Mackinac County 911 to provide bridge updates via text message
MACKINAC COUNTY — You can now sign up for texts alerts from the Mackinac Bridge Authority to receive updates for when the bridge closes and re-opens.
Using its RAVE Alert System, Mackinac County 911 will send updated and information from the MBA to users’ cell phones any time the bridge has a partial or full closure due to weather or other conditions. Messages will also be sent when a full closure is reduced to a partial closure or when the bridge reopens to all traffic.
“For many years, the MBA has posted current closure information on our website,www.mackinacbridge.org, but travelers aren’t always able to access this information when on the road,” said Bob Sweeney, executive secretary of the MBA, in a statement. “We really appreciate Mackinac County 911/Emergency Management’s willingness to use its system to notify bridge customers directly and quickly when closures occur.”
There is no cost to receive these updates, aside from any texting fees the from the participant’s mobile coverage plan. To opt in to this text alert system:
- Text “MacBridge” to 67283
- Users will receive a reply: “Welcome to Mac Bridge. Reply STOP MacBridge to Cancel. MSG & Data Rates May Apply MSG Frequency Varies,” verifying participation in the text alerting system.
- A second reply will follow: “Welcome to the Mackinac Bridge Text Alerting System. TO OPT OUT of this alerting system reply STOP MacBridge.”
Mackinac County 911 also made this texting system available for notifications prior to the 2017 Annual Bridge Walk. At its peak, about 17,000 people signed up for those alerts. A separate text update program will be available prior to the 2018 Annual Bridge Walk.