[tommix2]

problem getting to bedrock, I don't remember. I worked for the steel contractor, not the foundation contractor.

[GarySpFc]

I found the following.

When finished, the cables were close to 25 inches in diameter. Each cable consists of 340 wires banded into a single strand; 37 strands are then assembled into a single cable. To complete the job and add extra strength, a covering is spun around each finished cable. More than 42,000 miles of wire were used in the two main bridge cables!

Although the center span of the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco, Calif., is longer then the Mackinac Bridge, from foundation pier to foundation pier, it is 2,164 feet shorter than the "Mighty Mac." The total length of the suspended portion of the Mackinac Bridge is 8,614 feet; the same length on the Golden Gate Bridge measures 6,450 feet.

How long will the bridge last? Now more than 40 years old, the Mackinac Bridge has withstood some incredible winds and severe snow and rain storms and has shown little sign of weakness. The original bridge architects and designers say that, if properly maintained, the bridge will probably last for 1,000 years! The bridge is currently being totally stripped and repainted, an $80-million project that will take more than 20 years to complete! A total resurfacing of the bridge roadway will be a $189 million project, expected to begin around 2016.