(WSF Evergreen State class vessel Tillikum flying Seahawks-fan flags on Sunday; photo by Paul Brannan)
Next June, the Fauntleroy-Vashon-Southworth ferry schedule will be revised for the first time in a decade. Its permanent boat assignments are changing because of the domino effect of new vessels joining the fleet, and that’s one big reason why Washington State Ferries is working on a revision: Instead of running with two 87-car Evergreen State class ferries and one 124-car Issaquah class ferry, the total capacity will upsize 37 cars, to two 124-car ferries and one 87-car ferry. A draft of the revised schedule is expected to be made public soon, according to WSF’s published timeline; community comments will then be sought to incorporate into a finalized plan available by January so that other transit agencies can make whatever changes they need to make before it takes effect in June 2014. The Fauntleroy Community Association has been engaged in the process through board member and ferry advisory committee member Gary Dawson, who has an update in this month’s FCA newsletter. We’ll publish an update when the proposed revision is out – since this will have traffic impacts on the roads used by vehicles, buses, and bikes coming off and to the dock as well as those who ride the ferries.