New dates for two projects at Fauntleroy ferry terminal

| Fauntleroy | West Seattle news

That’s a new Washington State Ferries rendering of what the signalized intersection at the Fauntleroy Way ferry-dock entrance/exit will look like. A WSF update sent in advance of today’s systemwide meetings (1 and 6 pm online) and tomorrow’s final meeting of the Community Advisory Group for the terminal project (6 pm Wednesday, online) also reveals intersection construction has been moved to a later date; WSF had been talking about building the intersection this fall, but now they’re saying it’ll be in the spring. The WSF update also includes a date range for the terminal-replacement construction, previously loosely described as late this decade; now they project construction will start in 2028 and conclude in time to open the new dock/terminal in 2031. The update also recaps the WSF choice of a larger footprint for the new dock, potentially holding almost twice as many vehicles (up to 155) as the current one (80).

Mike B October 14, 2025 (11:12 am)

Love the signal, and looking forward to its installation. Bummer to hear it’s been delayed.

IDC9 October 14, 2025 (3:11 pm)

Indeed. Any help this dock can get to function better shouldn’t be delayed any longer than necessary.

Ivan Weiss October 14, 2025 (1:45 pm)

I’m all for this signal, but very much opposed to the plan to outlaw left turns onto the dock from northbound Fauntleroy for traffic coming from westbound Barton. When there is no lineup of ferry-bound traffic on southbound Fauntleroy, and no oncoming southbound through traffic, they should find a way to accommodate these. Otherwise cars will use northbound 45th Av SW to get to Fauntleroy without having to make dangerous U-turns, and I doubt the residents there would appreciate a marked increase of vehicle traffic. But that’s exactly what they’ll get.

IDC9 October 14, 2025 (3:10 pm)

When there are lines extending outside the dock and up the road towards Lincoln Park, wouldn’t drivers making this move be cutting in line? Perhaps this move should only be banned when the dock is full?
- Ivan Weiss October 14, 2025 (3:26 pm)
  
  If you read what I wrote more carefully, you would have seen “When there is no lineup of ferry-bound traffic on southbound Fauntleroy, and no oncoming southbound through traffic.”
  - IDC9 October 15, 2025 (4:08 pm)
    
    I reread your post, and now see that you had already raised the question. I apologize for not reading your post more carefully the first time.
Azimuth October 15, 2025 (8:13 am)

Agreed on something like you said. 45th will potentially see a lot more cars if forced to and that road is simply not designed to absorb that traffic and the city has put many things in the way to this point. As a side note, if one actually follows the signs put up to get to the ferry terminal from the east and south, they are hilariously circuitous route for locals who know where it is.

Group camp October 14, 2025 (2:21 pm)

Let the line cutting and honking begin!

Licoln Park Mom October 14, 2025 (3:07 pm)

This is going to increase the awesome turns that stop traffic and even more, the cars that turn halfway into a side street (mine) and block it in order to complete a turn. I had to wait to turn onto my street in a cab for this very reason. The meter was running! I ended up ending the ride there and walking with my suitcase to my house. So inconsiderate. This is someone’s neighborhood first and foremost. The houses around me are 100 years old.

North Admiral Cyclist October 14, 2025 (5:24 pm)

It’s a tough one, the homes are 100 years old and so is the ferry dock! But 100 years ago, the ferries were smaller and less frequent. The dock has certainly outgrown the neighborhood. Its traffic is also a hazard for local pedestrians and bicyclists. So the State’s solution is to make the dock even bigger! Support for King County’s Vashon Water Taxi and Kitsap’s fast foot ferry reduces the need to expand Fauntleroy for more cars.
- Ivan Weiss October 14, 2025 (8:40 pm)
  
  How many times do we have to explain that expanding the dock takes more ferry-bound cars off the street, thus making the street safer? How many times do we have to explain that runaway growth in Kitsap County is far outstripping the carrying capacity of their foot ferries?
  - North Admiral Cyclist October 15, 2025 (7:03 am)
    
    I don’t mind the concept of storage of more vehicles on the dock to address the existing problems, but as someone that cycles by the dock, encouraging more car traffic is not the answer. A traffic light may reduce the cost of a traffic officer, but won’t make life easier for local pedestrians or cyclists. Ferry riders have shown they do not adhere to traffic lights. Kitsap Transit reported about 1.1 million riders on their foot ferries in 2024, up 12% over 2023. Ridership on the Southworth foot ferry route increased 21% between 2023 and 2024. Kitsap carried 177k riders in 2024 on the Southworth fast ferry route,, which equates to roughly 150k cars annually or an average of 400 are per day taken off the road. That’s significant in my book. Kitsap generates this ridership with a service that departs every 60 to 75 minutes. Adding service in the future and shortening headways between boats will make it even more attractive. King County reported a 55% increase in ridership on the Vashon Water Taxi in 2024, carrying 69,000 in July-December 2024. An average of roughly 300 cars per day.. Ridership on the Vashon route jumped up when they added midday service. That makes it easier for riders to use the ferry to go to an appointment Downtown, instead of driving and paying for parking. Moving more cars through the Fauntleroy ferry dock that has outgrown the neighborhood is not the long term solution.
    - Ivan Weiss October 15, 2025 (1:36 pm)
      
      You’re living in la-la land if you think people are going to stop driving, just because you wish they would.
    - IDC9 October 15, 2025 (4:16 pm)
      
      Agreed. We are in a car centric society, and that is not going to change overnight. More public transit options, including fast ferries, are great, and will help. But there is always going to be a need for cars.
    - Kyle October 16, 2025 (8:26 pm)
      
      Yeah a bigger dock to get more cars off the street is the safer move. Your long winded induced demand arguments fail to see that it’s the size and frequency of the boats not the size of the dock, and the dock is so tiny right now that everyday the queueing mess spills on to Fauntleroy. Maybe in some ferrytale (pun intended) car demand goes away but it hasn’t and not planning for the future would be a big mistake
  - Joe Z October 15, 2025 (9:45 am)
    
    The ferry routes are state highways. If they want to reduce traffic on the ferry route they could build a proper protected bike lane on Fauntleroy and Vashon Highway.
  - IDC9 October 15, 2025 (4:12 pm)
    
    The growth in Kitsap is getting to be a bit much, especially in and around Port Orchard (take a trip out to McCormick Woods sometime, and you’ll see what I mean). The peninsula is starting to lose the small town charm that it had, which is a real shame.

Ricardo October 14, 2025 (5:23 pm)

Ferry October 16, 2025 (9:18 am)

What does residency or the age of the neighboring houses have to do with the right to use a public road? Horrific that you had to walk one block with luggage–I hope you are ok.

Alex October 14, 2025 (6:25 pm)

Have to wonder whether there will be a pedestrian crossing button for stopping exiting traffic and allowing peds to cross the dock to the other side. The cop does a great job giving peds the right of way. A longer dock will take some cars off of Fauntleroy but by 2040, WSF expects just short of 2M vehicles which will likely clog Fauntleroy up again. And as the years go on and the homes from behind the dock to California are torn down and replaced with 5 story apartment building (One Seattle Comprehensive Plan), the area will devolve into chaos.

IDC9 October 15, 2025 (4:18 pm)

At one point, WSF had proposed moving Southworth service to Coleman Dock by 2014 (Vashon service would continue to run through Fauntleroy) where there is some room to handle more traffic. That obviously didn’t happen. Perhaps the idea will be revisited in the future.
- WSB October 18, 2025 (7:37 pm)
  
  It was reviewed during this process. The conclusion was, the trips would be too long and too few.

Kyle October 14, 2025 (6:42 pm)

Yay for signal, but why wouldn’t you allow left hand turns when there is no back up? This will increase u turns, unless they want to make some of the side streets better for people to go to the northside for entry.

DC October 15, 2025 (10:48 am)

How would you enforce a ‘left turns allowed only when there’s no backup’ rule? Seems like a better option to ensure consistency and avoid conflict and ambiguity by making it a permanent no left turns rule.
- IDC9 October 15, 2025 (4:22 pm)
  
  Start with signs with flashing lights saying “No Left Turn Onto Ferry Dock When Flashing”, and “For Ferry Access, U-Turn at Lincoln Park When Flashing”. It might not help much, but its a start.
- Kyle October 16, 2025 (8:28 pm)
  
  They already do this at other ferry locations. It’s just a signaling mechanism to flash a big red x left turn sign and have no green arrow for left turns.

D-Mom October 15, 2025 (6:48 am)

The u-turners are loads of fun for those of us that live south of the ferry and drive north on Fauntleroy often. It would be nice if the plans included a way for those cars who will continue to come south to north to get in line without dangerously impacting other drivers and the many pedestrians and cyclists around the park.

Ivan Weiss October 15, 2025 (3:53 pm)

We’ll just use 45th, and cut over to Fauntleroy on Concord or Trenton. That will be the only way to do it legally and safely, with no U-turns. People who live on 45th won’t like it, but we’ll all have to adapt to change.

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