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Water Taxi starts season this Sunday

Starting Sunday, April 29, King County Metro Transit’s Water Taxi sets sail to offer daily service across Elliott Bay between the downtown Seattle waterfront and West Seattle. The 2007 season will run through Sept. 30. Again this year, there will be a free West Seattle shuttle that connects the dock at Seacrest Marina Park to Alki, the Admiral District, and the West Seattle Junction.

photo: Metro Transit's water taxi

The Water Taxi will be operated by Argosy Cruises on the “MV Sightseer,” a 149-passenger vessel. It will have the same schedule as last summer, operating seven days a week across Elliott Bay, between Pier 55 at the foot of Spring Street on the downtown waterfront and Seacrest Park in West Seattle. The Sightseer takes approximately 12 minutes to make the crossing in good weather.

There will be a community celebration for the new season on Sunday from noon to 2 p.m. at Seacrest Marina Park. There will be music, family activities, and free rides on the Water Taxi all day.

More weekend fun with Metro

As we slide into mid-spring, Metro is offering more and more special service to special events.

This coming weekend, there will be special shuttles for both the Mariners baseball games and the thoroughbred races at the Emerald Downs racetrack.

There will be special shuttles from 12 outlying park-and-ride lots to and from Saturday and Sunday’s baseball games between the Ms and the Royals. The shuttles begin service approximately two hours before the first pitch is thrown.

Metro’s Pony Express service connects downtown Seattle with the horse racing in Auburn. Each Saturday and Sunday, it leaves downtown shortly before 1 p.m. and returns after the last race is run.

For details on all special service, check out Metro Online.

South Park Bridge to close for four days

The King County Road Services Division will close the South Park Bridge over the Duwamish River on 14th/16th Avenue South for repairs from 7 a.m. Saturday, April 28 through 7 p.m., Tuesday, May 1.

photo: South Park Bridge

During the closure, motorists can detour via the First Avenue South Bridge. One side of the drawbridge will be opened for larger marine traffic with a two-hour advance notice while the work is underway. There will be no pedestrian access across the bridge during the four-day closure.

Studies of the South Park Bridge show the condition of the 76-year-old span is severely deteriorated and was made worse during the 2001 Nisqually Earthquake. In recent years, the aging bridge has been difficult to operate due to long-term movement of the drawbridge piers. King County is proceeding with design of a new parallel drawbridge, the alternative selected as part of the Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) process.

 
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Updated:  April 24, 2007

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