From 552 feet above the waters of the Straits, walkers and vehicle traffic can be seen sharing the bridge deck Monday, September 1, during the 51st Annual Mackinac Bridge Walk. People making the five-mile journey on foot came from as far away as Sweden, Denmark, and the Grand Cayman Islands. About 40,000 walkers crossed the Mackinac Bridge Labor Day Monday, September 1, approximately 17,000 fewer than last year. Fewer walkers were expected, following last year's 50th anniversary of the structure, which drew 57,000 walkers seeking to take part in the historic crossing.

A new traffic management plan put in place for the first time this year proved successful, said Bob Sweeney, executive secretary of the Mackinac Bridge Authority (MBA). Many walkers took advantage of the free shuttle service between Little Bear East in St. Ignace and the start of the bridge walk. Two busses were scheduled to handle the route and two more were quickly assigned as cars rolled into the off-site parking lot.

Police were also stationed in Mackinaw City earlier than in previous years, and were able to keep traffic flowing throughout the walk.

A 1963 LaSalle High School graduate and former foreign exchange student, Countess Marianne Hamilton (right) of Uppsala, Sweden, returned to St. Ignace to make her second walk across the Mackinac Bridge Monday, September 1. As an exchange student, she stayed with the Herman Ellis family. He was the chief photographer for the Mackinac Bridge Authority. While living with them, she said, she learned a lot about the bridge. When she leaves St. Ignace Tuesday, she will visit Marcy (nee Ellis) Fry in South Haven. Now a freelance writer, she is a former attorney and newspaper reporter and is visiting her friend, Barbara Brown (left) of St. Ignace. This is her sixth trip back to the area. "I love it up here," she said. "I would say probably this is the most beautiful place in the world. I always considered St. Ignace my second hometown." The MBA uses several methods to determine the number of walkers crossing the span, and the final count, he said, is accurate within 5%.

Darkness and the early morning hour did not deter excited Mackinac Bridge walkers. Many began arriving at 5:30 a.m., waiting for the 7 a.m. start of the annual bridge walk. Crowd density is measured using cameras stationed along the bridge deck. The count is taken in specific sections every 90 minutes, which is the average time it takes for a walker the cross the bridge. Compiled by bridge staff, those numbers provide a close estimate of the number of people on the bridge.

That number is cross-checked with the number of certificates handed out at the completion of the walk. The MBA estimates that 85% of the people walking the bridge take a certificate. Those two numbers, said Mr. Sweeney, closely match.

Also taken into considered are the number of people who are transported by bus across the bridge.

Monday, the beautiful weather was the common topic of the morning as walkers from Michigan, other states, and foreign countries waited for the start of the walk. Those who walked the bridge called the weather perfect, with a dusting of clouds, light winds, and temperatures climbing to about 80 degrees.

In a speech to those gathered at 7 a.m. at the start of the Mackinac Bridge walk, Governor Jennifer Granholm (center) recognized Larry Rubin of St. Ignace, the first executive secretary of the Mackinac Bridge Authority, for starting the Labor Day tradition. Nearby, Mr. Rubin made the crossing again this year. Before leading walkers across the bridge, Governor Granholm, who runs the five-mile span, told walkers, "As we walk over the Straits of Mackinac, remember how fantastic this state of Michigan is." Pictured with the governor is her husband, Daniel Mulhern (front, left, in sunglasses). Admiring views of the Straits, Mackinac Island, and Round Island from the bridge deck, walkers began making the five-mile trek south at 7 a.m., just as the sun rose over Mackinac Island.

As they made their way across the bridge, walkers could be seen offering a hand to shake or were heard thanking the Michigan National Guard who line the bridge deck and MBA staff for making the bridge walk possible.

From St. Ignace, the walkers set out on a steady climb of about 190 feet to reach the mid-span of the bridge as law enforcement, U.S. Coast Guard, and Coast Guard Auxiliary boats escorted pleasure craft beneath the structure. From there, moving with the natural sway of the suspension bridge and with the hum of vehicles crossing alongside, the walkers' journey turned downhill until they arrived in Mackinaw City.

Each walker was handed a numbered certificate noting the accomplishment.

By noon, the bridge was closed to walkers and the walk concluded about 1:39 p.m.

This year marked the 51st crossing for walkers, and the 50th walk held on Labor Day. The first walk took place June 25, 1958, during a summer event that celebrated the November 1, 1957, opening of the bridge.

Between midnight and when the last walker finished Monday, 11,943 vehicles traveled over the bridge.