The Gordie Howe International Bridge shares an interesting article & video on their ongoing Aesthetic Lighting Testing than 6,000 programmable, energy-efficient white LED fixtures have been installed across the bridge towers, stay cables, back span, piers, approach span and bridge deck. Each fixture is designed to last more than 100,000 hours with linear lights having the longest lifespan lasting up to 280,000 hours (10 to 30 years!).
The latest Michigan photo calendar we’re featuring is the 2026 Detroit Calendar from Chris Ahern Photography. The calendar features brand-new images of Hudson’s Tower, Michigan Central Station, Ambassador Bridge, Gordie Howe Bridge, Campus Martius, the Detroit Riverwalk, Belle Isle, the downtown skyline, and more with many never before released!
Chris shared a perfect photo for a roundup of recent Detroit news saying: “Both projects broke ground in 2020. The Hudson’s site is now Detroit’s second tallest building, while the Gordie Howe Bridge is the longest cable-stayed bridge in North America. Also lit up is the Ambassador Bridge which recently reached its 100 year anniversary.” (the Ambassador is in the foreground with the string of lights).
While 98% of the $5.7 billion project is complete, bridge officials say the remaining work is forcing the delay from the previously announced fall 2025 opening … The final phase focuses heavily on testing the bridge’s technological systems.
…A report from S&P Global Ratings indicated that contractors had missed previous deadlines for transferring border facilities to authorities, though bridge officials would not specifically comment on this.
Detroit has definitely been on the come up in recent years, but it is still notable that 13 years after a poll showed two-thirds of Detroiters felt the city was moving in the wrong direction, a new survey found a dramatic, 180-degree turnaround with 76% feeling the city is headed in the right direction with 11% disagreeing & 13% having no opinion. Among that 11% is Livonia resident & leader of the Detroit News editorial page Nolan Finley, who ruffled more than a few feathers when he suggested that Detroiters are deluded to express contentment.
I heard rumors yesterday that were confirmed when I woke up this morning to Andrew’s eye-popping shots of the Gordie Howe International Bridge from Detroit to Canada all lit up! Andrew shares that this isn’t the final stage either. According to the Gordie Howe social media pages – the bridge will have 5,000 aesthetic lights that will illuminate the cables, towers, deck and approaches!! I’ve also got a flyover video from the Gordie Howe International Bridge below.
There are a couple more pics below. Head over to his Facebook page for the latest and check out his website for more about his drone photography services and to view & purchase his work.
One year ago today, I shared Joe’s photo of them laying the last girder on the Gordie Howe’s Bridge. With over 3,000,000 views on Facebook & Michigan in Pictures was the most popular post ever so I figured I would return with his shot of the crews meeting in the middle of this Canadian-funded bridge from Canada to the US.
With full honor & respect to the absolutely brutal temps across Michigan this morning, here are some sweet photos from a series that Bill took on February 1st at Fennville’s Pier Cove Park. There’s even a shot of a sundog in one of the photos!
I’ve been seeing photos from all across Michigan of communities lighting up for the holidays, and for my money Kalamazoo’s Bronson Park nailed it this year!
Yesterday Bedrock and General Motors announced a conceptual plan to redevelop the Renaissance Center (RenCen) and 27 acres along the Detroit riverfront. They say that the plan “preserves the essence of Detroit’s skyline, ‘right sizes’ the RenCen’s footprint, and connects the site to the heart of downtown. The surrounding entertainment district would become a vibrant waterfront destination, drawing international visitors and featuring restaurants, hospitality, residential and market space—complementing Detroit’s award-winning Riverwalk, which draws more than 3.5 million annual visitors to the city.”
Check out the renderings & Detroit News excerpt below for an idea of what’s in store & please share your thoughts. Personally, I’m glad that they’re preserving some of this truly iconic structure but honestly worried that it could end up being a terrifying albatross in the event of an economic downturn. Much more about the Renaissance Center on Michigan in Pictures.
It’s been a minute since I’ve featured a photo by the amazing Joe Gall aka Camera Jesus. He shared this back in January of 2023. Follow him on Facebook & Instagram for the latest and for sure head over to CameraJesus.com to view & purchase his photos including this beauty of a supermoon rising over the Ren Cen!!
The Renaissance Center would shrink to three towers with residential, office and hotel tenancy to create space for a six-acre riverfront park in a more than $1.6 billion redevelopment plan dependent on $250 million in state support that would make billionaire mortgage mogul Dan Gilbert’s real estate firm shared owner of the complex with current owner General Motors … Gilbert is contributing $1 billion in equity and debt, and GM is providing $250 million after having invested $1.5 billion into the building during its ownership. A new entity owning the site will reflect each party’s contribution toward the redevelopment, said Dave Massaron, GM’s vice president of infrastructure and corporate citizenship.
Waugoshance Point is easy to spot on a map, just look for the large peninsula jutting out from the northwestern corner of the lower peninsula: that’s it. If only for that reason it was an attractive place to want to take a hike. An added bonus was the fact that it marks the western end of the Mackinac Straits amidst three remote lighthouses and is completely devoid of trails. I simply couldn’t come up with a reason NOT to go.
Waugoshance Point is truly spectacular in the summer when the rock beaches are home to a myriad of waterfowl and a dizzying array of lake shore wildflowers. I just couldn’t wait though. The snow was gone and I needed to get out. The trail head, if there was a trail, is located at the end of Waugoshance Point Road which gives access to the back-country cabins of Wilderness State Park. From there I’d trust my topo-map to guide me along the shore out to the point. Though there are no hills or cliffs to speak of the area turned out to be quite diverse and beautiful, as you’ll see…
Here’s a great aerial photo by Jim – see more in his From the Air gallery on Flickr which also includes another view of the Point from August of 2022.
Michigan in Pictures 