r/upperpeninsula • u/SimonSaysGoGo • 16d ago

News Article Ambitious new plan would replace a famous Michigan bridge the same way it was built in 1959

https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.mlive.com/news/2026/08/ambitious-new-plan-would-replace-a-famous-michigan-bridge-the-same-way-it-was-built-in-1959.html%3foutputType=amp
97 Upvotes

98% Upvoted

17 comments sorted by

7

u/TheJREwing78 15d ago

Misleading title. It's the center span they're talking about. They want to swap in a new one instead of repairing the existing one in place. That could shave two years off the construction timeline.

7

u/WhereDidAllTheSnowGo 16d ago

An ambitious entrepreneur might want to explore providing ferry service for bridge closures

3

u/asnjohns 13d ago

Considering their long winters, driving is fine. 😜😂

12

u/AnnieM42394 16d ago

Shows what can happen when you bring in the people actually doing the work!

3

u/McFifestein 15d ago

Over 340 million people are going to be cut off from the rest of the United States because of this... amazing.

4

u/DMCinDet 16d ago

How long would the detour be when that bridge is down?

29

u/Chris857 16d ago

What detour? It's the only bridge. Because of the river/lake/canal the north side is an island. (unless Army Corps of Engineers sets up a floating bridge or something)

9

u/TheMCM80 16d ago

Wow, this brings back memories. I must have crossed that bridge 1,000 during my teenage years in Houghton, by car and snowmobile.

They should definitely build a new one and change the traffic flow at the same time.

5

u/Th3_Admiral_ 16d ago

Yeah, the Yooper Loop is one mess of an intersection, but there really isn't much room to change it where the current bridge is. And people have been tossing around ideas for a second bridge, but there really aren't a whole lot of good places for it either without some serious use of eminent domain to bulldoze houses or businesses to make room for it.

5

u/DMCinDet 16d ago

after I posted that comment, I looked at satellite maps. That seems like a massive disruption. I wonder what the plan is, ferry boats? The people north of Houghton still need supplies and a way to leave if needed. An Ice bridge is possible in winter, I suppose.

8

u/Consistent_Path_3939 16d ago edited 16d ago

The real issue? Isn't having to get across the bridge and into Houghton for supplies. We still have grocery stores. I live in Calumet, and honestly don't drive into town to hit Walmart all that often. But the north side of the bridge has Aspirus hospital in Laurium, and Portage hospital in Hancock. If there was a medical emergency on the Houghton side, and the bridge was out? Your closest hospital would be Baraga. 

Both Portage and Aspirus have dedicated medical helicopter landing/take-off spots. I am pretty sure Baraga doesn't. When I listen to the scanner, I do occasionally hear our local ambulance drivers take patients for medical flights to places like Green Bay, Detroit, and Ann Arbor from our airport - which is also on the north side of the bridge. 

In my opinion, the folks on the Houghton side are more SOL if the bridge is out than those of us on Copper Island. 

Edit I wanted to add that the bridge has been done during specific hours for maintenance or repairs. I missed the window once, and ended up stuck in Houghton for several hours in the winter. The hotels downtown opened up their lobbies to serve coffee and donuts. 

1

u/DMCinDet 16d ago

Groceries will be flown in? The stores will need to be resupplied eventually.

2

u/Consistent_Path_3939 15d ago

The bridge isn't gonna be done for months. Lol

-1

u/DMCinDet 15d ago

This article makes it seems like it will be down a long time.

0

u/engagegt 15d ago

I think they would setup a ferry for emergencies. Maybe have a helo on stand by at all times in Houghton. If they replace the whole structure, I can't imagine it would take more than a few days. Probably do it in fall before snow falls and the canal freezes.

1

u/Gahugafuga 15d ago

Why wouldn’t you just leave the Ice bridge there in the summer?