Nearly a century ago a "Mosquito Fleet" of small boats linked the communities that ring Lake Washington and Puget Sound. These vessels provided vital transportation connections. With the advent of automobile travel, passenger ferry service declined. Today, with highways and roads reaching capacity, our region’s waterways are once again a viable alternative for moving people within King County.
The King County Ferry District (KCFD) was formed in 2007. The district saved the Vashon Island passenger-only ferry service that the State of Washington discontinued effective June 30, 2008. This district is also providing operation of the popular Elliot Bay Water Taxi,* and will offer five demonstration routes on Lake Washington and Puget Sound.**
Starting January 1, 2008, the KCFD levied a 5.5 cents (per $1,000 assessed value) property tax in King County to fund service and capital projects for a maximum seven permanent routes. This amounts to approximately $22 per year for a $400,000 home. The state passenger ferry account, federal grants, and passenger fares will provide additional revenue.
All routes will be served by shuttle services to deliver commuters to docks and connect them with park-and-ride lots and other modes of transportation.
The Metropolitan King County Council created the King County Ferry District on April 30, 2007 to expand transportation options for county residents through provision of waterborne transit services. All nine members of the County Council sit as the Ferry District Board of Supervisors.
To learn more about the King County Ferry District, review our fact sheet and FAQ document.
Many supporting materials on our site our saved as pdf files and may be viewed using Adobe Acrobat. Download a free copy of Adobe Acrobat Reader.
* Year-round operation of the Elliott Bay Water Taxi linking downtown and West Seattle, starting by 2010.
** Five future demonstration routes linking Seattle with the local shoreline communities of Kenmore/North Lake Washington, Kirkland/Eastside, Renton/South Lake Washington, Ballard/North Puget Sound, and Des Moines/South Puget Sound, with funding sufficient to turn successful demonstrations into permanent routes.
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