Mackinac Bridge
The Mackinac Bridge is a suspension bridge in the U.S. state of Michigan. It connects that state's Upper Peninsula and Lower Peninsula. The bridge is 5 miles (8 kilometres) long. It carries a four-lane interstate highway, Interstate 75. It was built by the state of Michigan.
Mackinac Bridge | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Coordinates | 45°49′01″N 84°43′40″W / 45.817059°N 84.727822°W |
| Carries | 4 lanes of   I-75 / GLCT |
| Crosses | Straits of Mackinac |
| Locale | St. Ignace and Mackinaw City, Michigan |
| Other name(s) | Mighty Mac or Big Mac |
| Maintained by | Mackinac Bridge Authority |
| Characteristics | |
| Design | Suspension bridge |
| Total length | 26,372 ft (8,038 m)[1] |
| Width | 68.6 ft (20.9 m) (total width)[2] 54 ft (16 m) (road width) 38.1 ft (11.6 m) (depth)[2] |
| Height | 552 ft (168 m) (tower height);[2] 200 ft (61 m) (deck height)[1] |
| Longest span | 3,800 ft (1,158 m)[2] |
| Clearance below | 155 ft (47 m)[1] |
| History | |
| Designer | David B. Steinman |
| Opened | November 1, 1957 |
| Statistics | |
| Daily traffic | 11,600 |
| Toll | $2.00 per axle for passenger vehicles ($4.00 per car). $5.00 per axle for motor homes, and commercial vehicles.[3] |
| Location | |
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The Mackinac Bridge passes over a strait of water that connects two Great Lakes, Lake Michigan (to the west of the bridge) and Lake Huron (to the east).
At the center of the Mackinac Bridge is a long suspension span. The bridge, made of steel and concrete, hangs from wires that run down from two huge, curved cables.
The government agency that runs the Mackinac Bridge charges motor vehicles a toll to drive over it. In 2020, the toll was $4.00 for an automobile.
The government hangs colored lights from the big cable. The lights come on at night so that the bridge can be seen from many miles away.
The Mackinac Bridge was opened in 1957. This started a major economic boom in northern Michigan as tourists drove from all over North America to see the bridge, the Great Lakes, and the northern forests.
References
change- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 Mackinac Bridge Authority (n.d.). "Facts & Figures". Mackinac Bridge Authority. Archived from the original on January 22, 2018. Retrieved January 22, 2018.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 Mackinac Straits Bridge at Structurae. Retrieved January 30, 2010.
- ↑ Mackinac Bridge Authority (2010). "Mackinac Bridge Fare Schedule". Mackinac Bridge Authority. Archived from the original on December 22, 2009. Retrieved January 30, 2010.
Other websites
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Media related to Mackinac Bridge at Wikimedia Commons