After going to the ferry meeting on Oct. 26, I’m confident there will be some improvements in the system within the next few years. However, I don’t believe there will be any significant reduction in the ferry lines.
Given that we’re in the midst of a population explosion, the ferry lines will only get longer. Even if the system were to expand substantially, more people will move here. Five years ago, Vashon’s voters approved the construction ofthe new high school, thus attracting more families to move here: 250 students come to our school from off-island. A lot of their families will move here, too.
For the last 35 years or more, the politics of the region has been all about growth. We’re a culture of families, children and schools.
Ferry lines are just one symptom of the condition we’re in. Vashon town is becoming gridlocked, and the price of rent is sky-rocketing. It doesn’t help that we have an army of realtors and business interest promoting VashonIsland.
You should remind yourself why you’ve chosen to live here. I doubt if it was to live in a crowd.
The inconvenience of the ferries is the only thing keeping us from being as crowded as West Seattle.
Growth is the crowd we leave future generations and once done, it can’t be undone.
— Jeff Schnelz
