The Mackinac Bridge will close to public traffic from 6:30 a.m. to noon on Monday, Sept. 7, for the 2026 annual bridge walk.
The Mackinac Bridge Authority announced changes to event logistics this year. For participants starting from St. Ignace, the walk will begin at Bridge View Park on the west side of I-75 instead of at the MBA administration building. The authority said the change reduces the number of people who need to cross the interstate before the event begins.
Unlike previous years, the MBA will not provide bus service across the bridge. Participants must arrange their own transportation back to the side where they parked. Walkers can start from either end of the bridge and have several options: walk to the midpoint and return to their starting side, walk the entire length, or cross and return. Those completing a full crossing must arrange their own ride back across the bridge after it reopens at noon.
The annual bridge walk, in its 68th year, has been held every year since 1958 except for 2020, when it was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Between 20,000 and 35,000 people have participated in recent years, with 33,000 attending in 2025.