ST. IGNACE, Mich. (Michigan News Source) – An iconic Michigan landmark is on a national list of 68 bridges being evaluated for a risk of collapse.

The National Transportation Safety Board identified the Mackinac Bridge as one of the bridges that should undergo a vulnerability assessment. The goal is to evaluate the bridges on the list and assess the overall risk of a collapse if a bridge is struck by a ship.

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The agency’s list comes just before the one year anniversary of the Francis Scott Key Bridge collapse near Baltimore.

Ongoing Mighty Mac repairs.

In the meantime, crews are working to upgrade parts of the Mackinac bridge. Workers will replace a modular joint over Pier 34 on the bridge at the start of the north viaduct span. In addition, repaving work will continue through the end of April. Drivers crossing the Mackinac Bridge in May will see crews repairing the other half of the modular joint. One lane will be open in each direction so drivers are encouraged to plan accordingly.

“We’ve worked closely with the contractor to make sure the planned work can be completed prior to Memorial Day to help avoid delays for travelers,” said Bridge Director Kim Nowack. “Focusing this season’s work on the joint replacement and limited repaving should make that deadline achievable.”

A Michigan symbol.

The Mackinac Bridge opened in 1957 and connects the Upper and Lower Peninsulas. The Mackinac Bridge Authority reports that the Mighty Mac is “the seventh-longest suspension bridge in the world by total suspended length, and the longest suspension bridge in the western hemisphere.”

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Statistics show that 214,076 drivers crossed the Mackinac Bridge in 2025.