Washington State Route 339
Encyclopedia
State Route 339 is a 8.5 nmi (9.8 mi; 15.7 km) ferry route designated as a state highway
in the U.S. state of Washington. It connects Vashon Island's Vashon Heights ferry terminal to downtown Seattle
's Pier 50, via a passenger-only ferry, the MV Skagit. The ferry is financed by the King County Ferry District
(KCFD) and tolls collected at Pier 50. Despite being part of the KCFD, the ferry is operated by Washington State Ferries
(WSF). SR 339 is one of only four ferry routes providing access to and from Vashon Island, and has the lowest annual average ridership of the four routes. The state of Washington took over the operation of the ferry route in 1951, and designated it SR 339 in 1994.
and is served by the MV Skagit. The passenger-only ferry starts out from the Vashon Heights ferry terminal on Vashon Island and heads in a northerly direction, passing Blake Island State Park on the west. It briefly sails into Kitsap County
before the route turns east and passes the Alki Point Light and Alki Point
before entering Elliott Bay
, and docking at WSF's Pier 50, just south of Colman Dock, where the rest of the WSF operated ferries dock in Seattle.
Traveling at a top speed of 25 knots (30.4 mph), the MV Skagit makes the crossing in about 35 minutes. There are currently three crossings each direction Monday–Friday, and no service on Saturday or Sunday.
, but the state government took over the operation of the Vashon Island ferry on June 1, 1951. The MV Skagit was built in 1989, and the ferry was designated as a state highway in 1994. In 2003 the average daily ridership was 827 passengers per day, based on a five-day week, compared to 1,015 passengers on average when the route operated on a six-day schedule in 1999. This number has decreased in 2004, with an average of 529 passengers per day traveling on the ferry. WSF operates and maintains the MV Skagit currently, but by July 2009 the KCFD will assume all responsibilities of the operation. Currently the route no longer receives state funding, and King County will be responsible for all costs of the route to be funded by property taxes. Vashon Island is only connected to the rest of the region via four different WSF ferries, three departing from the Vashon dock, the other route
departing from the Tahlequah
dock on the south end of the island. SR 339 is currently the only passenger-only ferry; the other three ferries are auto ferries.
, King County
.
{| class=wikitable
!scope="col"|Nm
!scope="col"|Location
!scope="col"|Destinations
!scope="col"|Notes
|-
|0.0
|Vashon Heights
|
|Access to Southworth via Vashon–Southworth ferry
|-
|8.5
|Seattle
| Pier 50
|
|-
|colspan=4 align=center bgcolor="#f2f2f2"|1.000 Nm = 1.852 km; 1.000 km = 0.540 Nm
1.000 Nm = 1.151 mi; 1.000 mi = 0.869 Nm
State highway
State highway, state road or state route can refer to one of three related concepts, two of them related to a state or provincial government in a country that is divided into states or provinces :#A...
in the U.S. state of Washington. It connects Vashon Island's Vashon Heights ferry terminal to downtown Seattle
Seattle, Washington
Seattle is the county seat of King County, Washington. With 608,660 residents as of the 2010 Census, Seattle is the largest city in the Northwestern United States. The Seattle metropolitan area of about 3.4 million inhabitants is the 15th largest metropolitan area in the country...
's Pier 50, via a passenger-only ferry, the MV Skagit. The ferry is financed by the King County Ferry District
King County Ferry District
The King County Ferry District is a special-purpose district in King County, Washington that owns and operates passenger ferry services. Its governing board of directors is composed of all nine members of the Metropolitan King County Council...
(KCFD) and tolls collected at Pier 50. Despite being part of the KCFD, the ferry is operated by Washington State Ferries
Washington State Ferries
Washington State Ferries is a passenger and automobile ferry service owned and operated by the Washington State Department of Transportation that serves communities on Puget Sound and in the San Juan Islands. It is the most used ferry system in the world and the largest passenger and automobile...
(WSF). SR 339 is one of only four ferry routes providing access to and from Vashon Island, and has the lowest annual average ridership of the four routes. The state of Washington took over the operation of the ferry route in 1951, and designated it SR 339 in 1994.
Route description
The entire route of SR 339 is in Puget SoundPuget Sound
Puget Sound is a sound in the U.S. state of Washington. It is a complex estuarine system of interconnected marine waterways and basins, with one major and one minor connection to the Strait of Juan de Fuca and the Pacific Ocean — Admiralty Inlet being the major connection and...
and is served by the MV Skagit. The passenger-only ferry starts out from the Vashon Heights ferry terminal on Vashon Island and heads in a northerly direction, passing Blake Island State Park on the west. It briefly sails into Kitsap County
Kitsap County, Washington
Kitsap County is a county located in the U.S. state of Washington, named after Chief Kitsap of the Suquamish tribe. As of 2011 state estimate, its population was 253,900. Its county seat is at Port Orchard, and its largest city is Bremerton....
before the route turns east and passes the Alki Point Light and Alki Point
Alki Point, Seattle, Washington
Alki Point is the westernmost point in the West Seattle district of Seattle, Washington; Alki is the peninsular neighborhood surrounding it. Jutting out into Puget Sound, Alki was the original white settlement in what was to become the city of Seattle...
before entering Elliott Bay
Elliott Bay
Elliott Bay is the body of water on which Seattle, Washington, is located. A line drawn from Alki Point in the south to West Point in the north serves to mark the generally accepted division between the bay and the open sound...
, and docking at WSF's Pier 50, just south of Colman Dock, where the rest of the WSF operated ferries dock in Seattle.
Traveling at a top speed of 25 knots (30.4 mph), the MV Skagit makes the crossing in about 35 minutes. There are currently three crossings each direction Monday–Friday, and no service on Saturday or Sunday.
History
Ferries have provided transportation to and from Vashon Island since the days of the Seattle Mosquito FleetPuget Sound Mosquito Fleet
The Puget Sound Mosquito Fleet was a large number of private transportation companies running smaller passenger and freight boats on Puget Sound and nearby waterways and rivers. This large group of steamers and sternwheelers plied the waters of Puget Sound, stopping at every waterfront dock...
, but the state government took over the operation of the Vashon Island ferry on June 1, 1951. The MV Skagit was built in 1989, and the ferry was designated as a state highway in 1994. In 2003 the average daily ridership was 827 passengers per day, based on a five-day week, compared to 1,015 passengers on average when the route operated on a six-day schedule in 1999. This number has decreased in 2004, with an average of 529 passengers per day traveling on the ferry. WSF operates and maintains the MV Skagit currently, but by July 2009 the KCFD will assume all responsibilities of the operation. Currently the route no longer receives state funding, and King County will be responsible for all costs of the route to be funded by property taxes. Vashon Island is only connected to the rest of the region via four different WSF ferries, three departing from the Vashon dock, the other route
Point Defiance-Tahlequah Ferry
The Point Defiance-Tahlequah ferry is a ferry route across Puget Sound between the Point Defiance ferry terminal in Tacoma and Tahlequah, Washington, on the southern tip of Vashon Island. Since 1951 the only ferries employed on the route have belonged to the Washington state ferry system,...
departing from the Tahlequah
Tahlequah, Washington
Tahlequah is an unincorporated community on the southern end of Vashon Island in Puget Sound, Washington state. It is best known for being the north end of the short Point Defiance-Tahlequah ferry route.-References:...
dock on the south end of the island. SR 339 is currently the only passenger-only ferry; the other three ferries are auto ferries.
Tolls
Tolls are currently only collected on trips departing Pier 50; return trips to Seattle are not charged. The current adult toll is $8.70, with bicycles assessed an additional $1.00 toll. Wave2Go is a prepaid toll system which allows commuters to purchase either 10 ride cards or monthly passes. The KCFD has stated that there will be no changes to the current toll structure.Major intersections
The entire route is located in Puget SoundPuget Sound
Puget Sound is a sound in the U.S. state of Washington. It is a complex estuarine system of interconnected marine waterways and basins, with one major and one minor connection to the Strait of Juan de Fuca and the Pacific Ocean — Admiralty Inlet being the major connection and...
, King County
King County, Washington
King County is a county located in the U.S. state of Washington. The population in the 2010 census was 1,931,249. King is the most populous county in Washington, and the 14th most populous in the United States....
.
{| class=wikitable
!scope="col"|Nm
Nautical mile
The nautical mile is a unit of length that is about one minute of arc of latitude along any meridian, but is approximately one minute of arc of longitude only at the equator...
!scope="col"|Location
!scope="col"|Destinations
!scope="col"|Notes
|-
|0.0
|Vashon Heights
|
|Access to Southworth via Vashon–Southworth ferry
|-
|8.5
|Seattle
Seattle, Washington
Seattle is the county seat of King County, Washington. With 608,660 residents as of the 2010 Census, Seattle is the largest city in the Northwestern United States. The Seattle metropolitan area of about 3.4 million inhabitants is the 15th largest metropolitan area in the country...
| Pier 50
|
|-
|colspan=4 align=center bgcolor="#f2f2f2"|1.000 Nm = 1.852 km; 1.000 km = 0.540 Nm
1.000 Nm = 1.151 mi; 1.000 mi = 0.869 Nm