Tacoma - Seattle Fast Ferry

[DevanXL]

Originally Posted by grega94

I think they want Tacoma not just for commuters, but also to attract tourism and businesses. And I think they think this might help attract Amazon HQII to come to Tacoma, since they are bidding for that too.

Tacoma needs a revival at it's core. With more people around the waterfront, possibly get more investment down there.

[hurricaneMan1992]

28 mins seems to be wishful thinking, but even 45 mins would be a huge improvement over the current options. The Seattle side will eventually have the 1st Ave. streetcar, but in the interim the 1st Ave. busses are going away and it's a tough hike up to 3rd. This may affect potential ridership, as well as access/parking on the Tacoma end. Hopefully it would run on weekends and nights unlike Sounder.

[grega94]

Tacoma has finished it's feasibility study here are the results.

https://www.thenewstribune.com/news/...222971565.html
https://www.king5.com/article/news/l...2-01a312738604
https://q13fox.com/2018/12/12/tacoma...s-to-the-city/

Upstart cost: $40.5 million - $53 million
yearly operating cost: $2 million
One way fare: $11
Trip time: 43 - 55 minutes (depending on ferry station locations)
Avg weeday boardings (2040): 1,800 - 2,150
Possible landing site: 11th Street, Old Town, Point Ruston or Point Defiance.
Ferry terminal cost: $500,000 -$3 million (depending on location)
Each ferry cost: $10 million - $17 million (up to three maybe needed)
*Sources for funding still need to be found*

Is $22 a day worth it to beat traffic? $110 a week? $440 a month? $5,280 a year?

My guess this won't be used by commuters, but by tourists/visitors or somebody who is running late to work that one day. Unless the company they work for wants to pay for it.

[CrazyDonkey]

Originally Posted by grega94

Tacoma has finished it's feasibility study here are the results.

https://www.thenewstribune.com/news/...222971565.html
https://www.king5.com/article/news/l...2-01a312738604
https://q13fox.com/2018/12/12/tacoma...s-to-the-city/

Upstart cost: $40.5 million - $53 million
yearly operating cost: $2 million
One way fare: $11
Trip time: 43 - 55 minutes (depending on ferry station locations)
Avg weeday boardings (2040): 1,800 - 2,150
Possible landing site: 11th Street, Old Town, Point Ruston or Point Defiance.
Ferry terminal cost: $500,000 -$3 million (depending on location)
Each ferry cost: $10 million - $17 million (up to three maybe needed)
*Sources for funding still need to be found*

Is $22 a day worth it to beat traffic? $110 a week? $440 a month? $5,280 a year?

My guess this won't be used by commuters, but by tourists/visitors or somebody who is running late to work that one day. Unless the company they work for wants to pay for it.

The Kitsap Fast Ferry charges $2 eastbound and $10 westbound ($12 RT), but a monthly pass is available for $168 (fast ferry only) or $196 (fast ferry and KT buses), or $7.74 or $9.03/RT based on an average of 21.7 RTs/month.

Thus, if we apply the same ratio, a Tacoma-Seattle monthly pass (fast ferry only) should cost $307.92 or $14.19/RT based on an average of 21.7 RTs/month ($3,695/year). (By comparison, Tacoma-Seattle Sounder is $10.50/RT.) I doubt those earning minimum wage would be using the service to commute, but technical and professional workers might.

[Returning2USA]

Originally Posted by grega94

Tacoma may study possibility of fast ferry to Seattle | KIRO-TV

What are your thoughts? Is it feasible/economical to have a fast passenger ferry between Tacoma and Seattle, early estimates say it would take about 28 minutes, currently the sounder train takes 1 hr 12 mins according to Google.

Apparently cancelations / down time was (is?) a problem written about.

I couldn't find the times via google on the commute time from Tac to Sea but assume grega94 is correct. Trust.

I'm not being negative or gloomy, just saying that that in the time between Tac to Seattle and vice-versa:

This is another example, that as for transportation - this entire metro area is beyond stupid.

[grega94]

Originally Posted by Returning2USA

Apparently cancelations / down time was (is?) a problem written about.

I couldn't find the times via google on the commute time from Tac to Sea but assume grega94 is correct. Trust.

I'm not being negative or gloomy, just saying that that in the time between Tac to Seattle and vice-versa:

This is another example, that as for transportation - this entire metro area is beyond stupid.

Sorry, I think I made a mistake, I just checked again and it says 1 hr 2 mins, and I just looked at the official feasibility study and they make the same claim.

http://cms.cityoftacoma.org/pds/fast...udyresults.pdf

Fast Ferry

11th street: 55 mins | $11
Old Town: 47 mins | $11
Point Ruston: 44 mins | $11
Point Defiance: 43 mins | $11

Other
Sounder Train: 62 mins | $5.25
Express Bus: 65-80 mins | $3.75
Car: 50-120 mins | $33.44 (includes federal mileage costs and parking in Seattle)

[Returning2USA]

Originally Posted by grega94

Sorry, I think I made a mistake, I just checked again and it says 1 hr 2 mins, and I just looked at the official feasibility study and they make the same claim.

Cheers for the correction, grega.

That's still a long time.

2 hours and 4 minutes each war on the train alone.