What types of vessels will be used on the routes?
The King County Water Taxi (the “Sightseer”) currently used on the West Seattle/Downtown Seattle route is a two-deck vessel with a passenger capacity of 250. The Vashon Island/Downtown Seattle route utilizes the 150-passenger, double-hulled catamaran (the Melissa Ann). The vessels currently in operation have accessible restrooms, adequate shelter and wheelchair tie-downs as required by the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). However, access from street level to vessel decks for passenger ferries may still be a challenge for some customers because boat ramps providing deck access can be dramatically affected by tides. Please ask for assistance or call (206) 623-1445 ahead for tidal information. The King County Ferry District is currently reviewing competitive bids and plans to lease up to three new vessels. One would serve the Vashon/Downtown Seattle route, one for the West Seattle/Downtown Seattle route and one as a standby vessel. The new leased vessels are expected to begin servin
