Mackinac Bridge, Michigan, USA

Although I have been to Michigan before this is the first time I have visited the "UP" (Upper Peninsula) .... flew into Chicago on the 25th and picked up my Mustang convertible (maybe a little crazy in late September!!) with my plan to drive right around Lake Michigan and back to Chicago in 5 days

...... this is a view of the Mackinac Bridge from the ferry travelling from St Ignace to Mackinac Island - a bumpy ride with extremes of weather - one minute blue sky and sunshine, the next dense, wet fog - kind of spooky at times!

For those interested in facts - hopefully fairly accurate:

The Mackinac Bridge is a suspension bridge spanning the Straits of Mackinac to connect the non-contiguous Upper and Lower peninsulas of the U.S. state of Michigan.

Opened in 1957 on November 1st, the bridge (familiarly known as "Big Mac" and "Mighty Mac") is the third longest in total suspension in the world and the longest suspension bridge between anchorages in the Western hemisphere.

The Mackinac Bridge carries Interstate 75 and the Lakes Michigan and Huron components of the Great Lakes Circle Tours across the straits and connects the city of St. Ignace on the north end with the village of Mackinaw City on the south.

Envisioned since the 1880s, the bridge was designed by engineer David B. Steinman and completed in 1957 only after many decades of struggles to begin construction.

Painting of the bridge takes seven years, and when painting of the bridge is complete, it begins again.

The bridge celebrated its 150 millionth vehicle crossing on September 6, 2009.

Length from cable bent pier to cable bent pier: 7,400 feet (2,256 m).

Total width of the roadway: 54 feet (16.5 m)

Two outside lanes: 12 feet (3.7 m) wide each[9] Two inside lanes: 11 feet (3.4 m) wide each.

Center mall: 2 feet (0.61 m) Catwalk, curb and rail width: 3 feet (0.91 m) on each side.

Width of stiffening truss in the suspended span: 68 feet (20.7 m).

Depth of stiffening truss: 38.1 feet (11.6 m)

Height of the roadway at mid-span: approximately 200 feet (61 m) above water level

Construction cost: $99.8 million (1957 USD; adjusted for inflation, approximately $732 million, 2007 USD)

Height of towers above water: 552 feet (168 m)

Max. depth of towers below water: 210 feet (64 m)

Depth of water beneath the center of the bridge, 250 feet (76 m)

Total length of wire in main cables: 42,000 miles (68,000 km).

Total vehicle crossings in 2005: 4,236,491 (average 11,608 per day)

Speed limit: 45 miles per hour (72 km/h) for passenger cars, 20 miles per hour (32 km/h) for heavy trucks.

Heavy trucks are also required to leave 500 feet (150 m) spacing ahead.