Latest news with #MackinacBridgeAuthority
Yahoo
14-07-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
New economic impact study for Mackinac Bridge shows big results for state, local communities
The Mackinac Bridge contributes nearly $200 million each year to the state's economy, as travelers flock to and across the iconic landmark. The Mackinac Bridge, connecting Michigan's Lower and Upper peninsulas, is a primary method of transportation for millions of residents and tourists. According to the results of an economic impact study recently released by the Mackinac Bridge Authority, the bridge makes $193 million each year and supports 1,449 jobs. "We've known for decades that the bridge's presence and the connection it creates for both peninsulas means that it is a focal point for tourism," said MDOT North Region Communications Representative James Lake. The Michigan-based company Public Sector Consultants performed the study over the course of 2024 using surveys, interviews and economic analysis. The study found that for every $1 in tolls paid at the bridge, $7.27 was generated in spending in Michigan. An economic impact of $161.6 million alone was concentrated in the Straits area of Mackinac, Emmet and Cheboygan counties. In 2024, over 4.5 million vehicles crossed "The Mighty Mac." More: Ice-related Mackinac Bridge closures lead to supply chain issues in U.P. Although the bridge is most often seen as a simple means of transportation from one peninsula to the other, and offers a critical shipping link for goods and services, almost half of the people surveyed in the study said the views from the bridge were one of their primary reasons for making the crossing. "Anybody that crosses the bridge knows what breathtaking views they are, so we're really not surprised that the views of the straits are such a noteworthy factor in the survey results," said Lake. Subscribe: Get unlimited access to our coverage More: Thousands take part in 2024 Mackinac Bridge Walk The study also examined the impact of the Annual Bridge Walk on Labor Day. It is the only day of the year when pedestrians are allowed to cross the bridge on foot. In 2024, around 33,000 people participated in the walk, which brought in an estimated $2.5 million in spending for the surrounding counties and a total of $3 million statewide. Nearly two-thirds of area businesses surveyed said they were positively impacted by the event. Participants who made an overnight trip spent an average of $224.93 on lodging, food and beverages, shopping, transportation, and other recreation. The study also found that participants who made the outing a day trip spent an average of $44.05. Public Sector Consultants determined that nearly two million visitors in 2024 could be attributed to the Mackinac Bridge as an attraction by itself. One-third of those visitors came from outside of Michigan, mainly from Midwest states as well as Florida, Texas, Pennsylvania and Kentucky. 'We've always known that the operation of the Mackinac Bridge, as well as special events including the Annual Bridge Walk, have had a significant impact on the local communities and beyond,' said Mackinac Bridge Authority Vice Chairman William Milliken in a press release. 'We're so pleased to see this study confirms and validates the positive impact it has for businesses and local governments.' To view the full economic impact study, visit — Contact Brendan Wiesner: BWiesner@ This article originally appeared on The Sault News: New economic impact study for Mackinac Bridge in 2024 shows big results for Michigan, local cities
Yahoo
05-06-2025
- Climate
- Yahoo
Canadian wildfire smoke engulfs Michigan's Mackinac Bridge, causing it to disappear
It's not Halloween, but it looks straight out of a horror movie: The Mackinac Bridge looked like it disappeared into some scary-looking fog Wednesday afternoon. "Unfortunately, what you're seeing today is not fog surrounding the @mackinacbridge but smoke coming from the wildfires and our neighbors to the North," the Mackinac Bridge Authority posted on X on Wednesday. For days, skies in Michigan have been a dull, chalky near-white. The smoke from some 77 out-of-control wildfires in Canada has been dominating the skies over the state. The level of air quality degradation varies from year to year — 2023 was a particularly bad year for wildfire smoke over Michigan. Last year, not so much. In 2025, the smoke has returned. The view from the bridge Thursday, June 5, is a bit clearer, but you can still see the smoke from the fires. Follow the Detroit Free Press on Instagram (@detroitfreepress), TikTok (@detroitfreepress), YouTube (@DetroitFreePress), Twitter/X (@freep), and LinkedIn, and like us on Facebook (@detroitfreepress). Contact Amy Huschka: ahuschka@ or follow her on Twitter/X (@aetmanshuschka). Stay connected and stay informed. Become a subscriber. This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Canadian wildfires made Michigan's Mackinac Bridge disappear
Yahoo
02-06-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Opossum rescued from Mackinac Bridge after being spotted by driver
The Mackinac Bridge connects the upper and lower peninsulas of Michigan, carrying commuters, tourists and, on occasion, furry animals such as an opossum crossing the bridge on May 29, the Mackinac County Sheriff's office confirmed. The opossum wandered onto the bridge Thursday evening and was spotted by a passing motorist, the post on social media said. "Thanks to the Mackinac Bridge Authority (MBA) staff and Deputy Davis from the Mackinac County Sheriff's Department, he was safely relocated to the south end of the bridge," the post on Facebook reads. According to Terminix, an opossum, often confused with a possum, does not have a furry tail and is found in North America. The latter, also marsupials, have furry tails and are found in Australia. They are shorter and have less pointed noses than their counterparts. More: That time a reader painted a picture of an opossum | Opinion Possums and opossums do have similarities however including: They're nocturnal. They're arboreal, tree-dwelling creatures. They're omnivorous. According to a report from the Port Huron Times Herald, opossums have expanded north throughout the state since the 20th century, establishing a presence in the lower Upper Peninsula and more recently moving into Ontario. Current bridge conditions can be found on the Mackinac Bridge Authorities website. Additionally when traveling in the in the Mackinac Straits area, motorist can listen to 530 AM or 1610 AM for updates. Travelers can check the Mackinac Bridge Cam online for updates. The images from multiple cameras are configured to automatically update every 60 seconds. Cameras capture the administration building looking south, the dock in St. Ignace, looking south; Bridge View Park in St. Ignace, looking south; from Mackinaw City, looking north; and St. Ignace, along Interstate 75. Passenger car, van, motorcycle, station wagon, SUV, pickup, and school buses cost $2 per axle or $4 per vehicle, the Authority said. (A van is a two-axle, four-tire vehicle not primarily intended for carrying cargo or commercial goods.) Other vehicles are $5 per axle. Vehicles not meeting passenger vehicle characteristics include, but are not limited to, tractor-trailers, buses, motor homes and step or cube vans, the Authority said. All vehicles will be classified by the lead vehicle. Anything being towed will be charged the per axle rate of the lead vehicle with the exception of the motor home towing an auto; the towed auto will be charged at the auto rate. The Mackinac Bridge accepts cash, credit/debit cards, Apple Pay, or Google Pay. Frequent travelers can sign up for MacPass and obtain a transponder for their windshield. The Authority said 239,000 vehicles passed over the bridge in March 2024. In January 2025, 214,000 vehicles crossed the bridge. Bridge traffic in August 2024 topped 640,000 — the most vehicles since at least 2014. Jalen Williams is a trending reporter at the Detroit Free Press. Contact him at jawilliams1@ This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Opossum rescued on Mackinac Bridge after being spotted by motorist
30-05-2025
- General
A Michigan bridge official died in 2010. It took 15 years to lay him to rest
A Michigan man who had a key role in building one of the longest bridges in the United States has been buried 15 years after his death after a funeral home near the iconic structure surprised the public by saying it still had his ashes. Larry Rubin was laid to rest Wednesday in Petoskey, 40 miles (64 kilometers) from the Mackinac Bridge, which connects Michigan's two peninsulas. For decades, Rubin was the senior staff member at the Mackinac Bridge Authority, which manages the bridge, a 5-mile (8 km) span over the Straits of Mackinac that is considered the third-longest suspension bridge in the U.S. It opened in 1957. When the bridge was built, "he had an important role because the Authority needed someone to carry out their decisions. He served with excellence,' Barbara Brown, a former board member, said Friday. Brown said she was 'just shocked' when she saw Rubin's name listed in the St. Ignace newspaper. A funeral home was informing the public that it had many unclaimed cremains. His family apparently didn't pick them up after he died at age 97 in 2010. Val Meyerson of Temple B'nai Israel in Petoskey was familiar with the Jewish section of Greenwood Cemetery and aware that Rubin's first wife, Olga, was buried there in 1990. His name was already on the headstone in anticipation of eventual death. Meyerson said friends from the Bridge Authority helped pay for Rubin's interment. About two dozen people attended a graveside service led by a rabbi. 'We all took turns filling in the grave, which was quite an honor," Brown said. 'To have been neglected and forgotten for so long — it was moving."
Washington Post
30-05-2025
- General
- Washington Post
A Michigan bridge official died in 2010. It took 15 years to lay him to rest
A Michigan man who had a key role in building one of the longest bridges in the United States has been buried 15 years after his death after a funeral home near the iconic structure surprised the public by saying it still had his ashes. Larry Rubin was laid to rest Wednesday in Petoskey, 40 miles (64 kilometers) from the Mackinac Bridge , which connects Michigan's two peninsulas.
