Mackinac Bridge Authority

Spanning the Straits of Mackinac since 1957

Does the bridge sway during high winds?

Posted on February 14th, 2023

Nope, and it doesn’t bounce either. The deck of the bridge is designed to be somewhat flexible, moving up and down slightly as the distribution of weight changes from vehicles (and pedestrians during the bridge walk). While a sustained wind can cause the suspended span to deflect slightly, the bridge doesn’t sway. Any movement you would feel is from the wind, not movement of the bridge.

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