FOLLOWUP: New date for Fauntleroy ferry-terminal traffic signal

(WSF rendering of intersection with signal)

Washington State Ferries just sent an update on the first component of the Fauntleroy terminal project, the traffic signal planned for the dock entrance/exit on Fauntleroy Way. Here’s the heart of it:

… We’re starting work later than planned as we work with the contractor and City of Seattle to develop a plan to safely and efficiently move traffic through the intersection during construction. The goal is to minimize impacts for our customers and the traveling public as much as possible.

We expect the signal to become operational around mid-2027. Once we finalize a traffic control plan, we will notify riders and the surrounding community before starting work.

Drivers should expect some lane restrictions and possible detours for large vehicles. Ferry service will continue as usual. Customers may experience some delays leaving the dock through the work zone

Though “later than planned,” WSF says they expect to start work “this fall.” (Last spring, they were projecting work would start in early September.) Here’s the WSF schematic of how traffic is supposed to flow once the signal is operational:

20 Replies to "FOLLOWUP: New date for Fauntleroy ferry-terminal traffic signal"

  • Dave August 31, 2026 (5:13 pm)

    Decades overdue.

    • Curious George August 31, 2026 (5:22 pm)

      Operational in mid 2027…ya sure ya betch ya. 2028 if we’re lucky.

  • Kevin August 31, 2026 (6:39 pm)

    Welp, screw the people coming from the south who apparently can’t turn left to the ferry under this plan. Why does this not surprise me? Transit planning is no messed up around here particularly in the City of Seattle. What do the northbound arriving cars have to do? Go further up Fauntleroy and make a semi-illegal u-turn to then be able to come south again to get to the ferry? I know that’s already what happens when there is a line… fine.  But if there is no line and no waiting cars, the people coming north should be able to turn left. How stupid.

    • Dustin August 31, 2026 (7:44 pm)

      It looks like the shortest detour would be to turn off Barton at 45th and loop around to Fauntleroy Way via Fauntleroy Place. Othello is also an option for those coming from farther north. It would be cool to see a roundabout at the fork for Lowman Beach for the purpose of ferry u-turns and controlling that merge point for traffic towards Alki.

      • C August 31, 2026 (9:16 pm)

        Drive Slow on Fauntleroy Place. Construction, children, and pedestrians. People drive way to fast on that road trying to bypass the Ferry traffic. 

        • K September 6, 2026 (11:42 am)

          Yes, please drive slow on Fauntleroy Place, particularly in the commuter hours in the morning now that the days are starting to get shorter. Lots of folks walk down this street to get to public transit and there isn’t really too much in the way of side walk. 

      • Ivan Weiss September 1, 2026 (6:33 am)

        North on 45th to Trenton, west on Trenton to Fauntleroy, then left into the ferry line. It’s the only way to do this safely and legally. And drivers will have to negotiate north on 45th VERY SLOWLY, to avoid sideswiping parked cars. This will be pure hell for the residents on 45th, but this is what we get from the chronic mind-blowing incompetents at SDOT, who can’t find a way to accommodate left turns onto the dock from the thousands of drivers who approach the dock from the south.

        And can we please quit with this stupid roundabout idea? Where, I ask, is the room to put this in? We’d have to condemn the gas station, at the very least.

      • Fred September 6, 2026 (11:29 am)

         A round-about fir northbound cars. What a concept. Thanks for the suggestion.

    • NoEnforcement August 31, 2026 (11:25 pm)

      Just do what drivers do currently when the temporary No Left Turn sign is in place,
      promptly turn left.

    • CW September 1, 2026 (7:07 am)

      I come from the south, too, and I never turn left at the ferry terminal. It isn’t safe and it’s selfish. 

    • Denden September 4, 2026 (11:12 am)

      I can just it now. SB cars see a big line and quickly detour up a side street to get in line for the much shorter NB line until everyone learns about this. Now we have 2 big lines. Glad I don’t have to deal with this.

  • Alki resident August 31, 2026 (7:27 pm)

    You can’t be serious. No left turn now? What will the genius’s come up with next? 

  • PATRICK August 31, 2026 (7:48 pm)

    WA state project delayed? What a shocker!

  • Lisa August 31, 2026 (7:53 pm)

    I was t boned by a car driving off the ferry a few years ago. The impact was so hard it spun my car around. I still have back issues. Other than that, thank goodness we were ok. I, personally, welcome any traffic control at this location and have been extremely thankful for the traffic cops who stand in the middle of mayhem directing everyone. 

    • Thomas September 5, 2026 (12:37 am)

      It couldn’t have been that hard considering the other car was coming from a complete stop. And would’ve only have a couple feet to accelerate. L

  • helpermonkey September 1, 2026 (8:26 am)

    I wish we could just move this dock downtown. This volume of traffic does not belong in a residential neighborhood. 

    • Lisa September 1, 2026 (9:18 pm)

      Yeah, it’s a pretty crazy situation in such a small space. 

    • YepYepYep September 2, 2026 (11:55 am)

      This is an idea worth discussing. If not, I think we also need a couple legal u-turn or round-abouts further up Fauntleroy to help reduce the peak time situations. Maybe by 7-11.

      • KBear September 2, 2026 (9:26 pm)

        Have you looked at a map? Unless we can move Vashon and Southworth closer to downtown, this would seem to require much more fuel.And people approaching from the south should just plan ahead and drive to Morgan Junction first. 

    • Fred September 6, 2026 (11:32 am)

      Yep, it may have worked fine in the last century,, but not today.

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