When a bipartisan group of legislators introduced a proposal last March to provide badly needed funds for Michigan’s state park system, we thought the idea had a lot of merit.

After languishing in Lansing for months, the state Senate last week approved legislation which would give Michigan drivers unlimited access to state parks by paying an additional $10 for their vehicle registration.

For regular park users, that is quite a deal compared to the current $24 charge for an annual park pass.

More importantly, however, the plan would provide millions of dollars for infrastructure repair and maintenance of Michigan’s magnificent state parks.

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There are no easy answers to the funding challenges facing Michigan’s state park system. But a bipartisan group of lawmakers last week introduced what could be a viable way to sustain one of our state’s most important assets.

We think Michigan residents are equally supportive of our state’s beautiful park system, regardless of whether they are regular park visitors.

A viable alternative must be found to ensure that Michigan’s 98 state parks and recreations areas are properly maintained so that they continue to attract more than 22 million visitors a year.

We think the proposal unveiled last week is such an option.

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Fort Custer Recreation Area Park Manager Tony Trojanowski said that, for several years, he has wanted to repave the state park’s choppy entrance road and said other roads through the park will need a facelift soon.

“The rest of it, every year, is starting to show a little age, just like me,” he said.

“The citizens of Michigan have a long history of supporting the protection and preservation of Michigan’s natural resources,” he said. “I believe it’s because everyone in Michigan realizes how important our natural resources are, not just to have a good environment, but a good quality of life.”

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