Prepare for Labor Day ferry traffic
People boarding a state ferry by vehicle should prepare for long waits this Labor Day weekend, according to Washington State Ferries (WSF).
Peak travel times on most routes are expected to be westbound or island-bound Thursday through Saturday, Aug. 29-31, and eastbound or off-island Saturday, Aug. 31, through Monday, Sept. 2. You can bypass vehicle lines and board faster by traveling as a walk-on passenger.
Check the sailing schedules, track vessels on the real-time map and sign up to receive rider alerts in case of last-minute delays or canceled sailings on the WSF website at wsdot.wa.gov/travel/washington-state-ferries.
Get septic information at new website
Vashon Team Septic — aka the Septic Sisters — has created a website filled with answers and resources for islanders who use septic systems to manage human waste at their properties. The website includes resources for those remodeling, buying or building homes, advice about failing septic systems and guidance on who to call.
Find out more at vashonteamseptic.org, or reach out to the organization at vashonteamseptic@googlegroups.com.
Updates on talks with WSF about Fauntleroy dock
A conversation between local ferry leaders and Washington State Ferries (WSF), detailed in last week’s paper, has yielded some developments, Islanders for Ferry Action (IFA) Director Amy Drayer told The Beachcomber last week.
The conversation followed a letter, sent by Drayer and Vashon Ferry Advisory Committee chair Justin Hirsch along with representatives from the Fauntleroy community, asking WSF to improve the situation at the West Seattle dock and along Fauntleroy Way.
In their letter, the groups proposed active management of the vehicle line during commuter and peak weekend travel times by a Seattle Police Department officer and/or WSF employee. The line already has one funded officer assigned at the intersection, but WSF’s private contractor has had challenges filling the position, WSF told the group. There is a private security company on the island willing and able to staff an off-duty officer to patrol the sidewalk, where they could direct travelers, intercept line cutters and advise drivers. WSF agreed to do more research and work with the communities to see if this might be possible, Drayer said.
A proposal to bring a boarding pass system to help manage the line at Fauntleroy is a non-starter, according to WSF. It’s not working as well as hoped in places where WSF has implemented it, and funding is a challenge, too. But WSF will help bring together a group including the Seattle Department of Transportation to consider additional signage at the dock.
