WSF Weekly Report | A visit from NTSB, retirement, and another kudo

||| FROM PATTY RUBSTELLO for WASHINGTON STATE FERRIES |||

NTSB officials visit Wenatchee, Colman Dock

We hosted a member of the National Transportation Safety Board and two staff on a tour yesterday of Wenatchee and our Seattle Multimodal Terminal at Colman Dock Project. While sailing to Bainbridge Island and back, the NTSB officials had a chance to see how we operate in the pilothouse and in the engine room. Thank you to all our employees involved with the visit for being such great hosts!

NTSB’s Special Assistant Michael Hampton, Honorable Michael Graham and Major Investigations Division Chief Liam LaRue with Capt. Joel Michelson aboard Wenatchee.

During the tour of Wenatchee, I presented Chief Engineer Maureen McGarrity with an Assistant Secretary’s coin to thank her for her service as she will be retiring next month.

New Colman Dock vehicle entrance in Seattle

If you catch a ferry out of our Seattle terminal in a motor vehicle, you must now use the two left-turn lanes on northbound Alaskan Way South to enter Colman Dock at the Yesler Way intersection. Due to Seattle Department of Transportation restrictions, southbound traffic on Alaskan Way cannot turn right into the terminal and must turn left on King, right on First, right on Dearborn and right on Alaskan to access these two northbound left turn lanes. Westbound Yesler Way between Western Avenue and Alaskan Way has permanently closed, along with the old vehicle entrance at South Jackson Street at Pier 48.

Along with the vehicle entry changes, the Yesler Way exit lanes at Colman Dock are now right-turn only onto southbound Alaskan Way. Map Courtesy Waterfront Seattle.

The terminal’s temporary pickup and drop-off area has been relocated to northbound Alaskan Way between Marion and Madison streets.

These adjustments, which began on Tuesday, allow the city of Seattle to construct sidewalks, bike lanes, curbs and a permanent pickup and drop-off area right in front of Colman Dock on Alaskan Way.

On Monday, Aug. 14, another change is coming for everyone catching a ferry out of Seattle. The slips that our Bainbridge and Bremerton ferries dock at will swap. This will be a permanent shift back to each route’s longtime locations of Bremerton in Slip 1 (south) and Bainbridge in Slip 3 (north). This was switched for construction in the fall of 2018. Please watch for signs and follow terminal employee directions.

Rep. Dave Paul tours Eagle Harbor Maintenance Facility

I spent a day last week with the vice chair of the House Transportation Committee, who serves as their lead for WSF matters. State Rep. Dave Paul toured our Eagle Harbor Maintenance Facility, where we now have funding for a second work shift in no small part due to his efforts. We also visited our Fauntleroy terminal for an overview of our upcoming trestle and transfer span replacement project with Rep. Joe Fitzgibbon, as well as Colman Dock for a look at construction that is nearly complete. Rep. Paul and I also spent time in the Tacoma engine room to discuss our electrification efforts. Thank you to our state legislators for your interest and support!

Nighttime paving work at Clinton terminal

The vehicle holding lanes at Clinton terminal will be repaved starting Monday, April 14. Minor delays are possible if you’ll be travelling through in a vehicle between 6 p.m. and 4 a.m. as the work requires the closure of several lanes at a time. Please follow signs and terminal staff directions to safely navigate around this construction. The paving is schedule to wrap up Friday morning, Aug. 18.

Longtime ticket seller calls it a day 

After 45 years as a ticket seller, Jim Stockholm retired last Wednesday. Jim began his career with us in June 1978, working at Coupeville terminal, where sellers rode the ferry back and forth to sell tickets to cars on each end. More recently, he worked in Clinton, including selling tickets with his mother-in-law, Betty Novarra, until she retired in 2000. Jim is married to another terminal employee, Deanna, and they have three adult daughters and many grandchildren. Congratulations Jim and enjoy a well-deserved retirement!

“@wsferries – hat tip to the crew of the Kittitas who helped us find our missing kiddo”

-Fauntleroy/Vashon/
Southworth customer on Twitter