At its regular meeting on Feb. 26 the Seattle Parks Board was presented with a proposal that the Elliot Bay Water Taxi begin operating year round at Seacrest Park and that King County funds be used to improve conditions of the Seacrest dock.

In 2008, after the King County Ferry District took over the Water Taxi, a record high of 182,000 riders used the service. Now, the district has recommended the service become year-round in 2010. Currently, the Water Taxi runs from April Through October.

“As we’ve watched the water taxi clientele grow people are becoming more used to the service and enjoy it more and we’re finding that commuters are using it more,” said Kjristine Lund, executive director of the King County Ferry District.

She added that during this winter’s snow storms some West Seattle residents used ferry services from Fauntleroy to Vashon Island and then passenger ferries from Vashon to Downtown Seattle when the West Seattle Bridge was closed. When construction on the Alaskan Way Viaduct begins Lund anticipates the Water Taxi will also be useful year round.

The Elliot Bay Water Taxi has been operating out of Seacrest Park for eleven years. Until a permanent location is found for the service in West Seattle, the district claims that this is the only viable location where the water taxi can operate.

Mike Beck, acting director of the King County Marine Division, explained that it could take longer than originally anticipated for a permanent site to be found. He added that the city is more likely to consider using Seacrest as a permanent site today than it has been in the past.

To accommodate year-round service would require a new floating dock at Seacrest Park with a wider, longer gangway. New concrete floats would also provide greater stability and easier access for kayakers and other small boats.

Beck explained that changes to the dock’s shape will also allow the water taxi to dock perpendicular to the shore so that it does not have to sweep as close to scuba divers as necessary when parking parallel to the shoreline.

Some Alki residents have voiced concerns over the year-round service. They have requested stronger enforcement of parking hours at Seacrest Park and along Alki , new angled street parking and increased shuttle service to the park.

King county has commissioned a parking study to address these, and other concerns, and may work with Metro Transit to modify shuttle service.

But the district says that because the winter months are often much quieter on Alki, parking problems should not increase due to year-round service.

If Parks approves this plan then year round service could begin in 2010.

Public testimony will be heard at a public hearing on March 12 with a discussion of the Board of Parks Commissioners and recommendation to follow on March 26.

The King County Ferry District id decided to make a final decision on the project by the end of June so that it can go to bid in July. Construction is scheduled to be complete by December.