Come tomorrow, the
American Society of Civil Engineers will present the
Mackinac Bridge Authority and the
Michigan Department of Transportation with a plaque to officially dedicate the Mackinac Bridge as a National Historic Civil Engineering Landmark. A dedication ceremony is being planned for 11 a.m. at Bridge View Park in St. Ignace.
"This is another very special moment for the Mackinac Bridge," says bridge authority board chairman William Gnodtke. "A new commemorative medallion will be available at the event to help us celebrate this designation and remember the milestone."
The American Society of Civil Engineers established its historic civil engineering designation program in 1964 to recognize and encourage preservation of landmarks, as well as promote historical awareness of civil engineering, both professionally and to the general public. To date, more than 200 projects worldwide have earned this prominent designation.
In 2000, the Mackinac Bridge was chosen by the Michigan Section of ASCE as "Michigan's #1 Civil Engineering Project of the 20th Century."
The Mackinac Bridge is currently the third-longest suspension bridge in the world and the longest suspension bridge between anchorages in the Western Hemisphere. The total length of the Mackinac Bridge is 26,372 feet. The length of the suspension bridge, including anchorages, is 8,614 feet.
Writer: Sam Eggleston
Source: William Gnodtke, Mackinac Bridge Authority
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