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Portage Lake Lift Bridge designated a landmark

HOUGHTON/HANCOCK, MI— The Portage Lake Lift Bridge has been officially designated a National Historic Civil Engineering Landmark by the American Society of Civil Engineers.

At a public ceremony Friday kicking off BridgeFest, commemorative plaques were presented to officials from the Michigan Department of Transportation, which were then given to the cities of Houghton and Hancock for public display on each side of the bridge.

Construction of the span began in 1957 and was completed a little more than two years later. It was designed to accommodate automobile, train,
and water traffic.

Today, the lift bridge sees an average of more than 25,000 vehicles per day and remains a critical link between the mainland and the Keweenaw Peninsula.

Nicole was born near Detroit but has lived in the U.P. most of her life. She graduated from Marquette Senior High School and attended Michigan State and Northern Michigan Universities, graduating from NMU in 1993 with a degree in English.