WATER TAXI: West Seattle run will stay on 7-day schedule through winter after all

12:42 PM: Speaking of the West Seattle Water Taxi, just announced at the West Seattle Bridge Community Task Force meeting – it will stay on a 7-day-a-week schedule throughout the upcoming bridgeless winter after all. Until now, plans had been in place to switch the service back to a 5-day-a-week schedule in mid-October. The topic came up at last month’s CTF meeting; city reps said at the time that it would be costly. How costly? We asked Metro afterward; they said it would cost at least a million dollars. We’re still pursuing more specifics but apparently the city found the cash to pay the county to keep the 7-day-a-week service going through the winter.

1:32 PM: SDOT has since sent a news release that has this added information:

Thanks to SDOT funding, Water Taxi service this fall and winter will remain similar to the summer daytime schedule:

*Seven day a week service between Seacrest Park in West Seattle and Pier 50 downtown from approximately 6:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.
*Ships will leave the dock every 35 minutes during weekday peak commute hours and every hour mid-day, evenings, and weekends. 
*The expanded service will not include late night Friday and Saturday sailings after 7:00 p.m.

According to information we had previously obtained from Metro, the estimated cost of keeping the late-night sailings would have been about a third higher:

27 Replies to "WATER TAXI: West Seattle run will stay on 7-day schedule through winter after all"

  • Lucy September 15, 2021 (12:47 pm)

    It would be helpful to coordinate with major sporting events and concerts.  

    • Anne September 15, 2021 (2:15 pm)

      Not really- as someone else said-plan accordingly- yourself-if Water Taxi schedule accommodates your function-great-if not take an alternative. 

      • West Seattle Lite September 15, 2021 (4:33 pm)

        Not really a viable alternative at 10 pm or later. Especially with children. The water taxi is MUCH more efficient. It took a %^&*%( hour and a half to take the bus after a Sounder’s game one night (not including the walk to get to the stop and the wait) when the H20 taxi takes about 25 minutes. 

    • Jeepney September 15, 2021 (4:16 pm)

      Agreed, catching a bus after a Mariners/ Seahawks game is a time wasting ordeal as the busses are always stuck in traffic.  Wish the water taxi schedule was aligned with events that draw thousands of people.

    • West Seattle Lite September 15, 2021 (4:26 pm)

      ^ THIS! A THOUSAND TIMES THIS. Busses don’t come regularly from that area and they are far from the stadiums and slow and can’t accommodate the crowds that come after a game. PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE run later on Mariner’s AND Sounder’s game. PLEASE!

  • Auntie September 15, 2021 (1:06 pm)

    Coordinate what? It runs on a regular schedule West Seattle-Seattle Route – King County and if the last sailing is before you are heading home, just take the bus.  You just have to plan yourself.

    • West Seattle Lite September 15, 2021 (4:28 pm)

      No. Not this. The bus isn’t reasonable transportation for games that run until 10 pm or later, especially with children. They can’t accommodate a large amount of people coming from a stadium. They aren’t available near the stadium and they are f’n SLOW. 

  • KC Councilmember Joe McDermott September 15, 2021 (1:07 pm)

    The King County Water Taxi is happy to be able to work with the City of Seattle to keep the summer schedule all winter with funding from the Seattle Transportation Benefit District making this possible.  As we know, the Water Taxi is congestion-free commuting.  Ride the Waves!

    • Alan Mendel September 15, 2021 (2:30 pm)

      I agree with Lucy.  Would love to use the water taxi for Sounder games but cannot take it back after the game.  Run it late on game nights.  Also for Mariners and Seahawks.

      • neighbor September 15, 2021 (3:53 pm)

        I agree! Even if “after hours” game night fares were higher to cover the additional cost I think this is a great idea. From what I’ve seen on game days, it would get heavy usage!

      • West Seattle Lite September 15, 2021 (4:30 pm)

        YES YES YES YES YES YES YES. Totally agree. Why did the schedule accommodate Mariner’s games but not Sounder’s games? “You run and it we will come.”

  • adam September 15, 2021 (2:06 pm)

    This is great news!

  • Alki Mom September 15, 2021 (2:36 pm)

    This is GREAT news!

  • JJA September 15, 2021 (3:00 pm)

    Fantastic news! Extra costs are never welcome, obviously, but this is money well spent during the no-bridge era. 

  • Jennie September 15, 2021 (3:02 pm)

    Fantastic news!

  • anonyme September 15, 2021 (4:20 pm)

    Huh.  A million-plus bucks for this, and yet Arbor Heights still can’t get any weekend service at all – including access to the Water Taxi.  I think it has a lot to do with perceived demographics.  Obviously, we’re just not worthy.

    • alki_2008 September 16, 2021 (7:40 pm)

      Probably has more to do with geography, not demographics.  If you’re in Arbor Heights, then you have a straight shot to get across the Duwamish.  The northern end of the peninsula has to go south, then back up north, to get to SODO.   Northern peninsula residents have to DETOUR because of the bridge being out. .The extended service is to accommodate travelers affected by the bridge outage, so why would you expect it to accommodate travelers who don’t have to detour to get to SODO?

      • anonyme September 20, 2021 (9:06 am)

        Not only are you contradicting yourself, you’re missing my point.  Driving access and water taxi access are two different things at opposite ends of the peninsula, and neither has anything to do with bus service.  Northern residents have easy access to the Water Taxi; southern to the detour route for drivers.  Your assumption is that everyone drives; they do not.  Bus service in Arbor Heights is terrible, and this area has always had poor representation and attention to services.

  • Hank September 15, 2021 (4:47 pm)

    Wish they would run it later into the evening to allow people to have dinner downtown (and allow Seattleites to come have dinner in WS!). 

    • Westwood September 15, 2021 (7:49 pm)

      News flash…we’re all Seattleites. 

      • Erin98126 September 15, 2021 (9:06 pm)

        Give me a break. When asked where you live, do you say Seattle? I suspect you say West Seattle. 

  • momosmom September 15, 2021 (5:47 pm)

    It  just must only be me that still doesn’t think it is safe to get jammed into a stadium, restaurant, plane, and or a show venue, vaccined and or wearing a mask.???  

  • LocalDoc September 15, 2021 (6:42 pm)

    Whoooooo! Thank you for listening to our community!

  • Reality Chick September 15, 2021 (9:47 pm)

    We will take it–literally and figuratively! And I gotta push back on the “perceived demographics” comment above. Northwest West Seattle has seen major transit changes over the last years with the reduction of the 56 to express only; the milk-run replacement 50; the starvation and now temporarily permanent elimination of the 37; and the water taxi scheduled to bare minimum October to April. Not to mention unprecedented housing development; the density of which is not taking place in Arbor Heights.  Channel your anger on transit service in your neighborhood to Metro and the city; not your neighbors. Peace out! 

    • anonyme September 20, 2021 (9:11 am)

      Oh please, with the passive-aggressive “peace out”.  I’m not sure how you came up with that accusation of anger against “neighbors”.  How bizarre.  Maybe it was by looking in the mirror?  If you are angry about the changes in your neighborhood, feel free to vent about them.  Others can do the same.  One does not negate the other.

  • BD September 16, 2021 (11:03 am)

    Just a note to the folks complaining the bus is TOO FAR from the stadiums, but the water taxi is not: The final C Line stop downtown to head to West Seattle is at Columbia and Alaskan – across the street from the ferry dock and water taxi dock. In case you missed it and thought it was still at 3rd and Spring.

  • Scubafrog September 16, 2021 (12:32 pm)

    That would be great to keep the Water Taxi running during winters, permanently.  A fun, safer jaunt back to WS for those who’ve had an extra drink,  than driving.  And another excuse to come to WS and spend money with local business (or to go into town sans car).

Sorry, comment time is over.