Study identifies 7 potential foot-ferry routes for Puget Sound area
The Puget Sound Regional Council (PSRC) last month released the results of its yearlong study examining potential passenger-only ferry routes in the area. The feasibility study narrowed the list of potential routes from 45 to seven: Tacoma-Seattle, Bellingham-Friday Harbor, Whidbey Island-Everett, Kenmore-University of Washington, Kirkland-UW, Renton-UW, and Renton-South Lake Union.
"This study was conducted at a conceptual planning level across a wide geographic area, limited to travel between the 12 counties that border Puget Sound," the report read. "Community engagement was a priority of this study, with engagement activities beginning early and continuing throughout the entire study process."
The study looked at a variety of criteria when evaluating the routes, including travel time savings, ridership potential, community interest and operational considerations. Although PSRC identified potential routes, the study is merely a starting point according to the agency. PSRC noted actual implementation would require service providers like transit agencies, local governments and private companies to develop the routes.
According to the report, Kirkland-UW would be the most-used route, with almost 148,000 riders per year. The route would cost a little more than $1.8 million to operate annually. The Kenmore-UW route, meanwhile, would host almost 130,000 riders and cost over $2 million to operate annually. Both routes would save riders about 15 minutes compared with a bus, according to PSRC.
https://www.bizjournals.com/seattle/news/2021/02/10/psrc-passenger-only-ferry-routes.html
