Workers Synchronize Efforts for Successful Bridge Walk
By Karen Gould

This year marks school bus driver Sandy Thorin's 16th year transporting bridge walkers across the five-mile span.

Before daylight broke over the Straits of Mackinac on Labor Day, Sandy Thorin was awake and on the way to make her first pickup of Mackinac Bridge walkers at 5:15 a.m. in Mackinaw City. It's a trip the St. Ignace school bus driver has made every Labor Day for the last 15 years. About that same time, Pat Rickley, also of St. Ignace, began work at the Mackinac Bridge, where he has manned a toll booth since 1994, although on Labor Day he stands at the bridge walk starting gate. Bridge walk duties began Sunday for Darrell Wagner, a five-year bridge walk veteran and first sergeant with the Michigan National Guard from Sault Ste. Marie. He, along with two of his superiors, conducted a meeting and spent the night at LaSalle High School with more than 200 National Guard soldiers who would stand guard on the bridge by 5 a.m. Labor Day morning.

These area residents are part of a larger assembly of specialists who help make the annual Labor Day Bridge Walk flow smoothly. The Mackinac Bridge Authority, the Michigan National Guard, the U.S. Coast Guard, and state, local, and federal law enforcement agencies spend months planning for the event, and this year, 47,200 walkers, 100 school buses, and 25,000 cars made the Monday crossing in synchronization.

Mackinac Bridge Authority toll taker Pat Rickley takes on different duties during the annual bridge walk.

The efforts help prevent traffic jams, although jams occasionally are unavoidable. Mrs. Thorin remembers in 1992, when President George Bush walked the bridge, her bus was stopped on the bridge for an hour, which she attributes to security surrounding the president. She said no one on her bus seemed to mind the long delay, and she said she was happy to be involved in the event that year.

More than 100 buses are used during the bridge walk and on a normal crossing, with bridge traffic reduced to one lane in each direction, the trip takes approximately 20 to 25 minutes, said Mrs. Thorin. With loading and unloading of passengers and routing on and off the bridge, Mrs. Thorin averages five round trips during the event and finishes work about 3 p.m.

Approximately 200 soldiers from the Michigan National Guard's 107th Battalion lined the five miles of the Mackinac Bridge during the 49th Labor Day walk. They were under the command of (from left) Major Ed Hallenbeck, Colonel Bud Degrote, and First Sergeant Darrell Wagner.

"The earlier walkers get here, the faster it is," she said.

What's of most concern for bus drivers is pedestrians who scoot over the median to pass slower walkers. She said people forget that bus mirrors stick out from the sides of buses.

"That's why the National Guard are on the bridge, to keep people from crossing over," she said.

In addition to keeping walkers in the proper lanes and away from the traffic and the bridge railing, Sergeant Wagner said the National Guard is responsible for providing first aid when necessary and radioing for medical assistance when needed, and they help reunite parents and children who get separated during the walk. He said the guard also provides bridge security and reports concerns to law enforcement.

National Guard soldiers are positioned on both sides of the walking lanes. Sergeant Wagner called it a "critical safety" situation with soldiers positioned on the center dividing line just inches from moving vehicles on one side of them and walkers on the other.

"They are putting their lives on the line," he said.

At a meeting Sunday night at LaSalle High School, where soldiers spent the night, soldiers received a safety briefing and were told their responsibilities and what to expect during the walk, said Colonel Bud Degrote, battalion commander of the 107th.

He told Town Crier before the meeting that he planned to tell the soldiers to be of assistance to walkers. "That's our mission," he said.

During the meeting, soldiers were placed on teams and given bridge positions for the morning walk, said Sergeant Wagner. He said about 60 percent of the soldiers had volunteered for bridge walk duty. For others, the job was mandatory, and the remaining soldiers were offered a substitute day off at a later time.

"It's a tough day to be away from family," he said.

Major Ed Hallenbeck of the 107th Battalion agreed.

He said many of the soldiers from the 107th Battalion working the bridge walk were in Iraq or Afghanistan last year and have "mixed emotions" about being away from family again this year. Also, he said that soldiers who were here last year were back again this year.

"We're happy to be representing the Michigan National Guard. On the other hand, a lot of the soldiers have been deployed," he said.

Health of the soldiers during the walk is Sgt. Wagner's primary goal. As he did last year, Sgt. Wagner walked the bridge checking on the soldiers, although this year he had help.

"It's a long walk to do seven or eight times," he said. "It's nice to have another soldier helping this year."

Scott Etelamaki from the 107th administrative office in Ishpeming said in a phone call into Town Crier Friday, September 1, he had worked the bridge walk the two previous years and a lot of walkers come up to soldiers and thanked them for their service to the country.

"It's been a very positive event for the Guard," he noted.

Mrs. Thorin said passengers often ask bus drivers about local sites and she likes to talk about the area's history with them. Those who have finished the walk like to talk about what they experienced.

"The people are overwhelmed with the beauty of the bridge," she said. "They can't believe what they are seeing with their own eyes and what they experienced with the bridge walk."

Mr. Rickley agreed.

"That's a beautiful thing," he said pointing to the bridge. "When you cross that, you're seeing beauty all around."

As a toll taker, Mr. Rickley explains, his goal is to make people smile. Though he may not know or remember someone's name, he does remember faces. He also tries to acknowledge everyone and make eye contact with them. He said sometimes drivers can't find change or have questions and a traveler behind them may get disgruntled waiting. By the time they reach the toll booth they are not happy. He greets everyone with a smile and calls everyone young man or young lady and, he said, that usually gets a grin.

"It's something different with every car that pulls up," said Mr. Rickley.

During the walk, Mr. Rickley was stationed at the starting point and not in a toll booth, but he still had plenty of time to interact with walkers, and many asked him to take their photograph.

"Some people will say, 'Remember me? I was here last year,'" he said with a smile, admitting that during the walk, with more than 40,000 people crossing the bridge each year, he doesn't remember everyone.

National Guard soldiers come from all over the Upper Peninsula, including Calumet, Ishpeming, Iron River, Gladstone, Sault Ste. Marie, and Marquette. Buses and drivers come from 14 school districts, including Boyne City, Cheboygan, Charlevoix, DeTour, Gaylord, Indian Lakes, Cedarville, Mackinaw City, Newberry, Pellston, Pickford, St. Ignace, Vanderbilt, and Wolverine.