The Mackinac Bridge in northern Michigan finally reopened at about 8:30 a.m. Thursday after it was closed due to the threat of falling ice.
High winds of 35-49 mph are requiring escorts for high-profile vehicles, which can only travel at a max of 20 mph.
High-profile vehicles include pickups with campers, cars with small boats, bicycles or luggage attached to the roof, Ryder or U-Haul trucks, any vehicle pulling a boat, semi-tractor with enclosed trailers and all trailers with side walls over 2 feet in height.
The Mackinac Bridge Authority does not expect additional falling ice closures since most of it cleared overnight, the agency posted on X.
The bridge has closed intermittently this week after a severe ice storm hit the northern part of the state, including the Straits region. The latest closure started at 2:33 a.m. Wednesday and ended at 8:35 a.m. Thursday. It lasted just over 30 hours, which was a new record closure for the structure. The previous record was 20 hours and 15 minutes.
In total this week, the bridge was closed for 42 hours and 13 minutes, according to the Mackinac Bridge Authority.
Bridge workers have called the amount of ice unprecedented, according to the Mackinac Bridge Authority, which is continuing the monitor dramatically changing conditions.
Dangerous ice sheets, spears and chunks have been falling from the bridge, sometimes from hundreds of feet. Winds have also shaken the suspended cables and knocked ice loose.
Mackinac Bridge Director Kim Nowack in a news release Wednesday urged travelers to avoid coming to the area since local emergency and relief services are strained, many businesses are closed and power outages remain.
Nowack also warned travelers not to go to the Straits area expecting to cross the bridge.
More: Mackinac Bridge closed again Wednesday for falling ice: Don’t expect to cross
“Given the amount of ice that remains on the cables and towers, any falling ice closures are likely to be lengthy, and could start and stop at any time,” Nowack said.
For updates on the Mackinac Bridge closures, check condition reports online at MackinacBridge.org, on X at @MackinacBridge or by signing up for text alerts by texting “MacBridge” to 67283.
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Mackinac Bridge reopens after record 30-hour closure
Reporting by Tanya Wildt, Detroit Free Press / Detroit Free Press
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