Throughout the past 19 years, I'd venture to say the Portage Lift Bridge has been one of the more popular photos we've featured on the Pasty Cam. This past weekend was the Bridgefest celebration, marking the 30th annual edition of the festival. How fitting that back in 1999, we featured a photo from the Bridgefest weekend, complete with the Lift Bridge and a ReMax hot air balloon passing by.

Then just a year ago, in 2016, the "Former Crossing" was featured, showing how the bridge between Houghton and Hancock has changed. Those of us that live here in the Keweenaw, have been experiencing the construction delays on the Lift Bridge, each and every day, but I guess things could be worse. I can't imagine the construction challenges throughout the early years of the preceding spans between the Keweenaw Twin Cities.

The video feature today was recorded back in 2013, by Tiger Holm, who decided to combine several videos to view the Lift Bridge from on board the Ranger III, from on the shoreline and from right there on the bridge sidewalk, watching it go up, the Ranger going under and the span coming back down into place. Pretty neat to see it all happening up-close like that.

Neat close up view of the bridge on the video.

Question... Has the bridge ever been stuck or broken in recent years allowing no one to pass?? That would be a shame to get stuck in the Keweenaw for an extended period of time!! :=))

From what I hear, it's been stuck a number of times in recent years. Hence, the reason for the current maintenance projects. I mean seriously, if you went up and down for almost 60 years AND had to live outside through all those Keweenaw winters, you'd likely need some repairs as well...... ;-)

That is awesome! I've seen the bridge lift a
million times, but never from that angle. Way
cool!!

Nice video, but I'm surprised that someone can get that close while the bridge is moving. One wrong slip and it's "Goodbye Marie Antoinette".

I wonder how many time that bridge has gone up and down?

It occurred to me that the lift Bridge is painted the same colors as the
Ranger III is this just a coincidence? Does anyone know why? It really
is a shame the homeport for the Ranger III is not Houghton but
Washington DC.