M-13 in Zilwaukee, Michigan (September 2013)
The Zilwaukee Bridge is a gateway. As most know, Michigan has two peninsulas: the Upper and the Lower. But within the lower peninsula, there is its own north-south distinction. There are the more urban and industrial areas of the southern half, and the cottage country of northern Michigan. While the border between these two is up for debate, for many the north starts at the Zilwaukee Bridge.
From an engineering standpoint, the bridge rises up 125 feet over the flat, almost-rural land around it, and carries Interstate 75 over the Saginaw River, Michigan’s busiest navigable inland waterway. From a cultural standpoint, it raises downstate Michiganders from the fusses of living to places of relaxation and rest. From a spiritual standpoint, it carries wearied souls into places of life.
