Woodstock, the Oakland-Alameda water shuttle which connects Western Alameda with Jack London Square, was taken out of service Saturday evening after "a safety incident at the Bohol dock," said Alameda spokesperson Sarah Henry.
Henry explained that a person, potentially with mental health issues, was shouting threats at Woodstock crew and riders Saturday evening and Sunday. Ultimately, police were called and the individual was removed. Service resumed on Tuesday, operating on a newly implemented winter schedule (there is no service on Mondays). She added that Alameda is working with the ferry operator, social services, and the police department to figure out ways of resolving such issues more quickly to avoid service disruptions.
The absence of the shuttle left a normally bustling Jack London Square quieter than usual on a warm and sunny Sunday, with its farmer's market on Water Street. The water shuttle "... is very much missed on down days," wrote Savlan Hauser, Executive Director of the Jack London Improvement District. "It's really amazing how quickly it has become relied on and beloved by commuters, visitors, estuary-crossers of all kinds."
Meanwhile, the new winter schedule eliminates late-evening service. On a Friday/Saturday/Sunday, for example, the last boat previously departed Alameda at 10:28 p.m. and Oakland at 10:16 p.m. Under the new schedule, the last boat departs Alameda on Friday/Saturday/Sunday at 8:18 p.m. and the last boat leaves Oakland at 8:29. Regular riders should be sure to consult the new schedule. As before, there are different hours on Tuesday/Wednesday/Thursday from Friday/Saturday/Sunday, with no service on Mondays.
The shuttle carried over 100,000 passengers in just its first year of service, leading to an expansion of its schedule from Wednesday through Sunday to Tuesday through Sunday. Consensus is that a second boat is needed to avoid disruptions due to mechanical issues and to allow service seven days a week.
Woodstock, a 20-year-old tour boat that used to ply the waters off of Buffalo, New York, was purchased as part of the $2.7 million, two-year pilot. A wheelchair and bike ramp was added for its use in the Oakland estuary. Advocates for a bike and pedestrian crossing of the estuary between Jack London and Western Alameda have long pushed for either a bridge or a dedicated water shuttle that's designed for that purpose, similar to the Buiksloterweg water shuttle in Amsterdam. The Woodstock service aims to explore the utility of such a crossing. So far, given the ridership numbers, there's no question that demand for a bike/ped crossing is significant and a dedicated crossing is justified.
"We are now 16 months into our initial two-year pilot and have begun exploring longer-term options for operations, including docks, back-up boats, and other needs," said Henry. "We will share more info on these developments as soon as possible."
