Safety Zone; Straits of Mackinac, Mackinaw City, MI
Key claim: The Coast Guard is establishing a temporary safety zone within a 100-yard radius of the Mackinac Bridge center span on July 18, 2026, to protect personnel and vessels during a scheduled swim event.
Abstract
(Rule · Homeland Security Department, Coast Guard) The Coast Guard is establishing a temporary safety zone for certain navigable waters within a 100-yard radius of the center span of the Mackinac Bridge. The safety zone is needed to protect personnel, vessels, and the marine environment from a marine event involving swimmers under the bridge. This rulemaking prohibits entry of vessels or persons into this safety zone during the swim conducted on July 18, 2026 from 7 a.m. to noon unless specifically authorized by the Captain of the Port, Sector Northern Great Lakes or their designated representative.
Why this matters
The Coast Guard is establishing a temporary safety zone within a 100-yard radius of the Mackinac Bridge center span on July 18, 2026, to protect personnel and vessels during a scheduled swim event.