by Danella Crews, Jekyll Island Authority

The Jekyll Island Authority (JIA) Board has approved an increase to the daily parking fee charged to enter the island. The daily parking fee will increase from $3 to $5 per vehicle per day, effective August 1, 2009. The new rate will make Jekyll Island consistent with the entry fee charged at other Georgia State Parks, which the Department of Natural Resources increased to $5 in April. The last time the Jekyll Island parking fee was changed was ten years ago when the fee was adjusted from $2 to $3 in 1999. Parking Fee revenue is used to help fund improvements to the public areas of the island. The increased rate could generate up to $1 million per year. The annual parking pass was left unchanged at $45 per vehicle per year.