November 13, 2008 -- The Joint International Bridge Authority (JIBA) today announced a proposed toll rate increase, which would go into effect April 1, 2009, if approved. Public hearings regarding the proposed increase options are scheduled for next month in Michigan and Ontario.
The proposed increase was prompted by the JIBA Board of Directors' review today of a long-range financial plan that details the operational and capital improvement project needs of the bridge for the next 30 years.
Proposed toll increases (in U.S. dollars) include:
- Passenger vehicle tolls would increase from the current $2 per trip to $2.50 on April 1, 2009, and to $3 on April 1, 2010.
- Frequent user tolls (Prox card users) would increase from the current $1.40 per trip to $1.80 on April 1, 2009, and to $2.10 on April 1, 2010 (30 percent discount).
- Pulled trailers tolls, per axle, would increase from the current $1 to $1.25 on April 1, 2009, and to $1.50 on April 1, 2010.
- Recreational vehicle tolls, per axle, would increase from the current $2 to $2.40 on April 1, 2009, and to $2.75 on April 1, 2010.
- Bus tolls, per axle, would increase from the current $3 to $3.50 on April 1, 2009, and to $4 on April 1, 2010.
- Commercial vehicle tolls, per axle, would increase from the current $3 to $3.50 on April 1, 2009, and to $4 on April 1, 2010.
The Canadian currency toll rate, currently at par with the U.S. currency toll rate, may differ on April 1, 2009 if the toll proposal is adopted. The intergovernmental agreement under which the bridge operates mandates that the currency exchange rate be equalized every April and October, if the currency difference is large enough. The IBA is required to keep toll equity to within five cents in relation to currency exchange rates. Necessary modifications are based on the average exchange rate for the previous six months.
Public hearings in early December will allow interested parties an opportunity to review and comment on the toll proposals. The hearings are scheduled for 7 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 2, at the Holiday Inn, 208 St. Mary's River Drive, Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario; 7 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 3, at the Ramada Plaza Hotel - Ojibway, 240 W. Portage Ave., Sault Ste. Marie, Mich.; and 3 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 4, at the MDOT Lansing Transportation Service Center, 3101 Technology Blvd., Lansing, Mich.
In addition, written statements, faxes, and e-mails in place of, or in addition to, oral statements made at the public hearing may be submitted to: Robert H. Parsons, public involvement and hearings officer, Bureau of Transportation Planning, Michigan Department of Transportation, P.O. Box 30050, Lansing, MI 48909, e-mail at parsonsb@michigan.gov, or fax (517) 373-9255. All written comments should be postmarked on or before Dec. 18, 2008.
The long-range financial plan is based on recently completed engineering studies commissioned to update project costs accounting for recent significant construction cost increases. The studies determined the cost and recommended schedule for a number of capital improvement projects needed to keep the bridge and plaza facilities structurally sound and operationally safe.
The operation and maintenance of the Sault Ste. Marie International Bridge is totally self-funded, based primarily on toll revenue, with no operational funding subsidy from state, provincial, or federal government sources. Annual toll revenues currently average $6 million (U.S.), of which $4.3 million (U.S.) goes toward annual operation and maintenance budgets. Bridge traffic has dropped from the peak of 3.6 million annual crossings in 1992 to about 1.9 million crossings expected in 2008.
Currently, the Sault Ste. Marie International Bridge has the second-lowest passenger vehicle toll rate of any of the 11 Michigan or New York crossings with Ontario. This proposal would place the passenger vehicle toll rate near the average toll rate among the crossings.
Information on the proposed toll rates is available for public review prior to the public hearings at the IBA Office, 934 Bridge Plaza, Sault Ste. Marie, Mich., or by visiting the IBA Web site at: www.michigan.gov/iba.
Sault Ste. Marie International Bridge: Bridging Our Past, Connecting Our Future
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