The San Juan Islands Visitor Bureau has launched a project to simultaneously get people out of their cars,  and onto the San Juan Islands Scenic Byway.

The byway, made official in 2008, includes San Juan Island, Orcas Island and the ferry routes. It is Washington’s first marine route and consists of a 30-mile marine route and an 85-mile land route. It begins at the ferry dock in Anacortes and travels through Friday Harbor and Orcas Village.

In 2011, San Juan Islands Scenic Byways Partnership was awarded two grants through the U.S. Department of Transportation to promote the natural and cultural history of routes on the islands and surrounding waters.

The first grant used for promotion was $33,190, and the second grant, totaling $171,680, is being used to explore transportation alternatives for visitors and locals traveling the byway, namely the shuttle project.

Terri Gilleland, of the Orcas Chamber, said the shuttle is important because it is environmentally conscious, visitors are always looking for alternatives to driving and it helps cut down on road congestion.

“It would be great to see locals embracing the shuttle as a way to get around,” she said.

Starting June 22 and running through the Labor Day weekend, the shuttle bus service offered by San Juan Transit will be on Orcas Friday through Monday.  Daily service will be offered during the week of July 4. Pick-up sites include the ferry landing, Deer Harbor, Orcas Golf, Eastsound, Rosario Resort and Moran State Park.

Dan Ward, owner of San Juan Transit, said he is excited about combining the shuttle service and the byway. Ward has been in business for 18 years and operated a shuttle service on Orcas in the ’90s.

“Hopefully people will get to see both Orcas and San Juan without having to bring their cars,” he said.

Liz Illg, the Scenic Byway project coordinator, said several people on Orcas were instrumental in making the Orcas shuttle a reality: Gilleland, Cathy Faulkner from Orcas Pathways and Michel Vekved from Friends of Moran.

The visitors’ bureau is offering a two for one deal on the  Byway Explorer Day Pass at www.visitsanjuans.com/scenicbyway.

For the shuttle bus, call 378-8887 and schedules and pick-up sites are at www.sanjuantransit.com.