A ferryboat. (Washington State Ferries)

A ferryboat. (Washington State Ferries)

Mukilteo-Clinton ferry riders get their two-boat service back

The Edmonds-Kingston route could be next, depending on COVID-19 cases and crew shortages.

MUKILTEO — Monday is a day to celebrate for riders on the Mukilteo-Clinton ferry route.

Too bad the galley isn’t open yet to serve beer and popcorn.

It’s the day the route moves to the “restored stage” of two-boat service.

That means boats will leave from each dock every 30 minutes instead of hourly. The busy route has been operating on an alternate schedule, with many days having only one boat as the workhorse between the mainland and Whidbey Island.

According to Washington State Ferries, the service has consistently achieved 95% reliability over the last three weeks, so the agency considered the route fully restored.

Riders on the Mukilteo-Clinton and Edmonds-Kingston routes have endured waits of several hours during non-peak times when sailings were reduced to one-boat service.

The Edmonds-Kingston route should also resume regular two-boat service, once staffing is reliable to handle COVID-19 relief requests. Those riders don’t get to celebrate yet.

The Anacortes-San Juan Islands and Seattle-Bainbridge runs are operating on typical spring schedules.

Check the WSDOT app before traveling. Even with the good news, the agency advises that COVID-19 cases could impact staffing and disrupt sailings.

Andrea Brown: abrown@heraldnet.com; 425-339-3443. Twitter @reporterbrown.

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