Sights to See on a Great Lakes Cruise – Mackinac Bridge

Great Lakes Cruise

The State of Michigan is divided into two peninsulas which are separated by a body of water known as the Straits of Mackinac. The only connection between these two peninsulas is the Mackinac Bridge, which is a massive suspension bridge built of steel and cement.

The Mackinac bridge was constructed in 1957. At the time, it was the longest suspension bridge in the world, and it is still the longest suspension bridge in the Western Hemisphere that uses only 2 towers. At about 7400 feet, the bridge is the 3rd longest in the United States and the 12th in the World.

Prior to the construction of the bridge, a drive from Michigan’s lower peninsula to the Upper peninsula required a trip on a car ferry since there is no natural land connection. As many as 9000 cars made the daily trip across the straits on State sponsored ferries. There were often long lines of cars waiting to board the ferries and sometimes just getting a passage could take all day. It became obvious that a different solution was needed, and the State turned to the idea of building a bridge.

Once the bridge was completed, the car ferries that ran across the straits quickly went out of business. Today, there are several ferries that operate between the mainland and Mackinac Island, but none that carry cars across the straits. Great Lakes Cruise ships regularly pass through the Straits of Mackinac and beneath this behemoth bridge. It is just one of the magnificent things you can see on a Great Lakes Cruise.

The bridge is capable of withstanding the very high winds that blow through the straits (up to 150 mph), but traffic on the bridge is sometimes not. Today’s small, lightweight automobiles are sometimes blown around on the bridge by high winds. After one fatal accident, it has become common practice when high winds blow to pair small cars with larger vehicles as they cross the bridge. That way, the smaller vehicles are given wind protection to help them across. There is also a driver’s assistance program available so those drivers who are uncomfortable making the crossing on their own can have someone else drive their vehicle across the bridge.

William G. Oatiz is a lifelong resident of Michigan and an expert on Great Lakes cruises and vacations. Great Lakes cruises offer an opportunity unrivaled by any other other cruise tour. Sail the freshwater seas that lie between the U.S. and Canada. Enjoy a vacation unlike any other. For more information, please visit the blog at Great Lakes cruises or http://www.greatlakescruiseguide.com.

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