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ST. IGNACE -- The 2026 Mackinac Bridge Walk on Labor Day is just days away, and final preparations are under way.
“Whether you plan to cross the Mackinac Bridge in your car or RV, or you plan to join in the Annual Bridge Walk, we want to make sure you have the information you need for a safe and enjoyable Labor Day holiday,” said Mackinac Bridge Authority Bridge Director Kim Nowack.
The bridge will again be closed to public traffic during the 2026 walk, from 6:30 a.m. to noon Eastern time on Labor Day based on recommendations from the Michigan State Police and U.S. Department of Homeland Security. Emergency vehicles will still be permitted to cross the bridge but no public vehicles will be allowed until the walk concludes and participants are off the bridge.
“If you’re traveling through the Straits area Monday, we urge you to make your plans around this scheduled closure,” Nowack said. “Traffic backups are frustrating for everyone, so we ask that you either cross the bridge prior to 6:30 a.m. or time your trip to arrive at the bridge after noon.”
The 2026 Annual Bridge Walk will start from both St. Ignace and Mackinaw City, which eliminates the need for busing and offers additional options for participants. For the safety and convenience of participants who start from the St. Ignace side, the walk will begin from Bridge View Park on the west side of I-75 rather than at the MBA administration building.
As most participants who start in St. Ignace already park at Bridge View Park, starting the walk from that side reduces the number of people crossing the interstate before the event begins. Participants who park on the east side of I-75 will now be guided across the road before and after walking the bridge.
A video, posted on the MBA website at www.MackinacBridge.org/Walk, explains the bridge walk schedule and the choices people will have whether they start from the north or south ends of the bridge.
The Annual Bridge Walk has been held every year since 1958, with the exception of 2020 when the event was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The 2026 walk will be the 68th event. Between 20,000 and 35,000 people have participated in recent years; 33,000 participated in the 2025 event.