MUSKEGON, Mich. — If you enjoy the beauty of the lakeshore, there's potential good news on the horizon. The city of Muskegon may introduce a beach shuttle service aimed at increasing access to its popular beaches.
Muskegon residents are familiar with the parking challenges at Pere Marquette Park Beach during busy summer days. City officials are proposing a new shuttle service that could ease this issue.
Greg Sesselmann, a Muskegon resident, joked with FOX 17.
“Are you kidding? I’m an old Muskegon guy. I don’t want any of that development around here. I don’t want any of you people coming to my beach. Just kidding," Sesselmann said sarcastically.
The proposal, still in the conceptual stage, aims to launch a shuttle service operating on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays from Memorial Day to Labor Day.
One potential shuttle route would connect downtown Muskegon to the Lakeside District and then to the beach.
“We’ve been hearing from our residents that they want different ways to get to the beach. This would be a free shuttle that anyone can use," City Manager Jonathan Seyferth said.
Another route could connect Kruse Park to various area beaches, including the popular Pere Marquette Beach.
Sesselmann expressed his appreciation for the public accessibility of Muskegon's shoreline.
“This shoreline is stunning. We’ve been blessed with it being reserved for public, instead of going private. From Whitehall [to] almost all the way down to Grand Haven, it’s almost all available to the public. And that’s a beautiful thing," Sesselmann said.
The proposed shuttle service is estimated to cost around $40,000, funded by the city's paid parking revenue at the beaches.
Seyferth highlighted the benefits of the shuttle.
“I think it makes our beaches more accessible for folks who maybe don’t have transportation, or maybe for high schoolers or kids whose parents can’t get them out to the beach," Seyferth said.
This proposal is welcomed by beach enthusiasts like Sesselmann.
“I’m a beach bum hippie. I belong on this shore. So if anybody else can experience that for a little while, it’s worth a trip. And it’s worth the parking pass. And it’s worth anything you can do to get down to the Muskegon shoreline, for sure," Sesselmann said.
While the shuttle service is still in the discussion phase, it will be on the agenda for the Muskegon City Commission on March 25.
This story was initially reported by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
Follow FOX 17: Facebook - X (formerly Twitter) - Instagram - YouTube
