Following public outcry and discussions with local officials, the operators of Bay City's two toll bridges suspended a plan that would have doubled the price for an unlimited pass for non-residents to drive over the Liberty and Independence bridges.
The Bay City Bridge Partners are a private company who operate tolls on the Liberty and Independence Bridges. Bay City residents are eligible for a transponder that exempts them from paying the bridge tolls until 2028.
They planned to raise the price of the unlimited pass to $30 per month from $15. The move would have impacted mostly out-of-town residents who use the passes to cross into Bay City. It was also planned to phase out the sale of new passes in July, meaning non-residents without a pass would have to pay the toll for every cross. The move sparked backlash among area residents online.
Bay City officials spoke with their legal team about whether the partners violated their contract. Now, the Bridge Partners say they are suspending the price increase pending conversations with the city.
Christopher Girard is the mayor of Bay City. He said the city and BCBP have disagreements on the terms of the deal. “Obviously they have one interpretation of what's in the contract and the city has another,” he said.
"The concern…on my constituents in the city is to make sure that when we have agreements that they're honored," Girard added. Girard said that he hoped the discussions would be finished in the next few weeks, but he wasn’t sure exactly when.
It is not clear whether the decision to stop selling new passes has also been suspended. The city still has a bridge (the Veteran’s Bridge) that is still free to use.
Business leaders also have expressed concern about the toll price increase. Magen Samyn is the President and CEO of the Bay City Chamber of Commerce. She said the toll increase might dissuade customers from shopping in the area.
“If we have a hard time getting people to access our downtown area or other businesses the other side of the bridge, we know that will impact the total sales and revenue,” she said.
The Bay City Bridge Partners did not respond to a request for comment.
