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Issue 1207 April 10, 2011
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Most Bay County residents seem to want to avoid the cost of crossing toll bridges and the inconvenience of lineups like this one on the Delaware Turnpike.

BRIDGING THE GAP: City, County Leaders Grasping Olive Branches Hopeful Sign

January 20, 2018       Leave a Comment
By: Dave Rogers

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It doesn't sound like a monumental achievement, but it is.

The achievement is just the fact that Bay County and Bay City leaders are sitting down to tackle the issue of how to find $9 million to repair bridges over the next few years.

"This is the biggest issue for the decade," County Commissioner Mike Duranczyk said.

Just the fact that leadership is putting their heads together spells progress not evident even a few days ago.

After watching Washington collapse and negotiations degenerate into a tug of war over who is more conservative, or liberal, meaningless benchmarks when the entire country is at risk, the mere fact that local leaders seem to want to solve the bridge situation collaboratively is a breath of fresh air.

However, don't start the cheering yet, since what comes out of the closed talks is the key.

But the big test as we see it is whether we can avoid making a deal that would result in toll bridges, with $35 transponders required and fees charged electronically every time we want to go downtown or return. We see little public appetite for that idea floated by a private bridge company and backed by some leaders seeking a fix that would toss our problems to a private firm bent on profit.

In the end, the costs we would have to pay in perpetuity no doubt would vastly overwhelm any small millage that might be needed now. We have heard some thoughts of establishing a permanent maintenance fund for bridges, which could be the long-term solution to the issue of the decade. The public may be predisposed to approve such an idea after an online unscientific poll by The Bay City Times showed more than 80 percent opposition to toll bridges.

Bay County and Bay City residents alike seem to have informally agreed tolls would put a damper on the local economy and be an onerous burden on transportation.

Talk has been that a referendum blocking any toll bridge plan would pass easily; voters already appear to want leaders to find another solution to the problem.

As Times writer Andrew Dodson noted, joint talks among city and county leaders resolved a water plant impasse a few years ago.

In short, this corner does not see the issue of the decade as unsolvable.

And we certainly are dubious that toll bridges owned by a private company are a "no-brainer."

The "no-brainer" in our opinion is already in progress: city and county leaders sitting down to solve a problem that is crucial to the community and a key to our future as a River City.

Eventually, the people of Bay County will make the decision on how to keep our precious bridges viable for the future.

Blame games like the toxic talk that will be wracking Washington and the nation for months over the government shutdown, therefore, will not be necessary here.

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Dave Rogers

Dave Rogers is a former editorial writer for the Bay City Times and a widely read,
respected journalist/writer in and around Bay City.
(Contact Dave Via Email at carraroe@aol.com)

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