GROSSE ILE TOWNSHIP, Mich. (WXYZ) — Residents of Grosse Ile will have the opportunity to have their voices heard on one issue causing some strife in the community: whether or not they think the township should purchase the toll bridge.
The issue will sit on the ballot this November and determine whether residents will have an alternative route on and off the island when the 100-year-old bridge, owned by Wayne County, shuts down for maintenance once again.
I went to talk to some residents on the island. Most of them, like Jennifer Moores, told me they will be voting "yes" for the bridge.
"For years, I have been for buying the bridge if at all possible. It puts it in our hands instead of someone else's and we can make decisions better for our residents because so far, we really haven't had many options," Moores said.
Moores and other residents told me their frustration is mostly directed toward Wayne County. They are sick of the unreliability of the free bridge, feel as though their needs are being ignored and that the county is doing the bare minimum required by law.
"Unfortunately, Wayne County hasn't really done their job to maintain this bridge. It's really an unfortunate situation caused, in my opinion, primarily by Wayne County and their lack of support and proper management of this bridge," Margaret Shelton, a resident of the area, told me.
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Shelton, reflecting back on recent drama, said it all began when Wayne County shut down the 100-year-old bridge for over a year in 2021, leaving residents with only one way on and one way off the island.
During the lengthy shut down, the owner of the toll bridge was allowing large trucks to cross it. But because of the severe wear and tear those large trucks put on the bridge, they won't be allowed to use it even if the free bridge shuts down.
This is why Grosse Ile Township Manager Derek Thiel said the township wants to take over the toll bridge.
"With the age of the Wayne County bridge and with repairs that we know it will need, I feel the township is best served to have two fully operational bridges that can handle the demands of the community," Thiel said.
Many think there is no other choice than to vote "yes" on the proposed millage increase, while others are hesitant.
"There's a lot of concerns as to how we got here, what it's really going to cost us and you may think that it's worth $15 million, I'm willing to give you 5 (million dollars)," Thomas Malvesto, a skeptical resident, told me.
Thiel explained how the township came up with the number in the bond proposal.
"What we've presented in the bond proposal, that includes the purchase price, that includes the upgrades, that includes the improvements to the bridge, that includes the engineering, the bonding costs, all of those things. The best way to make sure that toll bridge is reliable, functions and provides the type of security the community needs as far as an access point is to make sure that the finances are stable and secure."
I wanted to make sure the toll bridge wouldn't be treated like a piggy bank for the township. So, I asked Theil if the money collected would be able to be spent for anything else. In short, he said no.
"Under public accounting rules, the township is obligated to maintain those funds that are generated in that department or that enterprise within that department or enterprise. So under those laws, we're not allowed to take that money and utilize it for other purposes other than the bridge."
