What is happening right now
WHAT IS HAPPENING RIGHT NOW
Skagit County is about to hire a consultant to finalize the design of the Guemes Island ferry parking lot using federal funds. The deadline for engineering firms to apply is May 22, 2026. Once a consultant is under contract, the design becomes very difficult and expensive to change.
The community needs to speak up before that deadline.
WHAT THE CURRENT DESIGN ACTUALLY SHOWS
The county’s current design — the one they plan to give the consultant as the starting point — would:
• Reduce parking from 87 existing spaces to only 59 — a loss of 28 spaces from what islanders use today
• Block the only public boat ramp on the island with a 7-foot retaining wall — eliminating barge evacuation access during ferry outages and impeding emergency vessel access
• Create a single entry and exit point — which Guemes Island Fire Chief Olivia Cole has formally documented as a serious emergency evacuation risk
• Move ADA accessible parking approximately 350 feet uphill on a 12% grade — making it harder, not easier, for people with mobility challenges to reach the ferry
• Introduce perimeter retaining walls on all sides — at costs far exceeding the simpler improvements the federal funds were originally approved for
• Potentially introduce paid parking — a commercial parking contractor called Diamond Parking was already engaged to review the federally funded design drawings
This is not what the federal funds were approved for. The 2022 federal agreement approved money specifically for “grade and surface improvements and replace passenger shelter.” Nothing in that approved scope includes retaining walls, single-entry reconfiguration, or a reduction from 87 spaces to 59.
Time to email, at least, Skagit County Commissioners and Public Works to oppose this plan and its release for bid:
Michael See, Director of Public Works: [email protected]
Tomas Weller, PC, County Engineer: [email protected]
Ron Wesen, County Commissioner, District 1: [email protected]
Peter Browning, County Commissioner, District 2: [email protected]