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Mackinac Bridge opens after closing temporarily

Posted at 1:17 PM, Jan 23, 2016
and last updated 2016-01-23 16:42:27-05

The Mackinac Bridge is back open after closing temporarily on Saturday as a safety precaution due to falling ice.

According to the Mackinac Bridge Authority, warmer temperatures and increased sun have loosened ice on the bridge's towers and cables, causing some of it to fall on the lanes below. It was closed for about three hours.

The bridge would be closed until the ice is clear or has stopped falling. In the past, that's taken an average of a few hours, depending on weather conditions, the bridge authority said.

According to the MBA, the ice was falling from heights of more than 300 feet in some areas.

This is the ninth time the bridge has closed due to falling ice in the last 20 years. The average closure lasts under two hours with the shortest being 37 minutes and the longest being two hours 55 minutes.