Urban Legend: Is Michigan’s Mackinac Bridge A Mile Above the Water?

Here's a piece of Michigan folklore you may have heard before, is the Mackinac Bridge built to be a full mile above the Straits of Mackinac?

The bridge is perhaps the most iconic symbol of the state of Michigan carrying freeway traffic on I-75 between the state's two peninsulas.

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The idea of the bridge soaring a mile above the water came from a commenter on the NewsBreak app on a story we shared about many people being surprised by the length of the bridge.

The comment:

I've always heard that its highest point is supposed to be 1 mile to the water. That's what I've heard. I'm not sure

So is the bridge anywhere near that high? It's not. According to the Mackinac Bridge Authority, at its highest, the bridge reaches 200 feet over the straits. That's about 3/100th of a mile or just over 0.03 miles.

What is closer to a mile is the span between the two central pillars of the bridge. The length between those two suspension towers is 3000 feet or just over half a mile at 0.57 miles. That long span is what allows for navigation under the bridge. Lake freighters have a more than half-mile channel to navigate the straits under the center of the bridge.

Here's What Else You Should Know About the Mackinac Bridge:

• What should you do if the Mackinac Bridge is closed for bad weather and you're stuck in the wrong peninsula?
• Yes, there is a spot you can drive under the Mackinac Bridge
• The Mackinac Bridge should not technically be part of Interstate 75
• Even the Mighty Mackinac Bridge gets 1-star reviews from travelers