DOT hosts public hearing on ferry terminal project MUKILTEO - The public is invited to comment on where a new ferry terminal in Mukilteo should be built.
The state Department of Transportation will host a public hearing on the new terminal 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 22 at the Rosehill Community Center, 304 Lincoln Ave. A presentation on the project starts at 6 p.m.
The DOT will accept public comments through Monday, March 12 by mail and e-mail.
The DOT is evaluating four options. The options are building a new terminal within the current terminal’s footprint, building a bigger terminal at the current location, building the new terminal east of its current location on the U.S. Air Force tank farm property or building the terminal in between its current location and the tank farm.
A bigger terminal site adds a transit center, and building on the tank farm adds more parking. The DOT, though, only has enough money budgeted to build a new terminal on its current footprint. The DOT has $90 million budgeted, and the other options eclipse $100 million to build.
The DOT released a draft environmental impact study that will be discussed at the public hearing.
The Mukilteo City Council wants the ferry terminal moved to the tank farm, the most expensive option. The council decided that in a 4-1 vote last summer. Councilman Kevin Stoltz gave the dissenting vote because of pedestrian access concerns.
Moving the ferry eastward helps ease traffic congestion along the Mukilteo Speedway. Mukilteo faces gridlock from ferry traffic and has had to take measures to prevent ferry commuters from eating up parking space along the waterfront.
The city is working to build temporary parking on the tank farm location to accommodate more parked cars.
The DOT expects to have a selection made by mid-2013. The new terminal will be constructed by 2015.
If you can’t make the Mukilteo public meeting, there will be one held on Whidbey Island the next day. That meeting happens 5 to 8 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 23 at the Clinton Community Hall, 6411 Central Ave., in Clinton.
The full plan is available online at wsdot.wa.gov/projects/ferries/mukilteoterminal/multimodal/
If you want to send comments instead:
You can send comments via e-mail at mukilteocomments@wsdot.wa.gov or mail written comments to:
Washington State Ferries
Attn: Paul Krueger
2901 3rd Avenue, Suite 500
Seattle, WA 98121
