For translation of this document, please call 1-800-501-7433 during regular business hours.  Customer service staff will connect you with an interpreter.  Para la traducción de este documento al español, llame al 1-800-501-7433 durante el horario regular de oficina. El personal de servicio al cliente lo contactará a un intérprete. 如需获取本文件的中文翻译，请在正常工作时间致电 1-800-501-7433. 客服人员将为您联系翻译人员. Para sa pagsasalin ng dokumentong ito sa Tagalog, mangyaring tawagan ang 1-800-501-7433 sa normal na oras ng trabaho. Ikokonekta ka ng kawani ng customer service sa isang tagapagsalin. Thank You for Your Feedback! Thanks to everyone who provided comments for the Seattle Fast Ferry Terminal project during the scoping period! Your feedback during this official comment period (June 27 – August 11, 2025) will help inform the evaluation of site alternatives and the development of a draft Environmental Impact Statement. Recordings of the public meetings are available below: Tuesday, July 15, 2025 Wednesday, July 23, 2025  Overview The Kitsap Transit Seattle Fast Ferry Terminal Project seeks to expand passenger-only ferry (POF) terminal capacity in downtown Seattle. Kitsap Transit’s ferry program is part of the Puget Sound regional passenger-only ferry system, providing an important link between the Kitsap Peninsula and downtown Seattle. Routes departing from Bremerton, Southworth, and Kingston currently share two slips at Pier 50 with King County Metro’s water taxi routes. Capacity at this shared facility is limited, which affects Kitsap Transit’s ability to provide reliable, on-time service that meets the needs of its passengers. A dedicated ferry terminal in downtown Seattle would improve the reliability and convenience of Kitsap Transit’s service. As part of the environmental review process, Kitsap Transit is evaluating three potential terminal sites on the Seattle waterfront based on the results of early scoping and preliminary site screening: Pier 46 North Apron (the north edge of the Terminal 46 property), Pier 48, and Pier 58. Terminal Needs At each site alternative, the Project would include construction of the following elements: Overwater structures, including vessel slips and passenger ramps, with capacity for four passenger-only ferries. Shoreside electric charging equipment to support future electric vessel operations. A terminal building on a pier over the water, with waiting areas for passengers on all three of our routes, plus space for crew and staff. Pedestrian and multi-modal pathways to connect passengers with Alaskan Way and existing pedestrian connections. Vehicle access for deliveries and maintenance vehicles, and storage/access for bikes and scooters. What's Happening Now? Kitsap Transit is preparing for the environmental review process to evaluate the three potential terminal sites on the Seattle waterfront. During this stage, Kitsap Transit works closely with project partners and gathers the necessary information to begin the formal environmental review. The environmental review process will include preparing an environmental impact statement (EIS) in collaboration with the Federal Transit Administration (FTA). The EIS process will begin as soon as mid-2025. Potential Terminal Sites The results from early scoping and preliminary site screening identified three sites on the Seattle waterfront that could support a long-term Fast Ferry terminal: Pier 46 North Apron, Pier 48, and Pier 58. These potential sites were informed by technical analysis and community input. Kitsap Transit received community input through outreach activities, including public meetings, tribal and inter-agency meetings, a public survey, and direct initial outreach to waterfront property owners and local agencies. Kitsap Transit plans to evaluate all three sites listed below during the environmental review process. Pier 46 North Apron (the north edge of the Terminal 46 property) is owned by the Port of Seattle, which is currently reviewing potential future uses for the site. With only 240 feet of existing open waterway, the site would require additional in-water space from the planned removal of Pier 48 to accommodate POF terminal operations. Pier 48 is owned by the Washington State Department of Transportation and has upland areas and a pier structure that is scheduled to be removed. The upland areas are temporarily used by Washington State Ferries (WSF) for overflow vehicle holding and have been identified for potential future use for WSF electrification charging infrastructure. King County leases the north side of the existing pier for its Water Taxi vessel maintenance float. Pier 58 is owned by the City of Seattle Department of Parks and Recreation and is currently under construction to become a public park in 2025. This site would require physical modifications and/or changes to programmed park features to incorporate POF operations.

Kitsap Transit Fast Ferry Routes  Project Documents Purpose and Need Early Scoping Information Report Survey Results Presentation, Early Scoping Public Meetings Preliminary Site Screening and Evaluation Summary Notice of Intent to Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement Project Contact  Steffani Lillie Service & Capital Development Director Email: ktplanning@kitsaptransit.com  Phone: (360) 478-6931 Subscribe to the Seattle Fast Ferry Terminal Project email list News Media Contact Sanjay Bhatt Marketing & Public Information Director Email: sanjayb@kitsaptransit.com Phone: (360) 824-4926

What's Next? 

Draft EIS: Mid-2026

Informed by technical analysis and public comment received during the scoping phase, Kitsap Transit will develop a draft EIS. The draft EIS will outline the alternatives and provide information on the potential impacts of the project. Following publication of the Draft EIS, interested parties will have an opportunity to review the technical analyses and provide comments. 

Final EIS: Mid-2027

Kitsap Transit will review and respond to comments received on the Draft EIS, and these will be included in the Final EIS. The Final EIS is anticipated to be completed in mid-2027. During and after this phase, Kitsap Transit will continue working closely with project partners.

Design

Upon completion of the environmental review process, Kitsap Transit plans to advance the design for the selected alternative, secure permits and necessary property rights, and construct the facility.

Project Timeline

How to Stay Involved

 Get email updates on the project by subscribing to the Seattle Fast Ferry Terminal Project email list. 

FAQs

Why does Kitsap Transit need a new downtown Seattle passenger-only ferry terminal?

Ridership on POF routes, including Kitsap Transit’s Fast Ferry service, is growing, as is interest in additional routes across the region. Pier 50, which is also the landing site for King County's two Water Taxis, can accommodate only two POFs at any one time.

The Seattle Fast Ferry Terminal Project will improve the reliability and convenience of this regional transit service by addressing the current shortage of POF landing site capacity on the Seattle waterfront. More discussion on the need for the project can be found in the Early Scoping Report and the Preliminary Site Screening and Evaluation Report.

Where might a potential downtown Seattle terminal site be located?

The Seattle Terminal Siting Study evaluated potential locations along the downtown Seattle Waterfront starting north at Pier 70 down to Pier 46 to the south. Of those locations, Pier 46 North Apron, Pier 48, and Pier 58 have been identified as potential terminal sites.

How were potential terminal locations selected?

Kitsap Transit completed the following steps to identify the three locations:

• Identify potential locations. The range of alternative sites considered in this study included properties along the downtown Seattle waterfront between Pier 46 and Pier 70.
• Define the physical and operational needs for the facility. The operational requirements and infrastructure needed to support KT’s current Fast Ferry service were used to define the minimum spatial requirements of an expanded KT Fast Ferry terminal, including the infrastructure and space needed for vessels, passengers, and crew.
• Establish screening criteria. Criteria were established to evaluate sites based on minimum physical and operational needs of a long-term POF terminal facility. Preliminary screening criteria reflect feedback from early scoping and discussions with interested parties.
• Conduct preliminary site screening. The alternative sites were evaluated against the established screening criteria: site use compatibility, terminal access and modal connections, and space for vessel programming and navigation.

Further assessment of alternatives will be based on Kitsap Transit’s long-term service needs and goals, environmental, cultural, and historical impacts, and community input.

What is the environmental review process?

The environmental review process aims to provide full and open consideration of potential environmental impacts from Project alternatives, including a comparison between alternatives and a no-build condition. The process will also inform decision-makers and the public on any measures to avoid or minimize adverse impacts or enhance the quality of the environment.

The environmental review process is being conducted in accordance with both the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) and the Washington State Environmental Policy Act (SEPA) and will include a formal scoping comment period. This will allow agencies, Tribes, the public, and all other interested parties an opportunity to comment on the scope of analysis in the environmental impact statement and the range of alternatives.

What happened prior to site screening and evaluation?

In conjunction with the Federal Transit Administration (FTA), Kitsap Transit conducted early scoping. This was an optional step intended to invite input early in project planning. Scoping is a process that helps define and refine the project purpose and need, alternatives, and criteria used for evaluation of alternatives. Early scoping is an optional step that precedes formal scoping and is a first opportunity for the public to learn about a proposed project.

Early scoping for the terminal siting occurred within the context of the Council on Environmental Quality’s regulations for complying with NEPA. The FTA was the lead agency under NEPA, and Kitsap Transit was the lead agency under SEPA.

Early scoping included a public comment period, during which Tribal governments, agencies, transit riders, property owners, businesses, community-based organizations, and all other interested parties were invited to comment on the project's draft purpose and need statement, and potential impacts and benefits to the community and environment that should be considered when developing and evaluating alternative site locations.

Previous Public Engagement

Engagement completed to date to support site screening included public meetings, tribal and inter-agency meetings, a public survey, and direct initial outreach to waterfront property owners and local agencies

During the early scoping period, Kitsap Transit and the Federal Transit Administration held two public meetings as well as a Tribal and inter-agency meeting.

Recordings of each meeting are available below, and the Presentation is available under Project Documents (right sidebar):

• Monday, June 6, 2022
• Monday, June 6, 2022 (Tribes & Agencies)
• Wednesday, June 8, 2022