To the Editor:

I live in St. Ignace and I currently have a Mackinac Bridge commuter card. Before the cards came out, we had used the paper scripts since our first daughter was born nine weeks prematurely and we were visiting her in Petoskey on a frequent basis. Sometimes we went down and stayed for a weekend at the Hospitality House across from the hospital so that we wouldn't have to drive back and forth. If we did that under the new proposals, we would be penalized.

I think that both of the current proposals [voted on by Mackinac Bridge Authority Friday, July 10] are ridiculous! I work on Mackinac Island, so I do not cross the bridge for work, but I do cross the bridge frequently for medical appointments, shopping, family outings, personal business, and visiting family downstate. So, you are telling me that even though I live in St. Ignace, if our family decides to go to Traverse City for the weekend, or perhaps 36 hours, we will now have to pay full fare for the bridge? If we decide to visit my family, which is a 5.5-hour drive one way, and we don't head right back the next morning, we will have to pay regular fare? We certainly cross the bridge more than 12 times a year, frequently it's 12 times a month, depending on high school athletics, doctor appointments, recreation, or whatever else is going on. I think the "commuter" rate should be offered without restriction to people living in Mackinac, Emmet, and Cheboygan counties. We often have no choice but to cross the bridge, but I don't understand why we should be penalized if we choose to consolidate our trips and not return home within 24 hours. If you are intent on having a time limit, it should be expanded to at least 72 hours, not 24. Susan Horn St. Ignace