A car drives by a “no parking” sign along Peter White Drive at Presque Isle Park in Marquette. Over the summer, 190-plus citations have been issued to cars parked along Peter White Drive, as a new city ordinance prohibits parking outside of designated areas along Peter White Drive due to safety concerns about congestion and improper parking on the park’s sole road, police said. (Journal photo by Cecilia Brown)

MARQUETTE — Presque Isle Park attracts many visitors throughout the year, especially during the summer and weeks surrounding the return of Northern Michigan University students.

However, with many visitors come many vehicles.

Due to this, the city is still working to spread the word about a new parking ordinance, as over 190 parking tickets have been issued at the island throughout the summer, said Patrol Capt. Mike Laurila of the Marquette City Police Department.

The new parking ordinance, which was approved by the Marquette City Commission in late June “specifically allows for enforcement of parking at Presque Isle Park without the addition of a multitude of signs cluttering the drive,” and states “no driver or operator of any vehicle shall obstruct traffic or park or stop on any road or driveway or portion of any road or driveway except at places designated for parking or stopping or in the event of any emergency beyond the control of the driver or operator.”

Under the ordinance, parking is only permitted in designated parking areas and the periodic “cutouts” from Peter White Drive, which is the road encircling the park, Laurila said.

To put it simply, he said: “You cannot have your tires on the roadway of Peter White Drive” when parked.

Those in violation of the ordinance can be cited with a $25 improper parking ticket.

The ordinance stems from safety concerns about congestion on the island and emergency response vehicle access, Laurila said, noting the major problem areas were Blackrocks and Sunset Point.

“Everybody wants to visit the island; I understand the beauty of it and the allure of it. But when people are parked on both sides of Peter White Drive, you can imagine how difficult it is for an ambulance, a patrol car, a fire truck to get through in an emergency,” Laurila said. “There was a lot of thought put into this and that’s why we put this into a city ordinance.”

Furthermore, when cars park improperly on Peter White Drive, it makes it “very dangerous for people who are walking” and cycling, he said.

To make the public aware, the city and police have put out numerous public service announcements, which have been broadcast through radio, print, television and social media, Laurila said.

The city’s department of public works has also put up signs and “has made some adjustments out on Peter White Drive, so it’s pretty clear where you can and where you cannot park,” he added.

While the police department has had to issue nearly 200 tickets along Peter White Drive over the summer, Laurila said he has seen some improvements in the parking situation as the summer has progressed and more people have become aware of the ordinance.

“I really believe that the educational process through the public service announcements has helped educate the public,” Laurila said. “We’ve seen a decrease in the violations. I think the word is out and I think people are starting to understand.”

However, police want to make sure the word keeps getting out, especially with the recent return of Northern Michigan University students, he said.

Beyond the parking situation, Laurila also wants students to be aware of another safety consideration out on the island — Lake Superior.

“Although Lake Superior is beautiful, it can be very dangerous as well,” he said, emphasizing that it’s important to be cognizant of lake conditions — which can change rapidly — as well as individual swimming ability when jumping off of Blackrocks at Presque Isle Park or taking part in water recreation anywhere on Lake Superior.

Cecilia Brown can be reached at 906-228-2500, ext. 248.