The Mackinac Bridge Walk makes its triumphant return this Monday after being canceled last year due to the pandemic. Michigan Department of Transportation spokesperson James Lake, speaking on the MDOT podcast Talking Transportation this week, said vehicle traffic will not be allowed on the Mackinac Bridge on Monday from 6:30 a.m. to 12 p.m. That rule was put in place a few years ago for security reasons.
“We hope with a one year hiatus in 2020 that people haven’t forgotten that,” Lake said. “We’ve spent all summer reiterating those messages about the closure.”
Lake says the bridge walk is a much loved tradition all over the state, but especially in northern parts of Michigan.
“I know from hearing from businesses in the straits area that this is a huge event. Summertime tourism in northern Michigan is kind of make or break for a lot of these businesses. If they can’t make their money in those summer months, it’s a struggle.”
The Mackinac Bridge Walk attracted 30,000 walkers in 2019. The five mile Mackinac Bridge Walk started in 1958. The first walk was held as part of the bridge’s dedication in June of 1958 with only 68 people taking part. It’s been held on Labor Day since 1959. It now attracts the governor most years, and in 1992, the walk was led by President George H. W. Bush.
