Mackinac Bridge News

Spring at the Mackinac Bridge is the beginning of special events season

Posted on April 20th, 2017

Winter is barely in the rear-view mirror in the Straits of Mackinac, but special events season at the Mackinac Bridge is ready to begin. &n… Read More

Mackinac Bridge Authority to conduct rescue training April 19

Posted on April 18th, 2017

In preparation for the bridge’s north tower painting project, the Mackinac Bridge Authority (MBA) will conduct confined-space rescue training with local emergency services agencies on Wednesday, April 19. From 6-9 p.m., MBA staff will work with local fire departments, emergency… Read More

Why we close the bridge for falling ice

Posted on April 12th, 2017

Each winter, ice forms on the cables and towers of the Mackinac Bridge, usually from freezing rain. When winds increase or temperatures rise, that ice can dislodge suddenly, sending sheets or spears of ice cascading down to the bridge deck below. “Ice falling from the bridge towers and cables can fall more t… Read More

Mackinac Bridge north tower to get a new paint job

Posted on March 30th, 2017

For the first time in its 60-year history, one of the Mackinac Bridge’s iconic ivory towers will be stripped down to bare metal and repainted.
Beginning April 6, con… Read More

Autumn seasonal maintenance on the Mighty Mac

Posted on November 22nd, 2016

Mackinac Bridge Authority (MBA) maintenance supervisor Ned McLennan has several jackets in his office – a black canvas coat and a safety yellow jacket among them – but all of them are streaked with ivory and green… Read More

September Traffic Report

Posted on October 20th, 2016

Robert J. Sweeney, Executive Secretary of the MBA, reported today that 464,394 vehicles crossed the Mackinac Bridge during the month of September compared to 442,402 in 2015. For the month of September, traffic is up 5.0% and fare revenue is up 4.5% compared to last year. The Mackinac Bridge Authority has scheduled… Read More

Rescued bald eagle to launch his reintroduction from the Mackinac Bridge

Posted on September 26th, 2016

First he was simply called “The Manistee Eagle,” indicating the county where he was rescued. Now he’s dubbed “Mighty Mac” in honor of the location where he’ll be released back into the wild on Tuesday, Oct. 4. The Mackinac Bridge Authority (MBA) is assisting in the release of… Read More

Mighty Mac chosen as platform for innovative technology

Posted on September 12th, 2016

Some engineering professors had an idea to monitor bridges with sensors powered with the vibrations generated by traffic. Think self-winding watch. Those professors, including one at Michigan State University, think they have mastered the technology. But they needed a real-world platform to try it out. Enter B… Read More

9th Annual Mackinac Bridge Antique Tractor Crossing

Posted on September 9th, 2016

The 9th Annual Mackinac Bridge Antique Tractor Crossing drew an amazing 1,326 tractors on Friday, Sept. 9. Each year the event, sponsored by Owosso Tractor Parts, has grown and evolved. This year’s event started Thursday, Sept. 8, with staging of tractors on the Mackinaw City side of the bridge. The tractors bega… Read More

45,000 strode the Mighty Mac for annual bridge walk

Posted on September 7th, 2016

Beautiful weather greeted more than 45,000 people who came to walk the Mackinac Bridge on Labor Day. It’s one of the largest crowds for the annual Mackinac Bridge Walk since the 50th anniversary walk in 2007, when 60,000 walked the bridge. Mackinac Bridge Authority (MBA) Executive Secretary Bob Sweeney said… Read More