As part of recognizing Labor Day, Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer led the 65th annual walk across the Mackinac Bridge.
“Another year, another spectacular bridge walk across the Mighty Mac to celebrate Labor Day,” the governor stated in a news release.
“Today, we recognize the work of generations of working people who fought for higher pay, better benefits, and workplace safety and the labor unions who had their back.
"We celebrate the progress we’ve made to shore up worker’s rights, create tens of thousands of good-paying union jobs, and bring manufacturing back home to Michigan. And we recommit ourselves to delivering for working families, lowering costs, and growing our economy. Let’s keep getting it done. Happy Labor Day, Michigan.”
The Mackinac Bridge Walk has been an annual event since 1958 and this year’s walk marks the 65th event. Between 20,000 and 30,000 people have participated in the walk in recent years.
According to the release: "The Mackinac Bridge opened to traffic in 1957 to connect Michigan’s Upper and Lower peninsulas. In 1923, the State Highway Department started a ferry service in response to demand for transportation between the two peninsulas. After their launch, the ferries became popular and eventually could not keep up with demand.
"The Mackinac Bridge Authority was appointed in 1950 to explore methods of constructing a bridge. At nearly five miles long, the Mighty Mac is the longest suspension bridge in the western hemisphere and the fifth longest suspension bridge in the world."
