Tell them what you think: Fauntleroy ferry-route survey

(Ferry leaving Fauntleroy at sunset Sunday; WSB photo by Patrick Sand)
Washington State Ferries is expecting to revise its schedule for the Fauntleroy-Vashon-Southworth run (aka the “Triangle route”) for the first time in a long time, since the vessel assignment is changing next year and adding capacity. WSF has just completed two open houses, on Vashon Island and in Kitsap County, and is also inviting comments via an online survey. We took a look at the survey; it seems geared toward regular ferry riders, but the third page includes an open-comments area, so if you have something to say about other potential effects of the change – traffic, transit, etc. – take it anyway. The survey starts here. This is one of the last public-comment opportunities before WSF comes out early next year with a draft of the revisions.

Amanda Lund October 31, 2013 (4:02 pm)

Thanks for posting this. I’m a member of the Southworth Ferry Advisory Committee, and it is very important that WSF hear from as many people who use the Triangle Run as possible as they are making decisions about the future of this route. This is a great time for West Seattle to tell WSF to fix the traffic problems at the Fauntleroy Dock to help traffic on the street move through more quickly in an effort to load the ferries faster and get traffic off the street. Focusing on making that terminal more efficient benefits everyone! The schedule isn’t the problem, it’s the loading and unloading traffic issues that cause headaches over there. Thanks :)

wetone October 31, 2013 (4:55 pm)

I can’t wait for them to add more ferry traffic to the roads in W/S. Along with all the new building going on here can you say grid lock, oh there already is during commute hours. Traffic will never get better here in W/S. As user count goes up on roads in W/S and I-5 slows down there is no place for traffic to go, pretty simple. Not every one works downtown. I guess it will help out the city when they start tolling in and out of W/S. People say light rail great idea if everyone works in the area it serves. Problem is if they started designing today a new multipurpose bridge it would still be 15+yrs before it was done, but where would it go ? to serve those that work downtown or Soda area ? Until they get I-5 moving or pay people not to leave W/S which would probably be cheaper the way this city does things traffic will only get worse.

Chris November 1, 2013 (5:06 am)

Agree 100% with wetone. All the construction work that we had to endure with no improvement to traffic (in some places it is worse) and now this. Eliminate the bus only lane on the high bridge, force the port to run during off hours, add a two-lane onramp to I5 north, add an offramp to 99 south from the high bridge, widen and extend 509 to allow for an additional option for Tac/Sea commuters, add a carpool offramp so buses/carpoolers don’t have to cross 4 lanes of traffic to get off I5 southbound at the high bridge…just a few items for improvement and I haven’t even started on 99 north. I heard the mayor goes to every crime/murder scene in Seattle. Maybe we should put him on the Fauntleroy ferry and have him drive thru WSeattle to downtown @ 0700 one weekday.

Brian November 1, 2013 (6:46 am)

Welp, we might as well not even try then. Good argument there.

planenut November 1, 2013 (4:05 pm)

Fixing the Fauntleroy terminal, whatever that means, may help get off the boat quicker but also to the gridlock quicker. With all the new residences being built in WS the high bridge traffic is only getting worse. WSF needs to take the Southworth ferry downtown.

Neighbor November 1, 2013 (10:45 pm)

I’m kinda thinking along the same line as planenut. Divert the Vashon ferry somewhere else. Or maybe have it only go between with Southworth and Vashon. West Seattle cannot handle the traffic.

Amanda Lund November 7, 2013 (12:04 pm)

West Seattle Folks – trust me, Vashon & SW understand and agree with the frustration – we’d love a direct to downtown Seattle as well…unfortunately, from what I understand, Seattle won’t allow it. Which is nutty. Did you know you have a voice in WSF decisions? There is a Fauntleroy Ferry Advisory Committee you can contact: http://fauntleroy.net/ferry.html This blog and the comments were brought up at the most recent schedule planning meeting for the Triangle Run, and your comments were discussed as part of the West Seattle concern about the Fauntleroy Dock! Contact your FAC Chair – Weigh in! WSF wants feedback as they are moving forward!

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