2005 Washington Revised Code RCW 47.60.649: Passenger-only ferry service — Finding.

The legislature finds and declares that there is a compelling need for the construction of additional state ferry vessels and corresponding terminal improvements in order to provide more capacity and frequent service to meet the forecasted travel demands of citizens traveling on Puget Sound ferry routes. The vessel technology required must provide additional travel options for high growth ferry routes through increased passenger-only ferry service.

     The 1989 west corridor study evaluated cross-sound travel through the year 2020 and identified the Southworth to Seattle and the Kingston to Seattle passenger-only ferry routes as promising based on criteria evaluating cost-effectiveness, time savings, physical constraints to operation, nonduplication of current service, and ability to relieve congestion.

     Furthermore, as a result of legislative direction provided in the 1991-93 transportation budget to the state transportation commission to evaluate and determine the location of new passenger-only ferry routes, the commission reviewed several service alternatives, determined that the Southworth to Seattle and Kingston to Seattle routes ranked highest, and directed the Washington state ferries to proceed with the design and permitting processes for passenger-only terminals at both Southworth and Kingston.

[1998 c 166 § 1.]