Another Question on Tolls
I saw Freman Hendrix speak at a small luncheon at the Detroit Yacht Club in March, and one of the things he talked about was, if elected, his plan to implement a toll on the MacArthur Bridge that all people going to Belle Isle would have to pay each time they visited the island.
Hendrix said that a toll would help maintain the grounds of the island, as well as help to keep additional attractions on Belle Isle from being closed.
Would a toll on the bridge to the island discourage you from going to Belle Isle or do you think it is a good way to help maintain the island?
Would this be a toll or more like a state park pass that can be purchased daily, seasonally, etc.? It would be a nice stream of revenue for Belle Isle (particularly for the aquarium, which I believe was mentioned in a previous post), but I would hate to see people priced out of/discouraged from visiting.
He said a toll at the meeting, but discussion about a seasonal pass didn’t even come up until after the luncheon was over, and that was just among people at my table. I have to assume that there would be a seasonal pass option, as well. At least, that’s what I would prefer.
There’s a lot of places to put tolls; but, not on Belle Isle. It’s a public park and shouldn’t be charged. It’s like charging someone to get into Central Park.
I doubt something like this would happen.
Personally, I think it’s a great idea.
This may slightly discourage people from going to Belle Isle, but certainly will not make much difference in attendance. A seasonal pass is by far the best way to go because the people who go, do go frequently. I live and work on the opposite side of town and still make a point to go at least once a week.
i think i mentioned this in a comment earlier… i think it would be a great idea… last time i drove through there (a couple weeks ago) there was trash all over the place, most of the buildings were empty and it seemed a little unsafe (though it’s come a long way from back when they’d find the occasional dead body)… i think a toll would take care of all that… i have actually been thinking to myself that they ought to make it a metro or state park… but at the same time, i know that most detroiters wouldn’t go for that and i agree with the comment earlier that it would be like charging someone to go to central park… still, charging a toll would take care of a lot of the financial problems the island presents…
If there was a guarantee that the toll actually went to maintenance of the park, and it was minimal, like 50 cents or a dollar, I would support the concept. It might also help keep out some of the riff raff.
Seasonal Pass or Parking pass?
I don’t think it would make Belle Isle less attractive. more people would be trying to park on jefferson to just walk into belle isle.