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Township urges residents to migrate toll-bridge tags to new system; residents raise legal concerns about tolling
Summary
Officials said existing bridge tags will continue to work but must be migrated to a Grosse Ile Township account; public commenters and some board members raised legal and fairness questions about tolls, severability language in the bridge ordinance and resident access during bridge closure.
Township officials at the April 23 special meeting told residents that existing toll-bridge transponders issued under the previous operator will continue to register crossings but must be migrated to a new Grosse Ile Township account to be reloadable.
Township staff said users must create an account on the township website and associate their tag(s) with that account for automatic replenishment. “If you have a tag and that tag was obtained through the Grosse Ile Toll Bridge, that tag will still work,” the township manager said, adding that the older tags cannot be reloaded until transferred to the township system. Staff and township volunteers are assisting residents with the migration; the board also approved hiring temporary data-entry staff to process account transfers.
Officials said the township has ordered an additional 500 tags to meet demand. Residents were urged to migrate tags before the scheduled bridge closure to avoid delays at the booth and traffic backups.
Several public commenters raised legal concerns about tolling and a severability clause in the bridge ordinance. Jacqueline Lash, who identified herself as a law student, said public posting of openings and transparency were important and observed that public posting practices can broaden recruitment; she also noted that federal and state statutes and local ordinances can influence operations.
A resident, Bob Blauvelt, urged that public posting and transparent rules let taxpayers know they have the opportunity to apply for positions related to the bridge and other township functions. Several commenters referenced state law and past litigation related to bridge funding and ownership; board members noted the township consulted attorneys and the Michigan Townships Association about legal and operational options for the purchased toll bridge.
Board members said the township sought multiple legal opinions before finalizing operations. The manager said he consulted two labor attorneys and the Michigan Townships Association for guidance. The board also said the bridge purchase and operation were structured with a mix of funding tools discussed at earlier meetings, and that the revenue model and enterprise accounting would be reviewed after initial operations begin.
Township staff offered step-by-step videos and in-person assistance at township hall and the toll plaza for residents who need help creating accounts and transferring tags.
