Measures aim to improve traffic flow and visitor experience to alleviate summer congestion.
In recent years, Put-in-Bay’s small downtown has been overrun with golf cars, causing traffic jams and making the island less enjoyable for residents and tourists. This summer, village officials are taking action, according to cleveland.com.
The Village Council has passed a law capping the number of golf cars on the island at the number registered last year. According to Mayor Judy Berry, there are about 900 registered golf cars for rent within the village, with an equal number in the surrounding township. Additionally, a new $5-per-hour fee for downtown parking has been implemented to ease congestion and encourage better visitor behavior on busy weekends.
“We should have done this 10 years ago,” said Berry. “We have way too many golf cars.”
The problem peaked last July, prompting local police to seek help from nearby counties to manage traffic and unruly behavior. Following that chaotic weekend, the council issued a moratorium on new golf car rentals, now indefinitely capped by the new legislation.
This law affects businesses in both the village of Put-in-Bay and South Bass Island, a 1,588-acre island in Lake Erie. Future reductions in golf car numbers may be considered annually, according to Berry, despite the initial pushback from local businesses.
Wendy Chambers, executive director of the Put-in-Bay Chamber of Commerce, and several island golf car companies declined to comment on the new legislation. Council member Jacob Market noted, “We were hoping the golf car community would self-regulate. That doesn’t seem to be happening.”
Market, whose family business runs E’s Golf Cart Rentals and Miller Boat Line, limits their rentals and supports the new measures. He highlighted the secondary problem of downtown parking shortages, which the new fee aims to address. The revenue from the parking fee, expected to start in June through the T2 MobilePay system, will fund additional police officers.
Currently, Put-in-Bay employs about 10 officers, with plans to create an auxiliary force of up to six officers to handle tickets and traffic. Berry acknowledged that the new policies might be unpopular but emphasized their necessity for the island’s well-being. “People like the novelty of driving around and seeing the sights,” said Market. “It’s cute in so many ways.”
However, he cautioned that on busy weekends, some visitors might not find golf cars available for rent and would need to use local taxis, shuttles, or bicycles instead. Market predicted legal challenges to the new measures but maintained, “We had to do something. It may not be perfect, but we had to try.”
