bridge

Langely Covered Bridge is Michigan’s longest

Posted on November 27, 2012November 27, 2012 by farlane

Langley Covered Bridge, Centreville, Michigan, photo by bill.d

Bill writes this of the Langely Covered Bridge over the St. Joseph River, a Michigan Registered Historic Site:

This is the longest of Michigan’s few remaining covered bridges. It is 282 feet long with three, 94-foot spans of the Howe-truss construction. The bridge was built in 1887 by Pierce (?) Bodner of Parkville, using the best quality white pine for the frame timbers. The bridge’s name honors a pioneer Centreville family. When the Sturgis Dam was built in 1910, the Langley Bridge had to be raised eight feet. In 1950-51 extensive repairs and replacement of parts on the bridge were carried out by the St. Joseph County Road Commission to preserve for the future this historic link with a bygone era.

Personal note – the bridge is only one lane wide. Drivers take turns crossing the bridge, but this is a part of Michigan that doesn’t see much traffic anyway, so the wait is seldom long. The speed limit on the bridge is 15 mph.

Wikipedia’s entry on the Langley Covered Bridge adds that it was named for Thomas W. Langley and his family, the first settlers who helped establish the village of Centreville in St. Joseph County in the mid-19th century.

Check it out as big as a bridge and see more in Bill’s Michigan: Saint Joseph County slideshow.

More Michigan bridges on Michigan in Pictures!

111 Years of over the river at Hines Park

Posted on November 21, 2012November 22, 2012 by farlane

Hines Park, Livonia, MI, September, 2012, photo by Norm Powell (napowell30d)

Nice shot from Hines Park in Livonia. Here’s hoping everyone and their guests have safe travels this holiday whether you’re headed over the river, through the woods or somewhere else.

Check this out background big and see more in Norm’s slideshow.

More bridges on Absolute Michigan.

The Mighty Mac

Posted on September 15, 2012 by farlane

The Mighty Mac, photo by mi_kirk

In 6+ years as the author of Michigan in Pictures, it’s safe to say that I’ve seen more photos of the Mackinac Bridge than most people. That said, this is certainly one of the best photos of the Mighty Mac I’ve ever seen.

Since I’m expected to offer a little more, how about this History Channel video about the Mighty Mac or (if you don’t mind the lack of audio) this sweet collection of vintage clips of the days before the bridge at the Straits of Mackinac and the building of the Mackinac Bridge.

Check it out bigger and see more in Kirk’s Michigan slideshow.

Lots more about the Mighty Mac and other Michigan bridges on Michigan in Pictures.

The Mackinac Bridge takes center stage on Labor Day

Posted on September 3, 2012September 2, 2016 by farlane

Bridge at Twilight 1562-12, photo by StacyN – MichiganMoments

Right now thousands of people are participating in the Mackinac Bridge Walk, an Michigan tradition that began on Labor Day of 1958 and has continued every year since then. While just 68 people made that first walk, it now averages over 50,000 people. You can tune in for some shots from the Mackinac Bridge Cam and see one from this morning on the Michigan in Pictures Facebook.

If you’d like a little Labor Day reading, I heartily recommend How Labor Won Its Day from the Detroit News Rearview Mirror.

See Stacy’s photo bigger and see some more cool shots of this Michigan icon in her Mackinac Bridge slideshow.

Much (much) more about the Mackinac Bridge on Michigan in Pictures!

Q&A with the Mighty Mac

Posted on June 11, 2012June 11, 2012 by farlane

Passing Through, photo by Kim.Kozlowski

The Mackinac Bridge is without doubt Michigan’s most iconic structure. Beyond being the 3rd longest suspension bridge in the world, this bridge joined Michigan’s Upper & Lower Peninsulas in a way that the ferry at the Straits of Mackinac never could.

Here’s a few facts about this amazing structure!

When did it open for traffic? November 1, 1957
Total Length of Bridge? 5 Miles or 26,372 Ft.
Maximum Depth of Water at Midspan? 295 Ft.
Underclearance at Midspan for Ships? 155 Ft.
Length of Wire in Main Cables? 42,000 Miles
Weight of Bridge? 1,024,500 Tons
Number of Steel Rivets? 4,851,700
Total employed to build the Bridge? 11,350

Check Kim’s awesome photo of a freighter passing under the bridge out on black and in her slideshow.

Many more posts about the Mackinac Bridge on Michigan in Pictures!

Kayaking Under the Mighty Mac (and walking over it)

Posted on August 30, 2011 by farlane

Kayaking Under the Mighty Mac, photo by Kathleen Swinehart

This Monday (September 5th) it’s time for the annual Mackinac Bridge Walk. 2011 is the 54th annual and the walk is open to all. It starts at 7 AM and you can leave any time up to 11 AM. They have a blog with information for and about the 400 runners who won the lottery for an opportunity to take part in the early morning Mackinac Bridge Labor Day Run. It includes information for how to enter next year and I have to imagine that for a runner, the 5 mile span from the Lower to Upper Peninsula would be a pretty special memory!

Michigan in Pictures has a TON of Mackinac Bridge photos and information.

Kathleen posted this photo to the Michigan in Pictures wall on Facebook. You can see more photos that people have shared with us in our photo album. See it big as the Mighty Mac and see more in Kathleen’s My Pure Michigan album.

The Belle Isle Bridge | Detroit, MI

Posted on March 26, 2011March 26, 2011 by Michigan in Pictures

The Belle Isle Bridge | Detroit, MI, photo by .brianday..

Wikipedia notes that the official name of the bridge across the Detroit River to Belle Isle from Detroit is the MacArthur Bridge. The bridge uses nineteen arches to span the 2,193 feet to Belle Isle. Completed in 1923 for $2,635,000, it replaced a mostly wooden bridge that was destroyed by fire in 1915. See The day the bridge to Belle Isle burned down for more on that. While it was once known as the Belle Isle Bridge, was renamed in honor of General Douglas MacArthur in 1942.

Belle Isle Bridge “Douglas MacArthur Bridge” at HistoricBridges.org explains:

This is an extremely long multi-span concrete arch bridge that gives people access to Belle Isle, and the structure is the longest arch bridge in the state of Michigan.

This bridge is extremely significant not only because of its length, but because it is a very early example of a cantilevered concrete arch. A cantilevered concrete arch does not function like a traditional arch. Traditional arch bridges require the arch to be a complete and connected arch to function. This arch bridge does not function in that way. Each half of each arch spans is a cantilever arm that is structurally independent from the other half of the arch in that span. Standing under a span of this bridge, a clear gap at the center of the span is visible. Indeed, on the outermost part of the arch, a decorative “keystone” was placed for aesthetic reasons to cover up this gap.

Wayne County Road Commission was among Michigan’s counties, an innovative and creative road commission and they apparently made significant use of concrete cantilever arch structures. Other examples of concrete cantilever bridges in the county remain. These other examples are different from the Belle Isle Bridge, and feature a third central “suspended” span between the cantilever arms.

Check it out bigger and in Brian’s Long Exposure slideshow.

The Trestle Bridge at Hamilton

Posted on February 21, 2011August 24, 2011 by Michigan in Pictures

The Trestle Bridge at Hamilton, photo by bill.d.

Hope you enjoyed your morning commute…

Check this out big as a bridge and in Bill’s Allegan County slideshow.

Miles more bridges on Michigan in Pictures.

Mr. Ambassador, the Governor is on the line

Posted on January 21, 2011January 21, 2011 by Michigan in Pictures

Good Morning Detroit / Explored, photo by . : : v i S H a l : : ..

In Michigan Governor Rick Snyder delivered his first State of the State address, he expressed support for the proposed Detroit River International Crossing bridge saying (in part):

Last year, Canada was the top market for our products. In 2009, Michigan did roughly $4 billion in trade with Canada . We also know that one out of every eight jobs in Detroit is in the export industry. In Grand Rapids, it’s one out of seven…

To satisfy growing demand, we must move forward towards building a bridge, a new bridge from Detroit to Windsor, The Detroit River International River Crossing.

This project isn’t just a Detroit issue. Every farmer and manufacturer in our state can tell you why it’s important to have world trade. This new bridge will create jobs, strengthen our economy, help establish Michigan as a hub for global commerce. So let’s work together so this opportunity does not slip away.

Sounds like a sensible idea to me. The owners of Ambassador Bridge don’t seem to agree…

Check this out big as a bridge and see more in Vishal’s Detroit slideshow.

Also see the Ambassador Bridge slideshow!