Followup: Fauntleroy advisory rep’s take on new ferries plan

| Fauntleroy | Transportation | West Seattle news

Over the weekend, we reported on a big change in Washington State Ferries‘ revised Draft Long-Range Plan — WSF has dropped its proposal to expand the Fauntleroy dock (though it’s still hoping to install an elevated passenger walkway so that car and passenger loading could be done simultaneously). We asked Gary Dawson of the Fauntleroy Community Association, who represents this area on WSF’s Ferry Advisory Committee , for reaction; he tells WSB the neighborhood still has reason to be concerned:

The current revision in the WSF LRP to no longer expand the Fauntleroy dock is good news for the residents of Fauntleroy.

However, the objection remains about the WSF decision to allow the Southworth route to remain in Fauntleroy instead of routing directly to downtown as the original draft proposed. This reversal of decision not only continues to affect Fauntleroy, it affects all of West Seattle.

Option A of the plan essentially provides no increase in service on the Vashon/Southworth/Fauntleroy route. With the proposed ferry traffic from Southworth to nearly double between the years 2020 and 2030, West Seattle, by default, must suffer all the increase in vehicles on an already congested to and over the high bridge from all areas of West Seattle.

According to recent surveys, many Southworth commuters want to go directly downtown. And they want to walk on or take a passenger only ferry. As neither option is available at this time, most are forced to commute in single occupant vehicles.

Although the Mayor’s office did not originally support expansion of the Colman Dock downtown for Southworth service, the Mayor did ask WSF to not expand at Fauntleroy and mitigate the future ferry traffic growth to West Seattle. The draft plan does leave an opening for a future route change to downtown and WSF has stated that they will continue to work with the City to arrive at an agreeable solution.

Letters of support for the redirecting of the Southworth route have been sent to the Mayor’s office from business and community groups in West Seattle. The traffic congestion in and out of West Seattle from other parts of the city are painfully apparent everyday and we can expect it to worsen with ferry traffic growth.

The Fauntleroy Ferry Advisory Committee will continue to work with WSF, the City of Seattle, West Seattle business and community groups, and any other entity necessary to help resolve this difficult problem.
Gary Dawson

As we mentioned over the weekend, both Transportation Committees in the Legislature have work sessions scheduled this week to review the revised WSF plan. The ferry system is also still collecting comments at wsfplanning@wsdot.wa.gov. In Fauntleroy, updates on the plan’s status are expected at the regular monthly FCA meeting at 7 pm February 10th and an FCA-sponsored community gathering at 7 pm February 18th.

56bricks February 3, 2009 (12:59 am)

I’m curious as to exactly which business groups would like to have Southworth traffic re-routed out of West Seattle. I’m pretty sure which community group(s)would. Growth is good, but not in my ‘hood. Also, surveys can be tailored to show almost any response desireable.

Bill February 3, 2009 (6:57 am)

What a bad idea, do any West Seattle residents want this? As far as business groups, I dont think that is an option here. Do we have that traffic added for businesses? This wasn’t thought of when Greg pushed for the tunnel that leaves no room for expansion. A big part of the West Seattle bridge traffic already comes from the ferries here, how is the tunnel going to serve future expansion for the ferry? Can Greg join Ron?
Ooops, I shouldn’t of said that. We should be thinking of our country first, not ourselves.

MAS February 3, 2009 (3:39 pm)

BE SURE to express your support for keeping the Southworth route in West Seattle to the mayor’s office to counteract the NIMBYs. They managed to get a helpful and growth oriented expansion stopped, and will likely cause additional damage to the economy and utility of West Seattle unless you all speak up.

Since nearly all of the comments have been in favor of expansion of the ferry services at Fauntleroy when it’s been brought up, there should be a lot of visible support for the service we all depend on if we collectively get off our butts and make at least as much noise as the folks complaining about services that have existed since before they bought their houses…

linda February 3, 2009 (3:58 pm)

I don’t have the figures but I seem to recall WSF considering routing Southworth traffic directly downtown while I was still on Vashon. They were never able to implement due to fuel costs and lack of equipment. The ferries burn more fuel on the longer Southworth to Seattle route and there weren’t enough vessels in the fleet to be able to dedicate the needed vessels to continue service out of Southworth at existing levels.
So, given the current budget crisis, I suspect the service ex Southworth won’t be changing for a while.