Community Benefits
Cost of living is reduced:
- Relatively inexpensive cost of transporting goods on the Marine Highway
- Opportunity for rural residents to travel to regional hubs for goods and services
Local economic development is enhanced:
- AMHS provides infrastructure necessary to many businesses
- Residents, school groups, and sports teams travel between communities served by AMHS more frequently and with greater safety and reliability.
- Shipping by AMHS is faster and more frequent than barge, less expensive and less capacity-constrained than air, extremely safe, and largely immune to weather conditions.
AMHS Spending Impacts (FY 2007)
Direct impacts
- 960 jobs
- In-state expenditures – $115 million
Indirect impacts
- 480 jobs
- $58 million
Total economic impact
- 1,440 jobs
- $173 million
Visitor Industry
More than 55,000 visitors traveled on the Alaska Marine Highway between May 2006 and April 2007
They spent more than $45 million on lodging, food, in-state transportation, souvenirs, activities, and other purchases while in Alaska.
Non-resident visitors make up approximately 1/3 of all AMHS passenger traffic, yet account for nearly one-half of fare revenue.