Mighty Mac to see major renovations over next decade

The Mackinac Bridge will be getting a few makeovers in the coming years.

The Mackinac Bridge Authority is working on a number of projects, the first of which is scheduled for 2018. The two part plan will address the rehabilitation of the bridge’s deck and approach spans.

A portion of the deck will be removed and replaced with a deep concrete overlay during the first phase. Part two involves the same process for the approach spans on both ends of the bridge. The total cost of the approach span rehabilitation is estimated at $82 million .

Two more projects will follow suit through 2023, using revenue from tolls and fees. The Bridge Authority’s multi-year toll enhancement plan has increased rates every two years since 2008. The MBA was able to defer the 2014 toll increase at least another year thanks, in part, to the implementation of a self insurance program.

A project that would replace the suspension section of the bridge deck is scheduled to begin in 2024 and is expected to cost $94 million. The Mackinac Bridge is fully operated and maintained with collected tolls and fees.