The Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) held a celebration ceremony at Colman Dock Oct. 23 for the new Seattle Multimodal Ferry Terminal.
The flagship ferry terminal serves two of Washington State Ferries’ busiest routes. Opened in stages, the full passenger building welcomed passengers in November 2022 while the entry building along Alaskan Way and elevated pedestrian walkway opened in August 2023.
“Our ferry system has a new front door,” said Washington Gov. Jay Inslee. “America’s largest ferry system is evolving and this terminal is a sign of things to come. It’s gorgeous, it’s accessible and it’s a technological marvel. It’s a next-generation dock for the next-generation, hybrid-electric ferries you’ll see on our waters here soon.”
The event caps a seven-year, $489 million construction project on the Seattle waterfront.
“The Colman Dock project showcases the strength of our partnerships and the teams’ innovative design and construction approach,” said WSDOT Secretary Roger Millar, who noted the terminal is built to current seismic standards and includes environmental features such as passive heating and cooling. “It also demonstrates our commitment to building modern, multimodal terminals for the future.”
The project also helps restore salmon habitat by opening up 180 feet of shoreline north of the terminal where a bulkhead once sat.
WSDOT’s Marion Street pedestrian bridge is also set to open this fall. The bridge will directly link the terminal to city streets. These amenities will follow in 2024:
- Two new tribal-named plazas along Alaskan Way
- Bike corral
- Up to 10 food/retail businesses
- New passenger pick-up/drop-off area
- Art installations
- The refurbished Colman Clock
