Mackinac Bridge Receives Good-to-Fair Inspection Rating
Annual independent inspection finds the 69-year-old span in good condition with some fair areas, and monitoring of original hairline cracks continues.
Updated on Nov. 10, 2026 in Car Maintenance
Live Poll
Do you trust local bridge authorities to keep aging crossings safe for drivers?
The Mackinac Bridge Authority Board received the annual inspection report at its November meeting, showing the bridge in good condition with some fair areas. Independent inspectors monitor hairline cracking at plane-cut notches installed during original construction, and 27 grating panels were replaced this year.
Why it matters
The bridge carries more than 4 million cars per year, so routine structural assessments and maintenance directly affect the Michigan travelers who depend on the crossing between the state's two peninsulas. The federal requirement to address the notch cracking shapes the ongoing maintenance schedule.
The bridge carries more than 4 million cars annually and is 69 years old. This year's inspection replaced 27 grating panels, with one more replacement scheduled for next year, while underwater and pier inspections remain pending.
The players
Mackinac Bridge Authority
The public authority that oversees the operation, inspection, and maintenance of the Mackinac Bridge connecting Michigan's Upper and Lower Peninsulas.
The details
Independent inspectors conduct the annual review above and below the deck, and repairs are performed while keeping traffic moving. A weather station, camera, and temperature monitor were installed on the south tower after icing occurred last year.
Timeline
Last year: icing prompted installation of a weather station on the south tower.
November 2026: the Board received the annual inspection report.
2027: one grating panel replacement is scheduled.
2027-28: a major expansion joint rehabilitation is planned on the southbound side.
Roadmap
The inspection's focus on original plane-cut notch cracking follows a federal requirement that such cracking be addressed, rather than treating it as a new finding. The planned 2027-28 expansion joint work repeats the northbound project on the southbound side, continuing a sequenced maintenance program.
Drivers crossing the Mackinac Bridge will experience lane and maintenance work during the scheduled grating and expansion joint projects, which are performed while keeping traffic moving. The reported good-to-fair condition indicates the span remains open to regular crossings.
The takeaway
Routine independent inspections and staged repairs are how a 69-year-old crossing carrying more than 4 million cars a year stays in service. Drivers can expect intermittent maintenance work on the bridge in the coming years.
What happens next
A grating panel replacement is scheduled for 2027, and a southbound expansion joint rehabilitation project is planned for 2027-28.
Further reading
Explore more on Car Maintenance for context on keeping vehicles and infrastructure in working order across Michigan.
Source note: This article includes information reported by WPBN.
Live Poll
Do you trust local bridge authorities to keep aging crossings safe for drivers?
