Motorists using Bay City’s drawbridges may see a toll in the future. That’s if a millage on the ballot in November fails. The Michigan Department of Transportation turned down a request by the city to take control of the roadways connecting M-15 to I-75, which includes the beleaguered Independence Bridge.
Late last fall the city held off on a decision to sell the bridges to the private contractor United Bridge Partners because of public outcry. Andrew Niedzinski, Chair of the Bay City Board of Commissioners, says throughout the county infrastructure is a problem and a 1 mill increase would go a long way. He says a millage would generate about $28 (m) million. The price tag to bring the bridges up to an acceptable standard is between $10 and 12 (m) million.