Ferry Transportation Planning

Beginning in March, 2005, Art Anderson Associates has been under contract with the Whatcom County Department of Public Works to provide comprehensive planning, design and management services for upgrades to the Lummi Island Ferry System. The project is the result of county studies which showed a need for a new ferry vessel, terminal and upland improvements to meet the increasing transportation demand from island residents and tourists.

Throughout the term of our contracts, Art Anderson Associates has acted as owner's representative, developing the system's 14-year budget plan and detailed program, drafting a Public Works Trust Fund loan application package, determining the appropriate size of the new vessel and conducting a feasibility study and cost estimate for upgrades to both the Lummi Island and Gooseberry Point terminals to accommodate the new ferry. Since the completion of these initial planning tasks, Art Anderson Associates has been retained for the engineering design of the terminal improvements.

Art Anderson Associates scope of work for the terminal improvements includes providing plans and specifications for wing walls, dolphins, the wave break/catwalk, mooring hardware, the passenger staging area and all relevant mechanical and electrical systems. In addition to these designs, Art Anderson Associates is also performing site inspections, construction support, JARPA submittal and overall project management.

Art Anderson Associates served as a subconsultant to Nelson-Nygaard Consulting Associates for this project to develop a comprehensive passenger-only ferry strategy for the central Puget Sound region in Washington State. The project sponsor, the Puget Sound Regional Council, is the designated metropolitan planning organization for the region, and is incorporating the study’s results into its future planning efforts.

Our role on the project was to serve as the passenger ferry system expert, providing input regarding vessels, terminals, operations and governance. 14 existing and potential ferry routes were identified as needing in-depth analysis. Based on modeling assumptions provided by the client, AAA developed comprehensive operational profiles for each of the candidate routes. These profiles included a detailed cost analysis for capital and operating expenses, draft schedules designed to meet passenger demand and analysis of potential terminal locations. Other work included conducting a worldwide peer assessment designed to share industry best practices, analyzing environmental impacts and intermodal connectivity, and supporting the consultant team and client’s questions with expert ferry system knowledge.

Art Anderson Associates was retained by the City and County of Honolulu to develop a demonstration intra-island ferry operation service on Oahu. The scope of work included carrying out the feasibility study, market analysis, environmental impact, assessment of public awareness, development of an operational profile, definition of suitable vessels, negotiation with potential operators, and monitoring of the project’s performance for 12 months after the beginning of the operation. Art Anderson Associates was also involved with the funding process by reviewing and offering input to the City during the application process for federal funding.

Art Anderson Associates was a subconsultant to Jacob’s Consultancy to provide ferry-specific expertise and planning services in support of a study for the Toronto Port Authority. The Port operates a small auto-passenger ferry system which connects the mainland with its island-based airport. With continued expansion and increasing traffic at the airport, the Port needed to investigate options for increasing capacity within a short timeline.

Art Anderson Associates met with Jacobs and the Port to brainstorm options for increasing capacity, and narrow options for analysis. We prepared preliminary designs, capacity estimates and cost estimates for a larger replacement auto ferry, second auto ferry and a passenger ferry. We then worked with Jacob’s and the client to identify the most viable option. The results were presented in a report to the Port, which is now proceeding to build a larger replacement vessel that will manage capacity in the years ahead.