Anyone who’s ever driven through Michigan will have heard stories about “the Big Mac.” But not the burger. No, it’s the Mackinac Bridge, a massive suspension bridge that sways a little more than most drivers would like. Why are people so terrified of this structure? Let’s find out.
Featured Image Credit: Shutterstock.
Key takeaways
You’ll learn all about:
- Where the bridge actually is & what it connects
- Why the road surface isn’t like a normal highway
- How the winds & currents below can mess with your nerves
- What doctors say about fear of bridges (yes, it’s a thing)
Where is it?
The Mackinac Bridge is right at the place where Lake Michigan & Lake Huron meet, linking Mackinaw City on the south side with St. Ignace on the north. Unlike most places, there’s no island detour or series of smaller bridges. The bridge is simply one long stretch across open water, meaning that you’re quite far from solid ground in either direction when you’re in the middle.
It’s nearly five miles from shore to shore, and the part between the two main towers is around 3,800 feet. The towers themselves are 552 feet above the water, while the highest point of the roadway is approximately 200 feet up.
The idea
The idea for the bridge began in the early 1950s, and work officially kicked off in 1954. By November 1957, cars began going across. It was one of the longest suspension bridges in the world at the time and has since become a very important highway link. It’s also a bit of a rite of passage for anyone on a road trip through Michigan.
Designing the bridge
When the bridge was being designed, engineers had to think hard about wind and how it could cause serious problems. They learned from earlier bridge failures and wanted Mackinac to stand up to strong gusts without wobbling dangerously, so they built in ways for air to move through, rather than pushing against it. The result is a bridge that breathes with the weather.
They decided to avoid creating a bulky, closed deck and instead used deep steel trusses. After all, the area gets strong winds off the lakes. Such a design keeps the bridge from acting like a giant sail.
What really surprises most drivers is that parts of the roadway aren’t solid pavement. The inner lanes use steel grates that you can literally see through. They exist so that the wind can blow through the deck instead of pushing against it, although it can be quite scary the first time you drive over those sections. The hum & slight vibration under your tires are rather unsettling.
A note on scale and shipping
The Straits are a busy shipping lane, as well as a windy gap. Freighters & ferries pass beneath daily, with the bridge’s 155-foot clearance keeping everything moving as it should. The bridge had to be tall enough for big ships but stable enough to handle rough lake conditions. That’s part of what makes this bridge so impressive. And a little intimidating up close.
How the structure moves
Another thing that scares people is that the bridge moves. And it’s meant to. Long suspension bridges flex a little, and on windy days, the deck can shift a few feet side to side. You usually won’t notice this in a car. But on a particularly breezy afternoon, you might feel that the lane lines drift just a bit under your tires, and it’s all by design.
Below the bridge are the Straits of Mackinac, which act like a funnel between two massive lakes. Here, the water sloshes back & forth, and this only gets worse when you have unpredictable weather coming from both lakes. It creates a crossing that’s often breezy & sometimes foggy.
Why some people get scared here
Surprisingly, the fear of bridges isn’t rare, and it’s known as gephyrophobia. People with it may get sweaty palms or find that their hearts start racing. In some cases, they’ll have full panic attacks just thinking about a long, high bridge, although the fear isn’t specifically just about the height.
Sometimes, it’s the sense of exposure or being trapped in the middle with nowhere to turn around that terrifies people. Mackinac ticks a lot of those boxes.
As a result, many people are terrified of this bridge, with some being so afraid that they ask staff from the Mackinac Bridge Authority to drive their car across for them. It’s so common that they have a Driver Assistance Program specifically to help with this.
Operations, tolls & weather rules
On windy days, the rules on the bridge are different. The speed limit starts at 45 mph, and that can change without much warning when the wind picks up. Taller vehicles like RVs & trucks often have to slow way down or line up for an escort. At the higher end, officials pause crossings entirely until it calms down.
Winter is another story, and chunks of ice sometimes build up on the towers & cables. This can break off and fall when it warms up suddenly or the wind changes, which is as dangerous as it sounds. The officials usually shut down traffic until it’s safe again. But there’s no quick fix for this. They don’t use road salt on the bridge because of corrosion, so it’s usually a waiting game.
Sources: Please see here for a complete listing of all sources that were consulted in the preparation of this article.
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