assigned as a replacement vessel during maintenance periods, itself able to be replaced by the MV Puyallup on the Seattle-Bainbridge Island route.