Proposed trucking ordinance raises eyebrows in Marquette Township

Marquette Township officials are taking issue with the City of Marquette’s proposed trucking ordinance. The Marquette City Commission presented the plan to the public for the first time Monday night.

After the reveal, Township Planner and Zoning Administrator Jason McCarthy told commissioners about the Township’s opposition to the proposed route, which for now, did not include the permanent truck bypass the communities had discussed.

“It has been the Township’s long-standing viewpoint that any discussions about a bypass would be predicated upon the City providing an unrestricted North-South connection for truck traffic through the city.”

McCarthy says the ordinance provides a North-South route in an indirect way. The route runs down County Road 550, to Sugarloaf Avenue, before making it’s way on to Wright Street through the city’s western border.

“There’s, essentially, a section of McClellan that becomes a toll road because people will either be required to get a special-use permit and/or pay to use a specific segment of road in the Township,” noted McCarthy.

The City Commission has not taken any official action on the proposed ordinance yet. It’ll hold a public forum about the measure on Wednesday, July 9th at 5:30 p.m. at Lakeview Arena.