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.