PSRC Funding Application Competition Regional FTA Application Main Competition Status submitted Submitted: March 22nd, 2017 4:06 PM Prepopulated with screening form? Yes Project Information 1. Project Title West Seattle Passenger Only Ferry Terminal Relocation 2. Transportation 2040 ID N/A 3. Sponsoring Agency King County DOT (Marine) 4. Cosponsors N/A 5. Does the sponsoring agency have "Certification Acceptance" status from WSDOT? N/A 6. If not, which agency will serve as your CA sponsor? N/A 7. Is your agency a designated recipient for FTA funds? Yes 8. Designated recipient concurrence N/A Contact Information 1. Contact name Eric Irelan 2. Contact phone 206-477-3862 3. Contact email [email protected] Project Description 1. Project Scope This project requests funding for planning, pre-design, and initial NEPA environmental analysis of a permanent ferry terminal location in West Seattle in support of the West Seattle to downtown Seattle passenger only ferry (POF) service. 2. Project Justification, Need, or Purpose King County operates two POF routes that serve downtown Seattle from West Seattle and Vashon Island. The West Seattle route provides year round daily half-hour commute service Monday - Friday and adds hourly mid-day service and weekend service April to October. The Vashon Island route operates year round weekday commute service with six round trips daily. In 2016, combined ridership on these two routes was 601,942, a 16.8% increase over 2015. The West Seattle POF terminal is located at Seacrest Park and docking facilities are leased The West Seattle POF terminal is located at Seacrest Park and docking facilities are leased from the City of Seattle. The current terminal lease is a ten-year lease which commenced in November 2009. The lease was structured with an initial five-year period with options to extend the lease for up to five additional one-year periods. The lease will expire in November 2019. The County is entering negotiations with the City on a new lease that will bridge the gap between the expiration of the current lease and the opening of a new permanent facility. The existing site location has several shortcomings as a suitable long term POF terminal location including, limited parking opportunities in the immediate location, and the uplands park has a small footprint shared with both POF passengers and park users. With route ridership increasing annually, planning for a new passenger ferry terminal is critical in order to accommodate future demand for ferry services and meet current site limitations . The goal of this project is to build upon previous analysis and recommendations to site a permanent West Seattle POF facility site location to provide passenger only ferry services between West Seattle and downtown Seattle. In 2013, King County completed the West Seattle Siting Study which provided feasibility analysis of three potential permanent facility locations on the West Seattle waterfront. The report reviewed potential location’s ability to meet ridership demand including site access and conditions, intermodal transfer opportunities, and development costs. The report identified two feasible site alternatives which met the criteria. This request will help fund the planning, pre-design and initial NEPA environmental analysis of the preferred alternative determined through the siting study. Project Location 1. Project Location West Seattle waterfront between the City of Seattle’s Seacrest Park and the Port of Seattle’s Jack Block Park 2. Please identify the county(ies) in which the project is located. King 3. Crossroad/landmark nearest the beginning of the project N/A 4. Crossroad/landmark nearest the end of the project N/A 5. Map and project graphics WSeattleFerryRelocation_1.pdf Plan Consistency 1. Is the project specifically identified in a local comprehensive plan? Yes 2. If yes, please indicate the (1) plan name, (2) relevant section(s), and (3) page number where it can be found. The project is included in the King County Marine Division’s Capital Improvement Plan which is adopted by reference into the King County Comprehensive plan. The project is also consistent with the following policies in the adopted King County Comprehensive Plan, Chapter 8: T-101 King County should provide a system of transportation services and facilities that offers travel options to all members of the community. T-103 In striving to meet the growing need for transportation services, King County shall seek to maximize the efficiency and effectiveness of its services, infrastructure and facilities. T-301 King County should provide reliable, safe, convenient public transportation services that are responsive to the needs of people, businesses and communities in King County. T-301a The King County Marine Division should be a leader in regional mobility by providing passenger-only ferry service that benefits the community, helps reduce road congestion, can assist in emergency management needs and supports the economic development and growth management needs of King County. T-301b King County’s passenger-only ferry service should be efficient, safe, accessible and reliable, and provide excellent customer service while being responsive and accountable to the public. 3. If no, please describe how the project is consistent with the applicable local comprehensive plan, including specific local policies and provisions the project supports. N/A Federal Functional Classification 1. Functional class name 00 Not applicable (transit, enhancements, Etc.) Support for Centers 1. Designated center(s) supported Designated Regional Growth Centers in the Seattle CBD including Seattle Downtown, Seattle Uptown, Seattle First Hill/Capitol Hill, Seattle South Lake Union. In West Seattle the Alaska Junction Local Center (accessed via the shuttle). Criteria: Benefit to Center 1. Describe how the project will benefit or support the existing and planned housing and employment development of a center or centers. Does it support multiple centers? The project supports existing and forecasted housing and employment development in multiple centers through facilitating increased transit ridership between centers, reducing increasing levels of road and highway congestion by higher system efficiency, and providing convenient connection to other transit services that provide connection within and between multiple centers. PSRC's Transportation 2040 recommends a doubling of transit ridership by 2040 to help support and shape regional and local growth and development. By enabling the construction of a permanent POF terminal that supports increased POF ridership between centers, this project supports these goals by benefiting existing and planned housing and employment development within the four Downtown Seattle Regional Growth Centers and the Alaska Junction Local Center. The West Seattle to Downtown Seattle Water Taxi service provides an important link to employment, education, healthcare and other community based resources and opportunities in the Seattle core. The service also provides a convenient link to other transit services including WSF at Coleman Dock, the Seattle Streetcar, ST Express Bus, Link and Sounder service, Metro routes, and Community Transit routes. Intermodal connectivity is an important objective of siting a permanent Water Taxi terminal in West Seattle that will reduce traffic congestion and support West Seattle transportation and development goals. The route also provides vital alternative service during major construction, incident weather and other large events that impact the ability of connecting highways and bridges to support peak period demand. For example, Highway 99 Viaduct closures have impacted daily commutes on surface streets, resulting in mode shift to the Water Taxi for the duration of such impacts. 2. Describe how the project will support the development or redevelopment plans and activities (objectives and aims) of a center or centers. Unique geographic, socioeconomic, land use, and street and highway transportation limitations, and increasing traffic congestion in the Central Puget Sound region combine to create significant demand for POF service to Seattle. Utilization of the POF system minimizes the number of single occupancy vehicles traveling into the downtown core which will support the center’s plans for economic growth, access to public services, preserving the environment and providing for a multimodal transportation system. In 2015, King County implemented a new vessel on the route with capacity of 278 passengers and 26 bicycles per trip. This system capacity and service quality improvement was needed to meet ridership concurrent with increasing connecting Centers land use redevelopment projects. Metro routes 37, 773, and 775 provide shuttle bus service to Seacrest POF Terminal. These routes help reduce traffic congestion and parking problems associated with terminal operations. Providing transit service to the terminal encourage sustainable, compact development patterns in West Seattle neighborhoods, and supports existing and planned development within the Alaska Junction Local Center and the Regional Centers in Downtown Seattle. This project will emphasize improved intermodal connectivity at the future terminal. 3. Describe how the project improves safe and convenient access to major destinations within the center, including enhanced opportunities for active transportation that can provide public health benefits through the following relevant areas: walkability, public transit access, public transit speed and relevant