West Seattle Water Taxi

West Seattle Water Taxi

Infobox Water transit
name = West Seattle Water Taxi

logo_size =



image_size = 280
locale = West Seattle, Washington
waterway =Elliott Bay
transit_type = Passenger ferry
began_operation =
ended_operation =
system_length =
lines = 1
vessels =
terminals = 2
ridership =
operator = Argosy Cruises
owner =King County Metro
website = http://transit.metrokc.gov/tops/oto/water_taxi.html King County Metro

West Seattle Water Taxi (also known as Elliott Bay Water Taxi) is a ferry that crosses Elliott Bay from pier 55 on the downtown Seattle waterfront to the Seacrest dock in West Seattle. The ferry's crossing time is approximately twelve minutes [http://transit.metrokc.gov/tops/oto/water_taxi.html] King County Metro information page on Elliot Bay Water Taxi] , and the fare is $3 for adults [http://transit.metrokc.gov/tops/oto/water_taxi.html] King County Metro information page on Elliot Bay Water Taxi] . The water taxi operates seven days a week from April 29th to September 30th.

The shuttle is used for commuting, getting as many as 1,000 riders daily in July and August [ [http://www.thehighpoint.com/WaterTaxi.html] Thehighpoint.com] , and has even become a popular tourist attraction due to Seacrest parks's beautiful views, the short walk to Alki Beach and the wonderful restaurants in West Seattle [ [http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/04/the_poor_mans_yacht] TheStranger.com] .

History

West Seattle is the oldest neighborhood [ [http://www.historylink.org/essays/output.cfm?file_id=3428] HistoryLink.org "West Seattle History"] and the birthplace of the city of Seattle. It is surrounded on three sides by water and has both enjoyed and suffered its isolation from the "mainland" of downtown Seattle.

The first licensed ferry in the Seattle area [ [http://www.historylink.org/essays/output.cfm?file_id=3497] HistoryLink.org "West Seattle Ferry"] launched on December 24, 1888 traveled from Seacrest Park in West Seattle to downtown Seattle, as well as other water-bound location throughout the Puget Sound. It was a steam-powered sidewheel ship named the City of Seattle and made two trips a day, carrying West Seattle homesteaders east to the city, and weekend vacationers west to the beachfront [ [http://www.alkinews.com/history.html] Alki Beach History] .

Prior to that time, the old so-called Mosquito Fleet [ [http://www.historylink.org/essays/output.cfm?file_id=869] HistoryLinks.org "Puget Sound Mosquito Fleet"] of steam powered boats carried travelers to and from numerous islands and peninsulas in the Puget Sound area. The West Seattle Water Taxi was discontinued when the first bridge across the Duwamish River was built.

Over time, a succession of bridges were installed to connect the West Seattle peninsula to downtown proper, beginning with the old wood-and-rail Spokane Street bridge in 1920. In 1970, calls for a modern solution brought attention to the growing problem of commuting to downtown; in 1978, the freighter ship Chavez crashed into the lower bridge [ [http://bridgepros.com/projects/West_Seattle_Bridge] Bridgepros page on "West Seattle Bridge Chavez accident"] requiring a new high rise bridge that is still the main path into and out of West Seattle today.

As West Seattle has grown in popularity, travel in and out of the city has become more congested. The Water Taxi was brought back to life in 1998 and has been the subject of much debate ever since. King County Metro now operates it from late Spring to Early Fall, carrying between 500 and 1,000 people downtown everyday. It is a particular favorite of those catching a Mariners baseball game in nearby Safeco Field.

Many West Seattle locals strive to find a way to make the water taxi a permanent and year round public transport alternative.

ee also

*West Seattle
*King County Ferry District

References


Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.

Игры ⚽ Нужен реферат?

Look at other dictionaries:

  • West Seattle, Seattle, Washington — West Seattle, a hilly district in Seattle, Washington, encompasses all of Seattle west of the Duwamish River. It was incorporated as an independent town in 1902 and was annexed by Seattle in 1907. Among the area s attractions are its saltwater… …   Wikipedia

  • Water taxi — A water taxi or water bus is a boat used to provide public transport, usually but not always in an urban environment. Service may be scheduled with multiple stops, operating in a similar manner to a bus, or on demand to many locations, operating… …   Wikipedia

  • City of Seattle (steam ferry) — City of Seattle circa 1891 Career Name: City of Seattle …   Wikipedia

  • Downtown Seattle Transit Tunnel — DSTT redirects here. For the Nintendo DS storage device, see Nintendo DS storage devices#DSTT. For the Division of Signal Transduction Therapy at the University of Dundee, see Division of Signal Transduction Therapy. Downtown Seattle Transit… …   Wikipedia

  • Hybrid taxi — New York City hybrid taxicab Toyota Prius. Hybrid taxi or hybrid electric taxi is a taxicab service provided with a hybrid electric car (HEV), which combines a conventional internal combustion engine propulsion system with an electric propulsion… …   Wikipedia

  • King County Metro — Slogan We ll Get You There Parent King County Department of Transportation Founded January 1, 1973 Headquarters 201 S. Jackson St., Seattle …   Wikipedia

  • ORCA Card — ORCA redirects here. For other uses, see Orca (disambiguation). ORCA Card Location Puget Sound region Launched April 20, 2009[1] …   Wikipedia

  • Washington State Ferries — This page is about the ferry system operated by the state of Washington. Other entities operate other Ferries in Washington State Washington State Ferries is a passenger and automobile ferry service owned and operated by the Washington State… …   Wikipedia

  • Community Transit — Slogan smile ride Founded October 4, 1976[ …   Wikipedia

  • North Link — is a northern extension of the Central Link light rail line that will connect the University District to Northgate in Seattle. The 4.3 mile light rail extension includes stations in the University District (Brooklyn Station), Roosevelt… …   Wikipedia

Share the article and excerpts

Direct link
Do a right-click on the link above
and select “Copy Link”