This post originally appeared on Orphan Road.
An article in the P-I gets at the problems of ferries and water taxis:
A couple of things are working against the idea. The fare — $3 one way and $5 round trip — is about twice that of a Metro bus. The 30-minute ride between the University District and South Lake Union, and the 20-minute ride from Fremont to South Lake Union, take about twice as long as the bus.
And that’s assuming you live right along the water near a stop. The bus can actually get into neighborhoods. The fact is, most boats don’t really go all that fast, and the ones that do would generate enough wake to capsize a few dozen kayakers each morning.
Still, there’s opportunity. More commercial development in South Lake Union, plus the Streetcar, could help make it a more viable option.