French Lane Signs To Be Changed to More Positive Design
By Karen Gould

The controversial and symbolic "no horses" signs marking the entrance to French Lane from Market Street will be replaced with signs that will read "Pedestrian and Bicycle Traffic Only."

Signs that mark the no-horse entrance to French Lane from Market Street will be replaced with a more positive message, the Mackinac Island City Council decided at its Wednesday, July 5, meeting. Instead of a sign that prohibits horses, the new signs will read "Pedestrian and Bicycle Traffic Only."

Signs depicting a horse in a red circle with a line running through it are negative, said council members, who voted earlier this summer to have them made. They were installed in reaction to complaints that carriages using the 10-footwide road were damaging flowers and fences, and that they posed a danger to pedestrians and cyclists.

Council tried one-way horse traffic and no-way traffic, but was not able to stop violators. The signs were ordered so police could enforce an ordinance restricting horse traffic on that road.

Mounted prominently on two wood posts eight feet high on Market Street, spanning the entrance to French Lane, the

two signs mock the "Horse Is King" motto Mackinac Island has promoted for decades.

When Council ordered the city crew to install them, a photograph appeared in The Mackinac Island Town Crier.

"I really liked the front page of The Town Crier with a city guy holding the no-horses sign," said Alderman Jason St. Onge. "That was not good."

Council was ready to approve replacement signs, black with yellow letters stating, "No Horses Allowed," until Mr. St. Onge suggested the signs needed to be more positive. Those signs now will be returned to the painter to be repainted with the more positive message.

Council also debated the height of the signs, but made no decision to change it. They now stand eight feet high to be easily noticed by horse riders or carriage drivers. The sign height makes the signs look awkward and detract from the beauty of the street, said Alderman Armand "Smi" Horn, who suggested the city lower them.

The new city ordinance adopted in May allows horses only on the lower half of French Lane, from Squires Lane, which runs behind the Lake View Hotel. From there, horse traffic is allowed only to turn left.

Violation of the ordinance is a civil infraction and comes with a $110 fine.

The new signs are expected to be installed within the next few weeks.