ST. IGNACE, MI – Ice has formed on the Mackinac Bridge, creating a safety hazard that could cause unpredictable closures.
When ice falls hundreds of feet from the upper cables and towers of the Mighty Mac, those chunks, sheets and spears can damage vehicles and injure or kill occupants. The bridge authority stops traffic whenever ice is falling.
“It’s impossible to say when this ice could begin falling from the bridge, resulting in a closure, or if it could gradually melt without incident,” said Bridge Director Kim Nowack. “We want our customers to be aware of the possibility of closures.”
Sheets of ice coming off the towers can be as large as a kitchen table, and 20-foot-long spears have been seen shattering on the bridge’s deck. The video below shows a close call from early 2025.
The bridge that connects Michigan’s Upper and Lower peninsulas has been closed 32 times for falling ice. The longest closure to date was 30 hours and four minutes from April 2-3, 2025; that was also the most recent ice closure.
In February 2019, one person reportedly suffered minor injuries when a chunk of ice fell from the Mackinac Bridge and smashed through a truck’s windshield as the vehicle was crossing the span.
You can always check current conditions on the Mackinac Bridge Authority’s website here.
Updates are also available by tuning to AM 530 and 1610. Text ‘MacBridge’ to 67283 to receive notifications about bridge conditions.