Comments on: Washington State Ferry News

By: Bill

Bill — Sun, 13 Sep 2009 17:25:37 +0000

The shipbuilding industry is supposed to serve the transportation needs of the region, not the other way around.

By: Chris Stefan

Chris Stefan — Mon, 07 Sep 2009 22:32:57 +0000

The Edmonds/Kingston and Fauntleroy/Vashon/Southworth boats are packed with walk-on passengers during commute hours as well.

If I recall correctly the only two ferry runs that take in more in fares than they cost to operate are Seattle/Bainbridge and Edmonds/Kingston. In terms of walk-on passengers, Seattle/Bainbridge is #1, Edmonds/Kingston is #2, Seattle/Bremerton is #3, and Fauntleroy/Vashon/Southworth is #4. In terms of relative volumes I believe Edmonds/Kingston sees roughly 3/4 the passengers of Seattle/Bainbridge and both Seattle/Bremerton and Fauntleroy/Vashon/Southworth see about 1/2 the passengers of Edmonds/Kingston.

By: Chris Stefan

Chris Stefan — Mon, 07 Sep 2009 19:58:28 +0000

It is an hour and 20 minute drive when there isn’t congestion on I-15, SR 16, and SR 3. But it can be a 3 or more hour trip when the traffic is bad.

For trips further North on the Kitsap peninsula a bus taking the long way around isn’t at all practical.

One of the routes that will likely be served by PO ferry service is Kingston/Seattle. Other than the auto ferry to Edmonds or swimming there is no real alternative on this route.

By: Chris Stefan

Chris Stefan — Mon, 07 Sep 2009 18:58:29 +0000

Actually someone did try and get him declared an horse’s arse but it was ruled out of bounds for an initiative!

I believe that was one David Goldstein AKA “Goldie”, proprietor of horsesass.org or HA Seattle as he seems to be trying to rebrand it lately.

By: Mike F

Mike F — Mon, 07 Sep 2009 16:36:08 +0000

The BitterEnd blog notes today that WSF is “investigating selling naming rights” to the new ferries “as one way of raising revenue.” (From a 2009-09-04 posting in the San Juan Islander) Perhaps it's finally time for WSF/WSDOT management and its enablers in Olympia to be keelhauled.

By: Tim Whittome

Tim Whittome — Mon, 07 Sep 2009 04:27:32 +0000

Actually someone did try and get him declared an horse’s arse but it was ruled out of bounds for an initiative!

Antarctica sounds fine to me – basically, anywhere but Washington State.

By: Mike F

Mike F — Sat, 05 Sep 2009 23:46:09 +0000

This week’s Bremerton Patriot has an article about last Tuesday’s contentious Transportation Commission meeting in Silverdale: ‘Crowd cries foul on ferry fare proposal’

Click on the link for a short, but interesting, read.

If you, too, would like to yell (politely, of course) at Governor Gregoire’s cronies, the Patriot thoughtfully provided the following information in a sidebar (apparently not published online):

Missed the meeting?

Public comments on the fare proposal can be submitted through Sept. 8. E-mail transc@wsdot.wa.gov, call (360) 705-7070 or send mail to Tariff Proposal, Washington State Transportation Commission, PO Box 47308, Olympia WA 98504-7308.

A final public hearing is slated for 1-5 p.m. Sept. 8 at the Puget Sound Regional Council building, 1011 Western Ave., Suite 500, Seattle. Testimony will also be taken via a conference line, (712) 432-1620, pin number 404317#.

By: LB

LB — Fri, 04 Sep 2009 15:19:02 +0000

The newest Staten Island ferries can carry cars, but cars haven’t been allowed since the 9/11 attacks and it is not known when they’ll be allowed to carry cars again (if ever).

By: serial catowner

serial catowner — Fri, 04 Sep 2009 12:48:18 +0000

Seattle would certainly be a destination city if we had Amsterdam cafes on our ferries.

By: serial catowner

serial catowner — Fri, 04 Sep 2009 12:45:09 +0000

And try pushing someone in a wheelchair up to Third to catch a bus for Harborview. Maybe then you’ll hear what I’m saying.

By: serial catowner

serial catowner — Fri, 04 Sep 2009 12:42:41 +0000

Kenworth got out of the school bus business because they weren’t selling enough replacement parts- the buses they made just didn’t wear out fast enough.

So, yes, if we had the Pacific Car management team from 1952, we could get a heckuva deal on buses from Kenworth.

By: serial catowner

serial catowner — Fri, 04 Sep 2009 12:35:45 +0000

Seems odd that nobody remembers the Staten Island ferries, which look very much like our car ferries. I don’t know if they carry cars, I never saw a car, but I never really looked. It would certainly simplify building the terminal if you didn’t carry cars.

I only rode them in off-peak hours but (as a rube from Seattle) found the loading and debarking of hundreds of passengers fascinating.

The hulls of our car ferries are the ideal shape and size for fuel efficiency and maintaining schedules in adverse weather. The size of the boats allows for food service. Terminals and loading ramps for cars are already in place. The simple- and right- answer is to keep the existing service, not make the boats or terminals any larger, and expand passenger accommodation at the expense of cars as warranted.

By: serial catowner

serial catowner — Fri, 04 Sep 2009 12:21:01 +0000

Well, that would be great- if I had ever seen them move. I have frequently waited 20 minutes for a buddy to pick me up at the ferry and the buses are immobile.

I’m sure you’re right about them being Northgate. Just someplace that 99% of the foot passengers aren’t going, not that it would matter, considering the buses don’t actually depart.

By: aw

aw — Fri, 04 Sep 2009 03:36:45 +0000

“The other option would be to put Eyeman in a box and ship him to Antarctica.”

Could we vote on that instead of one of his silly initiatives?

By: Lloyd

Lloyd — Fri, 04 Sep 2009 02:03:32 +0000

When a ferry can carry 200 cars and 2500 passengers, we are talking transit, no matter how much we may loathe the cars on the auto decks. Thousands of folks use transit on one or both sides of the water in addition to the ferries for their commutes.
When a passenger only vessel is developed that can run with only 2 or 3 crew, can run in all but the very very worst weather our area can throw at us, and run at high speed with minimal wake in the narrow passages some routes traverse, then perhaps the legislature (which sets the direction and budget for the ferry system) will have a change of heart. But in the end, we are indeed back to the gas tax issue – until that is resolved, the ferry system will never change much.

By: M

Fri, 04 Sep 2009 02:02:44 +0000

“On the Seattle side, not so much. A couple of buses labeled for Kenmore or some equally improbable destination for someone debarking in Seattle”

Hyperbolic, much? Neither of the two bus routes that serve the terminal directly go any further north than Northgate and both go up to 3rd Avenue negating the “stiff…hike” up the hill to the main bus avenue.

By: Gary

Gary — Thu, 03 Sep 2009 22:07:17 +0000

There is a big empty factory building down in Renton that used to build trucks for Kenworth. I’d rather we built buses there and pay a bit more than buy ones from Italy.

By: Bernie

Bernie — Thu, 03 Sep 2009 20:29:16 +0000

Sure Ben, a company that knows it’s the only bidder is going to give the same low price on a government contract that it would on competitive private sector work. And no, it’s not mandatory that the low bid automatically has to get the job. The State, just like a private home owner could solicit bids and then decide which one is the best value based on price, quality and service. Just because highway projects currently automatically go to the low bidder doesn’t mean ferry contracts would have to be awarded that way.

By: Bernie

Bernie — Thu, 03 Sep 2009 20:15:41 +0000

Maybe the answer for Sounder North is to follow the ferry system lead add car transporters to the consist. It would actually make more sense for the State to subsidize rail freight of passenger cars between Everett and Tacoma than it does to barge them across the Sound.

By: Bernie

Bernie — Thu, 03 Sep 2009 20:11:41 +0000

So at double the fuel efficiency of a standard monohull it’s still burning 75 gallons per hour! Sailing time will still be about one hour. An articulated bus carries roughly as many people. MapQuest puts drive time from Seattle to Bremerton at an hour and twenty minutes. Sixty six miles at 3 miles per gallon would be 22 gallons. The bus operates with a crew of one and has the ability to pick-up and drop off in multiple locations. How does a ferry make sense?