(WSYM) — The Mackinac Bridge will be closed to public traffic Monday for the 2021 Mackinac Bridge Walk.
The bridge will be closed from 6:30 a.m. to noon. Emergency vehicles will still be permitted to cross the bridge, but no public vehicles will be allowed until the walk is over and participants are off the bridge.
"Whether your travels will take you across the Mackinac Bridge, or you plan to join in the annual bridge walk, we want to make sure everyone has the information they need for a safe and enjoyable Labor Day holiday," said Mackinac Bridge Authority (MBA) Bridge Director Kim Nowack in a press release.
"We strongly urge everyone who is traveling in the Straits area on Monday to make their plans around this scheduled closure," Nowack said. "Traffic backups are frustrating for everyone, so we ask that you either cross the bridge prior to 6:30 a.m. or time your trip to arrive at the bridge after noon."
The MBA started the 2021 Annual Bridge Walk from both St. Ignace and Mackinaw City, which eliminates the need for busing and offers additional options for participants. The bridge walk was canceled in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
For participant health and safety, the MBA urges participants to follow CDC recommendationsthat suggest you wear a mask in crowded outdoor settings.
The bridge walk has been an annual event since 1958, with the exception of 2020. The 2021 walk will be the 63rd event. Between 25,000 and 30,000 people have participated in recent years.
