Anyone who’s ever watched the show Grey’s Anatomy knows that Seattle means ferries. The green and white boats that traverse Elliott Bay several times each day are iconic images of the city, and they deserve a dock facility that is as lovely as it is functional for the thousands of people who depend on Washington Ferry System.
The Seattle Ferry Terminal at Colman Dock is the state’s largest ferry terminal and needs significant improvements to address both seismic and safety issues. For the west side of Washington, ferries are part of the highway system, so any process involves not just WSDOT’s Ferries Division but the Federal Highway Administration and the Federal Transit Administration as well.
WSF brought EnviroIssues on board to support the agency through the NEPA and early design processes. Our role on the team has included planning for the scoping process and assisting with early stakeholder and community outreach. EnviroIssues is also implementing a creative public involvement process to engage not just ferry riders – a group crucial to the project’s success – but the local jurisdictions, waterfront businesses, community groups, and social service providers, each of whom has a role in the initiative.
