By Mary Drier (Contact / Staff Bio)
June 11, 2008 - 12:00 a.m. EST

CASS CITY ‹ Properly inflated tires and driving slower will only provide minimal gas savings so other options are necessary, and one is to drive less.

However, in Tuscola County, that really isn’t an option because of limited public transportation. But, some residents are realizing the benefits of carpooling.

In the Thumb there are carpool parking lots on M-46 near Kingston, M-46 near Carsonville and M-46 near Saginaw and Bridgeport. On M-24 there are carpool lots near Mayville, Columbiaville and two near Lapeer, and another on M-90 near North Branch, explained Cost and Scheduling Engineer Rachel Phillips from the Cass City MDOT office.

In fact, carpool lots are becoming so popular, upgrades are being planned for some of those lots.

“Most of the lots in our area are paved and upgraded, so the next step is to add lighting for parking areas,” said Phillips. “We are planning to install lighting in two lots in Tuscola County next year.

“They will be the first ones in our region to have lighting.”

The lots that will get lighting are on M-46 near Kingston and M-24 near Mayville.

“That work is scheduled for 2009,” said Phillips. “They are both in Dayton Township.”

MDOT will install the lights, but they will be talking to local municipalities about having them pay the monthly electrical bill.

The carpool parking lot program is available to anyone traveling for business or pleasure.

To find an available lot and for more information, go to the MDOT Web site at www.michigan.gov/parkandride. An interactive carpool lot map is available, including locations and directions.

The carpool parking lot program was initiated during the energy crisis of the early ‘70s.

“At that time, the scarcity of fuel accompanied by rising transportation costs encouraged many motorists to begin carpooling on a wide-scale basis. Lacking adequate and convenient parking facilities, carpoolers parked alongside roads, on private property or in commercial parking lots,” according to the MDOT Web site.

“Potential safety problems associated with roadside parking prompted the development of the Michigan Carpool Parking Lot Program, an effort to provide safe and convenient parking facilities for Michigan's carpoolers. With the establishment of this program the department made a commitment to the conservation of limited energy resources while responding to the needs of the state's travelers.”

Besides saving on gas, carpooling helps with air quality and traffic congestion.

Carpool parking started in 1974 as a pilot program with just 11 lots. Today, there are 231 carpool parking lots located across the state providing nearly 8,000 parking spaces. Approximately 2,800 vehicles park in these facilities on an average weekday.

“The carpool lots in our area get a lot of use. I can’t say they are crowded, but they are well-used,” noted Phillips.

In addition, MDOT has Local Rideshare Offices (LROs) that will help match those interested in carpooling. For LRO information, call Jean Ruestman, Statewide Rideshare Coordinator, MDOT Transportation Planning Services Division P.O. Box 30050 Lansing, MI 48909 (517) 373-6625; E-mail: ruestmanj@michigan.gov.

Mary Drier is a staff writer for the Tuscola County Advertiser. She can be reached at drier@tcadvertiser.com.