Labour day Bridge Walk

Thousands gathered from far and wide in the brisk morning wind for a Labour Day tradition.  

Walkers and runners took part in the Mackinac Bridge Walk in the state of Michigan. Some were even adventurous enough to walk the bridge multiple times.  

Brittany Hanna not only is a repeat participant but has even run the five mile trek across the Mighty Mac.   

“Last Year, I ran from St. Ignace to Mackinaw then proceeded to Double Cross. I ended up doing 15 miles in just over 4 hours,” said Hanna. “I stopped for a bathroom break after the run and gave my family my medal and a couple other things so that I wouldn’t have to carry them with me when I did my Double Cross.” 

The Bridge Walk, despite a bright sunny morning, had a lower turnout than in previous years. However, it was still an average according to the Mackinac Bridge Authority Director Kim Nowack.   

“While not the largest crowd we’ve seen, 30,000 is on the upper end of the range of 21,000-35,000 participants we’ve had in recent years,” said Nowack. “It was an absolutely beautiful day, with cloudless skies giving unobstructed views of the Straits of Mackinac.” 

In previous years, the Bridge Walk was structured where a shuttle would transport you from where participants parked to the opposite side and walkers would walk back to the side where they started. However, a new structure was launched at the request of the Department of Homeland Security which requires: 

Starting in St. Ignace at the north end of the Mackinac Bridge and in Mackinaw City at the south end of the bridge. 

Participants will then walk from either end of the bridge and turn around at the midpoint returning to where they started.  

The turnaround points will shift towards both ends of the bridge beginning at 10 a.m. 

This option is most like previous bridge walks. Since bus transportation across the bridge will not be provided, walkers who choose this option will need to arrange for their own transportation back across after the bridge reopens at noon. Candidates who do not reach the midpoint of the bridge before 10 a.m. will be turned back. 

Hanna said that that she would recommend that people do the walk at least once in their lifetime.  

“Most definitely. The view is amazing in the morning. I love being able to see the sunrise,” said Hanna.