An underwater wall of the Mukilteo ferry terminal damaged by a hard landing in 2022 is finally being fixed, work that will shut down sailings between Mukilteo and Clinton for hours over many days through February.
Repairs will be done to the terminal's left-wing wall, which helps guide ferries to the terminal's west side during landings. Though initial repairs were made soon after the damage was done, this year's work will build a more solid structure.
Construction began Tuesday and continues through Feb. 20. Ferry service will pause between 9 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. in Mukilteo, and between 8:30 a.m. and 1 p.m. in Clinton on Whidbey Island, on Jan. 8, 9, 13 and 16, and Feb. 3, 4, 6 and 9.
Late-night schedules will also change Jan. 19-23, Jan. 26-30, and Feb. 16-20. On those days, the last sailing from Clinton will be at 11:30 p.m., and the last sailing from Mukilteo at 12:15 a.m.
The $187 million Mukilteo terminal is one of the newest, and most lauded, in Washington State Ferries' collection.
Built in 2020, it replaced a tired terminal from 1957 with a sleek and modern two-story facility. Constructed of concrete, glass and timber, the building emulates traditional tribal longhouses, a design informed by the state's collaboration with 11 tribal governments. Inside, Douglas fir beams glow from natural light pouring in through floor-to-ceiling windows with commanding views of Possession Sound and the Salish Sea.
The terminal it replaced was not only seismically unsafe, the town around it had transformed from a sleepy mill town to one more closely tied to Seattle, thanks in part to a Sound Transit commuter rail station and Highway 525.
Car ferry service between Mukilteo and Clinton began in 1919, and was run by the Puget Sound Navigation Company — also called the Black Ball Line — until 1951 when the state took over operations.
When today's terminal opened, it was the first to open in 40 years by WSF. It was quickly followed by a new $489 million Seattle ferry terminal on Colman Dock in 2023. Work continues there, with construction beginning this week on P.S. Perks Espresso & Coffee, a espresso and snack kiosk expected to open in April.
Weather, and fog, could delay repairs at Mukilteo as workers need good visibility while driving piles, and so marine mammal monitors have a clear view while watching for protected species.
Regular passengers on the Mukilteo-Clinton route are encouraged to sign up for rider alerts for details on any changes.
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