BATA to the Beach (and the vineyards)

The Leelanau Enterprise reports that plans are in the works for the Bay Area Transit Authority (BATA) to provide a “beach bus” that would provide express service between points of interest along the Lake Michigan shore.

One route would start in Suttons Bay and end at Sleeping Bear Point with intermediate stops at Leland, Good Harbor, The Homestead and Glen Arbor…

Initial reaction to the beach bus proposal was favorable from Tom Ulrich, deputy superintendent of SBDNL.

“It fits right within our goals of providing an opportunity to visit the park without people having to drive from place to place … using gas and filling parking spaces,” Ulrich said. “If it’s simply a bus route to get people to the beach without cars, it sounds like a good idea to me.”

They note that another proposal in the works is a wine country shuttle that will be tested on the Old Mission Peninsula. Don Coe of Black Star Farms commented: “I know that public transportation has been used to promote tourism in other wine regions, such as the Napa Valley. It makes a lot of sense.”

Photo Credit: Empire Beach View by StacyN – MichiganMoments