The Bridge Built With Glue

1978 press photo

     If you live around the Saginaw, Midland, Bay City area of Michigan right away the title makes you think of the Zilwaukee Bridge.  This bridge is on I-75 just 5 miles north of Saginaw.  Before this bridge was built a draw bridge was used in its place.  I can remember when I was very young my Aunt Cindy was up visiting from Tulsa, Oklahoma.  She was engaged and my mom, my Aunt Joyce and I went to Bay City to look at wedding dressing or other wedding items.  I remember stopping at the draw bridge.  It might of been my first time seeing a draw bridge.  As a child is was so neat to see the road just raise up verticle to let the ships go through.  Even though I enjoyed seeing the draw bridge I never thought that I would probably never see that draw bridge again over the Saginaw River.  The Zilwaukee Bridge was built to help ease the highway congestion that the draw bridge created. 

     My grandmother's farm is set behind the Z-Bridge.  Thinking real hard I think I can still picutre going out to the farm and seeing cranes high up in the sky looming over the trees in the distance building the Z-Bridge.  Again, I didn't take too much notice to them as I was a child and busy playing but I did love the landscape out at the farm and I knew there was something huge far off in the distance that was being built. 

     Growing up I would often hear talks about the Zilwaukee Bridge.  I remember people talking about how a section of it came crashing down and rumors were spread that it was built with glue and the glue didn't hold.  I would think of the cow on the elmer's glue bottle and picture a tanker truck spreading this white sticky glue over everything. 

     Obviously, rumors are seldom true.  Back in 1982, a section sank 5 feet in the wet boggy ground while the other side of the section rose up three and a half feet.  In doing so it caused major cracking to the pier footings.  MDOT ended up firing that contractor and hiring a new one to finish up the already over budgeted project. 

     Highway I-675 was built to help route traffice around the Zilwaukee Bridge to help ease traffic from the draw bridge.  It also was helped loop traffic through the downtown Saginaw area.   

Map of where I-675 loops around I-75 to avoid the Zilwaukee Bridge

     At the end of the everything the bridge is about a mile and a half long and raises up about 125 feet above the Saginaw River.  There is epoxy that is used as joint sealant and when it hardens is stronger than concrete.  Perhaps that is where the saying of "made with glue" comes from.  After over 20 years of planning and building the bridge was finally open to the public in 1988.  Sadly, my grandfather (on my mother's side) who enjoyed keeping track of the building of the bridge died a few months before it opened.  My grandmother (also on my mother's side) vowed never to go across the bridge made with glue as she was worried it would fall. 

     That summer her health was failing quickly.  With my sister driving my mom, brother, Nonnie (that is what we called my grandmother) and I all piled into the Cadillac for a scenic drive.  Nonnie was in the front seat when she noticed a huge bridge up a head of her. 

     "MICHELLE!" she bellowed out to my mom.  "YOUR DAUGHTER IS DRIVING US OVER THE BRIDGE!" 

     We all laughed with delight as Nonnie was powerless to stop the car from going over.  I think the whole time she held on to the car door handles screaming until we got to the other side.  I will never know if she truely enjoyed it and was glad she did it or if she was glad she was on the other side.  A few months after that she, too, passed away.  I am glad of having that memory of her going over the bridge when it was newly opened.  It makes that bridge a bit more special to me.  I was 11 years old. 

     Since that time between I was 11 and 14 I had been across that bridge many times and I loved it.  I loved the part when near the top you could look over the edge if you sit up tall and see my other grandparents farm and see the barns.  I loved how being up so tall you can see forever it seemed.  I never thought twice about that bridge that is until I was 15. 

     I took driver's training through Sears Century Driving School at the Fashion Square Mall in Saginaw.  I will save my driver's ed for another blog but for my instructor everyone had to cross the Z-Bridge but it was unannounced to us.  After one day of driving around Saginaw my instructor told me to get on the highway and head north.  I was a good driver and had no problem in doing so.  Suddenly we round a corner and there stood like a huge dinosaur was the Z-Bridge.  It never seemed so big and terrifing before.  But I had never been behind the wheel before going over the Z-Bridge either.  I seen an exit right before the bridge. 

     "You want me to exit here?"  I asked the instructor as my hand was getting ready to push the turn signal upwards for the right blinker to come on.

     "Nope,"  he says calmly, "Go up and over the bridge."

     I couldn't breath.  My hands gripped tighter around the steering wheel.  I slowed down to the point where the instructor had to tell me to go a bit faster.  I wanted to shut my eyes but I couldn't.  What if Nonnie was right?  What if the bridge is built with glue?  What if another section comes crashing down below?  It seemed like forever before I came to the other side of the bridge.  After I was off the bridge it felt like I could breathe again.  My fingers relaxed around the steering wheel.  I did it!  I would tell myself over and over. 

     A year later I had moved to the other side of the state and never really had to deal with the Z-Bridge again.  I have been over that bridge a handful of times since I was 15.  When I get near that bridge as I make my way back to Sagianw my breath stops again and I can't start breathing again until I get to the other side.  My kids find it funny that I don't like that bridge.  However, if I am not driving, I still find myself sitting up a little taller to catch a glimpse of my granparents farm off in the distance. 

Aerial view of the Zilwaukee Bridge.
Courtsey of Mlive.

Fudge, Fun and Nuptials

Our bikes up at Mackinac Island.

     It was the summer of 1995.  Brian and I have been dating for only a few weeks.  One day out of the blue he decided to go purchase some bikes for him and I and spend the day at Mackinac Island.  We went to K-Mart in Plainwell and picked out a nice pair of matching bikes.  We rode them out of the store and all around the parking lot.  I loved gliding along at top speed feeling the wind against my face.  The bike rode smoothly like floating on a cloud.  It was late in the day so we decided to head out first thing in the morning. 

     It was several years since I had been to Mackinac Island.  Motor cars are not allowed on the island that is just under 4 square miles and it gives the appeal of stepping back in time to an era of long ago.  We decided to cross the Mackinac Bridge to take the ferry from St. Ignace in the UP over to the island.  I never realized how big the bridge looked before.  The closer we got the more my heart started pounding and the harder it was to breathe. Soon were driving up the 5 mile long bridge.  I couldn't move.  I could barely talk.  I sat there staring at the floor of the Bronco refusing to look out.  In the meantime, Brian was jabbering away about the view and ships he sees off in the distance.  It made me uneasy.  I begged for him to stop talking.  I needed absolute quiet.  An odd vibration rumbled across the Bronco.  I could tell we were on the grated part of the bridge near the middle, which is also the highest part.  I took a long deep breath.  I gripped the door handle very tightly.  I was singing songs in my head trying hard not to think about being 199 feet above Lake Huron and Lake Michigan.  Deep in the back parts of my brain the story of how a car was blown over the edge of the Mackinac Bridge and the person died played over and over.  My mental singing couldn't keep the thought of that away.  Brian was realizing that this wasn't just a small fear but more of a terror I have.  A few times he would tease me telling me we were off the bridge only to open my eyes and look up and see a huge pillar passing by me.  My heart beats faster and I pray hard for those miles to pass by quickly.  Finally we reach the upper peninsula and I was able to breath again and my heart returned to its normal beat.  I never had a fear come upon me like that before while crossing the bridge and I didn't like the feeling.  I knew I would have to cross it again but I didn't want to think about that so soon.

     We had a great time on the island.  We biked around it stopping at various sights like The Grand Hotel, Arch Rock, battlefield sites from the war of 1812 and a tree from a scene from the movie Somewhere in Time startting Christopher Reeve and Jane Seymore.  We sat upon some rocks on the southwest side of the island near the water's edge and enjoyed the Michigan landscape across the waters.  Brian is fiddling around with my camera but I didn't think too much about it.  He holds it up and says, "Hey Jill," I look at him, "Will you marry me?" click goes the sound of the camera. 

My reaction the moment Brian asked me to be his wife.

    

     I was shocked.  I was not expecting that very important, life changing question at all.  We never even hinted around to it.  We have only been dating probably 2 months at best.  I wanted to say yes but I didn't want to seem too eager.  I wanted to see how long he would go before he would beg for an answer.  I looked at him, smiled, and replied, "I will have to think about it and get back to you with an answer." 

This was taken after I told Brian I would think about his marriage proposal.

     He tried to persuade me to answer but I was firm in having him wait.  Brian finally realized that he wasn't going to get an answer right away like he hoped and we changed subjects.  Deep inside my heart was fluttering and I was screaming with delight, YES! YES! YES! but I was 18, an adult, and had to hold my composure.   Then I began to plot on how long I would make him wait and in what special way would I let Brian know that my answer would be yes.  There was some strange sinful pleasure in my knowledge of the answer to the marriage proposal and him not knowing yet.  It was like I was in control and he was at my mercy. 

     It was getting late and we started to make our way towards home.  We had to cross over the Mackinac Bridge again.  I couldn't do it.  My heart was leaping out of my chest.  I kept telling myself that I had to cross it.  I live in the lower peninsula and can't stay up there.  I can do this.  I can do this, I would tell myself over and over.  We paid our toll and started making our way south over the bridge.  I looked over at the suspension wires and I fell apart inside.  Staring at the floor boards were not enough.  I couldn't feel safe.  If being blown over the bridge is there a safe spot to be in a vehicle?  I wondered.  I unbuckled and curled myself up in a little ball at the bottom of the Bronco.  Brian kept trying to tell me what a beautiful view I was missing and to give it a chance.  I started crying and begging for him to stop talking.  I just wanted silence so I can concentrate on calming myself down. 

     I can feel the Bronco start to slow down.  Why is he slowing down?  Is there an accident?  Are we about to go over the edge?  Did part of the bridge collaspe?  With my eyes still closed and me still curled up on the floor of the Bronco I heard Brian's voice, "Tell me you will marry me?"

     "WHAT!  GET ME OFF THIS BRIDGE NOW!" I pleaded! 

     

     "Nope.  Not until you say that you will be my wife."  He said calmly. 

     "I AM NOT GIVING YOU AN ANSWER!  HURRY UP AND DRIVE FASTER!" I begged.

Between the two pillars of the Mackinaw Bridge Brian slowed down
and demanded an answer to his marriage proposal. 

     He slows his driving to a slow crawl and taunts me with being up near the top.  "You can see everything from up here.  Look, there is a freighter off in the distance.  I am not going to move until you say yes."  Brian says proudly knowing he has the best of me at this moment.

     I knew I was defeated.  With not being of sound mind I shouted, "YES!  FINE!  I WILL MARRY YOU!  JUST GET ME OFF THIS BRIDGE NOW!!!! 

     "What was that you said?  I want to make sure I heard you correctly." he teased back.

     "YES!  NOW GET ME OFF OF THE BRIDGE!" I hollared back from the floor of the Bronco.

     I felt the Bronco speed up.  My heart is thumping wildly but I couldn't tell if it was fear from the bridge or agreeing to the marriage proposal.  Maybe it was a little of both.  Looking back now it is still hard to tell which got my heart thumping more.  I plugged my ears and kept my eyes tightly shut so I can fully concentrate on not being on the bridge.  After a while I felt Brian pull the Bronco over to the side.  He gently pats my back to tells me to step outside.  I slowly slide my body up into my seat to see if we were off the bridge.  We were.  We were safely on the side of the highway on the lower peninsular side.  Brian already rushed around to my side of the Bronco and already had the door open.  I fall out like a wet noodle so exhausted from horror of crossing over the bridge.  "Did you really mean it when you said yes?" Brian asked.

     "Yes, I did.  I will marry you."  I replied back.  It wasn't the way I imagined that I would say yes to his proposal but I was off the bridge.     

     Brian pulled me close to him and gave me a huge romantic kiss and a great big hug right on the side of the highway.  Cars were zooming past watching us embrace but we didn't care.  At that moment we made the decision to spend the rest of our lives together. 

     17 years has passed by and I don't regret the answer I had given in haste.  We have gone across the bridge a few times since then and I try to open my eyes to take a look if even only for a second.  One of my greatest fears (bridges) also gives me one of my greatest memories to cherish and that is to become a wife to the man I love.   

Brian and I standing in front of the Grand Hotel on Mackinac Island
the day he proposed to me.