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Washington State Ferries advisers outline Vashon terminal replacement plan, cite 2031 target and capacity options
Summary
Gary English of the Vashon Ferry Advisory Committee summarized a PEL study and presented alternatives for a terminal rebuild that would increase dock capacity (proposed designs 124–155 vehicle spaces), include a temporary dock during construction, and aim for a new terminal by about 2031; community members pressed on costs, staging and traffic impacts.
Gary English, a member of the Vashon Ferry Advisory Committee, told the Vashon Maury Community Council on March 19 that Washington State Ferries' planning-and-environmental-linkages work has narrowed alternatives for replacing the island's aging terminal and that a new permanent terminal "will be done by 2031," though he cautioned such schedules often slide.
English said the advisory committee and WSF reviewed a dozen alternatives and that two primary options (referred to in the study as variants B and B3) emerged as front-runners. The alternatives trade off dock footprint, holding-space capacity and proximity to Cove Park; English described proposed capacities ranging from about 124 cars up to as many as 155 for the larger alternatives, compared with roughly 86–88 cars on the current footprint. "The longer, narrower footprint is basically designed to avoid impact to Cove Park," he said.
Community members pressed presenters on construction staging, temporary access and traffic effects. English said the project includes plans for a temporary north-side dock and temporary holding areas while the permanent dock is rebuilt, and that an intersection signal upgrade would be tied to ferry offloading to prioritize boat-related movements. He described the planned construction phasing as beginning in the late 2020s, with phase 1 estimated at 18–21 months and a target construction start around 2028. "When they do the reconstruction and rebuild, you'll see that there's a plan for a new temporary dock," he said.
Speakers at the council meeting also discussed ridership and vessel questions raised by the PEL: English cited an expected ridership rise of "about 37% going to Southworth and 19% going to Vashon" by 2040, a projection council members said drove much of the capacity discussion. Presenters said the PEL was finalized in February 2026 and that the project will proceed through NEPA and the Washington State environmental review processes before funding and final design decisions. Several attendees requested additional public involvement and clarity on funding and schedule, including whether WSF would add a future second slip or adopt e-ticketing. English said e-ticketing (a 'good to go' pass) was not in the plan and consultants warned it could increase ticketing costs by roughly 30%.
The presentation prompted sustained Q&A about long-range planning horizons, funding availability and whether the design should aim now for larger capacity to avoid earlier obsolescence. Council members with affiliations to local advocacy groups urged continued public input as the NEPA/SEPA process proceeds.
