You’re welcome. A couple of other things:
1) The bridge was privately funded (something I normally can’t stand, but since this is history, it’s water under the bridge). The state of Michigan, knew the obvious, which was that there was no way the bridge could ever pay for itself - so they forced it to be financed privately.
2) After the bridge opened and the toll money started rolling in much faster than expected, the state took it over. It was quickly paid off. (in fact, the tolls were quite high at the outset, and then they were dropped as the debt was retired)
3) I also don’t think there’s any bridge of its class built in such a furious climate...it’s not easy to build a bridge when you have 4 months a year of decent weather.
-I’m rusty of my historical bridge factoids...(correct me if I’m mistaken)
I want to say it was $50 million in Bond sales, backed up exclusively by Tolls. Wasn’t backed-up by Full Faith & Credit of Michigan taxpayers, so yeah.. “privately funded.”
-highly recommend the longer documentary I referenced, but the 10 minute version is pretty good:
Mackinac Bridge, Michigan: “The Five Mile Dream”
1958 US Steel- Lowell Thomas
https://youtu.be/eFsy_EHWM-Q
(10:00)