Mackinac Bridge in MI: the biggest fear is the wind

Mackinac Bridge divides the Upper and Lower peninsulas of Michigan. It was built in 1957, is 26,372 feet long and ascends to a height of 200 feet above water. Some drivers get so nervous about crossing the bridge that they don’t even go. And this happens so often that the Mackinac Bridge Authority will drive your car or motorcycle for you (and for free). It’s one of the most spectacular bridges in the world.

The biggest fear is the wind, which often exceeds 30 miles per hour on the bridge. While the heights of the grand bridge are enough to scare some people from crossing the bridge, so, too, is the depth of the water – which is some 250 feet deep at the center of the straits. It’s the one of the world's most beautiful bridges and the longest suspension bridge in the Americas. The Mackinac Bridge is currently the fifth longest suspension bridge in the world. To accommodate temperature changes, high winds and changes of weight, the deck can move right or left as much as 35 feet at the center span. Normal movement is much less, and not obvious to vehicles crossing the bridge. 31 expansion joints allow movement at the length as segments change with the temperature.