No Lights, No Thanks: Mackinac Bridge Goes Dark for Nearly an Hour

Would you drive across the Mackinac Bridge with no lights on? I know I wouldn’t.

If you’ve ever driven across the Mackinac Bridge at night, you know how eerie it can feel even with the lights on. But imagine doing it in total darkness.

That’s what some drivers experienced late Wednesday night (July 23) after Michigan Storm Chasers posted that the lights on the bridge went out completely, for about 30 minutes to an hour due to strong rain and winds in the area.

The post quickly caught fire on social media, with commenters sharing their disbelief and horror at the idea of crossing the five-mile span without a single streetlight.

As someone who’s only driven the Mighty Mac once, I’ll be honest: I would’ve turned around and gone back home. There’s something about being suspended over the water in the pitch black that makes my stomach drop (and clearly I’m not alone.)

One commenter wrote, “Hard no.....we waiting til the lights are on.” Another said, “That bridge is already scary enough crossing it with a camper attached. Let alone without any bridge marker lights”

The cause of the outage hasn’t been officially confirmed, and it’s unclear whether the blackout was planned maintenance or something more unexpected.

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Either way, it left parts of the bridge completely blacked out, with only the headlights of passing cars offering any illumination.

The Mackinac Bridge Authority hasn’t issued a public statement yet, but the post from Michigan Storm Chasers serves as a reminder: even Michigan’s most iconic landmarks aren’t immune to the occasional spooky surprise.