Ed Reavie of St. Ignace was recognized by the Mackinac Bridge Authority for his efforts to incorporate the bridge into St. Ignace events over the past three decades. Mr. Reavie of Nostalgia Productions is the founder and organizer of the St. Ignace car, truck, and tractor shows. The Bridge Authority presented him with a plaque during its December 12 meeting in St. Ignace. Pictured here are (from left) Kirk Steudle, director of the state highway department, Mark Haas, chief deputy treasurer with the state treasury department, Authority member Bob Struck, Chairman Bill Gnodtke, Mr. Reavie, and Authority members Murray Wikol, Barbara Brown, and Patrick Gleason. A Quick Card program will be put in place at the Mackinac Bridge this spring, allowing drivers to buy a full fare card to "swipe" at the toll booth to speed them through the toll plaza. Although it will work out details of the program in March, the Mackinac Bridge Authority approved setting up the Quick Card system at its meeting Friday, December 12, in St. Ignace, when it also cut the minimum deposit on commuter cards to $50 from $80, approved a tractor show crossing in September and a jogging event in October, and recognized Ed Reavie of St. Ignace for his decades of work to promote the area. Mr. Reavie received a plaque from the board for his work to incorporate the Mackinac Bridge into many Straits-area events over the past 30 years. He has organized and promoted the annual car shows, truck shows, and other special events in St. Ignace for 33 years. He was recognized in particular for his efforts last year to coordinate the bridge's 50th anniversary parade featuring convertibles, one each year from 1957 through 2007.

"It is with great pleasure that we honor Ed for helping us preserve Michigan's landmark by increasing traffic and revenue for the bridge, the Upper Peninsula, and the State of Michigan," said Board Chairman William Gnodtke. "Mr. Reavie's hard work has definitely helped stimulate economic activity in the Straits area. We are very thankful for his tireless efforts and express our sincere gratitude for his many years of dedication."

"We recognize his dedicated service to the people of St. Ignace, the Upper Peninsula, and the state," said Vice Chair Barbara Brown in presenting the plaque.

Mr. Reavie said he particularly enjoyed finding the convertibles, although the original goal was to find at least some of the original 83 convertibles that participated in a parade across the bridge when it was opened.

"We found 50 convertibles, one for every year, but we did not find even one of the original 83 cars," Mr. Reavie said. "You'd think someone would have one squirreled away in a museum or a garage. But it's like they drove off the bridge and straight into the Twilight Zone, and were never seen again."

He credits the bridge crossing as a highlight for many of his show participants.

"Everybody steals my car show ideas. They're picking me clean. But nobody can duplicate that," he said, gesturing to the bridge. "That's why the trucks come and that's why the tractors come. That bridge is a hook to bringing a lot of people here."

Mr. Reavie predicts an expansion of the antique tractor show, which drew 600 tractors to parade across the bridge in its first year this September, and the Authority unanimously approved a repeat of the event for September 2009.

The Bridge Authority conservatively estimates 2,400 visitors each spent $122 while here, $292,800 in all, and contributed $7,200 in bridge revenues. Tractors crossing the span were charged an event fee in lieu of a fare to avoid delays at the toll booth. Participants drove the tractors through Mackinaw City, across the bridge, and through St. Ignace before rallying at the parking lot for public display at Kewadin Shores Casino in September.

Also approved was a Fall Jog across the bridge on the second weekend of October. Proposed by Mackinaw City, the event should be expanded to include St. Ignace, the board concluded at the suggestion of its executive secretary, Bob Sweeney. The Authority approved the event with the stipulation that Mr. Sweeney will work with tourism agencies in both cities to be sure both are involved, and that he is satisfied with participation. The event is to have a one-year trial run.

Tourism agencies were not represented from either town at the meeting, but St. Ignace City Manager Eric Dodson and Mayor Paul Grondin, seated in the audience, verbally supported the idea and pledged that St. Ignace would be involved in the event, as well, either through the Recreation Department, Chamber of Commerce, or both.

State Representative Gary McDowell attended the meeting following a late-night legislative session and reported that no action was taken Wednesday, December 10, to pass the Senate bill that would allow the Bridge Authority to self-insure the bridge, a move calculated to save $41,000 in the first quarter this year. Legislative approval is needed for the cost cutting measure to move forward, and although it passed in the House in April, it is awaiting passage in the Senate, which Mr. McDowell expects this week.

"If it doesn't get done by the end of the year, all legislation ceases and we'll have to start over with a new bill," Mr. Gnodtke said.

"Our party leadership is willing to pass the Senate bill if it does come over, just to get it done," Mr. McDowell assured the Authority.

Reports were made to the board on deck resurfacing and causeway resurfacing projects. Withholding part of the asphalt deck resurfacing payment by the Authority has been disputed by the contractor, and asphalt samples have now been sent to a laboratory in the state highway department for analysis to settle the dispute.

The contractor worked late at night over Memorial Day weekend to get that project done by the deadline, and time and weather were constraints on the project, the staff noted.

On the causeway, the top two inches of the asphalt actually were replaced twice, the second time at the contractor's own expense, and the job was finished this fall with good final results, reported engineer Kim Nowack.

A northbound span painting project began in August with a Minnesota contractor putting up a paint containment system, and work will continue in the spring. Board members learned that of the eight workers on that job this fall, five were hired locally.

In anticipation of the upcoming replacement of the entire bridge deck, board members Murray Wikol, Patrick Gleason, and Kirk Steudle, director of the state highway department, were appointed to a new redecking committee by Mr. Gnodtke.

The Authority received an "excellent report" from its auditor, Mr. Wikol reported to the board from the finance committee, and the auditor found no negative issues with the Mackinac Bridge or Authority.

"However difficult these 2003 and 2007 fare increases were, without them we would be literally out of business today," Mr. Wikol told the board.

Mr. Steudle updated the board on the status of a proposed federal stimulus fund for infrastructure projects, but the situation with the proposal is fluid and numbers were inconclusive last week, as they have been for weeks, he pointed out.

Infrastructure spending in the new presidential administration "is not a slam dunk. There are other voices," he said. "When and if this does come about, it will be very critical that every project on [the list] is deliverable" or all of the state's funding could be lost.

Mark Haas, the chief deputy treasurer with the state's treasury department, who also attended the meeting, told the group that political power, not economic need, could determine the outcome for the federal funds.

"The governor's office has asked all state department heads to put together a wish list" of projects needing funding, Mr. Haas said. "It's a moving target. In the Wall Street Journal there has been a lot of press on the Christmas tree aspect of this, like mayors asking for tennis courts. I think those kinds of projects will be the death knell to this."

Mr. McDowell's office is working on a House resolution, which he hopes will become a joint resolution to be presented this week, to name the Mackinac Bridge as a top priority in the state for any federal funding that comes forward.

"There is a group working to put forward Cobo Hall in Detroit, too," Mr. McDowell said. "The Mackinac Bridge is at least as important, if not more important, in this state."

He pledged to keep the Authority informed of developments in that area.

Regarding the commuter program, drivers using commuter cards to cross the bridge will be allowed to refill their cards in increments of $50, rather than the $80 now required, the Authority decided. A $10 fee plus $80 deposit is still required to open new accounts, but subsequent deposits can be made of as little as $50, effective at midnight December 12. (See related story.)

Two companies sought support for their ideas from the Bridge Authority.

An engineering company made a pitch to install 50 wind turbines on the bridge, at a cost of $600,000, which would save 10% of the costs of the bridge's electricity. The Grand Rapids company manufactures parts for turbines designed in Scotland. An alternattive plan would be to install one turbine atop the building at Bridge View Park, with five turbines on the park grounds, and an educational kiosk to explain to travelers how the wind energy system works.

These turbines have been tested at wind speeds up to 150 miles per hour. The top wind speed recorded on the bridge is 124 miles per hour.

Authority members expressed concerns about the project's costs, vibration to the structure from the spinning blades, and whether the turbines could be easily removed and reinstalled when the decking is replaced. No action was taken on the presentation, which was made before the meeting, but Mr. Gnodtke said the idea will be considered further.

Authority member Bob Struck asked the company to consider a price discount, owing to the promotional boon to the company of having its turbines atop the famous bridge, and company representatives agreed that could be considered.

A proposal to allow an outdoor advertising company to post advertising banners at the toll booths in exchange for it paying all traffic tolls on the days banners are displayed was discussed briefly at the committee level Thursday, but no action was taken.

The Mackinac Bridge Authority set its next meeting for March 19 and March 20, 2009, in Oakland County.