The Mackinac Bridge Size report
The Mackinac Bridge, also known as "Mighty Mac" or "Big Mac," spans the Mackinac Strait, connecting the Upper Peninsula with the Lower Peninsula in the US state of Michigan. The Mackinac Bridge is the most famous suspension bridge of the 1950s; construction started in 1954 and was completed in 1957.
Boat trips from Mackinac Island allow people to visit one of the largest suspension bridges in the world, the Mackinac Bridge, from a unique vantage point. It is the longest suspension bridge between the western Hemisphere anchorages and an integral part of Interstate 75 and the Great Lakes Circle tour of Lake Michigan and Lake Huron.
The Mackinac Bridge has long been a symbol of Michigan. The Mackinac Bridge is a major tourist destination for several bridge enthusiasts and photographers during the summer months. This post introduces more details about the actual size of this large bridge.
Description of The Mackinac Bridge Size
Conceived in the 1880s, the Mackinac Bridge was designed by engineer David B. Steinman after decades of painstaking work before construction began and was completed in 1957. Its success lies in using special structural devices, with 2 open lattice structures in the middle of the 4 lanes to reduce wind resistance. The bridge deck is a solid steel truss girder with a section size of 20.7 × 11.7 meters. The steel beam is 20.90 meters wide and 11.6 meters high. This suspension bridge has been designed in such a way that it can withstand high winds and changes in temperature and weight.
The Mackinac Bridge Dimensions
The bridge spans the Mackinac Strait with a total length of 8,038 meters. It measures 2,543 meters between the main anchorages and the longest span between the two towers measures 1,158 meters. The towers stand 168 meters above the water and have a maximum depth of about 64 meters below the water. The navigable clearance under the bridge is 47 meters. The total width of the bridge's roadway is about 16.5 meters, with the two outside lanes about 3.7 meters wide and the two inside lanes measuring 3.4 meters each.
| Features | Size |
|---|---|
| Total Length | 8,038 m (26,372 ft) |
| Longest Span | 1,158 m (3,800 ft) |
| Total Width | 20.9 m (68.6 ft) |
| Road Width | 16 m (54 ft) |
| Tower Height | 168 m (552 ft) |
| Deck Height | 64 m (204 ft) |
| Clearance Below | 47 m (155 ft) |
Conclusion
Michigan has over 10,000 bridges, but this Lake Michigan bridge is the grandest and most iconic of all the bridges in Michigan. Suspension bridges are usually ranked by length according to their main span length, the length between the bridge's towers. So even though the Mackinac is the longest suspension bridge in the world by total length, it ranks as the 25th longest suspension bridge in the world by main span length. After the Golden Gate Bridge and the Verrazzano-Narrows Bridge, it ranks third longest in the United States.
