FERRY FIXES: Getting ready for future ‘quick wins,’ during a backed-up Friday in Fauntleroy

Another Friday afternoon/evening backup for drivers headed to the Fauntleroy ferry terminal. (One texter told us the line was past the Lincoln Park gas station by quarter past 3.) This time, though, it had official observers:

Washington State Ferries sent this explanatory announcement earlier in the afternoon:

Beginning at 3:00 pm (today), a team of WSF staff members will be at Fauntleroy terminal to observe traffic conditions and collect baseline data. Today’s traffic and data observation is the beginning of WSF’s internal process to help implement a series of “quick win” recommendations created by the Triangle Improvement Task Force citizen advisory group. The task force’s recommendations aim to speed up vehicle processing through the tollbooth. WSF and the task force aim to launch a pilot program this spring and roll out final changes in time for start of the summer schedule (June 25, 2017).

We’ve been reporting on that process, most recently last month, when the advisory group wrapped up the first phase of its meetings (background from WSF is here).

Since the meeting we covered, WSF has published the official report on how it plans to make the “quick wins” happen – see it here (PDF) and embedded below:

None of those changes have been made yet – today’s “observation” was a preparatory step, so the hours-long backup this afternoon/evening was the result of current procedures that have yet to be changed. We’ll continue to cover this, including updates when WSF decides how and when to start the “pilot” program.

8 Replies to "FERRY FIXES: Getting ready for future 'quick wins,' during a backed-up Friday in Fauntleroy"

  • KT April 22, 2017 (8:35 am)

    The “quick wins” seems kind of basic  and “quick win” #2 just going to contribute nothing.  Is not the problem simply capacity – way more vehicles than this facility can handle even processing 1 more vehicle per minute?  

  • Ric April 22, 2017 (9:06 am)

    Build the damn bridge!

    • Seaweed April 22, 2017 (8:11 pm)

      Buy your own boat!

  • Marty April 22, 2017 (9:56 am)

    Not much improvement can be expected. The basic problem is overload, just like our streets and freeways. What a mess!

  • keven ruf April 22, 2017 (10:42 pm)

    The car ferry from vashon and south worth should load and unload downtown, not in west Seattle.

  • WestseattleMom April 22, 2017 (11:58 pm)

    The Ferry is fine.  Be Patient.  You choose to live over there or come over here.  Bring a book and get some popcorn. 

  • Brent April 23, 2017 (4:38 pm)

    Isn’t the obvious solution, assuming that toll collection is the primary issue, to put in a toll collection system based on a license plate reader?  Obviously, this would require changes to the toll structure.

  • Mike Dey April 24, 2017 (8:13 am)

    Having sat through most of the Ferry Triangle meetings the problem is at the toll booths. The problem there is when people pay with cash or credit it is a slow process. If everyone used a prepaid ticket then more cars would get thru faster and the boats would not leave cars behind. Hence the PR campaign to get people to buy their tickets in advance.   Further the only time cars are left behind is when it is a single destination ferry ie Vashon only or Southworth only.  Automation at the toll booths is planned but costs money that WSF does not have so that will be a year or more away.  There are just too many cars for this ferry dock and that problem is not going away. 75% of the cars getting on these ferries only have one person in them.  Moving the Southworth ferry downtown would help immensely.  

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