
Greetings Supporters of Save Fauntleroy Cove!
Congratulations!
YOUR efforts created additional pressure which helped Washington State Ferries (WSF) decide to no longer pursue expansion over Cove Park. The numerous letters and kids' drawings sent to our officials, financial support and posting the signs, ALL made a huge difference! What a
Greetings Supporters of Save Fauntleroy Cove!
Congratulations!
YOUR efforts created additional pressure which helped Washington State Ferries (WSF) decide to no longer pursue expansion over Cove Park. The numerous letters and kids' drawings sent to our officials, financial support and posting the signs, ALL made a huge difference! What a great learning experience for your children - to realize their voice and efforts can make a difference! Thank you!!!
Now What...
If you listened to the Advisory Board meeting (link attached below), WSF still plans on expanding into the Sound and "selective" expansion north, after Cove Park. This will have very negative ramifications for the Salmon Stream, other marine life, the Fauntleroy community and all of West Seattle. WSF ended the Zoom call clarifying no one had additional issues to be dealt with, except the Good To Go study and a request to look at a remote kiosk (the kiosk idea supports part of the solution below).
WSF referred to the Good To Go study to be performed, "before or during construction". Doesn't take much imagination to conclude WSF feels Good To Go will not be an acceptable solution to their operational issues and goals. They are clearly pushing for expansion as the only solution. WSF has put the community in "Check" and WSF feels it is, "Checkmate."
Please remember 80% to 90% of the Fauntleroy ferry cars are Single Occupant Vehicles - the highest in the ferry system! In every other transportation plan (City, State or National) there is always a strong element to reduce the number of Single Occupant Vehicles. Why not at the Fauntleroy Ferry Terminal?
Solution Not Yet Considered
The following two-prong solution offers the efficiency and capacity goals of WSF, without expansion.
First, a limited raised curb holding lane would be created between the lower parking lot and upper parking lot. Within that limited holding area, there would be a scanner for Good To Go or whatever technology is selected (could even do it manually until then). There would also be a voice activated (or touch screen) device to enter the number of passengers in the vehicle. The Coast Guard requires WSF to have this information in case of an emergency. A second scanner would be located somewhere on the dock to verify.
To accommodate a raised curb lane, the holding area may need to be moved west a few feet. That would mean the sidewalk may also need to be moved in or it could remain as is but closer to the cars. (This area is actually owned by SDOT and not the Parks Department.) In this area, there is an overgrown drainage ditch which makes the park inaccessible. Suggest the drainage ditch be filled with gravel like it was at the north end of the park. This will improve the park, provide extra area and make the park more accessible.
This holding lane plus the area in front of the residential driveways has a capacity of roughly 100 vehicles. Combined with the 80 vehicles on the dock, that equals 180 total vehicles. Of course, the queue lane can extend north as far as necessary according to demand.
Benefits
Second, a very simple fare adjustment for non-peak commuter time will motivate commuters to change habits. Suggest the non-peak fare should be close to free or free. Non-peak ferries operate with very few cars on them now. This would not apply to weekends, of course.
Combined with fare adjustment for non-peak times, this is a viable and cost-effective solution with little or no downside. This plan could be implemented now instead of years in the future.
Alternatively, if fares were only collected on ferries going east, there would not be a problem in Fauntleroy. (Vashon will kill that idea.)
You can help by sharing this with our elected officials and other interested parties. We hope to also present to the City Council at some point.
Link to the meeting 9.21.22: (1743) Fauntleroy Ferry Terminal Trestle and Transfer Span Replacement Project - CAG Meeting #8 - YouTube
The following elected officials and agencies can influence this decision (directly or often indirectly...which can be more effective).
Please share the above email with them and ask for their support to not expand the dock and consider this alternative.
SEATTLE OFFICIALS
Mayor City of Seattle, Bruce Harrell: bruce.harrell@seattle.gov
Counci
The following elected officials and agencies can influence this decision (directly or often indirectly...which can be more effective).
Please share the above email with them and ask for their support to not expand the dock and consider this alternative.
SEATTLE OFFICIALS
Mayor City of Seattle, Bruce Harrell: bruce.harrell@seattle.gov
Councilmember & on the Executive Ferry Advisory Committee, Lisa Herbold: Lisa.Herbold@seattle.gov
City Council Transportation Chair, Alex Pedersen: Alex.Pedersen@seattle.gov
Citywide Councilmember, Teresa Mosqueda: Teresa.Mosqueda@seattle.gov
Citywide Councilmember, Sara Nelson: Sara.Nelson@seattle.gov
Council President, Debora Juarez: Debora.Juarez@seattle.gov
Executive Director Seattle Planning Commission, Vanessa Murdock: vanessa.murdock@seattle.gov
Attorney City of Seattle, Ann Davidson: Ann.Davison@seattle.gov
Director City of Seattle Office of Intergovernmental Relations, Gael D. Tarleton: Gael.Tarleton@seattle.gov
Interim Director Seattle Department of Transportation, Kristen Simpson: kristen.simpson@seattle.gov
Councilmember, Andrew Lewis: Andrew.Lewis@seattle.gov
Councilmember, Tammy Morales: Tammy.Morales@seattle.gov
Councilmember, Kshama Sawant: Kshama.Sawant@seattle.gov
Councilmember, Dan Strauss: Dan.Strauss@seattle.gov
STATE OFFICIALS
Representative & on the Executive Ferry Advisory Committee, Eileen Cody: eileen.cody@leg.wa.gov
Senator & on the Executive Ferry Advisory Committee, Joe Nguyen: joe.nguyen@leg.wa.gov
Representative & on the Executive Ferry Advisory Committee, Joe Fitzgibbon: joe.fitzgibbon@leg.wa.gov
Director Washington State Recreation and Conservation Office, Megan Duffy: megan.duffy@rco.wa.gov
Environmental Justice Council: envjustice@doh.wa.gov
Executive Director Washington State Executive Ethics Board, Kate Reynolds: kate.reynolds@atg.wa.gov
Governor, Jay Inslee: https://www.governor.wa.gov/contact/contact/send-gov-inslee-e-message
Senator Patty Murray and Senator Maria Cantwell - Since WSDOT acts as a fiscal agent for the Federal government, our Senators can and should influence: https://www.murray.senate.gov/write-to-patty/
https://www.cantwell.senate.gov/contact/email/form
KING COUNTY ELECTED OFFICIALS
King County Executive, Dow Constantine: kcexec@kingcounty.gov
King County Council Vice Chair & on the Executive Ferry Advisory Committee, Joe McDermott: joe.mcdermott@kingcounty.gov
DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION OFFICIALS
Secretary of Transportation Roger Millar: millarr@wsdot.wa.gov
Assistant Secretary for Community and Economic Development, Amy Scarton: ScartoA@wsdot.wa.gov
WSDOT Assistant Secretary – Washington State Ferries & on the Executive Ferry Advisory Committee, Patty Rubstello: RubsteP@wsdot.wa.gov
Chairman Washington State Transportation Commission, Roy Jennings: transc@wstc.wa.gov
DEPARTMENT OF ECOLOGY & FISH AND WILDLIFE
Director Department of Ecology, Laura Watson: laura.watson@ecy.wa.gov
Deputy Director Department of Ecology, Heather Bartlett: heather.bartlett@ecy.wa.gov
Senior Advisor Department of Ecology Tribal and Environmental Affairs, Tyson Oreiro: tyson.oreiro@ecy.wa.gov
Director of Government Relations Department of Ecology, Denise Clifford: denise.clifford@ecy.wa.gov
Director of Washington Fish and Wildlife, Kelly Susewind: Kelly.Susewind@dfw.wa.gov
Commission Chair Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife : Barbara Baker: commission@dfw.wa.gov
EXECUTIVE FERRY ADVISORY GROUP
Sen. Emily Randall, 26th Legislative
John Clauson, Kitsap Transit Executive Director
john.clauson@kitsaptransit.com
Ralph Rizzo, Federal Highway Administration Division Administrator
Terry White, King County Metro General Manager
(Other members listed in the other categories)
MEDIA
West Seattle Blog: westseattleblog@gmail.comSave
Seattle Weekly:
https://www.seattleweekly.com/contact/
West Side Seattle
https://www.westsideseattle.com/contact
Seattle Times:
https://www.seattletimes.com/contact/
The Stranger:
During the WSF Community Engagement Zoom on May 24th, WSF was asked a basic question about the percent of single occupant vehicles (SOV).
Surprisingly, WSF said they, "did not want to cite the specifics" but then said Fauntleroy was one of the higher SOV based ferry services. Our understanding is that percent is close to 80%!
Spending an
During the WSF Community Engagement Zoom on May 24th, WSF was asked a basic question about the percent of single occupant vehicles (SOV).
Surprisingly, WSF said they, "did not want to cite the specifics" but then said Fauntleroy was one of the higher SOV based ferry services. Our understanding is that percent is close to 80%!
Spending an immense amount of money and resources to support the SOV, is contrary to State, City and Federal policies and goals. First change the percent of SOV, then ask for money! Good grief!
Perhaps this whole project should be thrown out until WSF gets the SOV numbers at 50% or less. Maybe it should be 40% or 30%! The dock is likely fine for another 25 years. Prove it.
From Zoom meeting May 24th at 52.55 minutes into the recording:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tlp17Mk5byw
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WSF is completely ignoring Resolution #29566 the City of Seattle passed which does not allow expansion of the ferry dock.
Ask our officials to respect and support the resolution. Tell these officials the expansion options for the ferry terminal replacement must be taken off the table NOW! Ask for an email of support.
Resolution #29566 w
WSF is completely ignoring Resolution #29566 the City of Seattle passed which does not allow expansion of the ferry dock.
Ask our officials to respect and support the resolution. Tell these officials the expansion options for the ferry terminal replacement must be taken off the table NOW! Ask for an email of support.
Resolution #29566 was written to not allow expansion beyond the current footprint - it simply is not needed:
http://clerk.seattle.gov/search/resolutions/29566
Predetermined? Appears that way. On page 138 of the 2040 Plan, WSF specifically refers to "expansion of holding lanes." This devil in the detail provides revealing intentions without the slightest qualifier or reference to a screening process of alternatives.
WSF involves members of the community in Advisory Boards to provide local input
Predetermined? Appears that way. On page 138 of the 2040 Plan, WSF specifically refers to "expansion of holding lanes." This devil in the detail provides revealing intentions without the slightest qualifier or reference to a screening process of alternatives.
WSF involves members of the community in Advisory Boards to provide local input on operational issues. These folks work very hard for their communities, and we greatly appreciate their commitment and hard work!!! They absolutely help with day-to-day operational issues and have made very important suggestions to include in the alternatives. Again, we appreciate them and their hard work.
HOWEVER, when it comes to the major decision, they have no vote. Their job description does not include participating in deciding on an alternative. Worse yet, the WSF can then use the involvement of these "Advisory Committees" to justify a likely pre-determined preferred plan. WSF can then claim the public "had a voice."
The advisory process is effective at diluting the opposition and neutralizing community groups. *
https://dev-wsdot-wsdot.pantheonsite.io/sites/default/files/2021-10/WSF-LongRangePlan-2040Plan.pdf
ADVISORY COMMITTEE ANALOGY
Say you really like chocolate ice cream, but your family gives you a hard time about always ordering chocolate. On the way to Husky's to get ice cream, you ask everyone to advise you on what they think you should order. Your daughter says, "oh spumoni is the best." Your son says, "don't get ice cream, frozen yogurt is much better for you." Your spouse says, "I love vanilla."
You thank your ice cream advisory committee for their time and for their advice. It is your turn to order..."What kind of ice cream would you like?" Answer: "Chocolate please." In the end, it is pretty obvious the WSF will order chocolate. The Advisory Committees are only as good as the advice WSF accepts.
STACKED COMMUNITY ADVISORY GROUP
In addition, the "Community Advisory Group " is made up of 15 residents from the west side and 6 from the Fauntleroy side.
When WSF met with our City Council member, they did not even bring up the resolution or initiative which protects The Children's (Cove) Park. Is it WSF's intention to bully the City Council once they complete their process, or did they just forget to be polite?
*Again, we want to make it very clear we deeply appreciate and thank our advisory members for their commitment, time and hard work. They have contributed very important ideas such as, Good To Go. However, when it comes to the big issue regarding expansion, it is doubtful their requests will carry the same weight.
We also want to say that the folks at WSF seem like very decent people. The problem is they are tasked with a job to do, and that mission may very well destroy the character of our community.
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You are entitled to information from our government agencies. Example: Maybe you want all emails, texts and other communications regarding the expansion of the Fauntleroy ferry dock between the Secretary of Transportation, Roger Millar and the former Washington State Ferry System Director, Amy Scarton. You can request. Example: Maybe you
You are entitled to information from our government agencies. Example: Maybe you want all emails, texts and other communications regarding the expansion of the Fauntleroy ferry dock between the Secretary of Transportation, Roger Millar and the former Washington State Ferry System Director, Amy Scarton. You can request. Example: Maybe you want to review the technical study that claims the dock absolutely needs to be replaced now and will not last another 25 years, you can ask.
Washington Public Records Act The Washington Public Records Act is a series of laws designed to guarantee that the public has access to public records of government bodies at all levels. Washington law defines records as “any writing containing information relating to the conduct of government or the performance of any governmental or proprietary function prepared, owned, used, or retained by any state or local agency regardless of physical form or characteristics.”
A recent Supreme Court ruling has said that accident reports are also public records. Anyone can request records and a statement of purpose is not required, nor are there restrictions placed on the use of records.
The Washington Public Records Act allows 5 days for records responses. Public Records Act Chapter 42.56 RCW
Visit, Washington Sample FOIA Request, to view a sample FOIA: https://www.nfoic.org/washington-sample-foia-request/