ZILWAUKEE, Mich. (Michigan News Source) – The Zilwaukee Bridge in Saginaw County marked its 38th birthday earlier this week, celebrating nearly four decades as a key link along one of Michigan’s busiest highways.

The massive concrete span first opened to traffic on Dec. 23, 1987, when the northbound lanes of I-75 began carrying vehicles over the Saginaw River. The southbound lanes followed several months later, opening in September 1988 and completing the full crossing.

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The fourth-longest bridge in Michigan, the Zilwaukee Bridge was built to solve a major traffic problem. It replaced a former drawbridge that routinely caused miles-long backups on I-75 as it lifted to allow freighters to pass through the river. By lifting traffic high above the shipping channel, the new bridge eliminated those delays and created a smoother, uninterrupted route for motorists traveling through the region.

Nearly four decades later, the Zilwaukee Bridge remains a critical piece of Michigan’s transportation network, carrying thousands of drivers each day and standing as a lasting solution to a once-notorious traffic bottleneck.