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Mackinac Bridge Surveying


andylphoto

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This may be slightly off topic, but probably close enough. Some of you may know the Mackinac Bridge will celebrate its 50th birthday this year. Many different events and celebrations are planned to mark the milestone. I found a link while moving a geocoin to commemorate the event.

 

Over 2000 images have been digitized and posted online detailing the building of the bridge. Of interest here are a number relating to surveying the construction. Seven survey towers were constructed in the straits area, some on land and some in the water. I would assume that the towers were placed with both accurate horizontal and vertical control, or possibly some of each. It would be interesting to see what stations were used in placing the survey towers used for during the bridge construction.

 

The term "survey" flags 10 of the photos. Numbers 5-10 are photos of some of the actual survey towers used during construction. Enjoy!

 

Survey Photos.

Edited by andylphoto
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fyi

 

At least one mark remains

 

QK0249_U.S. NATIONAL GRID SPATIAL ADDRESS: 16TFR7677179602(NAD 83)

QK0249_MARKER: P = PIPE CAP

QK0249_SETTING: 17 = SET INTO TOP OF METAL PIPE DRIVEN INTO GROUND

QK0249_SP_SET: METAL PIPE DRIVEN INTO GROUND

QK0249_STABILITY: D = MARK OF QUESTIONABLE OR UNKNOWN STABILITY

QK0249

QK0249 HISTORY - Date Condition Report By

QK0249 HISTORY - 1954 MONUMENTED MIDH

QK0249 HISTORY - UNK GOOD NGS

QK0249 HISTORY - 1956 SEE DESCRIPTION CGS

QK0249

QK0249 STATION DESCRIPTION

QK0249

QK0249'DESCRIBED BY MI DEPT OF HIGHWAYS 1954 (CTH)

QK0249'STATION IS SITUATED 1.5 MILES WEST OF ST. IGNACE AT THE NORTHERN END

QK0249'OF THE MOLE

QK0249'SECTION COMPRISING THE NORTHERN APPROACH TO THE PROPOSED

QK0249'STRAITS OF MACKINAC BRIDGE.

QK0249'THIS POINT IS THE ORIGINAL NORTHERN POINT

QK0249'DESIGNATING THE CENTERLINE OF THE BRIDGE AND

QK0249'WAS ESTABLISHED BY THE MICHIGAN

QK0249'STATE HIGHWAY DEPARTMENT. THE MARK IS A 2-BY 48-INCH IRON PIPE

QK0249'WITH CAP,

QK0249'WITH TRIANGLE AND PUNCHMARK INSCRIBED ON TOP. THIS MARK IS 8

QK0249'FEET BELOW THE PRESENT

QK0249'GROUND LEVEL, ACCESS TO SAME BY BRICK-SIDED CIRCULAR

QK0249'MANHOLE WITH STANDARD SEWER MANHOLE

QK0249'COLLAR AND LID. THE PIPE

QK0249'MARKER IS SET IN CONCRETE, WITH JUST THE CAP

QK0249'PROTRUDING FROM THE CONCRETE.

QK0249'UNLESS TRANSFERRED TO THE BRIDGE LEVEL LATER THIS MARKER WILL

QK0249'BE

QK0249'INACCESSIBLE AFTER THE BRIDGE IS COMPLETED.

QK0249

QK0249 STATION RECOVERY (UNK )

QK0249

QK0249'RECOVERY NOTE BY NATIONAL GEODETIC SURVEY UNK

QK0249'1.5 MI W FROM ST IGNACE.

QK0249'1.5 MILES WEST OF ST. IGNACE, MACKINAC COUNTY, AT THE NORTHERN

QK0249'END OF THE MOLE SECTION COMPRISING THE NORTHERN APPROACH TO THE

QK0249'PROPOSED STRAITS OF MACKINAC BRIDGE, THE NORTHERN POINT

QK0249'DESIGNATING THE CENTERLINE OF THE BRIDGE, 8 FEET BELOW THE

QK0249'PRESENT GROUND LEVEL, ACCESS TO SAME BY BRICK-SIDED CIRCULAR

QK0249'MANHOLE WITH STANDARD SEWER MANHOLE COLLAR AND LID. A 2- BY

QK0249'48-INCH IRON PIPE WITH CAP, WITH TRIANGLE AND PUNCHMARK INSCRIBED

QK0249'ON TOP, SET IN CONCRETE WITH JUST THE CAP PROTRUDING.

QK0249'NOTE-- UNLESS THIS MARK IS TRANSFERRED TO THE BRIDGE LEVEL

QK0249'LATER, THIS MARKER WILL BE INACCESSABLE AFTER THE BRIDGE IS

QK0249'COMPLETED.

QK0249

QK0249 STATION RECOVERY (1956)

QK0249

QK0249'RECOVERY NOTE BY COAST AND GEODETIC SURVEY 1956 (WNM)

QK0249'THE STATION MARK WAS RECOVERED AS DESCRIBED AND FOUND IN GOOD

QK0249'CONDITION. THE AREA IS

QK0249'STILL UNDER CONSTRUCTION AND THE DESCRIPTION IS ADEQUATE AT THE

QK0249'PRESENT TIME.

QK0249'

QK0249'MR. JACK KENNY, BRIDGE ENGINEER, STATES THAT THE CIRCULAR MANHOLE

QK0249'THAT IS BUILT AROUND THE

QK0249'STATION MARK WILL BE EXTENDED UP TO THE BRIDGE APPROACH AND THE

QK0249'STATION MARK WILL BE PRESERVED.

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here is the one on the south end, a geocacher has found it

 

7af13856-5bf8-44f6-a46e-13802601e83b.jpg

 

QK0270

QK0270 STATION RECOVERY (1972)

QK0270

QK0270''RECOVERED 1972

QK0270''AT MACKINAW CITY.

QK0270''A 1 IS AT MACKINAW CITY, CHEBOYGAN COUNTY, MICHIGAN, UNDER THE

QK0270''SOUTH APPROACH TO THE MACKINAC BRIDGE, NORTH OF THE INTERSECTION

QK0270''OF HURON AVENUE AND NICOLET STREET, AT THE MACKINAC BRIDGE

QK0270''AUTHORITY BRUILDING HOUSING THE WILDERNESS STATE PARK, FORT

QK0270''MICHIMILIMAC, ADMISSIONS ENTRANCE, 15.3 FEET NORTH OF SOUTH

QK0270''CURB OF SIDEWALK, 15.0 FEET SOUTHEAST OF SOUTHWEST CORNER AND

QK0270''15.0 FEET SOUTHWEST OF SOUTHEAST CORNER OF BUILDING, 14.8 FEET

QK0270''EAST OF NORTHEAST CORNER OF WEST PILLAR, 14.8 FEET WEST OF

QK0270''NORTHWEST CORNER OF EAST PILLAR, 27-INCHES BELOW SURFACE, UNDER

QK0270''8-INCH DIAMETER HANDHOLE COVER, LABELED, WATER, BEING HIGHEST

QK0270''POINT OVER CROSS IN BRONZE DISC SET IN CONCRETE, MARK IS ALSO

QK0270''THE SOUTH CENTERLINE OF MACKINAC BRIDGE. NOTE-- PREV. DESIG.

QK0270''A 1 1972.

QK0270

QK0270 STATION RECOVERY (1983)

QK0270

QK0270''RECOVERY NOTE BY NATIONAL GEODETIC SURVEY 1983

QK0270''RECOVERED IN GOOD CONDITION.

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Interesting info & pics - the Upper Peninsula is still on my list of places to see. Who's up for recovering QK0424?!

 

PS - I remember reading about 20 years or so that there was talk about the Upper Peninsula breaking away & becoming the 51st state...still any rumblings?

 

Now that would make a nice adventure. Should be simple to locate, just tough to get to. :o We could make an illegal stop on the turnout (If my terminology is correct, the anchorage piers are the large ones with pulloffs on the side of the bridge) and make an "armchair recovery" with binoculars.

 

I wonder if that's what another group did with QK0256? Interesting discrepancy between the 1983 and 1995 recoveries. :(

 

As for the 51st state deal, I haven't heard anything recently, though it's funny you should mention it. I just read something about that last week in wikipedia. Dominic Jacobetti (Jake) was a long-time rep from the U.P.--ran unopposed most of the time, and was the longest-serving state rep in Michigan history. If he couldn't make it happen it's not likely to happen.

Edited by andylphoto
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You need a boat to get to the ones in the piers. You can't stop on the bridge. If you do stop, you will be visited by the bridge patrol. They monitor the bridge very closely with camera's and on site patrols. They will suspect you of being a jumper or of sabotage.

 

btw - I knew the radio man for DOT and all law enforcement (MSP,FBI,CIA,HS etc) agencies have radio antenna repeaters on one of the towers, North I think so another reason to be watching every vehicle crossing the big Mac.

Edited by Z15
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If anyone is interested I have a book I purchased a few years ago about the bridge. I enjoyed looking through it, especially the chapter on surveying, but would be happy to part with it for what I paid. If you are interested please send me an email and I will dig it out and get the information to you.

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PS - I remember reading about 20 years or so that there was talk about the Upper Peninsula breaking away & becoming the 51st state...still any rumblings?

 

As for the 51st state deal, I haven't heard anything recently, though it's funny you should mention it. I just read something about that last week in wikipedia. Dominic Jacobetti (Jake) was a long-time rep from the U.P.--ran unopposed most of the time, and was the longest-serving state rep in Michigan history. If he couldn't make it happen it's not likely to happen.

 

:angry: Everyonce in awhile the topic comes up again, in jest, either to secede from the US, or to join Wisconsin instead of Michigan. It does get tiresome to hear the trolls refer to Northern Michigan as the tip of the mitt.

But we love being the UP !

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I miss the whole area a lot; when I was a kid, we used to vacation east of Traverse City, and in my younger days, I used to do fall camping trips to the UP and also to Beaver Island. Oh, BTW do you know that Beaver Island was a kingdom with an honest-to-god king at one time? Look it up on line; it's pretty interesting.

Tom

Edited by BilgeRat
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Interesting info & pics - the Upper Peninsula is still on my list of places to see. Who's up for recovering QK0424?!

 

PS - I remember reading about 20 years or so that there was talk about the Upper Peninsula breaking away & becoming the 51st state...still any rumblings?

Usually. Not that anything will ever happen with it - I think there was something in the treaty that gave the territory to the US from England that said how many states could be created from the territory. I could be wrong, though; Jr. High Geography was a really long time ago.

 

Incidently, there's a Discovery Channel program about those maniacs guys that paint the Bridge (yeah, we always capitalize it); it's an annual job, they're always out there painting. You should see how you get to the top of the Bridge towers - a rather tiny, ancient elevator in each tower.

 

Can any of you imagine (or remember) the Straits without the Bridge?

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