Hello All!! 2007 Marks the 50th year since this bridges opening in 1957. My Mom and I stopped quickly on the side of the road to get a glimpse of this Bridge as everyone had been talking about it the week we stayed at St. igneous and Mackinac island this past July . There was excitement in the air as a grand celebration was being planned out. This shot was taken the actual week of this bridges 50th anniversary!~..(one day before the celebration itself started- so it was still pretty devoid of tourists -peaceful and quiet this day...). I was felt lucky that 5 young Canadian geese just landed and floated past just as I took this snap. Here's a little info about this bridge: ____________________________________________ The Mackinac Bridge is currently the third longest suspension bridge in the world. . IT is the longest suspension bridge in the western hemisphere. 5 miles long, 552 feet tall in nearly 300 feet of water, the Mackinac Bridge has seen over 120 million crossings required 3 years, over 11,000 people and 4 million tons of concrete and steel to build. at needs to be told. From its conception in the 1800s, through the difficult construction, all the way up to the people who cross it for business or pleasure every day with hardly a pause, the Bridge is an essential part of what joins Michigan's two peninsulas as one state. This bridge has set records for safety when it was completed, with extensive stiffening truss, as well as air-flow grating, which reduced the chance of dangerous oscillations to nearly zero as it is... The Mackinac Bridge was not constructed until the 1950s because of World War II. The bridge measures 8,344 feet (2,543 m.) The height of the roadway at mid-span is approximately 200 feet above water level. The vertical clearance at normal temperature is 155 feet at the center of the main suspension span and 135 feet at the boundaries of the 3,000 ft. navigation channel. All suspension bridges are designed to move to accommodate wind, change in temperature, and weight. It is possible that the deck at center span could move as much as 35 feet (east or west) due to high winds. This would only happen under severe wind conditions. The deck would not swing or "sway" but rather move slowly in one direction based on the force and direction of the wind. After the wind subsides, the weight of the vehicles crossing would slowly move it back into center position. The Mackinaw Bridge opened to traffic on Nov. 1, 1957, and promptly became a national icon and source of pride for Michigan residents. In 1958, the bridge received a "most beautiful bridge" award from the American Institute of Steel Construction. Before it was built, ferries took cars across the lake and the wait to get across at times took 20 hours . Other than the lake-etched outline of this state, there is no greater symbol of Michigan than the Mighty Mac bridge. _____________________________________________ This bridge is really so big that it is hard to get a detailed picture of exactly what the bridge looks like when you shoot the whole bridge from a ways away ( sure tends to the bridge look quite smaller than it actually is!) TO see it in person, is an amazing sight. ...It took nearly 10 -15 minutes to cross it in car! (sorry- havn't been on the site here much due to two b-days( Chrissy -10 and Janels-13 ) - two slumber partys, and out of town company !!) Thanks for all your time and comments! Love to you all!! ((( BIG hugs !! ))) * Kimmers~! :O) ♥