GARDEN CORNERS – A multiple vehicle accident closed U.S 2 Friday morning between Forest Highway 13 and Garden Corners and by early afternoon whiteout conditions in Mackinac County closed the highway from St. Ignace to Worth Road. Adverse weather conditions also closed the MackinacBridge as a winter storm with strong winds moved across the eastern Upper Peninsula.

U.S. 2  in Delta County reopened about 2:30 p.m.

As many a 16 vehicles including three semi-tractor trailers were involved in accidents near Garden Corners. First Lt. Greg Cunningham, Gladstone State Police Commander, said whiteout conditions made it difficult to sort out the extent of accidents.

“The troopers and deputies are still trying to sort out how many vehicles are involved. You can’t see anything,” Cunningham said from the scene Friday morning. “These weather conditions are unpredictable and at this time it is absolutely undriveable on U.S. 2.”

When the highway reopened, Cunningham said they were still uncertain of the number of vehicles involved and the number of injured. It was later reported that seven people were injured. They were transported to OSF St. Francis Hospital in Escanaba and Schoolcraft Memorial Hospital in Manistique. There were no fatalities.

Traffic was re-routed to U.S. 41 to M-67 to Munising during the closure.

Adverse weather and poor visibility closed the Mackinac Bridge shortly after noon on Friday. The Michigan Department of Transportation also said traffic between St. Ignace and Worth Road in Mackinac County was being detoured to M-123.