New MI Bill Would Eliminate Mackinac Bridge Toll

MICHIGAN — Michigan lawmakers introduced new legislation in June that would eliminate a toll for drivers crossing the Mackinac Bridge.

House Bill 4869 reads: "Beginning on the effective date of the amendatory act that added this subsection, the authority shall not charge tolls or charges to any individual or vehicle for using the bridge."

Drivers currently pay $4 to enter the bridge in a car, van, motorcycle, pickup, SUV, or school bus. Larger vehicles, such as semi trucks and RVs cost $5 per axle.

The maximum penalty for crossing the bridge without paying the toll is a $500 fine and/or 30 days in prison. Emergency vehicles responding to urgent situations are exempt from this penalty.

Mackinac Bridge Authority Chairman Patrick "Shorty" Gleason told Patch the cost to maintain and update the bridge comes entirely from toll revenues.

"For more than 65 years, the Mackinac Bridge Authority’s funding model has paid for ongoing operations and maintenance and allowed us to save for future capital construction costs, meeting our foremost goal of maintaining Michigan’s most important transportation connection and beloved engineering icon," Gleason told Patch. "The costs of our maintenance program – which is second to none – and anticipated future construction totaling hundreds of millions of dollars, are funded entirely from our toll revenues. If not through these tolls, how would those costs be covered?"