Chargers, off-track wheelchairs bolster access to national parks in the U.P.

What's happening: Improving mobility and accessibility to national parks is increasing, and a new round of grant funding will benefit those parks in Michigan. The National Park Service Mobility Challenge Program announced that three national parks statewide — including two in the Upper Peninsula — will split half a million dollars to help various programs improve visitor access and experience.   

Where the money will be spent: While half the money will be spent at the Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore in the northern Lower Peninsula, the other half will primarily be administered through the Superior Watershed Partnership and Land Conservancy. The group will install multi-modal chargers in Hancock, Munising, Grand Marais and Marquette. Before this funding, local businesses in the gateway communities to Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore were the only places to charge EVs to get to either Munising or Grand Marais. 

The last $10,000 will be us to help deploy off-road track wheelchairs at Muskallonge Lake State Park, which is between Grand Marais and Newberry. Off-road wheelchairs provide the necessary infrastructure to see more rural and rustic parks and continues the state’s push with the Department of Natural Resources to have more wheelchairs like this at state parks.   

What they're saying: “Every Michigander should be able to enjoy the incredible natural resources we are blessed to steward,” said Lt. Gov. Garlin Gilchrist II. “These grants represent a key milestone in our efforts alongside the National Park Service to pioneer future mobility in our state and national parks. We will keep working hard to build on our historic investments in Michigan parks, improve our park experiences, grow our economy, and preserve our natural landscapes for decades to come.”

What's next: As funding is allocated to local groups, equipment will be installed near and inside state and federal parks. This is not the end of the funding, however; additional rounds of this grant are expected to be announced over the next year.