A beautiful, nearly cloudless day welcomed participants to the Mackinac Bridge Walk today, likely a big contributor to an uptick in participation over last year.
“We’re so glad to have had 26,000 people from across Michigan and beyond join us for this beloved event on such a perfect day,” said Mackinac Bridge Authority (MBA) Bridge Director Kim Nowack. “As anyone who has walked the bridge knows, we see so many sunny smiles and happy faces during the walk, and that was certainly what we observed this morning.”
A time-lapse video of this year’s walk is now available to view. The bridge, which closed at 6:30 a.m. to all vehicle traffic for the walk, reopened just after noon.
Based on the success of the 2018, 2019, and 2021 events, the 2022 Annual Bridge Walk again started from both St. Ignace and Mackinaw City, which eliminated the need for busing and offers additional options for participants.
The bridge walk has been an annual event since 1958, with the exception of 2020 when it was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The 2022 walk was the 64th event. Between 20,000 and 30,000 people have participated in the event.
Lt. Governor Garlin Gilchrist II led the annual walk across the Mackinac Bridge.
“It was an honor to represent the state of Michigan at the 65th annual Mackinac Bridge walk,” said Lt. Governor Garlin Gilchrist II. “This Labor Day, I am proud to celebrate the dedicated union laborers who built the Mackinac Bridge and united our two peninsulas. Governor Whitmer and I will continue standing tall for working people in Michigan and ensure they are treated with dignity and respect.”
Governor Gretchen Whitmer did not make the event, instead, she was at a Labor Day union event in Detroit.
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