With state legislation passed at the end of 2020, Bay City's Independence and Liberty Bridges will become privately managed. The city was already planning on this - it just needed the law to catch up. Tolls are expected.
Quote:
State clears way to allow private company to move toward leasing Independence and Liberty bridges
Caitlyn French | MLive
December 31, 2020
BAY CITY, MI - New legislation recently set the stage for other municipalities to follow in Bay City’s footsteps by entering into public-private partnerships for infrastructure improvements.
Gov. Gretchen Whitmer put the final stamp of approval on a set of bills that allow municipalities throughout the state to engage with private companies to improve aging bridge infrastructure and to authorize the implementation of tolling measures...The bills will allow private company United Bridge Partners and its local subsidiary Bay City Bridge Partners (BCBP) to lease the Liberty Bridge and Independence Bridge from the city of Bay City while improving both structures and implementing tolls.
“That’ll basically allow the Bay City improvements to move forward under a leasing option. United Bridge Partners will lease the bridges from the city and then improve them at no cost to the city and implement tolling to cover those costs,” said Kevin Bischel, BCBP project director...
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