The Michigan Department of Transportation is warning about potential closures this winter due to falling ice.
According to MDOT and the Mackinac Bridge Authority, ice has formed on the upper cables and towers of the bridge, which means it could close due to falling ice over the coming days and weeks.
Ice chunks, sheets and spears that fall hundreds of feet from the towers and cables have damaged vehicles in the past and have the potential to injure or even kill drivers and passengers.
"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 and know how to find more information if they occur."
Last March, officials closed the bridge due to falling ice, calling it the worst they had ever seen.
Since 1995, when the MBA began tracking closures, the bridge has been closed 32 times for falling ice, an average of about one each year.
The longest closure was last April when the bridge was closed for 30 hours and four minutes. The average closure lasts just under six hours.
