Councilmember Dow Constantine aboard the Elliott Bay Water Taxi. The kick off celebration for the 2007 summer season of the Water Taxi is April 29.

The Elliott Bay Water Taxi will kick off its summer season moving passengers between West Seattle and the downtown waterfront with a Sunday, April 29 celebration from noon to 2 p.m.

Refreshments and family activities will be featured at the kick-off event at West Seattle’s Seacrest Dock. Metropolitan King County Councilmember Dow Constantine, County Executive Ron Sims, and Argosy Cruises CEO Kevin Clark will make brief remarks. Musical entertainment will be provided at the Seacrest Dock by Bronwyn Edwards Cryer and Friends.

Water Taxi rides will be free all day and riders will receive free posters. In addition to the regular shuttle service, Metro will provide a free shuttle from the West Seattle Farmers’ Market, which is celebrating its opening day at the Alaska Junction from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

“The Water Taxi is coming off a record-breaking year, with both the boat and the shuttle setting new ridership marks,” said Councilmember Constantine, whose district includes West Seattle and Alki. “Commuters and visitors alike have embraced this vital transportation link. The Water Taxi gives people direct access between West Seattle and Downtown without having to battle traffic.”

Last year, 122,650 passengers rode the Elliott Bay Water Taxi. Ridership on Metro’s Water Taxi Shuttle (Route 773) also broke records, with 42,117 riders during the May-through-September season.

The 2006 Water Taxi season also set new records for farebox revenue and for one-day ridership—1,613 riders took advantage of this alternate route to downtown after a fatal car accident led to a temporary closure of the West Seattle Bridge.

Argosy Cruises will operate the Water Taxi service using the 149-passenger MV Sightseer. Boats will depart about every 40 minutes during commute hours and hourly during the middle of the day. Evening service will be offered on Friday and Saturday nights with the last boats leaving Pier 55 at 10:30 p.m. and Seacrest Dock at 11 p.m. Evening service will also be offered for every Seattle Mariners home game, giving baseball fans a relaxing alternative to game-day gridlock.

The free shuttle van service (Route 773) provides a direct connection from Seacrest Dock to the Admiral District, the West Seattle Junction, Alki and Harbor Avenue. It will operate between 6:30 a.m. and 7:30 p.m. on weekdays.

The fare for the Elliott Bay Water Taxi fare is $3 for anyone over the age of 5. Passengers with a valid Metro transfer pay just $1. Also accepted for full fare are PugetPasses, FlexPasses, Metro Access Passes, Visitor Passes, Vanpool Passes, Saturday/Sunday Day Passes, and Regional Reduced Fare Permits with a valid monthly or annual sticker. The 2007 Water Taxi season runs through Sept. 30.

For more information on the Elliott Bay Water Taxi, call (206) 553-3000 (TTY 206-684-1739) or go to the Metro Transit web site. Once service begins, riders can check on the current operating status of the Water Taxi by calling (206) 205-3866.