Colman Dock project won’t remove PO boat access

By NATALIE JOHNSON
Vashon-Maury Island Beachcomber Reporter
April 24, 2012 · Updated 4:55 PM 

Water taxi riders can breathe a tentative sigh of relief. Washington State Ferries has announced that it won’t prevent passenger-only ferries from docking at Colman Dock in Seattle after the dock’s renovation in 2015, but PO boat operators may have to cover the cost of staying there.

Earlier this year, WSF said that plans to renovate Colman Dock included removing Pier 50, where the King County Water Taxi docks along with the Kingston SoundRunner.

PO boat riders around the region, as well as local legislators and county Councilmember Joe McDermott, expressed their concern about the plan, saying the boats docked in a prime location for passengers.

Ultimately lawmakers included a proviso in the state transportation budget that requires any renovation to the Colman Dock to maintain passenger-only ferry access to the terminal.

WSF director David Moseley said in an email that the agency is proposing to modify the project to include in-kind replacement of the PO boat pier. He said that passenger-only ferry operators would be responsible for any additional project costs.

 

Contact Vashon-Maury Island Beachcomber Reporter Natalie Johnson at njohnson@vashonbeachcomber.com or 206-463-9195.

Comment on this story.

COMMENTING RULES: We encourage an open exchange of ideas in our online community, but we ask you to follow our guidelines for respecting community standards. In a nutshell, don't say anything you wouldn't want your mother to read. Please see our FAQ if you have questions or concerns about using Facebook to comment.

So keep your comments:

  • Civil
  • Smart
  • On-topic
  • Free of profanity

We ask that all participants own their words by logging in with their Facebook account. It's a simple process that will take seconds and helps keep our comments free of trolls, cranks, and “drive-by” commenters. We reserve the right to remove comments from anyone using screen names, pseudonyms or false identities. Please refer to our Terms of Use for full detail on participating on our site.