The Mighty Mac Bridge, which connects the Upper and Lower Peninsula opened to traffic is 1957. The bridge is normally closed for foot traffic, but in the following year, 1958, it was decided that walking on the bridge would be permitted one day out of the year. That would be Labor Day.

Each year, between 25,000 and 57,000 people from several states and even foreign countries have come to the walk the Mackinac Bridge. This year the Annual Bridge Walk has been cancelled.

The Mackinac Bridge Authority (MBA) suspended this year’s event due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

Board Chairman Patrick “Shorty” Gleason said, “We recognize that September is months away but the event requires months of planning and early expenditures. Like organizers who have postponed festivals and other summer events, we needed to make a decision now.”

It was also noted that toll revenues from the Mackinac Bridge have declined the last couple of months due to lower traffic volumes. With the lower funding to run the bridge operations, it would make it tougher for the MBA to incur the more than $300,000 in expenses for the walk.

I have participated in the Labor Day Bridge Walk about 5 different times. It is very cool to walk across the bridge we have all driven over many times. It takes on a whole new perspective when you walk underneath those big uprights.As the sun is just rising, the natural lighting on the bridge is pretty spectacular as well.

Hopefully the Labor Day Bridge Walk will return in 2021.

 

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