Ferry fight: New revised Fauntleroy-Vashon-Southworth schedule proposal out on eve of big meeting

| Fauntleroy | Transportation | West Seattle news

7:02 PM: As previewed here Monday, the Washington State Ferries Triangle Route Task Force meets tomorrow with one hot topic on the agenda – the first major revision to the route’s schedule in years. And on the eve of that meeting, WSF has released a revised version of the proposed schedule change:

(You can also see that here in PDF.) WSF also has just released this summary of comments previously received, and says it’s taking comments on the new revision for one week, through December 18th. Tomorrow’s meeting is at Fauntleroy Church‘s Fellowship Hall (9140 California SW), 4:30-7 pm.

9:33 PM: We asked WSF spokesperson Hadley Rodero for the quick-take version of what’s different:

WSF has made significant adjustments to the schedule to respond to what we heard. Such as:

o Adding a direct sailing from Vashon to Fauntleroy in the evening to avoid layover sailings that would have sent Vashon customers to Southworth on their way to Fauntleroy.

o Adding another morning sailing from Southworth to Fauntleroy during the morning commute period.

o Adding one 4:10 p.m. direct sailing from Fauntleroy to Southworth during the evening commute.

We’ve also asked Steve Stockett, a leader of the Vashon advocacy for a “pendulum” approach, for his thoughts; he’s analyzing the new version.

ADDED 7:53 AM: Stockett’s analysis of the new revision begins:

In trying to advantage Southworth even more while swatting at some symptoms that Vashon and Southworth folks, including me, have pointed out as absurdities in their previous schedule they have made it even worse.

They honestly just don’t understand the concepts of clearing the dock at Fauntleroy via an all stops (Pendulum Schedule). Your can’t have 16 direct Southworth stops, add 5 boats to Southworth and cut runs to Vashon and then do more dual loading during rush hour too. The reason Pendulum results in more, better spaced runs for everyone at every dock is because you are co-loading every boat and thus they leave fuller and have adequate time between boats at each dock to fully load. You can’t mix the 2 concepts.

They have actually reduced average dwell time by an extra couple of minutes at rush at Fauntleroy and added a direct boat for Southworth. They will average 30 or more empty space on every rush hour boat with people spilling on to Fauntleroy – even worse then now. It is so messed up I cannot coherently explain all the problems.

He wants to see the changes put on hold and “a transparent collaborative workshop (to) fix this.”

ArborHeightsRes December 12, 2018 (9:56 am)

Does anyone know what the actual cost is, not what WSF charges, to transport a vehicle on these routes?

Ivan Weiss December 12, 2018 (10:15 am)

I was going to cut and paste, but Steve (my neighbor) explains it better. One thing we want to emphasize to West Seattle people (and especially Fauntleroy neighborhood and Fauntleroy Corridor residents) is that our proposed pendulum route addresses serious traffic and pedestrian safety issues for your communities, by getting more vehicles off your streets more quickly, lessening the lines, lessening the blocked driveways, lessening the emissions and toxic fumes from idling cars and trucks, and lessening the stress on all of us.Washington State ferries doesn’t appear to care about any of these factors. We do, and we know that you do. The dock isn’t going anywhere. Let’s work together on it.

M December 12, 2018 (11:01 am)

According to the pdf WSF published last night: The pendulum schedule “would create longer lines and carry fewer people and goods.”So the pendulum schedule would make the safety, congestion, and pollution situation in Fauntleroy worse, not better.

stephen J stockett December 12, 2018 (11:56 am)

Well these statements are verifiable by looking at “dwell” times. WSF has published that it takes 20 minutes to get a full boat docked, unloaded, then loaded and leave if you load to both destinations – several minutes longer and a police officer on street if single destination. There are 88 spaces on dock so the 32 cars need to come thru toll booth during dwell time. We average over 22 minutes per dwell – WSF new schedule averages around 16 so there is no way they are going to make it. 20 minutes is minimum at peak. Lets have a fair , transparent, detailed evaluation by collaboration with WSF and Pendulum drafters. That’s all we ask – If they are so confident of their deceptive and false statements then they should be willing to do that.

M December 12, 2018 (1:10 pm)

In addition to the problems noted by WSF, the pendulum approach makes it a direct ride for all Vashon residents, and an indirect ride for everyone else. It’s a non-starter.
- Rick December 12, 2018 (5:33 pm)
  
  Isn’t that the real goal? Build the bridge!
  - M December 13, 2018 (9:03 am)
    
    Right. Basically the pendulum schedule means that every departure from Fauntleroy or Southworth will stop at Vashon first, before getting to your final destination. It’s obvious why this is wanted by Vashon residents. And it’s ironic that the website for the pendulum schedule is “Vashon’s only road,” when Vashon residents fiercely resist a bridge. Instead of “Vashon’s only road,” it’s more like “The only road Vashon wants.”

Vashon/Seattle resident December 12, 2018 (6:01 pm)

Lots of great information is available at the vashonsonlyroad.org site. This detailed FAQ sheet can help explain in more detail the level of impact the proposed changes would have to safety, commerce, and level of service for the Vashon community. Improvements proposed would also help reduce car exhaust and street blockage problems which affect West Seattle neighbors: https://www.vashonsonlyroad.org/faq/

M December 13, 2018 (9:05 am)

That website is just a bunch of unsupported assertions. WSF studied your proposal and came to the opposite conclusion.
- Ivan Weiss December 13, 2018 (11:16 am)
  
  @M, whoever you are, your statement is demonstrably and verifiably false. The conclusions reached on vashonsonlyroad.org are the product of at least 40 years of constant, ongoing data collection on arrivals, departures, dwell times, traffic flow, fare collection, and every other aspect of ferry operations and procedures that we have been collecting and testing for accuracy over the years. It is a mystery to me why you continue to carry WSF’s water for them, unless you are part of WSF management. We have years of verifiable data to back up every single one of our assertions, and WSF knows it. There will be no bridge. Ever. Period. End of discussion. The Coast Guard and the Port of Tacoma will not allow it. In the meantime, Vashon Island will continue to lie between West Seattle and Southworth, and there are no plans to move it. The pendulum route will serve Southworth better than it serves Southworth now, because it will give them more runs, and unlike WSF’s bizarre, indefensible proposed schedule, which for some bizarre reason you continue to defend, will not take anyone in the opposite direction from where they are wanting to go. Please stop embarrassing yourself in a public forum.