| Popis: |
Construction of the Edmonds overhead pedestrian loading system was an important project for Washington State Ferries (WSF), as it greatly improved Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) compliance and passenger safety. Additionally, the project reduced vessel turnaround time by separating passengers from vehicles at the Edmonds Ferry Terminal. In order to keep pace with ridership growth on the Edmonds - Kingston ferry route, WSF needed to replace the Super class ferries with the Jumbo and Jumbo Mark II class vessels. However, placing larger vessels on the route required more time for the vessels to load and unload an additional 45-55 vehicles per vessel. The solution was to install overhead passenger loading. Analysis had shown that simultaneous loading of passengers and vehicles had the potential to save enough time at the Edmonds Ferry Terminal to bring the larger vessels on the route without sacrificing the existing schedule. This paper discusses the engineering challenges associated with constructing a separated, ADA-compliant pedestrian route onto the ferries; the environmental challenges involved in working in the sensitive shoreline environment; and the costs of the project compared to the increased revenue potential of the terminal with the overhead pedestrian loading system. |
