5-Ton Limit: Guemes Island Ferry Restricts Vehicle Weight

The Guemes Island Ferry now caps vehicle weight at 5 tons, or 10,000 pounds, per unit due to structural damage discovered at the Anacortes terminal.

Skagit County Public Works Department officials implemented the restriction to protect the ferry infrastructure while engineering requirements are addressed. The limit applies to all passenger vehicles, trucks, vans, and light-duty work vehicles. Eligibility is determined by the manufacturer-assigned Gross Vehicle Weight Rating, or GVWR, rather than the actual load or operating weight of the vehicle.

Drivers towing trailers face a combined weight limit that includes both the vehicle GVWR and the trailer weight. Staff will conduct a visual inspection of the contents for these combinations. Any vehicle suspected of approaching or exceeding the limit must present a clean, legible manufacturer’s certification label verifying a GVWR of 10,000 pounds or less before boarding is permitted.

The restriction follows a routine bridge inspection conducted by the Washington State Department of Transportation on Monday, October 26. Skagit County contracts with WSDOT for these biennial inspections of the steel structures at the Guemes Island and Anacortes terminals because WSDOT maintains the certified staff and equipment required for the task. During the Anacortes terminal inspection, inspectors found previously unknown damage, including corrosion and section loss in the structural components supporting part of the transfer span.

Skagit County Engineer and Public Works staff closed the terminal bridges immediately following the discovery. To maintain service, the county contracted with Arrow Launch to provide passenger-only transport from Cap Sante to Guemes Island on the evening of October 26 and the morning of October 27. By the morning of Tuesday, October 27, inspectors determined that passenger-only service could resume from the Anacortes terminal. The 9:45 a.m. sailing that day marked the first such trip.

Further inspections continued from Tuesday afternoon into Wednesday, October 28, to assess the damage on both bridges. Inspectors found similar damage on the Guemes Island bridge structure. Public Works staff installed steel plates over the Anacortes bridge to improve the structural integrity of the transfer span, a measure that was not required for the Guemes Island span. The County Engineer then approved vehicle traffic under the 5-ton load rating.

Vehicle service resumed on Thursday, October 29, with the 1:00 p.m. sailing. Skagit County anticipates the ferry will operate under this load restriction for several weeks while staff evaluate a long-term repair plan for both terminal bridges. The department stated that more information on the repair timeline will be shared soon. Questions regarding service can be directed to the county’s ferry email address.

The 10,000-pound threshold aligns with common manufacturer ratings for mid-size SUVs and pickup trucks, though specific eligibility depends on the individual vehicle’s certification label. Drivers should verify their GVWR before arriving at the terminal to avoid delays during the boarding process.