ST IGNACE, MI (WHTC-AM/FM) – The Mackinac Bridge will turn 60 years old on Wednesday, November 1.
Mackinac Bridge Authority says the five-mile bridge is still in great shape as it was back in 1957 when the bridge first connected the Upper and Lower Peninsulas in Michigan. Pure Michigan’s Vice President Dave Lorenz says engineers first said it could never be done on the straits of Mackinac because of the currents being too strong.
“Unusually the current goes in both directions depending on the day so they really didn’t know how to do it. They finally figured it out. They made it happen with an architectural wonder.”
A three-year project to replace all the bridge deck in the suspended span will start in 2024 according to the Bridge Authority. Replacement of the deck and roadway on the approach spans is slated for a 2031 start.
The Mackinac Bridge Authority is celebrating the 60th anniversary with a set of commemorative posters. Click here to see the posters and to purchase online.
