Bridge Bus change may be illegal, City Manager says

The Bridge Bus between the twin Saults plans to stop accepting Canadian currency on July 1, a move that's quite possibly illegal, says Spencer Nebel, City Manager of Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan.

"Virtually every business in both Saults accepts U.S. and Canadian currency," Nebel says. "The International Bridge accepts U.S. and Canadian currency. Having the Bridge Bus only take U.S. currency is not an acceptable proposition."

Nebel says the decision to change the currency policy was made by the Joint International Bridge Authority (JIBA) without notice.

It may violate the intergovernmental agreement under which the bridge operates, he indicates in a letter sent to Mayor John Rowswell, Chief Administrative Officer Joe Fratesi, and others.

Fares must be 'separately established' in Canadian dollars

The agreement, Nebel says, requires tolls for the bridge and all related operations, including the bridge bus, to be "separately established in the currency of Canada so as to achieve equivalency with the United States currency under prevailing official currency exchange rates."

"The JIBA made this significant change affecting users of the bridge without any public hearings or any notice of any kind, which appears to violate the provisions of Article 10 of this agreement," Nebel says.

"I have requested that the City Attorney review whether this action was done in conformity with state statute and the international agreement."

Sault, Ontario City Council will consider tonight whether to ask the JIBA to rescind the decision.

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