Engineering the Impossible: How The Mackinac Bridge Overcame the Straits

[catbyte]

[rurallib]

1. That was fascinating - thanks

[Biophilic]

2. I hated waiting for the ferry.

The opening of the bridge was awesome, but I never got comfortable driving on those center lanes. Very interesting video, thanks.

[JustABozoOnThisBus]

3. Ha, try the center lanes on a motorcycle.

You can look straignt down and see that you're flying over water. And the grates make the steering feel a bit "loose".

And, there are always some construction barrels forcing you off the concrete and onto the iron grating.

For all that, it beats the ferry.

Edit to add: I guess I could go the long way around, through Chicago and up the west shore of Lake Michigan.

[Biophilic]

4. Yeah, but the long way around seems a bit excessive.

I’ve had other people tell me the same about how motor cycles felt on those grids. The chances of me ever going over that bridge again are very slim, but the Mighty Mac lives on in memories.

[JustABozoOnThisBus]

5. I'll be going over that bridge in a few months, ...

... but my two-wheeler days are behind me.

I don't know why the bridge doesn't bother me, when I dread the long low causeways down south.

[Biophilic]

6. I don't like those either.

Take a deep breathe of that good UP air for me.

[catbyte]

7. When I cross The Bridge, I prefer the grates.

Even though they make "that noise" and you can see 200 feet down to the water, all I can think about when I'm on the pavement is that poor woman in the 1980s who was driving a little too fast in her Yugo and went sailing over the edge at about the midway point. I have a nice, sturdy Subaru, but it still gives me the willies.

[LessAspin]

8. The Grates are not Great

But I agree .. driving over those noisy grates is preferable to shooting over the side of the bridge down to the Icy Water 💦