MUSKEGON, Mich — On Tuesday night, the Muskegon City Commission approved a new parking fee structure for Pere Marquette Beach, making high-traffic days more expensive, and low-traffic days cheaper.
Under the new plan, a daily parking pass for non-residents would cost $20 on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays, $10 on Mondays, Tuesdays and Thursdays, and passes would be free on Wednesdays. The plan also calls for people to be able buy a season pass for $40. Muskegon residents will still get free beach parking passes.
The new fee schedule is based on data that was discussed during a parking committee meeting in October. That data shows that the beach gets the least amount of visitors on Tuesdays and Wednesdays.
“Part of what we were trying to do is better distribute the visitors and the days of the week that they come. We've all experienced a number of Saturdays that have been particularly busy where it's very difficult to find a parking place,” said deputy city manager LeighAnn Mikesell.
The money from parking fees not only helps pay for the upkeep at the beach but also helps other parks throughout the city.
“I think that it's really easy to focus all of our attention and dollars on the shoreline, because it's beautiful and it's spectacular and it's special, but so is Smith Ryerson [Park],” said Vice Mayor Rebecca St. Clair.
Some commissioners have expressed concerns about parking fees being a barrier to people enjoying one of the city’s most precious natural resources, but they believe having Wednesday as a “free day” is helpful in making the beach accessible to more people.
“When I saw this amended fee structure, I felt much more comfortable with it, being the fact that we're giving a completely free day to go to the beach. Wednesday, you know, is in the middle of the week, but it does allow for evenings for people to come for free. And then the reduced rate during the week - I think that that was definitely a positive spin compared to where we originally started,” said Commissioner Katrina Kochin.
City commissioners also say they’re working to add a shuttle service that will give people more ways to access to the beach.
