Whitmer calls on mobility business for assist bettering entry to nationwide parks

Gov. Gretchen Whitmer joined the Nationwide Park Service on Tuesday calling on the mobility business to establish and deploy electrification and mobility know-how in and round 4 of Michigan’s 5 nationwide parks and lakeshores. 

By launching the Nationwide Park Michigan Mobility Problem, the state hopes to court docket funding into the mobility business in addition to expertise from throughout the nation whereas bettering accessibility and sustainability at Keweenaw Nationwide Historic Park, Pictured Rocks Nationwide Lakeshore, River Raisin Nationwide Battlefield Park and Sleeping Bear Dunes Nationwide Lakeshore.

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“Michigan’s 5 Nationwide Parks obtain 2.7 million guests yearly and generate $380 million in financial profit, supporting hundreds of jobs and native economies throughout the state,” Whitmer stated in a press release. “The Nationwide Park Mobility Problem will carry collectively the fantastic thing about Pure Michigan and our state’s cutting-edge mobility experience to create safer, cleaner, and extra accessible transportation infrastructure in and round our state parks.”

The problem calls on mobility firms and public companies to suggest options in three areas for innovation recognized in Michigan’s nationwide parks: small-scale electrical shuttles and automatic driving methods, multimodal electrical charging hubs and micro-mobility.

Small-scale electrical shuttles and automatic driving methods know-how can be utilized to supply multi-passenger transit providers. This know-how would additionally present guests extra selection for transportation, would ease navigation in and round nationwide parks, alleviate parking and roadway congestion in busy areas, enhance entry for individuals with disabilities and scale back the environmental impression of tourists’ journey.

By including multimodal charging hubs in and round gateway communities resulting in nationwide parks, the state and the Nationwide Park Service can create extra capability for the general public and fleet operators to cost their electrical automobiles whereas touring and having fun with the parks.

Micro-mobility — akin to electrical scooters or e-bikes — can present guests with alternate options to motor automobiles and might facilitate brief journeys between the campsite and the shop, or permit guests with out their very own bikes to expertise a park’s trails. 

This problem builds on an current partnership between Michigan and the Nationwide Park Service to enhance entry at nationwide parks with mobility know-how. Submissions can be evaluated for implementation together with conversations with the state and the Nationwide Park Service.

Based on a press release from the governor’s workplace, grant funding is obtainable for essentially the most promising improvements.