Colman Dock project won’t remove PO boat access

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.

By Natalie Johnson • April 25, 2012 4:00 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.