Pavers to recognize Mighty Mac workers
MACKINAW CITY - In 2007, at the 50th anniversary of the opening of the Mackinac Bridge, a statue of an iron worker was unveiled to honor the work of the men who built the bridge.

Now, five miles south across the Straits of Mackinac, the Village of Mackinaw City is undertaking its own effort to honor iron workers and other tradesmen who built the "Mighty Mac." The village is selling engraved brick pavers that will create a "Walk of Fame" at a planned monument honoring Mackinac Bridge construction workers.

"The idea of putting up our own monument started snowballing after the 50th anniversary celebration," said Marilyn McFarland, formerly of the Mackinaw City Visitors Bureau, who is coordinating the effort. Noting the annual Iron Workers festival held in town, she said, "Mackinac City has always embraced iron workers. So we asked ourselves, 'Why haven't we done this yet?' "

It will be erected along North Huron Ave. between Colonial Michilimackinac and the Old Mackinac Point Lighthouse historic parks, but it has not been determined what the monument will be. McFarland said a committee of iron workers will decide - perhaps a lighted 40-foot beam, or maybe an iron worker statue.

The first phase of the project is selling brick pavers. McFarland said a minimum of 300 pavers need to sold to help determine the project's size and scope. Bricks can be engraved with the names of the men who built the bridge - from any trade. Also invited to have their names engraved are any iron worker from North America. She said families of deceased trades workers are invited to submit the names of loved ones to be engraved.

As part of the effort, Mackinac Bridge workers are also asked to indicate five favorite jobs that they worked on, that will be incorporated into a related website, www.walkof iron.com, and possibly a living history display at the site.

Rough going on Michigan roads
Road-wise, how bad are we?

The Michigan Transportation Funding Task Force worked off the following reports in issuing their dire findings about transportation funding in our state:

These rankings are from the 2007 Annual Report on the Performance of State Highway Systems, published by the Reason Foundation:

• Michigan has the 8th worst road system based on overall performance
• Michigan is 16th in the nation based on the number of deficient bridges
• Michigan has the 4th worst rural interstate conditions
• Michigan has the 8th worst urban interstate conditions.

Overdrive Magazine's 2007 survey of the nation's truckers (published in the Highway Report Card Survey 2007) concluded that Michigan has the third worst road conditions in the nation.