Could the Mosquito Fleet return to Lake Washington and spread to new locations on the eastern side of Puget Sound? King County Metro is asking that question as it evaluates new King County Water Taxi routes between Ballard and Downtown Seattle and Kenmore to Seattle. The evaluation process comes just four years after a similar review was undertaken.
Passenger-only ferries in the region tend to be highly regarded by riders due to their spaciousness and uniquely scenic means of traveling between destinations. Studies of new service have been routinely conjured up by state and local officials. Contemporary examples of this include Kitsap Transit’s new cross-Puget Sound service next year, the Puget Sound Regional Council taking a wider regional lens of a passenger-only ferry network, and a potential Renton-Seattle ferry by a private operator on the horizon. Metro operates two King County Water Taxi routes from Downtown Seattle (Pier 50): one to Vashon Island and another to West Seattle.
In 2015, King County took a deep dive into similar ideas that Metro is currently exploring. The evaluation process culminated in a report indicating that mature passenger-only service on Lake Washington and Puget Sound could be attained by 2025. Service was modeled with three peak-hour roundtrips in the morning and another three peak-hour roundtrips in the afternoon to capture commuters. Ridership would be about 119,000 per year (or 467 per day) between Kenmore and University of Washington and 116,000 per year (or 455 per day) between Ballard and Downtown Seattle. Additionally, fares would need to reach $7.50 by 2025 to maintain a 25% farebox recovery target.
