A 5-mile-long
suspension bridge which spans the Straits of Mackinac, connecting the Lower and Upper
Peninsulas of the U.S. State of
Michigan. To the west of the bridge is
Lake Michigan, to the east,
Lake Huron. If you are traveling north, you get on the bridge in Mackinaw City and get off in St. Ignace.
From the time the bridge opened to traffic in 1957 until 1998 it was the longest suspension bridge in the world. Today it is the third longest in the world, but still the longest in the western hemisphere. Here are some impressive measurements from www.mackinacbridge.org:
"The total length of the Mackinac Bridge is 26,372 feet. The length of the suspension bridge (including anchorages) is 8,614 feet. The length from cable bent pier to cable bent pier is 7,400 feet. Length of main span (between towers) is 3,800 feet."
Each year on Labor Day morning the southbound lanes of the bridge are closed to traffic and citizens are allowed to walk across. The State Governor and other dignitaries often lead the inspiring event.