Last year, the Mackinac Bridge authority declared that the 2018 Bridge Walk may feature walkers only walking halfway north down the bridge, then turn around to the southern LP portion. The plan is intended to improve safety for emergency vehicles and to allow for more time and a projected shorter time of total bridge closure. As labor day approaches, we will see if the plan comes true.
So instead of closing the eastern (or western) half of the bridge, they're closing the southern half? Why is that a better solution?
The way the Mac. Bridge Authority is doing it is keeping the left lanes open for emergency vehicles and having walkers keep to the right side of the bridge. That way, responders can clear the bridge. It is odd that they plan for walkers to only cross half of the bridge.
Quote from: KopperKangaroo on August 08, 2018, 03:30:05 PM
The way the Mac. Bridge Authority is doing it is keeping the left lanes open for emergency vehicles and having walkers keep to the right side of the bridge. That way, responders can clear the bridge. It is odd that they plan for walkers to only cross half of the bridge.
It's because they are allowing no vehicles across the bridge during the walk, and there will be no bus service (as in previous years) to transport people back to the other end of the bridge when they finish walking.
Quote from: KopperKangaroo on August 08, 2018, 03:30:05 PM
The way the Mac. Bridge Authority is doing it is keeping the left lanes open for emergency vehicles and having walkers keep to the right side of the bridge. That way, responders can clear the bridge. It is odd that they plan for walkers to only cross half of the bridge.
But then wouldn't they have to shut down the entire bridge so walkers can cross from the northbound lanes to the southbound lanes?
Why did I just assume the bridge walk was two-lane traffic on one half; humans walking one direction on the other half? Is that too obvious?
Quote from: triplemultiplex on August 15, 2018, 04:59:06 PM
Why did I just assume the bridge walk was two-lane traffic on one half; humans walking one direction on the other half? Is that too obvious?
That's what it used to be. Last year (2 years?) for security, they only allowed the buses that transported walkers to St. Ignace on the traffic side of the Bridge. This year, no traffic whatsoever.
As I understood the original announcement a few months ago, walkers could go the entire length. But there would be no transport from one end of the bridge to the other. You had to wait for the Bridge to open again and have someone pick you up. Or maybe walk both ways, if you could do it in time.
They have the message signs all over I-75 and US-127 indicating that the bridge will be closed from 6:30am-noon on Labor Day.
Yet another vague "national security" edict, although I can appreciate the issue of cost of the busses. I'm glad I did this walk for several years (including a few pushing my wife in a wheelchair) before national security suddenly became an issue. We're done with it. That also means Mackinaw City doesn't see us buying a few t-shirts, staying in a motel, and going to dinner. But America wins, right?
A little off topic but it really irks me when people confuse on what is spelled Mackinac and what is spelled Mackinaw.
Quote from: Flint1979 on August 19, 2018, 02:16:17 PM
A little off topic but it really irks me when people confuse on what is spelled Mackinac and what is spelled Mackinaw.
The French came first and used the spelling with a "c". The English adapted that with a "w". The UP area was settled first, and those UP-connected things take the French spelling: Mackinac County, Mackinac Island, Straits of Mackinac (from the French
détroit de Mackinac). The bridge is named for the straits, thus it has a "c" as well.
The village on the LP mainland came later, so it has the English spelling. The two Coast Guard cutters were named for it, so they use the "w" as well. There is Mackinaw cloth and Mackinaw boats, but British inventions, taking the English spelling.
On either peninsula, there is a road connected with the US Highway System. The former route of US 2 in the UP is Mackinac Trail, while the current and former route of US 31 in the LP is Mackinaw Trail.
The one exception to the UP vs. LP connections: Fort Michilimackinac in Mackinaw City. That was founded by the French. Fort Mackinac on the island was founded by the British, but it takes its name from the island.