Keweenaw Report Your Source for Local News and Sports
July 1, 2015 — The Mackinac Bridge Authority (MBA) reports that all construction and maintenance activities on the Mackinac Bridge will be suspended for the Fourth of July holiday weekend, and the new bridge toll software is running smoothly.
Travelers crossing the bridge this holiday weekend may see high traffic levels, but should not experience any delays due to the bridge’s painting project, maintenance work, or toll software upgrades.
“We’re confident we’ve gotten most of the bugs out of the new system, so any delays should be minimal,” said MBA Executive Secretary Bob Sweeney. “Travelers may still find that their crossing is slowed a bit this weekend at the busiest times, but that will only be because so many people are headed for their Pure Michigan destinations as well.”
In mid-June, the MBA completed installation of new hardware and software in all toll booths. While most of the changes were not obvious to customers, some installation issues caused intermittent slow-downs in the toll lanes.
The software upgrades, necessary because the current software will no longer be supported, are part of a coordinated update at the Mackinac Bridge, the International Bridge in Sault Ste. Marie, and the Blue Water Bridge in Port Huron. Soon customers will be able to use credit cards in all lanes of the Mackinac Bridge. Credit cards are accepted at the bridge now, but only in the administration building. Additionally, Mac Pass account holders will be able to make deposits to their account online using credit cards, debit cards, or direct deposits from their banking institutions.
