(WXYZ) — State officials are asking people to avoid parts of Mackinac Island over the next two days as the Michigan National Guard participates in a simulation exercise of a Mackinac Island evacuation.
The Michigan National Guard and the Mackinac County Office of Emergency Management will participate in the simulated mass evacuation of the island on Sept. 7 from 12 p.m. to 6 p.m. and Sept. 8 from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.
The exercise will take place from the Mackinac County Airport to British Landing. People can expect to see many aircraft and boats in the exercise traversing the waters between the airport and British Landing.
Officials say there will also be some traffic pauses at the end of the airport and on the I-75 Business spur while bridging bays will be flown to British Landing.
Michigan National Guard to Participate in Mackinac Island Evacuation Simulation Exercise
The National Guard's 1437th Engineer Company will be building an alternate port for evacuation of the island during an emergency. That company is a multi-role bridge company that provides personnel and equipment to transport, assemble, disassemble, retrieve and maintain all standard and non-standard U.S. Army bridging systems for wet or dry gap crossings.
