Crews at the Mackinac Bridge are hard at work getting the structure ready for winter.
It takes 50 men and women to maintain the bridge, according to the Mackinac Bridge Authority.
Mackinac Bridge Authority maintenance supervisor Ned McLannan says in a news release that in November, crews are replacing grating and completing painting projects before the cold weather his. Warm gear is essential near the freezing winds of the Straits of Mackinac.
November is the time when the crew moves the winter trucks to the front of the garage, getting them ready for the snow. No salt is used on the bridge -- to protect it from corrosion -- so keeping the plows running is essential to keeping things safe.
The crew has most things covered, from the bridge itself to the trucks, to the buildings.
McLennen said in a statement, "We’ve got welders, carpenters, plumbers, masons, electricians, painters, groundskeepers, equipment technicians, and equipment operators. Any job that needs done here, there’s someone on our staff who can do it."
