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New passenger-only ferry dock won't hold any more boats than the old one

The appeal of Kitsap Transit's Fast Ferry between Bremerton and Seattle is evident in its name.

The passenger-only Rich Passage One makes the trip in 35 minutes, compared to an hour on the car ferry.

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"Saves me time," said passenger Vivian Lucena.

When they reach the Seattle waterfront, Kitsap Transit's ferries from Bremerton and Kingston jostle for space at the dock owned by King County, which runs water taxis to West Seattle and Vashon Island.

"It's musical boats for sure," said Paul Brodeur, who runs King County's Marine Division.

On Monday, he joined Washington State Ferries officials in giving a tour of the new passenger-only ferry terminal under construction as part of the larger rebuild of Colman Dock.

The new terminal will be more pleasant, with a new walkway connection to state ferries. The passenger waiting area will be bigger.

But the float will still only be able to handle two boats at a time.

That's a concern for John Clauson, Kitsap Transit's executive director.

"It's a challenge. We're trying to operate four routes into a float that's designed for two," Clauson said.

Kitsap Transit wants to add more runs from Bremerton and, in 2020, new service from Southworth.

Officials in Tacoma are also considering passenger ferry service to Seattle.

"We really need to look at a regional facility," Clauson said.

King County officials say the $35 million passenger-only dock project was meant to replace what was already there, and that the environmental review was done before Kitsap County voters approved fast ferries.

Can the new dock be expanded?

"We've actually looked at some concepts but we haven't done any planning. That would be another entire new project," Brodeur said

A Washington State Ferries spokesperson said there is space to expand the foot ferry dock.

A bill in the legislature would authorize a Puget Sound Regional Council study of where to put a new regional fast ferry hub, and Pier 48 just south of the ferry dock is expected to be closely studied.

In the meantime, the new passenger dock should open this summer.