A joint statement from the Fauntleroy and Vashon ferry organizing communities, released this summer, calls on Washington State Ferries (WSF) to find solutions for traffic headaches at the Fauntleroy ferry dock.
Vashon Ferry Advisory Committee (FAC) Chair Justin Hirsch and Islanders for Ferry Action (IFA) Director Amy Drayer, along with their peers in Fauntleroy, will meet with WSF Deputy Director of Planning, Customer and Government Relations Hadley Rodero on August 21 to explore solutions, Drayer said.
The Beachcomber ran proposals of the letter, which is signed by the Vashon and Fauntleroy FACs and by IFA and the Fauntleroy Community Association, by WSF to get their response.
First, the letter proposes, a WSF employee or Seattle Police officer could actively manage the vehicle line along Fauntleroy Way during commuter and weekend travel times.
”WSF contracts with a private company to help manage traffic control and will talk with the contractor on what might be able to be supported at Fauntleroy,” WSF told The Beachcomber in response. “Support to traffic control is generally supported by off-duty law enforcement officers and has its own challenges when adding more traffic control across the system, due to the fact those off-duty officers are already working overtime with their agency. Washington State Patrol (WSP) and Seattle PD have limited to no support for traffic control.”
Next, the letter proposes, WSF should consider adding a board pass system, like it uses on the Edmonds-Kingston route, to help riders time their wait and to prevent line cutting. The Kingston program was started at the request of the community to reduce traffic congestion there, according to WSF.
”WSF relies on the same firm to manage the boarding pass system at Kingston,” WSF said in reply. “The system is complicated and challenging, which is why Kitsap County is building new infrastructure so the officer-involved tally can end,” WSF said. “We will not be able to institute the system at Fauntleroy.”
Finally, the letter calls for increased signage and more clear visual guidance along the wait line at Fauntleroy, plus updated, more clear and brightly-colored marking of the painted crosshatch spaces.
Work on city streets and signage is the responsibility of the city of Seattle, WSF said, adding that the Vashon community could reach out to Seattle directly or alongside Fauntleroy citizens.
”WSF does not have control over signage along Fauntleroy Way, which is posted by the city of Seattle,” WSF said. “We’ve had conversations with the city about signage, which has led to what’s there.”
Drayer said that Vashon’s ferry leaders intend to follow up with the City of Seattle.
“This is a crisis for our communities,” Drayer said in a statement. “… The situation in Fauntleroy produces frustration and anger daily, and we believe diffusing driver frustration is an important tactic in helping reduce incidence of crew harassment. We’re disappointed that the hard work we did to build common cause and discover solutions with the Fauntleroy community was met with a flat no from WSF. But there’s still a victory here in the connections we’ve made … IFA and Fauntleroy community members and organizations will continue to work together and with WSF to discover and advance solutions.”
“While I understand that WSF does not manage Seattle’s streets, WSF cannot simply wash its hands of the impact that its terminal has on the Fauntleroy Community,” Hirsch said. “Travelers and Fauntleroy residents are increasingly coming into conflict while confusion, traffic bullying and line cutters rule the street largely unchecked. If WSF can hire a contractor to manage the ferry line outside of its Kingston terminal, it could do the same at Fauntleroy.”
