Entry Form
Name: Griffin Landon
Address: 4128 Crump Road Cheboygan, Michigan 49721
Phone: (231) 238-9707
Submitted Through School: Pellston Elementary School
Title of Essay: The Mackinac Bridge
The Mackinac Bridge
The Mackinac Bridge is 5 miles long, it is currently the third longest suspension bridge in
the world. The Bridge opened to vehicles on November, 1st, 1957 ending decades of the two peninsulas being solely linked by ferries and it cost $1.25 to cross at that time. When building the bridge there were five workers that died. James LeSarge fell while welding he lost his balance,
Albert Abbott fell into the water and drowned, two men Jack Baker and Robert Koppen fell from a catwalk on the north side of the bridge and Frank Pepper ascended too quickly in the water when he was diving. All five men are memorialized on a plaque near the bridge’s southern end.
Some people believe that there are bodies in the cement but that is not true. One worker has died since the bridge has been done Daniel Doyle fell from scaffolding. Two vehicles have fallen off the bridge, Leslie Pluhar in September of 1987 and Richard Daraban in March of 1997. In
September of 1978 a small private plane carrying United States Marine Corps officer Maj. Virgil
Osborne, Capt. James Robbins and Capt. Wayne Wisbrok, smashed into the bridge due to fog, it tore the wings off and the plane feel into the Straits of Mackinac they all died. Suicides by people jumping for the bridge have been rare, the most recent was in January of 2010. The bridge is in memory of Prentiss M. Brown and the bridge workers.
The bridge was designed by the great engineer Dr. David Steinman. He was appointed as the design engineer in January 1953. By the end of the 1953 estimates and contracts had been settled and construction began in May of 1954. Construction took three and a half years, four summers no winter construction was held. The 50th anniversary of the bridge’s opening was celebrated in November of 2007. Here are some facts and figures of the bridge, painting of the bridge takes seven years
and when the painting of the bridge is finished it is time to start all over, the height of the main
towers above the water is 552 feet, total length of wire in main cables are 42,000 miles and the
weight of the cables are 11,840, the total weight of the bridge is 1,024,500 tons. There were
85,000 blueprints made up and 4,000 engineering drawings, there were 350 engineers working on
the drawings. 3500 total men worked at the bridge site and 7500 at the shop and mills. The
bridge celebrated its 150 millionth vehicle crossing on September 6, 2009. The Mackinac Bridge
passenger’s vehicles tolls are $4.00 for an auto passenger vehicle, vehicles with a trailer you need
to add $2.00 per axel, commercial trucks and motor homes are $5.00 per axel as of January 2012.
The bridge is located on I 75 in northern Michigan at the Straits of Mackinac. The bridge
connects Michigan’s upper and lower peninsulas. Some rules and regulations are, the maximum
speed limit is 45 mph, no U turns and no stopping on the bridge. If you get a flat tire or break
down you need to stay in your vehicle until a bridge worker comes to help you. Oversized
vehicles need to call 24 hours in advanced to arrange a bridge escort. Trucks have to travel in the
right lane and no passing or tailgating. Must not go faster than 20 mph and have four-way flashers on. If you have truck and trailer that weighs a lot you might have to have a escort across the bridge.
The Mission statement is, The Mackinac Bridge Authority is committed to preserve and maintain the State of Michigan’s single largest asset and one of the world’s leading suspension bridges to provide safe, pleasurable and expedient passage over the Straits of Mackinac for economic benefits and improved quality of life.
The Mackinac Bridge walk has been held since 1958. Governor Williams was the first to lead the walk. Each year two lanes of the bridge are closed to traffic and open to walkers.