Canceled ferry sailings have a significant impact on Island County’s economy, according to a new study analyzing data from Washington State Ferries and other sources.

Published in December 2024 by Western Washington University’s Center for Economic and Business Research, “Washington State Ferry System Economic Impact Study” explores how different counties are affected by their respective ferry routes.

On Whidbey Island, the Mukilteo-Clinton route has a greater impact on Island County’s economy than the Coupeville-Port Townsend route, at nearly $18 million in 2023. In addition, labor income was just over $10 million and 144 jobs were impacted.

According to the study, Mukilteo-Clinton is primarily considered a commuter route, with an even split on State Ferries expenditures between Island and Snohomish counties.

The Coupeville-Port Townsend route, on the other hand, has a 75-25 split on State Ferries expenditures between Jefferson and Island counties and is categorized as a “tourism-impacted” ferry.

Given this, the route had a lower economic impact on Island County with just over $4 million in 2023. The route’s impact on labor income was $2.2 million, with 33 jobs affected.

Both Whidbey routes transport a combined total of 250 trucks on a daily basis, hauling an average daily payload estimated between $576,832 and $1,153,664 in value. Mukilteo-Clinton transports the highest number of freight of all routes in the system, at 190 trucks daily.

According to the study, “Delays and disruptions to moving this freight could result in an array of challenges and negative impacts on Island County businesses and residents ranging from spoiled products to days of work lost to slowed construction builds and so on.”

In her weekly newsletter to constituents, Island County Commissioner Melanie Bacon noted with some annoyance that the study’s authors inaccurately referred to Clinton as a non-metropolitan urban growth area, also known as NMUGA.

In reality, Clinton is designated as a Local Area of More Intensive Rural Development, sometimes also called a RAID, under the Growth Management Act.

However, Bacon was gratified to see that the report references the Island County Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy, a long-term planning document. In the latter part of the Island County section of the study, the authors recognize that “Island County small businesses and leadership unanimously agreed that reliable, consistent ferry service, and in particular a reliable (route) connecting Mukilteo and Clinton, are critical to achieving economic development goals as outlined in the Island County CEDS.”