September 4, 2017
Mighty Mac on Labor Day, it’s a tradition! The first Mackinac Bridge Walk was held during the Bridge’s Dedication Ceremony in June 1958. For the 60th time, thousands of Michiganders and visitors gathered together to walk across the Mackinac Bridge from St. Ignace to Mackinaw City. This is the only day of the year that walkers are allowed on the bridge.
Since we arrived we have been watching the preparation for the today’s event. At the Conkling Heritage Park next to our marina, they have been preparing for thousands of people on this side of Mackinac Straits to be bussed to Saint Ignace for the walk and for thousands from the Saint Ignace side to be bused back after the walk. The buses started arriving at 4:00 am this morning and by 4:30 am the first load of walkers left and they continued to leave for the next 5 ½ hours. The walk started at 7:00 am with the Governor and his entourage leading the way. The walk, which is approximately 5 miles takes most participants one to two hours to complete.
All walkers had to be finished by 11:30 am, anyone not off the bridge by then was given a ride in one of the many buses that were used for the event. Normal traffic resumed at noon and by 2:00 pm all of the buses returning walkers to the upper peninsula had left the park.
In terms of overall length, 26,372 feet, the Mackinaw Bridge is the longest suspension bridge in the United States, in terms of the suspension portion of the bridge, 8,614 feet, it is the third longest after the Golden Gate Bridge at 4,200 feet and the Verrazano at 4260 feet.
