FAQs Archive | Page 11 of 13 | Mackinac Bridge Authority

Where can I get information about places to stay in the Straits area?

Posted on October 14th, 2016

Answer:
For travel information, We recommend that you contact agencies such as Pure Michigan, the Mackinaw City Chamber of Tourism, the Mackinaw Area Visitors Bureau, the St. Ignace Chamber of Commerce, and the St. Ignace Visitors Bureau. … Read More

How can I get a side profile drawing of the Mackinac Bridge?

Posted on October 14th, 2016

Answer:
To get a side profile schematic, try contacting Errolgraphics Inc., P.O. Box 40800, Portland, Oregon 97240. They produced a side schematic in 1997. Their web site is www.errolgraphics.com.… Read More

Sometimes the live camera on your web site doesn’t appear to be working. What could be the problem?

Posted on October 14th, 2016

Answer:
The live camera picture of the Mackinac Bridge is a very popular feature of our site and others. The camera images are configured to automatically update every 60 seconds. The time stamp indicates the last captured image. If your browser does not display the most recent image, you may need to refresh the bro… Read More

Where are the live cameras located?

Posted on October 14th, 2016

Answer:
The live camera picture of the Mackinac Bridge is a very popular feature of our site and others. The Mackinac Bridge currently has 4 cameras. The cameras show the views from the Mackinac Bridge administration building looking south, the Mackinac Bridge dock in St. Ignace looking south, the Bridge View Park i… Read More

Please provide a copy of Dr. David B. Steinman’s poem ” The Bridge at Mackinac”.

Posted on October 14th, 2016

Answer:
The Bridge at Mackinac In the land of Hiawatha,
Where the white man gazed with awe
At a paradise divided
By the straits of Mackinac Men are dredging, drilling, blasting,
Battling tides around the clock,
Through the depths of icy water,
Driving caissons down to rock. Fleets of freighters bring their cargoes
Fr… Read More

How much did it cost to build the Mackinac Bridge?

Posted on October 14th, 2016

Answer:
Bonds ($99,800,000) for the project were issued in early 1954. The proceeds to the Authority amounted to $96,400,033.33. The cost to design the project was $3,500,000 (Steinman Company). The cost to construct the bridge was $70, 268,500. Two primary contractors were hired to build the bridge: American Br… Read More

How many people died during the construction of the Mackinac Bridge?

Posted on October 14th, 2016

Answer:
Five men died during the construction of the Mackinac Bridge. The names of the five workers and dates of death: Frank Pepper, September 16, 1954; James R. LeSarge, October 10, 1954; Albert Abbott, October 25, 1954; Jack C. Baker, June 6, 1956; and, Robert Koppen, June 6, 1956. Information about the five worke… Read More

Is it true that workers fell into the concrete supports and could not be retrieved?

Posted on October 14th, 2016

Answer:
There are no bodies buried in the concrete supports of the Mackinac Bridge. Five workers died during the construction of the Mackinac Bridge. One died in a diving accident; one fell in a caisson while welding; one fell a couple of feet into the water and drowned; and two fell from a temporary catwalk near the top… Read More

What is the width of the roadway?

Posted on October 14th, 2016

Answer:
The width of the roadway is 54 feet. The outside lanes are 12 feet wide (2), the inside lanes are 11 feet wide (2), the center mall is 2 feet wide, and the catwalk, curb and rail width is 3 feet on each side – totaling 54 feet. The stiffening truss width in the suspended span is 68 feet wide making it wider than th… Read More

How much does the Mackinac Bridge “swing” or “sway” in the wind?

Posted on October 14th, 2016

Answer:
All suspension bridges are designed to move to accommodate wind, change in temperature, and weight. The deck would not swing or “sway” but rather move slowly in one direction based on the force and direction of the wind. It is possible that the deck at center span could move as much as 35 feet (east… Read More