Toll Bridge Facts.com

Welcome to Toll Bridge Facts.com!

The Toll Bridge Facts.com web site (blog) is an initiative of the Grosse Ile Bridge Company (GIBC) to directly provide Island residents, businesses and visitors with important information concerning the Grosse Ile Toll Bridge.  This web site is integrated into the GIBC's main web site which can be viewed at www.GrosseIleBridge.com.

Toll Bridge Facts.com enables the GIBC to keep you better informed about breaking news and developments concerning the bridge. The site also provides residents and customers with an interactive capability that features answers to frequently asked questions and a forum for posting opinions.  We especially encourage you to sign up for the GIBC's e-newsletter "The Connection" that provides important traffic advisories as well as the most accurate and timely information about the Toll Bridge. 

GIBC TRAFFIC ADVISORIES

Traffic Advisory for Saturday, November 22 and Sunday, November 23 

Wayne County Bridge Scheduled to Close for Two Days of Maintenance
 
Wayne County has informed the GIBC that the Wayne County Bridge will be closed for scheduled non-emergency maintenance starting on Saturday, November 22, 7:30 a.m., until Sunday, November 23, 5 p.m.

Given that the maintenance work can only be performed during good weather conditions, it is possible that the closure will be rescheduled by the County.

When the two day closure of the County Bridge begins, the GIBC will collect round-trip user fee toll fares for east bound traffic (i.e., driving from Riverview to Grosse Ile).  The GIBC will not collect a toll fare for west bound traffic (i.e., driving from Grosse Ile to Riverview) and the toll gates will be raised.

The GIBC will resume the collection of one-way toll fares for east bound traffic immediately after the County Bridge reopens. 

The GIBC will resume the collection of one-way toll fares for west bound traffic at 10 p.m. on the day when the County Bridge closure period ends. 

For example, if the County Bridge reopens on Sunday, November 9 at 5 p.m., the GIBC will start collecting one-way toll fares for west bound traffic at 10 p.m. (10 p.m. is when the shift of our toll attendants changes).

Please note that the GIBC will not allow oversized loads to cross the Toll Bridge during County Bridge closure period.  To view a summary of the GIBC's regular load limits and restrictions on the Toll Bridge, please CLICK HERE.

 

Web Cam

View the GIBC's web cam on Bridge Rd. at the toll plaza by CLICKING HERE.

To view the most current picture of traffic at the toll plaza, please use the "Refresh" function on your web browser to obtain a new picture from the web cam.  Pressing the "F5" key on the keyboard is a shortcut for refreshing an Internet Explorer web browser.   A new picture of traffic is generated at one minute intervals.

** Please be sure to sign up for the GIBC's "The Connection" e-newsletter and traffic advisories by CLICKING HERE.

Toll Bridge Facts.com Top Stories

Traffic Flowed Smoothly, No Major Delays  (Toll Bridge Facts.com, November 11, 2008)

County Bridge to close this weekend  (Ile Camera, November 7, 2008)

Work on Grosse Ile free bridge set for weekend  (Detroit Free Press, November 6, 2008)

RIVERVIEW: Council won't appeal Grosse Ile bridge ruling  (Detroit Free Press, August 6, 2008)

GIBC's "Fire Hydrant" Joins the Township Board's "I love GI" Campaign  (GIBC, July 24, 2008)

GIBC Sets the Record Straight with the Facts (GIBC, July 18, 2008)

Appeal of bridge ruling faces vote  (Detroit News, July 7, 2008)

Traffic Flows Smoothly, No Major Delays During the Wayne County Bridge Two Day Closure Period (November 8-9, 2008)

Longest Wait of the Weekend Caused by U.S. Coast Guard Boat

This was the typical view of traffic in the toll plaza that most drivers experienced on November 8 and 9:

Drivers using the Bridge Pass typically traveled through the toll plaza twice as fast as vehicles in the Attended Lane paying with cash or tokens.

The U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) piloted a boat downstream through the Toll Bridge at about 2:57 p.m. on November 8.  The USCG boat caused a traffic delay for vehicles that ranged between about 6 to 10 minutes (the last vehicle in line during the delay may have waited about 10 minutes).

The Toll Bridge closed for vehicle traffic at about 2:54 p.m. and the USCG boat passed through the Toll Bridge at 2:57 p.m.:

 

Traffic at 2:57 p.m. waiting for the Toll Bridge to reopen after the USCG boat passed through:

 

The Toll Bridge reopened at about 3 p.m. and all the traffic delayed by the USCG boat had crossed the Toll Bridge by about 3:07 p.m.:

[Toll Bridge Facts editor:  The Wayne County Bridge closed on Saturday, November 8 and Sunday, November 9 for non-emergency scheduled maintenance.  There were no major traffic delays during the two day closure period.  The County Bridge reopened to vehicle traffic at 5 p.m. on November 9.]

     

County bridge to close this weekend
By Jim Kasuba
Heritage Newspapers

November 7, 2008

Motorists take note.  If you're heading to Grosse Ile this weekend, you'll have to take the toll bridge.

The Wayne County-owned free bridge will be closed starting at 7:30 a.m. tomorrow and will remain closed to traffic until 5 p.m. Sunday for nonemergency maintenance.

The free bridge had been closed for repairs for several months in 2007, which meant all vehicles coming onto or leaving the island had to use the toll bridge.  For the most part, things went smoothly, with the exception of the first day of the free bridge's closure.

Massive traffic backups extended into Riverview, requiring the city to send police for traffic control duties to ensure public safety.  A similar situation occurred during a shorter shutdown in 2004.  The matter resulted in a lawsuit in which the city sued Grosse Ile Bridge Co., owner of the toll bridge, in an effort to recoup more than $71,000 for expenses incurred during those free bridge closures.

The city lost that lawsuit and in August decided not to appeal the court's decision.

This weekend's closure originally was scheduled for last weekend, but a spokesman for the bridge's owner said the company wasn't given enough advance notice.

Greg Karmazin, the bridge company's director of community and government relations, told the Wayne County Department of Public Services the company could not accommodate the county's request for the toll bridge to handle all the vehicle traffic to and from Grosse Ile last weekend.

"The GIBC is under contract with a professional painting company that is in the process of finishing work to clean and paint the superstructure of the toll bridge," Karmazin wrote in an e-mail to Wayne County DPS.  "The painters are scheduled to work this weekend and it is necessary to close one lane of traffic while they are on the bridge."

Karmazin said operating one lane of traffic across the toll bridge with the entire traffic volume that normally crosses both bridges would result in delays that customers and local governments might find unacceptable.

He said painters could not reschedule their work because seasonal changes in weather conditions provide a very limited time to finish this contractual work that has been going on for several months.

Secondly, Karmazin said the company would prefer to have the Coast Guard implement restrictions on opening the toll bridge to marine vessels similar to those in place during the free bridge closure in 2007.  He said marine vessels traveling through the toll bridge during high-volume traffic periods would result in unacceptable delays.

Lastly, Karmazin expressed concern that 3 days notice was not enough time to adequately notify Grosse Ile residents and businesses of a planned closure of the county bridge of this duration.

In an Oct. 29 electronic newsletter that went out to island residents and other customers, Karmazin urged them to contact the township board, saying that Supervisor Kurt Kobiljak has the authority to ask the county to reschedule a non-emergency closure.

The next day another newsletter went out, saying that the bridge company appreciated the strong response from readers.

"Yesterday (Oct. 29), the GIBC attended an emergency meeting at Township Hall with officials from the county and township which was organized by Grosse Ile Police Chief Bill Barron," Karmazin said in the newsletter.  "It was encouraging to hear during this meeting that township officials shared many of the same concerns that the GIBC expressed in our Oct. 29 e-mail."

Karmazin said that township officials and the company agreed that residents, businesses and visitors must have adequate advance notification about nonemergency free bridge closures to minimize potential traffic delays and to protect public safety.

Company officials said that since the maintenance work the county plans to perform can only be done during good weather conditions, it is possible that the closure could be rescheduled.

http://www.freep.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=200881106030

November 6, 2008

Work on Grosse Ile free bridge set for weekend

BY MATT HELMS
FREE PRESS DRIVING COLUMNIST

Upgrades to the Grosse Ile free bridge that had been scheduled for last weekend are now scheduled for Saturday and Sunday.

The free bridge, which connects the island to Trenton, will close from 7:30 a.m. Saturday to 5 p.m. Sunday, said Vanessa Denha-Garmo, press secretary for Wayne County executive Robert Ficano.

Crews will install a catwalk beneath the bridge, work that’s part of a larger recent rehabilitation project, Denha-Garmo said.

Drivers will have to use the Grosse Ile Toll Bridge between the island and Riverview. Toll information is available at http://www.grosseilebridge.com.

Contact MATT HELMS at driving@freepress.com.

August 6, 2008

RIVERVIEW: Council won't appeal Grosse Ile bridge ruling

The Riverview City Council voted unanimously Monday not to appeal a judge's decision about suing the privately owned Grosse Ile Bridge Co. for expenses incurred while Wayne County's free bridge was under repair.

Circuit Judge Prentis Edwards granted the bridge company's motion for summary disposition.

The Downriver community had sued for an estimated $140,000, claiming the overflow of traffic during the county bridge's 2004 and 2007 overhauls required police overtime. Only two spans connect Grosse Ile across the Trenton Channel to the mainland.

Riverview has an obligation to provide public-safety services, but "the business owner needs to step up to the plate," city attorney Randall Pentiuk said Monday, adding that the municipality disagrees with Edwards' June opinion.

Compiled by Korie Wilkins, Dan Cortez, Peggy Walsh-Sarnecki and Zlati Meyer.

"The Fire Hydrant" Shows its Pride in GI as well as GIBC!

Our fire hydrant so badly wants to serve Islanders that it has decided to join the Township Board's "I love GI" campaign. 

Sadly, the fire hydrant is not feeling the love returned as the Township Board is blocking the GIBC from connecting it to the Township's water lines from which the GIBC has been purchasing metered water since the 1960s.

Want to help our friendly fire hydrant? 

Please let the Township Board know that the fire hydrant is vitally important to the GIBC enhancing safety on the Toll Bridge and enabling us to build our long-planned new operations building in the toll plaza (i.e., Riverview is requiring the GIBC to install a fire hydrant).

 

This may be the most famous fire hydrant in all of Southeastern Michigan.  How many fire hydrants have been the focus of a Detroit News editorial board editorial published in the paper? 

Actually, this is no laughing matter.  Please read what the Detroit News editorial board had to say about the Township Board blocking the GIBC from installing this fire hydrant by CLICKING HERE.

 
"An Island business connecting Islanders since 1913"
Grosse Ile Bridge Company
P.O. Box 24
Grosse Ile, Michigan 48138

July 18, 2008

GIBC Sets the Record Straight with the Facts

Dear Islanders:

In response to letters to the editor of the Ile Camera and news articles about the Township Board’s eminent domain lawsuit against the Grosse Ile Bridge Company (GIBC), we would like to set the record straight to protect our business reputation. 

The GIBC understands the public’s significant interest in the Township Board's litigation.  The following ten facts answer commonly asked questions and provide Islanders with the truth about this matter.

1.  The eminent domain litigation was initiated five years ago when then-Treasurer Kurt Kobiljak authored and introduced a “Resolution of Necessity” during the June 9, 2003 meeting of the Township Board.  There was no public input or discussion about this lawsuit prior to the Township Board starting it.

2.  Following Mr. Kobiljak's lead, his “Resolution of Necessity” was approved by a 7 to 0 vote.  Five members – a majority – of the present Township Board were serving in 2003 and voted in favor of the eminent domain lawsuit.

3.  The Township Board started litigation against the GIBC without even showing the courtesy of first talking to Paul Smoke who is the owner of this 4th generation family business that has been faithfully serving Islanders since 1913.  During the first 90 years of its operation, the GIBC was not sued by Grosse Ile or Riverview -- relations were excellent. 

4.  On May 7, 2004, Wayne County Circuit Court Judge Susan Borman rejected all of the Township Board’s reasons for their lawsuit in a strongly worded 18 page opinion concluding that the “Township abused its discretion” by pursuing this litigation.  The Township Board appealed this verdict and subsequently the Michigan Court of Appeals and the Michigan Supreme Court ruled in favor of the GIBC.

5.  Judge Borman’s written opinion specifically addressed the Township Board’s unsubstantiated claims about Matty Maroun/Riverview-Trenton Railroad (RTRR) by stating, “In short, there is no credible evidence before the Court that reflects that RTRR has any intention of condemning the Toll Bridge.”

6.   It is simply not legally possible for a railroad to condemn the Toll Bridge.  Michigan law provides both bridge companies and railroads with eminent domain powers, but both types of entities are expressly prohibited from condemning each others' right-of-ways and property. 

According to the U.S. Surface Transportation Board, there is not one case in American history of a railroad condemning a bridge used for vehicle transportation. 

7.  Riverview’s official position on record with the U.S. Surface Transportation Board (STB) is that RTRR is not operating a railroad and may never do so. 

In their capacity as the legal counsel for Riverview, the law firm of Pentiuk, Couvreur & Kobiljak filed a brief with the STB on September 14, 2006 that stated, “RTRR offers no specifics and does not refute the City of Riverview’s contention that RTRR invoked STB jurisdiction for the primary purpose of usurping local governmental regulation…RTRR may have no intention to conduct rail operations on the site.”

8.  On May 18, 2007, Judge Borman ruled that the Township Board must pay for the GIBC’s successful legal defense as mandated by the Michigan Uniform Condemnation Procedures Act.  Although the Township Board has engaged in legal maneuvers to delay the final judgment on the amount due, Michigan law is clear that they must pay. 

The Township Board’s stalling tactics are only increasing the amount of the ultimate bill.  It is important to understand that private property owners in Michigan typically spend far more than the government to prevail in eminent domain lawsuits.

9.  According to a February 2, 2007 article in the Ile Camera, the Township Board has spent $448,190 pursuing their lawsuit.  The Township Board has not disclosed the subsequent total cost of their litigation.

Regardless of how high the final bill may be, this is already, by far, the most expensive lawsuit in the history of Grosse Ile Township government. 

10.  The GIBC believes that the Township Board will initiate new confrontations, possibly in conjunction with Riverview, against us during 2009.  The Township Board persuaded the Riverview City Council to support their litigation in 2006.  Consider what's happening right now.

The law firm of Pentiuk, Couvreur & Kobiljak, acting for Riverview, is considering an appeal of their highly aggressive lawsuit against the GIBC that Wayne County Circuit Court Judge Prentis Edwards ruled had "no basis in Michigan law." 

The Township Board failed to cooperate with the GIBC on the Bridge Pass service during the County Bridge closure period.  They are also blocking our fire hydrant project that is intended to enhance safety and enable the construction of the GIBC's new operations building in the toll plaza.

Commenting on this situation, the Detroit News editorial board published an editorial on September 5, 2007 that stated, "Instead of accepting its well-deserved legal defeat, the township has decided to continue to harass the bridge owner."

At some point in the future, we hope to restore the mutually respectful and positive relationship between the GIBC and the Township Board that existed for the first 90 years of our operations.

The GIBC greatly appreciates the support of Islanders and loyal customers who have stood by us during this long, expensive and counter-productive ordeal that has been stressful for our employees and the Smoke family. 

Sincerely,

Greg Karmazin
GIBC Director of Community & Government Relations

P.S.  In order to view the sources and documents for these ten facts, please view the GIBC's web site at www.TollBridgeFacts.com.  Have additional questions?  Please feel free to contact me by e-mail at karmazingibc@aol.com or phone at (734) 718-8465.

 

http://www.detnews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080707/METRO01/807070358

Monday, July 7, 2008

Riverview

Appeal of bridge ruling faces vote

Court dismissed city's suit against Grosse Ile Bridge Co. over costs incurred during closing.
Tanveer Ali / The Detroit News

RIVERVIEW -- The City Council is expected to vote today on whether to appeal a court ruling that threw out its lawsuit against the Grosse Ile Bridge Co. seeking reimbursement for costs incurred while a county-owned bridge was shut down for repairs.

The city sought more than $71,000 for traffic control and police overtime costs in 2004 and 2007 when one of the two bridges to Grosse Ile Township was closed, causing backups in Riverview, city officials said.

While the company argued it has paid the city through taxes, the lawsuit claimed the company was negligent in adjusting operations to handle the situations.

"That was an unusual ongoing situation in which we were protecting a private business that makes millions of dollars," said Mayor Tim Durand.

A Wayne County Circuit Court judge on June 13 threw out the ruling, agreeing with the defense's argument that Riverview cannot charge the company for policing costs because those services were not provided for the direct benefit of the company.

On average, only 25 percent of cars going in and out of Grosse Ile take the toll bridge when both bridges are open, said Greg Karmazin, spokesman for the bridge company. To ease traffic problems, the company implemented a pass system, with users being charged $1 rather than the cash fee of $1.50. Policing duties remain the responsibility of the municipalities, Karmazin said.

"The bridge company pays a significant amount of taxes every year," Karmazin said. "We would hope that the city would use those funds to serve all businesses."

The law firm handling Riverview's case is co-owned by Kurt Kobiljak, the Grosse Ile Township supervisor who, Karmazin points out, led a failed bid by the township to seize the bridge by eminent domain in 2003. While Kobiljak said he is not involved with the Riverview case and the lawsuit is being run by his partner, Karmazin said there have been eight lawsuits against the company brought by either municipality.

"It seems there is an axis of litigation between Riverview and Grosse Ile against the bridge company," Karmazin said.

You can reach Tanveer Ali at (734) 462-2094 or tali@detnews.com.