Beginning January 1, 2010, motorists crossing the Mackinac Bridge who are enrolled in the commuter card program will be required to make a return trip within 36 hours to receive a discount off the regular fare. In addition, commuter cards will expire December 31, 2010, the Mackinac Bridge Authority (MBA) decided at its meeting Friday, July 10, at Grand Hotel on Mackinac Island.

The action culminated a meeting of the board's Fares, Fees, and Classifications Committee in St. Ignace the day before, at which the public was invited to comment on two proposals to limit what the MBA considers to be abuse of its reduced-rate commuter program. Both of the initial plans proposed a commuter must return across the bridge within 24 hours to receive the discounted fare; one plan also required cardholders to make at least 12 crossings a year.

The members of the public who spoke in St. Ignace were unanimously opposed to the suggested 24-hour rule. Reasons ranged from hospital trips to Petoskey taking longer than 24 hours to businesses that need to spend a day or two south of the bridge, and workers shifts last 24 hours.

Many of the 20 to 30 people who made comments at the meeting suggested the MBA use different criteria for a commuter program, including number of trips, frequency, geographical area, and a restriction with a longer time span between trips. About 34 people also responded prior to the meeting with written questions, concerns, and suggestions about the change.

Tom North of St. Ignace said someone hunting or fishing for a day in the U.P. would qualify as a commuter under the 24-hour rule, while a resident spending a night at the hospital in Petoskey would not.

"Neither of the two proposals bear any resemblance to who is really a commuter," Mr. North said. "The 24-hour rule is strictly too restrictive."

Lynne Piippo from the St. Ignace Visitors Bureau was one of several present to voice concerns about the high bridge fares acting as a deterrent to Upper Peninsula tourism.

"Tourism is the biggest industry in St. Ignace," Mrs. Piippo said. "The entire U.P. is suffering from increases in bridge fares."

Deb Evashevski, director of the St. Ignace Downtown Development Authority, brought up the questionable combination of a $50 minimum deposit on the cards and an expiration date for commuter accounts. She said it isn't fair to require the minimum deposit and take account balances from card holders on the expiration date, and questioned the legality of such a proposition.

In response to this and other comments received from commuters concerned about the original December 31, 2009, expiration date, the bridge authority voted during its regular meeting to push the expiration date back to December 31, 2010.

Authority member Murray Wikol said this would give the board time to weigh its options, and that setting some expiration date is absolutely necessary. It is unclear whether some or all cards will expire at the new date in 2010, but board members said they planned to discuss the matter more before the new expiration date.

The committee meeting Thursday was followed by a reconvening of the committee and a full Bridge Authority meeting Friday, at which the committee's recommendation was approved by the Authority.

Some Authority concerns with these suggestions were discussed during the committee's meeting Friday, July 10, on Mackinac Island. MBA Chairman William Gnodtke said attorneys advised the board that geographical criteria may prove problematic under equal protection laws. Mr. Gnodtke said a longer time period, such as 96 hours, would be too long, as it would allow for someone to visit a cottage for the weekend, for example, and still receive the discount.

"I have a hard time believing that 96 hours would be a commuter," he said. "The reality is we have got to make some change."

After board member Mr. Wikol suggested a 36-hour requirement as a compromise to the 24 hours favored by the Authority and the public's call for a longer time span, some board members expressed concern over rushing a decision without seeing traffic and revenue data from bridge staff.

"I'd like to have the numbers," member Robert Struck said, "otherwise it seems like we're just picking something arbitrarily."

Some board members said that something should be done, since revenue is estimated to be lost each year the MBA doesn't further restrict the commuter program.

"That is money that's lost for maintaining the bridge," said Kirk Steudle, director of the state highway department.

Mr. Wikol and others on the board said the number of people currently using the commuter program, about 19% of total traffic in 2008, is inappropriately high, and that it should account for only about 4% of Mackinac Bridge traffic.

"It's a privilege, not a God-given right," he said of the program. "We should have a commuter program that's truly a commuter program."

The board's responsibility is to the bridge and all its users, Mr. Wikol said, whether they would qualify as commuters.

The resolution to recommend a 36-hour rule for the commuter program passed the Fares, Fees, and Classifications Committee with a 2- 1 vote. Mr. Struck voted no because he believed there was a lack of information. This resolution was then passed by the full Mackinac Bridge Authority board by a 4-3 vote. Members Patrick Gleason, Mr. Struck, and Mr. Steudle all voted no.

Mr. Gnodtke said he believes this would not be the final rule for the commuter program, and a different solution would definitely need to be explored if the Authority ever approves a switch to one-way toll collection.

"I think everyone realizes that we're trying to bend over backwards to help the community," Mr. Wikol said. "But our commuter program should truly be for commuters."

Under the current commuter program rules, which will last through the end of the year, there is no limit on how long a card-holder has to recross the bridge.

Beginning in January 2010, those using commuter cards will be charged $3.50 for their first trip across the bridge, and if a return trip is made within 36 hours, the card will be charged an additional 10¢, for a total commuter charge of $1.80 per trip. If the return trip is made in more than 36 hours, the card will again be charged the full fare of $3.50, resulting in no discount.

According to preliminary calculations by the bridge authority, the 36-hour rule will include about 89% of current trips made by commuter card holders in Mackinac County, about 4,000 more trips each year than under the 24-hour rule.

Under the new rule, commuter traffic is estimated to make up about 15% of total traffic, a predicted reduction from the 2008 rate of 18.7%. The change is expected to increase bridge revenues by about $200,000, less than the about $249,000 increase expected if the first version of the 24-hour rule was adopted.

Last week's decision is most

recent in toll restructuring effort

In March 2008, toll rates were increased from $2.50 for a regular passenger car to $3, and from $1.50 to $1.60 for a commuter passenger car. In a planned incremental hike of 10¢ per year, the commuter rate is now $1.70.

The minimum initial deposit on commuter cards was also increased last August, from $40 to $80, and a onetime fee to process the commuter card account rose from $5 to $10. In its most recent decision about the commuter program, the $80 minimum deposit on active cards was rolled back to $50 by the Authority in December 2008.

The Authority plans to increase tolls 50¢ every two years until 2014, when passenger tolls will reach $4.50. Commuter tolls climb 10¢ every year until 2014, to $2.20.

Comparing with

other Michigan bridges The International Bridge Authority (IBA) in Sault Ste. Marie also offers a commuter card program, giving motorists a $1.40-per-trip rate, discounted from the normal passenger car rate of $2.50. At this bridge connecting Michigan and Ontario, the only requirement to hold the commuter card is to use the account at least once every 122 days, or the account is closed and the balance is forfeited to the IBA. The registration fee for the commuter card is $5.60 and the minimum deposit on a card is $20. Card expiration dates are set, and the current cards are set to expire on December 31, 2012.

The Ambassador Bridge in Detroit offers a two-tiered commuter discount program, with a Reward Card offering a discounted toll of $3.60 per crossing instead of the full $4 fare, and a discounted fare of $3 for motorists using the Reward Card and a NEXUS card. The NEXUS card is meant to speed up customs and immigration processing for frequent, low-risk border crossers. The bridge also offers duty-free gasoline discounts for those enrolled in these programs. The minimum deposit on the Reward Card is $150, and an additional $150 is charged each time the balance drops below $25.

One-way tolling to be studied

on Mackinac Bridge

The Mackinac Bridge Authority decided to fund an updated version of a study done in 1998 on the possibility of switching to a one-way tolling system.

Board members said they believe that the change is worth considering and that the old study didn't take into account new technologies which could be used if a new system was implemented.

If eventually considered and approved, a switch to one-way tolling could take between two and three years, according to Mr. Wikol. He said many other toll bridges have studied such a switch and determined it makes the most sense.

Mr. Gnodtke said he would be in favor of such a proposal, and suggested that southbound tolling has looked more feasible in the past than charging northbound motorists.

"I was in favor of one-way tolling nine years ago," he said.

If a switch was made to one-way tolling, there would likely be no way to chart the time span between trips, and the new 36-hour rule for the commuter program would be defunct.

Board members said that if it was decided that a one-way tolling option be adopted, the commuter program's requirements would need to be reconsidered and possibly changed.

Mackinac Bridge Authority Board Members are Chairman William Gnodtke, Vice-Chair Barbara Brown, Members Murray Wikol, Patrick Gleason, Robert Struck, and R. Dan Musser, III, and Kirk Steudle, director of the Michigan Department of Transportation. Board members are appointed by the Governor of Michigan.

Board and committee meetings are open to the public. The next Mackinac Bridge Authority meeting is set for December 3 and December 4 in St. Ignace.