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Highways 20 through 29

M-20 | M-21 | M-22 | US-23 | US-24 | M-24 | US-25 | M-25 | M-26 | US-27 | M-27 | M-28 | M-29 | Jump to Bottom
M-20 Western Terminus: US-31, 2.5 miles west of New Era
Eastern Terminus: US-10 at the BUS US-10 interchange east of Midland on the Midland/Bay Co line
Length: 129.35 miles
Map: Route Map of M-20
Notes: A major change in the routing of M-20 took place on October 1, 1998 when the portion of M-20 from M-37 north of White Cloud to the Newaygo/Mecosta County line west of Big Rapids was turned back to county control. Simultaneously, all of county B-88 in Newaygo and Mecosta Cos was transferred to state control. The route of B-88 in its entirety (from White Cloud to US-131 at Stanwood) was then redesignated as M-20. The resultant gap in M-20 between Stanwood and Big Rapids was filled by running M-20 concurrently with US-131 between Exits 131 and 139. The former route of M-20 is now an un-numbered county road in Newaygo Co. The short portion of the former M-20 in Mecosta Co, has since been turned back to local control and is now also an un-numbered county road.
By early February 1999, all but a handful of the M-20 route marker assemblies from White Cloud to US-131 at Big Rapids had been removed, even the ones at the junction of M-20 & M-37, potentially leaving motorists unfamiliar with the area without guidance! As of April 1999, only one lonely M-20 marker remained, obviously overlooked in the process, and all traces of B-88 were removed. Also in April, M-20 route marker assemblies had been erected at the US-131 & 8 Mile Rd interchange (Exit 131) near Stanwood, as well as a solitary M-20 marker on the east side of White Cloud. No other indication of the changes was apparent on M-37 or on eastbound M-20 as one approached the junction with M-37. By May 1999, the new highway routing was completely signed.
From White Cloud, M-20 formerly ran southwesterly via Fremont to end in Muskegon. The White Cloud-to-Fremont stretch was for many years an un-numbered state trunkline, while the remainder was re-designated as portions of M-82 and M-120. On October 31, 1999, the un-numbered "Old M-21" between Fremont and White Cloud was turned back to county control.
One of the earlier stretches of freeway in Michigan was the M-20 freeway between Bay City and Midland. This is now part of the US-10 freeway.
History: 1920 - Before the debut of the US Highway system, M-20 begins in Ludington and runs easterly along the present-day route of US-10 through Baldwin, Reed City, Clare to Midland. There, M-20 heads due easterly to end in Bay City.
1925 - When the US Highway system was first proposed, the majority of M-20—from Ludington to the east side of Midland—was to be replaced by a brand new US-12 designation, which would depart M-20 east of downtown Midland to follow M-24 to Saginaw and M-10 into Detroit. However, that plan is greatly revised during 1925 and early 1926 (see below).
1926 - When the final US Highway System plan is adopted in 1926, US-10—not US-12—is designated along most of M-20 in Michigan, along the general alignment that highway uses today. The M-20 designation from Midland westerly is then dropped down onto a new routing via Mount Pleasant, Big Rapids, White Cloud and Fremont, ending in Muskegon at the newly-designated US-31. M-20 will maintain this general routing until 1969.
1928 - The route of M-20 is realigned to run directly from Twin Lakes to Holton in Muskegon Co. The former route along Ryerson & Holton-Duck Lake Rds is turned back to local control.
c.1932 - M-20 is extended westerly from North Muskegon along the north shore of Muskegon Lake to end at the Muskegon Lake Channel in Muskegon State Park.
1933 - M-20 is realigned in the vicinity of Mount Pleasant from Broadway Rd (east of US-27) and Shepherd Rd and onto Pickard Rd (its present-day routing).
1935 - M-20 is realigned onto a more direct routing from Holton to Brunswick in northeastern Muskegon Co. The former route along Marvin Rd from Holton easterly is turned back to local control, while the portion of Maple Island Rd from Marvin Rd northerly to M-20 becomes an extension of of M-213.
1939 - While some sources show M-20 being extended into Muskegon State Park in c.1932, the actual roadway from Scenic Dr southerly to the Muskegon Lake Channel is not completed until this year. (This is now the main park road within the state park.)
1941 - With the completion of a new bridge over the Chippewa River in Mount Pleasant, M-20 is realigned from Broadway St downtown to run along High St, then northerly along US-27/Mission St. The former route is turned back to city control.
1957 - The final few miles of gravel-surfaced M-20, near Woodville in Newaygo Co, are paved.
1958 - A new 13-mile long M-20 freeway opens from US-23/Euclid Ave on the west side of Bay City to Bay City Rd near the Bay/Midland Co line east of Midland. The former route of M-20 along Midland Rd is turned back to local control.
1960 - With the completion of the new I-75/US-10/US-23 freeway to Bay City, US-10 is rerouted onto the M-20 freeway to Midland. M-20 is then scaled back from Bay City to end at the US-10 & BUS US-10 interchange east of Midland with BUS US-10 and M-20 running concurrently into downtown Midland.
1961 - M-20 is rerouted beginning in North Muskegon, running southerly along with US-31 into Muskegon, then southwesterly with BUS US-31 into Downtown Muskegon. In downtown, the route becomes BUS US-31/M-20/M-46 and continues to US-16. The US-16/M-20/M-46 routing turns westerly for a couple blocks to end at the Wisconsin & Michigan Steamship Company's carferry dock on Lake Muskegon. The former route of M-20 from North Muskegon into Muskegon State Park is redesignated as M-213.
1962 - The concurrent US-16/M-20/M-46 designation in downtown Muskegon becomes BS I-196/M-20/M-46 with the completion of I-196 between Grand Rapids and Muskegon.
1963 - The concurrent BS I-196/M-20/M-46 designation in downtown Muskegon becomes BS I-96/M-20/M-46 with the re-designation of I-196 between Grand Rapids and Muskegon to I-96. Also, BUS US-31 is extended north along M-20 past North Muskegon to the newly completed US-31 freeway until the BUS US-31 connector in 1964.
1964 - With the completion of the new BUS US-31 connector on the north side of Muskegon, the M-20 designation is scaled back to end at BUS US-31. The former route through downtown becomes just BUS US-31, concurrent BUS US-31/M-46, and concurrent BS I-96/M-46.
1969 - M-20 is rerouted along One Mile Rd due westerly from M-37 north of White Cloud through Hesperia and along the former route of M-82 to US-31 at New Era. The fomer route of M-20 from White Cloud to M-82 outside of Fremont becomes an un-numbered state trunkline (known to MDOT officially as "Old M-20"), while the concurrent segment with M-82 retains the M-82 and the section from M-82 to Muskegon becomes designated as M-120.
1975 - M-20 is exteneded at New Era for approximately two miles from its former terminus at Oceana Dr to meet up the new US-31 freeway.
1984 - M-20/BUS US-131 is realigned along a newly extended Perry St from State St in Big Rapids to the new US-131 freeway on the west edge of town. The former route of M-20 along 15 Mile Rd is turned back to local control and a portion of the former route on the campus of Ferris State University becomes Ferris Dr.
1998 (Oct 1) - The portion of M-20 from the northern jct with M-37 north of White Cloud, northeasterly to the Mecosta/Newaygo Co line is turned over to county control. Simultaneously, the route of B-88 from White Cloud to Stanwood is turned over to state control. The M-20 designation is then relocated onto the White Cloud-to-Stanwood routing of B-88, then northerly along US-131 back to its former alignment at Big Rapids. The former routing of M-20 between White Cloud and Big Rapids is relieved of its state designation and reverts back to Newaygo Co control. In addition, the state-maintained "Old M-20" from White Cloud to Fremont is also turned back to local control.
1999 - February 1999 saw the removal of most of the M-20 route markers between M-37 and US-131. As of April 1999, only one lonely M-20 marker remained, obviously overlooked in the process, and all traces of B-88 were removed. Also in April, M-20 route marker assemblies had been erected at the US-131 & 8 Mile Rd interchange (Exit 131) near Stanwood, as well as a solitary M-20 marker on the east side of White Cloud. No other indication of the changes was apparent on M-37 or on eastbound M-20 as one approached the jct with M-37. All signage changes are completed by May 1999.
Freeway: Two segments:
  1. Concurrently with US-131 from Exit 131 at Stanwood to Exit 139 at Big Rapids.
  2. Concurrently with BUS US-10 between Saginaw St and US-10 in Midland.
NHS: Two segments:
  1. Concurrently with US-131 from Exit 131 at Stanwood to Exit 139 at Big Rapids.
  2. US-127 (formerly US-27) in Mount Pleasant to US-10 east of downtown Midland.
Photographs:
Weblinks: • M-20 @ Michigan Highway Ends - photos of the termini of M-20 at Dan Garnell's excellent Michigan Highway Ends website.
M-21 Western Terminus: M-37/M-44 (cnr East Beltline Ave & Fulton St) on the east side of Grand Rapids
Eastern Terminus: I-475/UAW Frwy at Exit 7 in downtown Flint
Length: 99.75 miles
Map: Route Map of M-21
Notes: Updated Prior to the coming of the Interstates, M-21 was a key "Coast-to-Coast" highway in the Lower Peninsula, stretching from Holland on Lake Michigan to Port Huron on Lake Huron, passing through Grand Rapids and Flint en route. After the main north-south "Grand Rapids Expwy" (US-131) was nearing completion through that city, an east-west freeway was proposed with the designation M-21. While the M-21 designation did grace that freeway for a time, it was—and is—more principally known as I-196. The first leg of M-21 to be severed was the Holland-to-Grand Rapids portion, replaced by a completed I-196 freeway in the mid-1970s (with much of the former route re-designated as M-121 in 2007). The next, and bigger, leg to be severed was the Flint-to-Port Huron segment, replaced by I-69 a decade later. Since that time, no major changes to this once-key route have taken place.
History: 1920 - M-21 begins at the jct of M-16 & M-44 in South Ionia (present-day cnr of M-66/State Rd & Riverside Dr) and continues easterly along the south side of the Grand River through Lyons to Pewamo. From there, M-21 continues along its present-day route through St Johns to Ovid, where it diverges slightly from its present alignment to travel along Simpson Rd to Five Points, then continues easterly into Owosso. There, M-21 bends southerly travelling through downtown Corunna and continues into Lennon along Lytle Rd. From Lennon, M-21 then continues easterly along its present route into downtown Flint. Between Flint and Goodells, M-21 travels roughly along its pre-1980s routing through Lapeer, Imlay City and Emmett. M-21 ends at M-19 in Goodells.
1922 - By 1922, M-21 is extended easterly concurrently with M-19 from Goodells into downtown Port Huron.
c.1925 - M-16 is realigned in Ionia and Kent Cos onto what would later become US-16 (now Grand River Ave in Ionia Co and Cascade Rd in Kent Co) and the M-21 designation is extended westerly for an additional 25 miles via Saranac, Lowell and Ada, ending at M-16/Cascade Rd 6 miles east of downtown Grand Rapids. Also, M-21 is realigned to run directly east from downtown Owosso on its present-day alignment for 10 miles to just north of Lennon. The former route of M-21 between Owosso and Lennon is redesignated as M-71.
1926 - With the debut of the US Highway system, M-21 is extended on the west concurrently with US-16 (formerly M-16) into downtown Grand Rapids, then southwesterly via Hudsonville to Holland, replacing the M-51 designation along Chicago Dr. This adds about 33 miles to the length of M-21. Also, on the east, the concurrent M-19/M-21 designation becomes just M-21 from Goodells into Port Huron when M-19 is realigned to run south from Yale to Richmond.
c.1927-28 - In this timeframe, M-21 is realigned between Grand Rapids and Ada, running along Fulton Ave between those communities, north of its previous alignment. The portion of the former M-21 between US-16 and Ada is turned back to local control. M-21 is also realigned to run along the north side of the Grand River between Lowell and Saranac, with the former route along the south side of the river being turned back to local control. In addition, the routing of M-21 between Ovid and Five Points (west of Owosso) is straightened and placed onto its modern-day alignment. The former route is, again, turned back to local control.
1929 - M-21 is realigned between Flint and Lapeer. Beginning at the cnr of Court St & Lapeer Rd in Flint, M-21 now continues easterly along Court St to US-10/Dort Hwy, jogging northerly with US-10 to Davison Rd, then easterly along Davison Rd through Davison, merging with the old route just west of Lapeer. The former route along Lapeer Rd from Court St in Flint to M-15/State Rd south of Davison was redesignated as M-21A. From M-15 easterly to Davison Rd at Lapeer, the former route is turned back to local control.
1929 (Aug 26) - A more direct trunkline alignment between Holland and Zeeland is completed and officially determined as a state trunkline, designated M-21, running via Chicago Dr directly between the two cities. The former route via Eighth St and Holland-Zeeland Rd (present-day Paw Paw Dr) is turned back to local control on this day. Also at this time, a new route for M-21 through Zeeland is put into service with the inclusion of Washington Ave from W Main Ave on the western edge of the city easterly to Colonial St in the state trunkline system. Between Colonial & Carlton Sts, Washington Ave is signed as M-21 but is a locally-maintained street.
1930 - About 8 miles of M-21 is realigned to the north side of the Grand River in Ionia Co, from Saranac to the east side of Ionia, crossing the Grand at Cleveland St and back to its original route there. The former route between Saranac and Ionia is turned back to local control.
1931 - The Dykstra Act this year allows the State Highway Dept to actually maintain state trunkline facilities through cities. The portions of M-21 within cities along its route are transferred to state control.
c.1931-32 - The final 11 miles of M-21 in Ionia Co to be moved to the north side of the Grand River is completed, running along its present-day alignment from Ionia to Pewamo. The former route on the south side of the river is turned back to local control. Also, in Lapeer Co, M-21 is moved onto its "classic" routing between Lapeer and Imlay City along Imlay City Rd. Previously, M-21 ran through downtown Lapeer, then easterly along Bowers Rd to Lake Pleasant Rd, southerly on Lake Pleasant to Attica Rd, then easterly on Attica Rd (4th St in Imlay City) to M-53. This route is turned back to local control. In yet another realignment in St Clair Co, M-21 is transferred onto its "classic" alignment there along Lapeer Rd from near Goodells via Wadhams and into downtown Port Huron. The former route, along Goodells, Sparling and Griswold Rds, is turned back to local control. In all, these changes also signified the completion of hard-surfacing to all of M-21 from coast-to-coast.
1932 (Oct 29) - Carlton St in Zeeland from Main Ave northerly to M-21/Washington Ave, no longer a signed portion of M-21 since August 1929, is finally transferred to local control.
1933 - A 3-mile, gravel-surfaced bypass of Pewamo opens (thus reversing the completed paving of M-21 just a year or two earlier!). The bypass is completely hard-surfaced within a year, however. The former route of M-21 through Pewamo is designated M-210. (In more modern times, M-210 would have been designated BUS M-21 instead.)
1939 - In early-1939, the former M-21 (redesignated as M-210) through Pewamo is removed and turned back to local control.
c.1945 - A new BYP M-21 (Bypass M-21) is created in the Grand Rapids area, beginning at jct M-21 & BYP US-16 (cnr 28th St & Chicago Dr) in Grandville, running easterly with BYP US-16 and BYP US-131 along 28th St to East Beltline Ave, then northerly with BYP US-131 along East Beltline Ave back to M-21 east of Grand Rapids.
1948 - All of M-21A from Flint to Davison is "decommissioned" as a state trunkline and turned back to local control.
1950 - The highway is realigned at Capac to remove two sharp 90-degree turns.
1952 - In mid-1952, the highway is realigned at Emmett to remove two more sharp 90-degree turns.
1953 - M-21 is rerouted in the Grand Rapids area to replace the BYP M-21 designation created a decade earlier along 28th St and East Beltline Ave. The former route of M-21 through Grand Rapids (along Chicago Dr, Grandville Ave, Franklin St, Eastern Ave and Fulton Ave) is re-designated as BUS M-21.
1954 - With the completion of the new US-31 bypass of Holland, M-21 between the new bypass and downtown is co-signed with a new BUS US-31 designation (and is not truncated at the bypass as previously believed). Why M-21 is not truncated at US-31 is not clear.
1956 - In mid-1956, a new southerly partially limited-access bypass of Zeeland begins appearing on official State Highway Dept maps, although it would not be officially assumed into the state trunkline highway system for another two years. While it is likely M-21 route markers are posted along the new bypass and removed from the former through-town routing (via Chicago Dr & Washington Ave) also likely has its route markers removed.
1958 (Mar 6) - The new "Zeeland Bypass" is officially assumed into the state trunkline system, although it appears to have opened to traffic two years earlier. At this same time, the former route of M-21 through downtown Zeeland via Chicago Dr and Washington Ave is turned back to local control, although it likely has not been marked as M-21 since mid-1956.
1964 - With the completion of the new I-196 freeway through Grand Rapids from I-96 east of town to Chicago Dr in Grandville, M-21 is rerouted to follow I-96 westerly (from present-day Exit 39) to I-196, then westerly along I-196 through Grand Rapids, then back onto its original routing (Chicago Dr). BUS M-21 is slightly extended at each end: from 28th St to the new I-196/M-21 freeway along Chicago Dr in Grandville; and from East Beltline Ave (M-44) to M-21 at I-96. The former M-21 routing along 28th St becomes a part of M-11, while the routing along East Beltline Ave becomes a part of M-44.
1966 - M-21 is rerouted onto a newly-constructed freeway from the Wadhams area into downtown Port Huron. The former route of M-21 (Lapeer Rd) is turned back to local control.
1971 - With the completion of the freeway connecting downtown Flint with M-24 south of Lapeer, the M-78 designation along that stretch is supplanted by the M-21 designation. The former M-21 along Davison and Genesee Rds is turned back to local control. West of Flint, M-21 is rerouted at M-13, heading southerly on M-13 through Lennon to the M-78 freeway, then easterly concurrently with M-78 into downtown Flint. The M-78 designation ends at BUS M-54/Saginaw St while the M-21 designation continues toward Lapeer. The former M-21 along Corunna Rd, Miller Rd and Court St between M-13 at Lennon and BUS M-54/Saginaw St in downtown Flint is re-designated as M-56.
1972 - BUS M-21 in Grand Rapids is sliced in half, with the portion to the east of US-131 along Franklin St and Eastern Ave & Fulton St is removed and turned back to municipal control. The remaining portion of BUS M-21 between Grandville and US-131 becomes a "spur" business routing.
1973 - The M-78 designation is removed from the portion of M-21 freeway concurrently designated with M-78 between M-13 at Lennon and downtown Flint and replaced by the newly-extended I-69 designation from Charlotte.
1974 - Approximately 34 miles of M-21 are lopped off the western end with the completion of I-196 between Holland and Grandville. The former route from US-31 at Holland to east of Zeeland becomes a part of a new BL I-196. The portion of Chicago Dr (Old M-21) from Zeeland to I-196 at Grandville becomes an unsigned state trunkline (then M-121 in 2007). The former BUS M-21 between I-196 and the Grandville/Wyoming city limit is turned back to local control, while the remaining portion of BUS M-21 from that point to US-131 becomes a new BS I-196. M-21 proper is extended westerly from I-96 at Exit 39 to end at M-37/M-44/East Beltline.
1983-84 - The first segment of the new M-21 freeway opens from M-19 at Emmett to the existing M-21 freeway west of Wadhams (west of Port Huron). The former route of M-21 between M-19 and Taylor Rd becomes an unsigned state trunkline. The remaining gap from M-24 at Lapeer to M-19 at Emmet is under construction as the M-21 freeway.
1984-85 - The entire freeway from Lapeer to Wadhams opens, not as M-21, but rather as an easterly extension of I-69! The length of M-21 is reduced by approximately 70 miles to end in Flint. Firstly, the M-56 designation which had replaced M-21 along Corunna & Miller Rds and Court St between M-13 and I-475/UAW Frwy in downtown Flint is re-designated as M-21. (M-56 ceases to exist as a state highway designation). The former M-13/M-21 through Lennon reverts back to just M-13, while the concurrently-designated M-21/I-69 between Lennon and Flint becomes just I-69. Between Flint and Port Huron the highway, including the M-21 freeway segments (I-475-to-M-24 and M-19-to-I-94) becomes I-69. The former route along Imlay City Rd from Lapeer to the Lapeer/St Clair Co line is turned back to local control, while the remainder in St Clair Co to Emmet becomes an unsigned state trunkline. The former M-21 into downtown Port Huron along the Griswold-Oak Sts pair is designated as BS I-69, ending at M-21's former terminus at M-25/Huron Ave.
2003 Updated - The 9.2 miles of unsigned OLD M-21 in St Clair Co, from M-19 at Emmett easterly to Taylor Rd, is turned back to county control.
2005 (Mar 3) Updated - The last 12.1 miles of unsigned OLD M-21 in St Clair Co, from the Lapeer Co line easterly to M-19 at Emmet, is transferred to county control.
Freeway/Expwy: No portion of M-21 is freeway or expressway.
NHS: From I-75/US-23 at Exit 118 on the west side of Flint to Saginaw St in downtown Flint.
Photographs:
Weblinks: • M-21 @ Michigan Highway Ends - photos of the termini of M-21 at Dan Garnell's excellent Michigan Highway Ends website.
M-22 Southern Terminus: US-31 five miles northeast of Manistee
Northern Terminus: Jct US-31/M-37 & M-22/M-72 (cnr Grandview Pkwy & Division St) in Traverse City
Length: 114.45 miles
Map: Route Map of M-22
Notes: M-22 is one of a handful of Michigan state highways which have a pronounced change in direction at some point along their route. In this route's case, the change in direction occurs at Northport, at the tip of the Leelanau Peninsula, Michigan's "Little Finger." M-22 approaches Northport from the Leland area on the south, comes to a "T" intersection at M-201's southern terminus, makes a hard right, and continues southerly toward Suttons Bay and Traverse City. Unlike some of Michigan's other "direction changing highways," M-22 does not have any signage indicating the change. In fact, in most of Leelanau Co, cardinal direction plates are not used in M-22 assemblies, for obvious reason.
According to Michigan State Highway Dept maps and sources from the 1930s, the department originally planned a "lakeshore alignment" for M-22 from CR-604/Glovers Lake Rd at Arcadia into CR-606/Grace Rd just south of Elberta. The shoreline route would have run between Lake Michigan and Lower Herring Lake as well, though several miles of sand dunes. Just over two miles of this shoreline route were graded out from Arcadia northerly to the Manistee/Benzie Co line before the plan was apparently halted for several years. By the mid-1940s, however, the plan for the shoreline route between Arcadia and Elberta was still in place, and an additional proposed shoreline route had been added from Point Betsie nrotheasterly along the Lake Michigan shore, merging back with the existing M-22 alignment at the Benzie/Leelanau Co line south of Empire. While not certain, it can be assumed these shoreline routings for M-22 were dropped in the 1950s, and M-22 continues to run generally along its 1930s alignment in Benzie Co. Additional evidence that the State Highway Dept had plans to relocate these two segments of M-22 as they were two of the last three gravel-surfaced stretches of the highway.
Approximately 60 miles of M-22 in Leelanau Co, from Empire to the jct with M-72, have been designated as a Scenic Heritage Route.
History: 1920 - The early route of M-22 is very close to the present-day routing of the highway, although in 1920, M-22 begins in Manistee and runs concurrently with M-11 (now US-31) for several miles before setting out on its own course. M-22 also uses the modern-day M-109 route between Empire and Glen Arbor, as well as a more inland route from Suttons Bay to Greilickville.
1922 - M-22 is realigned onto its modern-day course from the southern end of present-day M-109 (which is not a state trukline in 1922) to Glen Arbor, including a bridge crossing the constriction in Glen Lake. The former route of M-22 (along present-day M-109) is turned back to local control. It was also during the 1920s when the southern end of M-22 was scaled back to end at M-11 (now US-31) northeast of Manistee.
1929-30 - For a few years, sources seem to indicate the Glen Lake bridge was out of service and M-22 is temporarily rerouted to run around the south and east shores of Glen Lake via Burdickville. A state-maintained M-22 spur is retained westerly into Glen Arbor. A new Glen Lake bridge is completed in 1930 and M-22 is restored to its "regular" alignment into Glen Arbor from the south at this time.
1936 - A portion of M-22 is realigned to is present routing in Leelanau Co just north of Greilickville. Running northerly along the shore of the West Arm of Grand Traverse Bay along West Bay Shore Dr, M-22 continues northerly for 3 miles on this new alignment, then cuts back over to the former route along Center Hwy (Co Rd 633) via Crain Hill Rd. An additional 1.6 miles of state-maintained highway have been constructed along the bay shore northerly from Crain Hill Rd to the Elmwood/Bingham Twp line. It is assumed this spur does not carry a separate route designation, as it will later be incorporated into M-22.
1942 - As part of the "shoreline relocation" mentioned in the notes above, a short segment of new highway was graded from Arcadia northerly to the Manistee/Benzie Co line by the Works Progress Administration by 1939, but construction temporarily halted. That segment is finally completed in 1942, and the roadway is curved east from the northern end of the segment to meet back up with the existing M-22 alignment at Matzinger Rd in southwestern Benzie Co. The former route of M-22 along Glovers Lake and St Pierre Rds is turned back to local control.
1945 - The final gravel segment of M-22, between Leland and Northport, is paved.
1949 - In late-1939, M-22 is realigned between Crain Hill Rd north of Greilickville and downtown Suttons Bay to follow the western shore of the West Arm of Grand Travese Bay, finishing the process begun in the mid-1930s. The former route along Crain Hill Rd and Center Hwy is turned back to local control.
Freeway/Expwy: No portion of M-22 is freeway or expressway.
Circle Tour: Lake Michigan Circle Tour: Entire route.
Photographs:
Weblinks: • M-22 @ Michigan Highway Ends - photos of the termini of M-22 at Dan Garnell's excellent Michigan Highway Ends website.
• M-22 Transportation Corridor - from The Leelanau Conservancy.
• M-22 in Leelanau awarded National Scenic Byway funding - from MDOT.
US-23 Southern Entrance: From Ohio southeast of Ottawa Lake and southwest of Lambertville (17 miles south of Dundee)
Northern Terminus: I-75 at Exit 338 in Mackinaw City
Length: 364.07 miles
Map: Route Map of US-23
Notes: For details on the proposed US-23 freeway, please see the "The Tug-of-War that is the US-23 Freeway" article in the In-Depth section. A summary of the Environmental Impact Statement for the proposed US-23 Standish-Tawas freeway is available for your perusal, as it originally appeared on the MDOT website.
In the early days, US-23 between Toledo and Flint was considered somewhat of a "secondary" route. Today, however, it is one of Michigan's busier freeways through that stretch, carrying traffic around Metro Detroit as well as high levels of Ann Arbor commuter traffic.
According to site contributor Ron Wilbanks, the original alignment for a US-23 bypass of Ann Arbor was along the present-day routing of Huron Parkway in the eastern portion of the city. This early bypass, proposed in the early 1950s according to Mr. Wilbanks, would not have been a controlled-access freeway, and if it had been constructed, might have drastically altered the freeway development in the Ann Arbor area. In anticipation of the new "bypass," the University of Michigan purchased a great deal of land in the northeastern portion of Ann Arbor so as to be able to expand their campus toward the new highway. After re-evaluating their plans for freeways around the state in the mid-1950s, Mr. Willbanks states that the of State Highway Dept. decided instead to build the current limited-access freeway bypass futher away from town in order to have enough room for interchanges and right-of-way. Later, the present-day Huron Parkway was constructed on the proposed US-23 bypass alignment as a four-lane boulevard. This information has also been supported by various MDOT maps and sources from the 1930s and 1940s. —Thanks Ron!
In the decades before the completion of the Mackinac Bridge, the northern terminus of US-23 (and US-27 & US-31, for that matter) was at the State Ferry Docks in Mackinaw City. In the village of Mackinaw City, all three highways combined together and ran to the docks. In the years leading up to the construction of the Bridge, massive traffic delays were all too common, at times backing up as far as Cheboygan more than 15 miles distant! When the Mackinac Bridge was opened on November 1, 1956, the US Highway designations were similarly grouped together and extended to the southernmost end of the Bridge where they ended. (US-27 did continue across the bridge for a short time before I-75 replaced it.) US-23 and US-31 shared a common northern terminus at the southern end of the Bridge until the early 1990s.
According to Scott "Kurumi" Oglesby, the remainder of the "non-freeway" portion of US-23 from Standish to Mackinaw City via Tawas and Alpena was proposed for inclusion in the Interstate Highway System as a part of the Federal Aid Highway Act of 1968. While no route designation is indicated, this route, had it been approved, may have been designated I-73, as that route number had not yet been used back in the late-1960s. For more information, see Scott's Interstate System Add Requests: March 1970.
History: 1926 - When the US Highway System debuts in 1926, US-23 is routed the length of the Lower Peninsula, entering Michigan from Ohio at Toledo and ending at the Straits of Mackinac. The new US-23 is routed along existing state trunkline highways in its entirety. From the Ohio line northerly through Ida to Ypsilanti, US-23 replaces M-65, then turns westerly—still replacing the M-65 designation—running concurrently with M-17 into downtown Ann Arbor where US-23 again turns northerly supplanting M-65 through Brighton and Fenton, meeting with the new US-10 at Flint. From Flint to Saginaw, US-10 and US-23 run concurrently along what had been M-10. From Saginaw, US-23 continues northerly replacing M-10 into Bay City and further via Pinconning to Standish and northeasterly to Omer. The new US-23 then bends northerly again via Twining and Whittemore before turning east running into Tawas City. From there, US-23—still supplanting M-10—continues northerly and easterly into Oscoda, then northerly again via Lincoln and Spruce to Alpena. US-23 then turns westerly to Lachine and northerly again via Posen and into Rogers City. US-23, following the former M-10, then runs westerly via Onaway and Tower before curving northerly again via Aloha to Cheboyan, bending northwesterly to Mackinaw City and its northern terminus. In all, US-23 replaces all of M-65 and a major portion of M-10 within Michigan.
1928 - A short realignment moves US-23 off a portion of the present-day Old Mackinaw Tr near the hamlet of Freedom in northwestern Cheboygan Co and onto its present alignment. The former route is turned back to local control.
1929 - US-23 is transferred from the western to the eastern shore of the Saginaw River between Saginaw and Bay City, along the route of present-day M-13 between those cities. The former route of US-23 west of the river, according to trusted sources, is intially redesignated as US-23A. That designation, however, disappears from all official maps by late 1930 or early 1931, and is replaced by M-47 (now M-84). It can be assumed AASHO (today's AASHTO) denied Michigan's request for the US-23A designation, forcing the state to substitute a state trunkline designation for the route instead. Also in 1929, US-23 is realigned onto the rest of its present alignment from Cheboygan northwesterly toward Freedom, with the former route along Old Mackinaw Tr being turned back to local control.
1930 - A relatively major realignment occurs in Monroe and Washtenaw Cos. From its junction with M-50 north of Ida, US-23 is rerouted westerly along M-50 into Dundee where US-23 now turns northerly to run through Azalia and Milan and due northerly back to the former alignment at M-17/Washtenaw Ave between Ypsilanti and Ann Arbor. The portion of the former route from M-50 northerly to M-130 is redesignated as part of M-130, with the remainder from there through Maybee, Oakville and Whittaker into downtown Ypsilanti being turned back to local control. The interesting point is that this rerouting is only meant as a temporary measure until a proposed route of US-23 on brand-new alignment can be built linking the existing highway at Ida with the east side of Milan on a roadway running generally along the east side of the Saline River. Throughout the 1930s, the Dundee-Milan routing of US-23 is only considered temporary by the Dept of State Highways.
1931 - Changes to US-23 this year include:
  • A short realignment is completed in southeastern Livingston Co when US-23 is routed onto present-day Whitmore Lake Rd from 8 Mile Rd northerly to US-16/Grand River Ave southeast of Brighton. From there, US-23 runs northwesterly with US-16 back to its former alignment in Brighton. Much of the former route along Lemen, 9 Mile, Spicer, Musch, Winans Lake and Rickett Rds is turned back to local control, with the exception of the 9 Mile Rd segment, which becomes part of M-36.
  • US-23 is rerouted from Bay City to Kawkawlin westerly from downtown Bay City along M-20/Midland Ave, then onto the present-day route of M-13 along Euclid Ave and Huron Rd northerly to Kawkawlin and the former alignment. The old route of US-23 along Henry St and Old Kawkawlin Rd in Bay City is redesignated as an extension of M-29 (predecessor to present-day M-25).
  • Additionally during 1931, a 6-mile stretch of state trunkline is completed from the 90-degree turn in US-23 east of Omer (present-day jct US-23 & M-65) into the village of Au Gres. This highway, which would become part of a rerouted US-23 within a year, does not carry a route designation during 1931.
1932 - The realignment in Arenac & Iosco Cos is completed when a segment of new highway is completed from Au Gres via Alabaster to Tawas City, and assigned the US-23 designation. The former segment of US-23 from just east of Omer northerly via Twining and Whittemore to M-55 is designated as M-65, while the east-west portion from there easterly into Tawas City is redesignated as an extension of M-55.
1933 - US-23 is realigned in Alcona & Alpena Cos along two miles of present F-41 and onto its present-day alignment from the northern jct of F-41 to Werth Rd southwest of Alpena. The former route of US-23 along Roe, Gillard and E Spruce Rds in Alcona Co, and along Spruce and Werth Rds in Alpena Co is redesignated as M-171.
1933-34 - In 1933, approximately 8 miles of new highway are completed along the Lake Huron shoreline from Au Sable southerly to present-day Scott Rd. This segment is likely not signed until the next year, when five more miles of new highway are completed into East Tawas, connecting with the former alignment of US-23 there. The US-23 designation is transferred to the new lakeshore routing, while the fomer inland route along Monument, Wilber, Galion, Sherman, Curtis, Brooks, Esmond, Wells and Au Sable Rds is turned back to local control.
1935 - A 14-mile stretch of future US-23 east of Cheboygan is completed as a "graded earth" road to the Presque Isle Co line, but is not yet designated as part of US-23. The remainder of the route between the county line and the northern terminus of M-91 between P.H. Hoeft State Park and Hammond is under construction. Also begun is construction on a new easterly alignment between Harrisville and the Alcona/Alpena Co line. In both instances, US-23 maintains its inland routing.
1935-36 - Another "shoreline rerouting" project moves US-23 closer to Lake Huron in Alcona Co. A three-mile segment of new highway is completed in 1935 from M-72 in Harrisville northerly, while an eight-mile segment of new highway is completed from the existing US-23 (at present-day northern jct of US-23 & F-41) southeasterly to near the community of Alcona in early 1936. By the end of 1936, the last four-mile stretch in between the completed segments is completed and the entire new highway north of Harrisville is designated as US-23, with all of M-72 from Harrisville southerly to Oscoda being redesignated as part of US-23 as well. The former inland route of US-23 through Lincoln is redesignated as M-171, while the older M-171—itself an older route of US-23—is removed from the state highway system and transferred back to local control.
1936 - US-23 is routed to the east of Brighton, bypassing the city on the current route of Old US-23 north of Grand River Ave to Hilton Rd. The former concurrent US-16/US-23 designation on Grand River Ave from Whitmore Lake Rd into downtown Brighton reverts to just US-16, while the former US-23 along Flint & Hilton Rds is transferred to local control.
1938 - The final 17 miles of US-23 from Cheboygan to Mackinaw City are concurrently designated with a northerly extension of US-27. Formerly, US-27 had ended in Cheboygan at US-23.
1939 - Another 11 miles of new highway are completed from Alpena northerly to the Alpena/Presque Isle Co line in early 1939, but this segment is not yet assigned a highway designation, pending completion of the portion of the highway still under construction from the county line northwesterly to Rogers City. In late 1939, however, the remaining 13 miles of new highway from the Alpena/Presque Isle Co line to the existing US-23 southeast of Rogers City is completed and opened to traffic, signed as US-23. The former US-23/M-32 concurrency from Alpena westerly to Lachine reverts to just M-32, while the portion from Lachine northerly via Posen to just southeast of Rogers City is designated as an extension of M-65.
1940 - The first segment of the relocated US-23 between Hartland and Fenton opens from just south of Hartland to present-day Faussett Rd along today's Old US-23, but is not designated as US-23 pending completion of the remainder of the relocation.
1941 - Three realignments of US-23 take place. They are:
  • The remainder of the Hartland-Fenton realignment is completed from Faussett Rd northerly to Shiawassee Rd southwest of downtown Fenton along present-day Old US-23. The former alignment of US-23 along Hartland Rd is turned back to local control.
  • Lafayette Ave and Salzburg Ave in southern Bay City are transferred to state control and designated as US-23, with that designation continuing northerly with M-47 on Euclid Ave back to the existing US-23 (at Midland St) in western Bay City. The former US-23 through downtown Bay City on Garfield Ave, Washington Ave and Midland St is redesignated as BUS US-23, one of a new crop of BUSINESS US routes designated in Michigan this year.
  • The final major relocation of US-23 north of Standish is completed between Rogers City and Cheboygan, running along the Lake Huron shoreline for the entire route. From Rogers City northwesterly to the Hammond Bay area, US-23 supplants the M-91 designation in its entirety. From Hammon Bay northwesterly to Cheboygan, US-23 runs along new highway constructed over the previous six years. The former US-23 from Rogers City westerly to Onaway is redesignated as M-68, with the east-west stretch west of Onaway becoming a concurrent M-33/M-68, and from M-68 northerly to US-27 south of Cheboygan, the former US-23 is redesignated as part of M-33. In all, this new alignment saves about 12 miles on the trip from Rogers City to Cheboygan over the old route.
1942 - M-65 from US-23 south of Rogers City into downtown and a portion of what had been designated M-91 previously from downtown northwesterly back to the new US-23 northwest of downtown Rogers City is designated as BUS US-23.
1947 - US-23 is realigned onto new highway (present-day Ann Arbor Rd) from M-50 west of Dundee northerly to Cone Rd just north of Azalia. The former route along Dundee-Azalia Rd is turned back to local control, with a portion of this route now consumed by the Dundee Cement Co plant north of Dundee. Also in 1947, the last remaining gravel-surfaced segment of US-23, in northwestern Presque Isle Co, is paved.
1951 - A new highway alignment is constructed starting at Cone Rd near Azalia (in Monroe Co) east of the old alignment and bypassing Milan to the east. This new highway is to be later incorporated into the US-23 freeway, explaining the two very narrow, single span railroad overpasses at Milan and Cone Rd, originally not constructed for a four-lane freeway.
1953 - A new eastern bypass of Saginaw is completed from Bridgeport to M-81 northeast of Saginaw. US-23 is routed along this new bypass to M-81, then westerly with M-81 back to the existing route. The former route through Saginaw becomes BUS US-23.
1957 - A 10-mile segment of US-23 expressway is completed from north of downtown Ann Arbor to Baker Rd in Whitmore Lake. The former route of US-23 along Whitmore Lake Rd is turned back to local control.
1957 (Nov 1) - In Mackinaw City, the US-23/US-27 routing is transferred to a new roadway leading to the Mackinac Bridge approach, joining US-31. US-23 and US-31 both end at the southernmost point of the Mackinac Bridge, while US-27 continues across into the Upper Peninsula.
1958 - US-23 is transferred onto the newly-opened "Fenton-Clio Expressway," a fully controlled-access freeway linking US-23 at the Livingston/Genesee County line at Fenton with Birch Run Rd at Birch Run. The former US-23 from Fenton to downtown Flint is turned back to local control, while the portions paired with BUS US-10 and US-10 retain those other designations. Evidence points to this freeway opening in two segments: Fenton to Miller Rd at Flint, then from Miller Rd northerly to Birch Run, likely within several months of each other.
1959 - Early in 1958, the initial 8 miles of freeway connecting US-223 at Sylvania, Ohio with M-50 & US-23 at Dundee are completed between M-50 and Summerfield Rd. By the end of the year, the entire 18-mile freeway from Sylvania northerly to Dundee is open to traffic and signed as part of US-23. The former route of US-23 along Lewis Ave from the Ohio state line to M-50 is turned back to local control, while the concurrent stretch along M-50 westerly into Dundee retains the M-50 designation. Also in 1959, another short segment of US-23 freeway is completed from M-81 at the north end of the US-23 Saginaw Bypass to M-13 just northwest, while a new Saginaw River crossing is under construction.
1960 - Several changes come to US-23 in 1960:
  • The I-75 designation is added to US-23 on the "Fenton-Clio Expressway" from Maple Rd southwest of Flint northerly to the terminus of the freeway at Birch Run Rd east of downtown Birch Run. The US-23 designation is, of course, retained.
  • A segment of US-23 freeway opens from 8 Mile Rd at Whitmore Lake northerly to Lee Rd southeast of Brighton, 1 mile south of jct. US-16. The former route of US-23 along present-day Whitmore Lake Rd is turned back to local control.
  • Additionally, a segment of the I-75/US-10/US-23 freeway opens from the jct of US-23 & M-13, crosses the Saginaw River on a four-lane bascule bridge (drawbridge) and continues northerly past Bay City (where the US-10 freeway departs for Midland), ending in Kawkawlin. The US-10 designation is moved onto the Saginaw bypass and the newly completed freeway north to Bay City. The former alignment of US-23 between Saginaw and Kawkawlin becomes an extension of M-13. The former BUS US-23 through Saginaw becomes, in part, BL I-75.
1961 - Five more US-23 freeway segments open to traffic:
  • From M-50 at Dundee to the fomer alignment (Carpenter Rd) north of Milan, using much of the two-lane route completed in 1951.
  • The four-lane divided expressway between Ann Arbor and 8 Mile Rd at Whitmore Lake is converted to full-freeway standards. Overpasses and interchanges are constructed making the route fully-controlled access.
  • From the northern end of the freeway at Lee Rd southeast of Brighton, a new segment of freeway ties into a new interchange with the I-96/US-16/Brighton-Farmington Expressway
  • The four-lane divided expressway from just north of M-59 at Hartland to the southern end of the "Fenton-Clio Expressway" at Fenton is completed.
  • Finally, from the northern end of the "Fenton-Clio Expressway" at Birch Run to the southern end of the freeway opened to traffic in 1959 at M-81 northeast of Saginaw, the freeway is opened. Between Bridgeport and M-81, the two-lane bypass completed in 1952 is used for part of the new freeway. The former US-23 south of Bridgeport along Dixie Hwy is turned back to local control.
The last two segments above form a 75-mile long US-23 freeway from Hartland in Livingston Co to Kawkawlin in central Bay Co.
1962 - Two additional segments of US-23 freeway open to traffic, completing a 150-mile long US-23 freeway from the Ohio state line through to Kawkawlin, north of Bay City:
  • From the northern end of the freeway just north of Milan then northerly around Ann Arbor, connecting with the completed freeway north of Ann Arbor (present-day Exit 45). The former route of US-23 between Milan and M-17/Washtenaw Ave is turned over to local control. The portion along Washtenaw Ave, Huron St & Main St through downtown Ann Arbor is designated as BUS US-23.
  • From the north end of the freeway at I-96 at Brighton to south end of the freeway north of M-59, south of Hartland. The former route is turned back to local control.
1965 - The M-14 freeway connectors are completed east from US-23 (present-day Exit 42) and west (present-day Exit 45), with the three miles in between concurrently designated as US-23/M-14.
1967 - A thirty-mile segment of US-23 freeway opens from the existing US-23 freeway 3 miles south of Kawkawlin northerly to end at the former alignment of US-23 three miles south of Standish. The former route from Kawkawlin to the north end of the freeway south of Standish becomes ALT US-23 at first, but then is redesignated as a further extension of M-13 when AASHTO refuses to allow the ALT US-23 designation to remain. The three mile segment of former US-23 freeway south of Kawkawlin bypassed by the new freeway is re-designated as CONN M-13.
1973 - With the completion of the last I-75 freeway segment between Standish and Grayling, the I-75 designation is routed northerly over the US-23 freeway from Bay City to Standish and beyond.
1977 - US-223 is rerouted to follow the former routing fo M-151 east to US-23 at Exit 5, then southerly along with US-23 into Ohio.
1987 - US-10 in Michigan is shortened by approximately 110 miles from its former terminus in downtown Detroit to a new terminus at I-75/US-23 Exit 162 at Bay City. I-75/US-10/US-23 from Mile 115 at Flint to Mile 162 becomes just I-75/US-23. It took MDOT seven years to finally remove all the US-10 shields from this portion of the route.
1993-94 - The bulk of the US-10 route markers posted along I-75/US-23 between Flint and Bay City are finally removed. The US-10 designation was removed from this route in 1987.
1994 - A new US-23 freeway is announced to run from the north end of the current freeway at M-13 south of Standish to M-55 west of Tawas City at first, then later northeasterly to the Oscoda area. As with such projects many groups and individuals came out for and against the new freeway. Complete information on the proposal can be found in "The Tug-of-War that is the US-23 Freeway" in the In-Depth section of this website.
1999 - As detailed in "The Tug-of-War that is the US-23 Freeway," the proposed US-23 freeway is dealt a setback by the federal government. MDOT, however, continues to plan for the eventuality of an upgraded facility of some type between Standish and Oscoda.
2004 (May 6) - US-23 from Standish to Mackinaw City is officialy designated as a Recreational Heritage Route and given the moniker "Sunrise Side Coastal Highway." According to MDOT: "Initiated by Rep. Sheltrown and Tom Ferguson of Michigan's Sunrise Side Travel Association in the summer of 2001, the process began with the collection of resolutions of support from local units of government along the route. Northeast Michigan Council of Governments and East Michigan Planning & Development were contracted to develop a management plan for the route with the guidance and advice of local volunteers." More from the MDOT Press Release.
Freeway: Ohio state line to M-13 south of Standish. (190.3 miles)
NHS: From its southern entrance at the Ohio state line to M-32 in downtown Alpena.
Circle Tour: Lake Huron Circle Tour: From M-13 south of Standish to US-23's northern terminus in Mackinaw City.
Business Connections: BUS US-23- Ann Arbor. From US-23 at Exit 37 east of Ann Arbor to jct US-23 & M-14 (at Exit 45) north of Ann Arbor.
Updated Former BUS US-23 - Fenton. A somewhat unique pair of former spur routes from US-23 at Exit 78 into downtown (formerly mostly unsigned) and from US-23 at Exit 79 into downtown (formerly signed). Decommissioned December 7, 2006.
BUS US-23 - Rogers City. From US-23 south of Rogers City, through downtown, back to US-23 in the northwestern portion of the city.
Continue on: US-23 into Ohio - John Simpson's Ohio Highways Website.
Photographs:
Weblinks: • US-23 @ Michigan Highway Ends - photos of the termini of US-23 at Dan Garnell's excellent Michigan Highway Ends website.
• The Tug-of-War that is the US-23 Freeway - detailing the proposed US-23 freeway between Standish and Oscoda.
• US-23/Ocqueoc River Bridge - from MDOT, "This bridge is one of only three known surviving examples of deck truss highway bridges in Michigan.
• US-23 Sunrise Coastal Highway - "A peaceful ride along the Lake Huron shore in Alcona County can begin at Greenbush Township on the south or Caledonia Township on the north."
• Mackinac Straits Historical Photos - a collection of photos from the 1950s with scenes during and just after construction of the Mackinac Bridge.
US-24 Southern Entrance: Ohio state line five miles south of Erie (15 miles south of Monroe)
Northern Terminus: I-75 at Exit 93 west of Clarkston
Length: 78.58 miles
Map: Route Map of US-24
Notes: The vast majority of the route (from Toledo, Ohio to Dixie Hwy in Waterford Twp) is known as Telegraph Rd. The road was so named due to the telegraph lines running alongside the road for a great distance more than a century ago. Telegraph Rd was an excellent choice for the lines, as it runs in a straight line for long distances, and as we all know, the shortest distance between two points is a straight line... Michigan's Telegraph Rd is not unique, however, as many other Telegraph Roads exist or once existed around the country.
US-24 in Michigan exists as an exception to the standard US Highway numbering scheme. Even-numbered US highways were laid out to run east-west, while odd-numbered routes run north-south. Outside Michigan, US-24 is indeed an east-west highway. However, since the route within Michigan runs from Toledo on the south to Clarkston on the north, MDOT has (rightfully) signed this highway as a north-south route.
Some question as arisen as to the precise northern terminus of US-24 in Oakland Co as the actual "US-24 ENDS" route marker assembly on nbd Dixie Hwy sits north (past) the I-75 interchange. What these "ENDS" signs more accurately indicate is the end of the state trunkline highway (and, therefore, state-funded maintenance) rather than the end of the US-24 route. While it is odd for route terminus signage to be configured in this manner, it is very common for state maintenance on a particular roadway to extend for hundreds of yards or even a half-mile beyond what would be considered the terminus for the route designation.
History: 1925 - As laid out in the initial US Highway system plans, US-24 would have followed what was then designated M-56 (later US-25, now M-125) from Ohio into downtown Monroe, then jogged west to M-10 (now US-24) along Telegraph Rd and northerly along Telegraph toward Pontiac.
1926 - When the final plans for the US Highway system are approved and set in place, US-24 enters Michigan from Ohio and follows Telegraph Rd—its present routing—through Monroe and northerly through Wayne County past the western edge of Detroit. From 7 Mile Rd northerly, Telegraph Rd is not yet complete, so a temporary routing from there into Pontiac is necessary. Initially, it seems the US-24 designation runs northwesterly along US-16/Grand River Ave to Farmington, then northerly along Orchard Lake Rd into Pontiac. Soon after, though, sources show US-24 turning easterly along 7 Mile Rd from Telegraph Rd to Southfield Rd, then northerly along Southfield Rd, ending at US-10/Woodward Ave in downtown Birmingham.
1930 - Telegraph Rd from 7 Mile Rd in Detroit to Square Lake Rd near Pontiac is completed and the US-24 designation is transferred to the new highway. The former route of US-24 along 7 Mile Rd and Southfield Rd is turned back to local control.
1944 - What would become ALT US-24 is completed from Ohio, 5 miles south of Erie, northerly to US-25 at Erie, then northeasterly along US-25/South Dixie Hwy to M-151/Luna Pier Rd, then west for 0.6 mile to end at US-24/Telegraph Rd. Initially, this route is signed as ALT US-25, however.
c.1946 - The route of ALT US-25 in southern Monroe Co is redesignated ALT US-24.
1956 - The first 30 miles of the Detroit-Toledo Expressway opens from ALT US-24 at Erie, northerly past Monroe, ending at the intersection of Fort St & Allen Rd at Gibraltar, and is designated ALT US-24. The ALT US-24 designation continues northerly from the end of the freeway at Fort St along Allen Rd to West Rd, then west for 2 miles along West Rd, ending at the intersection of US-24/Telegraph Rd & US-25/Toledo Hwy. The former ALT US-24 routing from the freeway to US-25/South Dixie Hwy becomes a "connector" route, while the concurrent segments with US-25 and M-151 retain those other designations.
1957 - The Detroit-Toledo Expressway, designated ALT US-24, is extended northerly from the M-85/Fort St interchange to West Rd. At the end of the highway at West Rd, the ALT US-24 routing continues west back to US-24/US-25 as before. The former route of ALT US-24 along Allen Rd and West Rd east of the new highway is turned back to local control.
1958 - The ALT US-24/Detroit-Toledo Expwy is extended northerly from West Rd to end at the cnr of US-25/Toledo Hwy & Sibley Rd west of Wyandotte. Temporarily, the ALT US-24 routing does not reconnect with US-24, its parent route, at its northern end.
1959 - The ALT US-24 designation is removed from the Detroit-Toledo Expwy and replaced by the brand-new I-75 designation.
1963 - The "TO I-75" designation is added to US-24/Telegraph Rd from Eureka Rd west of Wyandotte to jct M-102/Eight Mile Rd to connect a pair of completed segments of I-75 north and south of Detroit.
1966 - With the completion of another segment of I-75, the "TO I-75" designation is removed from US-24/Telegraph Rd.
1970 - With the renumbering of the John C Lodge Expwy from BS I-696 to US-10, the US-10 designation is rerouted onto US-24/Telegraph Rd from Southfield to US-24's northern terminus at Square Lake Rd southwest of downtown Pontiac. Even though the US-10 and US-24 designations are concurrent for US-24's final 8 miles, the US-24 designation is retained and ends at Square Lake Rd while US-10 continues northerly on Telegraph Rd.
1973 - The US-25 designation is "decommissioned" in Michigan and the co-signed US-24/US-25 segment between Monroe and southern Wayne Co becomes just US-24.
1986 - With the decommissioning of US-10 south of Bay City, the concurrently-designated portion of Telegraph Rd between Southfield and Pontiac becomes just US-24, while the portions of Telegraph Rd and Dixie Hwy from Square Lake Rd at Pontiac to I-75 at Exit 93 near Clarkston is re-designated as an extension of US-24, replacing the US-10 designation. BUS US-10 through downtown Pontiac along Square Lake Rd, Woodward Ave, Wide Track Dr, Saginaw St and Dixie Hwy is re-designated BUS US-24.
Freeway/Expwy: No portion of US-24 is freeway or expressway.
NHS: From I-275 at Exit 2 north of Monroe to US-24's northern terminus at I-75 at Exit 93 northwest of Clarkston.
Business Connections: CONN US-24 - Erie. From I-75 at Exit 1 south of Erie to US-24/Telegraph Rd.
CONN US-24 - Woodhaven. From US-24 at the cnr of Telegraph Rd, Toledo Hwy & West Rd in Brownstown Twp to I-75 at Exit 34.
CONN US-24 - Taylor. From US-24/Telegraph Rd just south of Eureka Rd in Taylor to I-75 at Exit 35.
BUS US-24 - Pontiac. From US-24 at cnr of Telegraph Rd & Square Lake Rd southwest of Pontiac to US-24 at cnr Telegraph Rd & Dixie Hwy northwest of Pontiac.
Continue on: US-24 into Ohio - John Simpson's Ohio Highways Website.
Photographs:
Weblinks: • US-24 @ Michigan Highway Ends - photos of the termini of US-24 at Dan Garnell's excellent Michigan Highway Ends website.
M-24 Southern Terminus: I-75 at Exit 81 (at jct I-75 & BL I-75) in Auburn Hills northeast of Pontiac
Northern Terminus: M-25 in downtown Unionville (cnr Center St & Bay St)
Length: 74.30 miles
Map: Route Map of M-24
Notes: A northerly extension of M-24 between Caro and Unionville was completed in 1997. Much of the southern portion of this new extension was built on new alignment north of Caro, while the remainder runs along Unionville Rd, partially replacing the M-138 designation between the junction with that highway and M-25in Unionville. M-24 was extended, in part, to provide an all-weather route between M-81 and M-25. All-weather highways are important in Michigan's Thumb region, as the production of sugar from sugar beets is a leading industry in the area.
Before the extension from Caro to Unionville was complete, M-24's length from Auburn Hills to Caro was 59.57 miles.
While M-24 and US-24 seem to pass by rather closely (and at one time, US-24's northern terminus was also M-24's southern terminus), M-24 was never a part of US-24, nor was it intended to be. The two similar and nearby designations is a remnant from an era when the State Highway Department created similar situations elsewhere, including US-25 meeting M-25 at Port Austin, US-131 meeting M-131 (now M-119) at Fife Lake and later Petoskey, and US-112 and M-112 co-existing between Ypsilanti and Detroit.
History: 1920 - The "original" M-24 in Michigan runs along a route considered to be the "classic" routing of M-20 from Muskegon to Midland via Fremont, Big Rapids and Mount Pleasant, then southeasterly along what later became US-10 then M-47 into Saginaw. In a sense, the first iteration of M-24 is somewhat of a "northern alternate" route to M-46, which also runs between Muskegon and Saginaw.
1922 - M-24 is realigned in eastern Isabella and western Midland Counties. From Shepherd Rd, M-24 now turns northerly from Broadway Rd to Pickard Rd, then continues easterly on Pickard Rd (Isabella Co) and Isabella Rd (Midland Co) into Midland. The former route along Remus and East County Line Rds (Isabella Co), and along Salt River, Miller and Chippewa River Rds (Midland Co) are turned back to local control.
1926 - With the debut of the US Highway system in Michigan, many route designation changes occur across the state. One such change is the redesignation of all of M-24 from Muskegon through to Midland as a new routing of M-20. Much of what had been M-20 is now part of US-10. From Midland to Saginaw, the remainder of the "original" M-24 becomes part of US-10. The M-24 designation is immediately reapplied, though in what seems to be two disconnected segments at first. From the northern terminus of the new US-24 at Pontiac, M-24 now runs along what had been M-36 northerly through Oxford to M-21 at Lapeer. M-24 then picks back up at M-38 in downtown Vassar and runs northwesterly to end at M-29 (present-day M-25) in Bay City.
c.1927-30 - While a more permanent routing is under contemplation, M-24 is temporarily routed west from the northern end of the southern segment in Lapeer along M-21 to Davison, then northerly with M-15 to Vassar and the southern end of the northern segment. This solves the discontinuous problem noted above.
1930 - M-24 is realigned to its own routing north of Lapeer, running northerly from M-21 at Lapeer to M-38 at Mayville, then turning westerly, follows along M-38 into Vassar.
1933 - A new alignment of M-24 is completed from Dryden Rd at Metamora to Lapeer. The old route along Metamora, Hunters Creek and Clark Rds is turned back to local control.
19___ - A new alignment of M-24 is completed from Metamora Rd north of Oxford to Dryden Rd at Metamora. The old route along Metamora Rd is turned back to local control.
1934 - From Vassar to its northern terminus at Bay City, M-24 is concurrently designated with M-15.
1936 - A new M-24 eastern bypass of Pontiac is completed when the M-24 designation is transferred to Opdyke and Square Lake Rds along Pontiac's eastern and southern boundaries, continuing westerly along Square Lake Rd to its terminus at jct M-58 & US-24/Telegraph Rd. The former route of M-24 through downtown Pontiac along Perry St, Parke St and Woodward Ave is designated M-24A.
1940 - Around this time, the State Highway Department begins embracing a new type of route designation: the Business Connection (e.g. Business Routes, Loops and Spurs). In late 1940, M-24A through downtown Pontiac is, accordingly, redesignated as BUS M-24.
1942 - The northern end of M-24 is shifted away from Bay City and, instead, toward Caro. Formerly running northwesterly from Mayville to Bay City via Vassar and Richville, M-24 now runs due north from M-38 to end at M-81 in downtown Caro. The fromer route of M-24 along M-38 between Mayville and Vassar retains the M-38 designation, while the concurrent segment with M-15 from Vassar to Bay City retains the M-15 designation.
1949 - In mid-1949, a new alignment at Mayville simplifies the routing of M-24, which now enters the town from the east instead of the south.
1950 - M-24 is realigned on the north side of Lapeer, from Saginaw Rd onto a newly constructed portion of Lapeer Rd.
1953 - M-24 is realigned onto a new highway bypassing the downtown area of Mayville and shaving more than 1/2-mile from the route.
1957 - The final 5 miles of gravel-surfaced M-24, south of Caro, are paved.
1961 - US-10 is realigned to bypass Pontiac to the west replacing the M-58 designation in its entirety. Due to this, the former M-24/M-58 segment of Square Lake Rd becomes US-10/M-24, while the former US-10/BUS M-24 segment of Woodward Ave becomes BUS US-10/BUS M-24.
1963 - With the completion of I-75 around the east side of Pontiac, M-24 is scaled back to end at jct BL I-75 at the I-75 connector at Exit 81 on the northeast side of Pontiac. The former M-24 along Opdyke Rd on the east side of Pontiac is turned back to local control, while the former route along Square Lake Rd between Opdyke and Woodward Ave becomes a part of the newly-designated BL I-75. The remaining portion of the former BUS US-10/M-24 along Square Lake between Woodward and Telegraph Rd becomes just a portion of BUS US-10. All of BUS M-24 through downtown Pontiac becomes a part of the new BL I-75. This is the first time since the mid-1920s that US-24 and M-24 do not touch.
c.1992 - M-24 is rerouted from E Frank St onto Ellington St in Caro in preparation for the completion of the M-24 extension.
1997 - The M-24 extension north of Caro opens to traffic. From M-81 in Caro, the extension runs northerly for 1.5 miles via Cleaver Rd, then westerly for 4 miles on newly-built highway, then northerly again along Unionville Rd to M-138 east of Akron. From there, M-24 replaces the M-138 designation northerly into Unionville.
Freeway/Expwy: No portion of M-24 is freeway or expressway.
NHS: From I-75 at Exit 81 northeast of downtown Pontiac to I-69 at Exit 155 south of Lapeer.
Photographs:
Weblinks: • M-24 @ Michigan Highway Ends - photos of the termini of M-24 at Dan Garnell's excellent Michigan Highway Ends website.
US-25 HISTORIC
U.S. HIGHWAY		 Existing from 1926 until the mid-1970s, US-25 connected Port Austin and Port Huron with Detroit and on south through Monroe and into Ohio at Toledo. Today, I-94 and I-96 run along much of the general route followed by US-25 during its existence and the reasons for its "decommissioning" in the 1970s. Please see the Historic US-25 pages for more information on this historic U.S. Highway.
M-25 Southern Terminus: Jct BL I-69/BL I-94 at the cnr of Pine Grove Ave & Hancock St on the north side of Port Huron
Western Terminus: I-75/US-23 at Exit 162 with jct US-10 & BS I-75, three miles west of downtown Bay City
Length: 154.67 miles
Map: Route Map of M-25
Notes: M-25 has a southern and western terminus, since the highway runs first north, then west, south, then west again, staying near the Lake Huron and Saginaw Bay shorelines for much of its length.
As those with somewhat longer memories or those who are students of the Michigan state trunkline system may recall, there was a US-25 in Michigan at one time. While US-25 was one of the original US Highways in Michigan, dating back to the system's debut in 1926, it was only routed from Toledo, Ohio northerly into Detroit, then northeasterly from there to Port Huron, where US-25 ended. North of Port Huron, the shoreline highway was part of M-29 which ran northerly from Port Huron to Port Austin, then continued on to Bay City. It was not until the early-1930s that the US-25 designation was extended northerly from Port Huron to the tip of the Thumb, where it ended at Port Austin. Contrary to logical assumption, US-25 never continued on around the Thumb to Bay City, however.
History: 1919 - The first iteration of M-25 in Michigan roughly runs along the route of present-day M-28 from Sault Sainte Marie westerly through Newberry to Munising, then westerly along present-day M-94 to end at M-15 (later US-102, now US-41) west of Chatham. While officially designated as part of M-25, the segment between Newberry and Brimley was unimproved for several years. This necessitated a temporary "detour" for M-25 southeasterly from Newberry along M-84 (later M-48, now a county route) to Garnet, then easterly along M-12 (later US-2) and M-48 (now H-40) to Rudyard, then north back to the "approved" M-25 alignment near Brimley.
1922 - By 1922, M-25 runs along is "approved" routing from Newberry to Brimley, generally following the route of today's M-28. Also in 1922, M-25 is realigned to a more direct routing between Seney and McMillan, generally along the route of today's M-28. The former route of M-25 concurrent with M-77 retains the M-77 designation, while the portion from Germfask to south of McMillan is redesignated M-98.
1926 - The entire length of M-25, running from US-41 near Skandia in eastern Marquette Co to Sault Ste. Marie, is designated as part of M-28. (Although this redesignation comes in 1926, there may be no connection between the coming of the US Highways and the disappearance of M-25 that same year.) The M-25 designation would be absent from Michigan for about seven years.
1933 - The US-25 designation is extended northerly from Port Huron along the former M-29 to end in Port Austin and the M-25 designation is applied to the portion of the former M-29 from Port Austin to Bay City. The M-25 designation was applied to this route for two reasons: One, to avoid having a discontinuous M-29 and, two, to continue the convention begun with US-24/M-24 and US-131/M-131. In the Bay City area, M-25 enters the city from the east via Center Ave, then turns northerly with US-23 on Washington Ave, continuing westerly with US-23 on Midland St, then turns northerly on its own following Henry St and then northwesterly via Au Sable State Rd and Old Kawkawlin Rd, ending at US-23 in Kawkawlin.
1934 - The western terminus of M-25 is relocated in the Bay City area. From its former terminus northwest of Bay City in Kawkawlin, M-25 is realigned to run concurrently with US-23, M-15 & M-24 west from downtown Bay City along Midland St. M-15, M-24 & M-25 all now end at the intersection of Midland St & Euclid Ave, with M-20 beginning at that point and continuing westerly toward Auburn and Midland. The former route of M-25 along Henry St from Midland St northerly to Au Sable State Rd is redesignated as a southerly extension of M-111 (the road running out to Bay City State Park), while Au Sable State Rd and Old Kawkawlin Rd from Bay City to Kawkawlin are turned back to local control.
1938 - In early 1938, M-25 is scaled back in Bay City to end at US-23 in downtown (cnr Washington Ave & Center Ave), instead of running concurrently with US-23, M-15 & M-24 to the west side. This is done assumedly due to a change in route designation policy, as the concurrent M-15/M-24, which also ran with M-25 along Center Ave, Washington Ave and Midland St, is also scaled back as well.
c.1945 - Just after World War II, a system of one-way streets is implemented in downtown Bay City. As as a result eastbound M-25—which remained on Center Ave—now begins one block west of its previous terminus at Washington Ave, now beginning at sbd BUS US-23/Saginaw St. On the other side, westbound M-25 now jogs northerly from Center Ave via Madison Ave for 3 blocks to 3rd St, then west along third to its terminus at nbd BUS US-23/Washington Ave.
1957 - At the end of 1957, a new Saginaw River bridge—the Veterans Memorial Bridge—is opened to traffic in downtown Bay City, with BUS US-23 rerouted via this new bridge instead of the Midland St bridge, which is later removed. As a result, M-25 in downtown Bay City is rerouted. From the corner of Center & Madison Aves, both directions of M-25 now turn south along Madison. Two blocks later, wbd M-25 turns westerly via 7th St, ending at BUS US-23 at the cnr of 7th & Washington. Eastbound M-25 begins at BUS US-23 one block south at McKinley & Washington Aves and continues east two blocks via McKinley, turning northerly via Madison, joining the westbound side at 7th St. The former routes of M-25 (ebd & wbd) along Center Ave west of Madison Ave and along Madison and 3rd are turned back to local control.
1959 - In the last part of 1959, the Midland-to-Bay City M-20 freeway is opened to traffic. Simultaneously, the M-15 designation is extended westerly with M-25 into downtown Bay City, and from here, the M-15 & M-25 designations are extended westerly with BUS US-23—much as they were pre-1938—via Jenny & Thomas Sts through the west side, where all three route designations (BUS US-23/M-15/M-25) all end at the jct of US-23/Euclid Ave & M-20 coming in from the west on the new freeway.
1960 - With the coming of the I-75 designation to the Tri-Cities area, the entire route of BUS US-23 through Bay City is supplanted by a BL I-75 designation, meaning the concurrent BUS US-23/M-15/M-25 from downtown Bay City to Euclid Ave on the west side becomes BL I-75/M-15/M-25. From Euclid Ave—which changes from US-23/M-47 to M-13 at this time as well—the BL I-75/M-15/M-25 designations are all extended westerly via what had been M-20 to the new I-75/US-23 & US-10 interchange west of the city.
1966 (Sept 30) - On Sept 30, 1966, the M-25 designation is officially applied to a realignment northeast of Sebewaing from Canboro and Gettel Rds onto reconstructed Kollis and Dutcher Rds. The former route is turned back to local control.
1970 - For the second time, the northern terminus of concurrent M-15 at Bay City is scaled back to end at M-25/Center Ave & Trumbull St.
1971 - BL I-75 in Bay City is sliced in half and is rechristened as BS I-75 (Business Spur I-75), a spur route leading into downtown. The former BL I-75/M-25 becomes BS I-75/M-25. Also, in September 1971, M-25 is realigned to bypass Huron City in Huron County. The former route is turned back to local control.
1973 - With the decommissioning of US-25 in Michigan, M-25 is routed southerly along the former US-25 from Port Austin, through downtown Port Huron, ending at I-94 Exit 266. More than 93 miles are added to the route, well over doubling its length.
1987 - The route of M-25 is scaled back to end at BL I-94 (now BL I-69/BL I-94) on the north side of Port Huron when the former route through downtown is redesignated BL I-94.
1998 - The portion of M-25 along Center Ave in eastern Bay City is designated as a Historic Heritage Route.
Freeway: From the western terminus at I-75/US-23 Exit 162 (at jct US-10) easterly for approximately 1 mile.
NHS: From I-75/US-23 at Exit 162 west of Bay City to the western jct of M-142 south of Bay Port.
Circle Tour: Lake Huron Circle Tour: From southern terminus in Port Huron to M-13 in Bay City.
Photographs:
Weblinks: • M-25 @ Michigan Highway Ends - photos of the termini of M-25 at Dan Garnell's excellent Michigan Highway Ends website.
M-26 Southern Terminus: US-45 two miles east of Rockland
Northern Terminus: US-41 in downtown Copper Harbor (cnr 6th St & Lake Shore Dr)
Length: 96.30 miles
Map: Route Map of M-26
  Updated M-26 at South Range (2006)
Notes: Prior to 1933, M-26 was one of several highways which ran completely across the U.P. in a cross-ways (north-to-south) fashion, beginning at the Wisconsin state line at a connection with (then-) STH-26, continuing northerly onto the Keweenaw Peninsula. When US-45 was extended northerly from Chicago through Wisconsin to end at Ontonagon in 1933, M-26 was removed from the portion of the route which was renumbered as part of US-45.
Even earlier than its days as a state highway, the general route of what became M-26 in the 20th Century was a federal military road in the previous century. Much as M-26 did later, the military road entered from Wisconsin, headed northerly, then northeasterly, through the Keweenaw Peninsula, terminating at Fort Wilkins near Copper Harbor—ironically, today's northern terminus for M-26. The military road was used in troop movements to and from the fort, which itself was erected to maintain order during the copper boom of the 1840s. The route remained a heavily-travelled one, and when Michigan set up their state highway system, that route became M-26. Even today, some stretches of the original military road survive as gravel roads or "two-tracks."
  Updated M-26 was being realigned between South Range and Trimountain in south-central Houghton Co in 2006. The project eliminated seven rather dangerous curves in the highway and placed it onto a much better new alignment. The former alignment of M-26 being bypassed outside of the Village of South Range has been completely obliterated, while the portion in the village, including Trimountain Ave, was turned back to local control on October 4, 2006. See the M-26 at South Range map and M-26 at South Range 2006 photo pages.
History: 1919 - Before the creation of the US Highway system, M-26 begins at the Wisconsin state line at a connection with Wisconsin STH-26, then runs northerly through Watersmeet and Bruce Crossing to Rockland then northeasterly to Houghton and Hancock, looping east through Dollar Bay and Lake Linden to end at M-15 (now US-41) in Laurium.
1924 (Sept) - A short realignment is completed in September south of Rockland, from M-68 (now US-45 north) southerly for a short distance. A portion of the old route is turned back to local control, while the rest is abandoned as a public way.
1926 (Sept) - A 6-mile stretch of M-26 along the Old Military Rd in central Houghton Co is turned back to local control in September when the highway is realigned onto a new 7-mile long alignment from Stonington to southwest of Painesdale, via Toivola. Also, M-26 is extended from its northern terminus at US-41 (formerly M-15) in Laurium concurrently with US-41 to Mohawk, then southeasterly replacing the M-83 designation to Gay.
1933 (July) - The State Highway Dept removes the Mohawk-Gay segment of M-26 from the state trunkline system, turning control of the road back to the local authorities. The M-26 designation is scaled back to end at its 1919-1926 northern terminus at US-41 in Laurium.
1934 - The first 42 miles of M-26 are redesignated as a part of the new US-45 extension from the Wisconsin state line northerly to 2 miles east of Rockland in Ontonagon Co. Northwest of that point, the new US-45 takes the place of M-35 into Ontonagon. Interestingly, while the US-45 routing replaces M-35 from Rockland into Ontonagon, M-35 remains concurrently posted with M-26 from east of Greenland to US-45 near Rockland.
1935 - The M-26 designation is extended northerly from Laurium (again!) along US-41 to a point 2 miles east of Phoenix, then northeasterly replacing the M-129 designation to Eagle Harbor, then easterly along the Lake Superior shore to end at US-41 in Copper Harbor. A very short (several hundred yards long) M-206 is designated in Eagle Harbor leading from M-26 to the Eagle Harbor Lighthouse. It is assumed the M-206 designation was only conincidently chosen and not related to the new M-26 routing in the area.
1939 - Two minor realignments are completed in Houghton Co. A 1-mile realignment takes M-26 further out of the community of Donken while 2.5 miles of the highway are realigned just south of Painesdale to remove two sharper curves. In both cases, much of the original route is abandoned as a public way. As a side note: A two-mile long highway connecting Phoenix and Eagle River in Keweenaw Co that would become a part of M-26 in about one year is renumbered from M-6 to M-111.
1940 (Nov) - M-26 is realigned in Keweenaw Co. From Phoenix the routing now turns northwesterly replacing M-111 into Eagle River, then turns northeasterly to run along the shoreline for 8 miles rejoining its former alignment in Eagle Harbor. The former alignment of M-26 between US-41 (two miles east of Phoenix) and Eagle Harbor via the Copper Falls Mine location is turned back to local control.
1946-47(?) - According to some 1946 and 1947 Michigan Official Highway Maps, M-26's route is altered from its former (and present-day) state to an interesting, but curious, configuration. In 1940, M-26 was extended northwest of US-41 at Phoenix travelling into Eagle River. The 1947 map shows that the new segment from Eagle River to Eagle Harbor along the shoreline completed in 1940 was removed and the Phoenix-to-Eagle River routing of M-26 becomes a spur-route. However, according to the 1947 map, M-26 also continues for another 2 miles on US-41, then runs northeast through Copper Falls Mine to Eagle Harbor, the routing for the highway from 1933 to 1940. Thus, there is a "three-pronged" routing of M-26 in Keweenaw Co. By 1948 M-26 was restored to its 1940-46 routing on the official highway maps. It's unclear whether this was a short-term situation, only depicted during 1946-47, or a mapping error on the part of the State Highway Department.
1949 - A minor realignment is completed at the end of 1949 at Calumet. The routes of US-41 & M-26 are moved from Pine & Rockland Sts and moved onto their current alignment. The former route is turned back to local control.
1951 - M-26 is realigned along 1.8 miles at the Firesteel River crossings in eastern Ontonagon Co. The old route, which is closely followed by the new highway, is mostly abandoned as a public way.
1955 - The final 7 miles of gravel-surfaced M-26/M-35 are paved between Greenland Jct and US-45.
1956 - M-26 is realigned to the south side of Winona Lake near the community of the same name in western Houghton Co. The old road on the north side of the lake is turned back to local control.
1959 - The Houghton-Hancock Lift Bridge opens to traffic, replacing the old swing bridge completed in 1905. The following excerpt is taken from "Historic Highway Bridges of Michigan" by Charles K Hyde (1993, Wayne State University Press, ISBN 0-8143-2448-7):

The state of Michigan completed the present bridge in 1959 at a cost of $13 million... The Houghton-Hancock Bridge is a double-deck structure, with a four-lane roadway on the upper deck and railroad tracks on the lower deck. The bridge has a total lengh of 1,310 feet, with a lift span 268 feet long, supported by twin steel towers 180 feet tall. When trains use the bridge [which hasn't happened for many years - CJB], it remains in its lowest position, and highway traffic uses the automobile level. When the railroads are not using the bridge, the operator leaves the structure in an intermediate position, with vehicular traffic using the railroad deck, allowing small boats to pass underneath. For the passage of large ships, the main span can be raised to provide clearance of 104 feet. Portage Lake is part of the Keweenaw Waterway, which bisects the Keweenaw Peninsula and offers Great Lakes vessels a sheltered passage from storms, especially the gales of November.

1967 - A slight realignment is completed on the south side of Lake Linden.
1968 - With the renumbering of M-35 west of Baraga to M-38, the concurrent segment of M-26/M-35 becomes simply M-26 between (the new) M-38 and US-45, with M-38 ending at M-26.
1971 - A very minor realignment on the south side of Mohawk "smoothes" out a sharp curve there. The former alignment is obliterated and abandoned as a public way.
1972 (Mar) - With the relocation of US-45 along M-26 to Greenland (replacing M-26), then northwesterly along the newly reconstructed Ontonagon-Greenland Rd toward Ontonagon in March 1972, M-26 is scaled back to the new jct with US-45 one mile east of Greenland.
1973 - MDOT restores US-45 back to its original pre-1972 alignment through Rockland to Ontonagon and extends the M-26 designation back along its former routing to end at US-45 two miles east of Rockland. M-38 is also concurrently signed with M-26 for about 1 mile east of Greenland when M-38 is run northwest along the 1971-73 alignment of US-45 (Ontonagon-Greenland Rd).
1979 - As contributed by Dyche Anderson: "Back in 1979, MDOT built a new section of M-26 in Houghton, four lanes, from a few blocks east of the Portage Lake Lift Bridge (near the intersection with the Canal Road) up the hill (straight up), rejoining the former M-26. The distance was less than a mile. The old route pretty much exists, it is called Park Ave (part of the old road may have disappeared). IIRC, the portion of what is now the Canal Road for the first few blocks west of M-26 is also old M-26." MDOT information states the official transfer of trunkline status to the new route as September 18, 1980, although the actual construction may well have been completed in 1979. —Thanks much, Dyche!
1989 - A new eastern bypass of Atlantic Mine opens southwest of Houghton, with the former route being turned back to local control as Erickson Dr.
2006 (Sept) New!- A realigment of M-26 between South Range and Trimountain in central Houghton Co is opened to traffic, although the finishing touches would be made over the weeks following. The new route begins where M-26 formerly made a 90° turn from Baltic Ave onto Trimountain Ave in downtown South Range and continue southerly along the final two blocks of Baltic Ave then strikes out on new alignment gradually curving to the west, merging back with the former route on the north edge of Trimountain. The former route from the western/southern limit of South Range southwesterly to the new highway at Trimountain is physically obliterated and ceases to be a public highway. [See the M-26 at South Range map and M-26 at South Range 2006 photo pages.]
2006 (Oct 4) New!- The remaining portion of the former route of M-26 in the Village of South Range (0.44 miles) from M-26/Baltic Ave westerly along Trimountain Ave and the southernmost portion of Globe Ave is turned back to local control, while the two southernmost blocks of Baltic Ave from Trimountain Ave southerly (0.06 miles) are officially transferred to MDOT control as part of the new trunkline route.
Freeway/Expwy: No portion of M-26 is freeway or expressway.
Circle Tour: Lake Superior Circle Tour: From the west jct of M-38 at Greenland to northern terminus at Copper Harbor.
Photographs: New! M-26 at South Range 2006 - two pages containing 22 photos along the existing route of M-26 between South Range and Trimountain.
Weblinks: • M-26 @ Michigan Highway Ends - photos of the termini of M-26 at Dan Garnell's excellent Michigan Highway Ends website.
  • [Houghton-Hancock Bridge] Three Spans over the Portage - "The history of the three bridges to span the canal between Houghton and Hancock" from Kevin E. Musser's excellent Copper Range Railroad historical website.
  • M-26: Eagle River Timber Bridge - a pair of articles reprinted from an early-1990s MDOT newsletter about this rather unique structure in Eagle River.
US-27 HISTORIC
U.S. HIGHWAY		 From its debut as one of Michigan's "new" US Highways in 1926, US-27 was not one of the state's major US Highway routings for the first part of its existence. In the 1960s, the route of US-27 gained more prominence as portions of it were "freeway-ized" and portions of the route were designated as parts of two different Interstate corridors. After having its northern end hacked off in the early-1960s, US-27 remained intact until MDOT sought, on two separate occasions in the 1990s, to have the designation completely removed from the state. The department finally succeeded and in 2002, US-27 is relegated to the history books as all portions of the route in the state are decommissioned. Please see the Historic US-27 pages for more information on this historic U.S. Highway.
M-27 Southern Terminus: I-75 at Exit 313 between Indian River and Topinabee
Northern Terminus: US-23 in downtown Cheboygan (cnr Main St & State St)
Length: 16.77 miles
Map: Route Map of M-27
Notes: M-27 was formerly a segment of US-27 before it was replaced by I-75 north of Grayling in 1961.
Although many commercial road maps show M-27 continuing south from I-75 through Indian River to end at M-68, this is most definitely not the case. In fact, the M-27 designation has never existed south of I-75 at Indian River, and the portion of Straits Hwy through town was turned back to local control in November 1962 soon after US-27 was removed from that route.
History: c.1920 - Michigan's "original" M-27 begins at M-19/Gratiot Ave (later US-25) in Chesterfield Twp north of Mount Clemens and continues easterly and northerly through New Baltimore, Algonac, Marine City and St Clair to meet back up with M-19, and run concurrently into downtown Port Huron. From Port Huron, M-27 takes a route which would later be occupied by M-51 through Croswell, Carsonville, Deckerville and Minden City to M-31 (today's M-142) west of Harbor Beach. M-27 then turns easterly tinto Harbor Beach, then northwesterly along the Lake Huron shoreline via Port Hope to end at M-19 (present-day M-53) in Port Austin.
1926 - The entire route of M-27 is replaced by other designations. From US-25/Gratiot Ave (frormerly M-19) to Port Huron, via Algonac, the route becomes a portion of a new Chesterfield Twp-to-Bay City routing of M-29. From Port Huron to M-83 (formerly M-31, now M-142) via Carsonville, M-27 is redesignated as M-51. The portion from the former M-31 & M-27 jct into Harbor Beach becomes part of a new M-83, while the last stretch from Harbor Beach to Port Austin becomes another portion of the new M-29. It would be 35 years before another M-27 would be designated in Michigan.
1961 - The present-day M-27 is commissioned when US-27 is scaled back by a total of 94 miles from Mackinaw City to Grayling. The portion of the former US-27 between I-75 north of Indian River and US-23 in downtown Cheboygan is designated as M-27.
Freeway/Expwy: No portion of M-27 is freeway or expressway.
Photographs:
Weblinks: • M-27 @ Michigan Highway Ends - photos of the termini of M-27 at Dan Garnell's excellent Michigan Highway Ends website.
M-28 Western Terminus: US-2 in downtown Wakefield
Eastern Terminus: M-129 three miles south of Sault Ste Marie
Length: 290.60 miles
Map: Route Map of M-28
Notes: One of two primary east-west routes across the Upper Peninsula—the other being US-2. In fact, following M-28 versus US-2 across the U.P. from Wakefield to I-75 is approximately 20 miles shorter, depending on your final destination.
M-28 runs concurrently with US-41 between Harvey (southeast of Marquette) and US-141 south of Alberta. Originally, however, M-28 ran only between Wakefield and US-41 near Covington, with the eastern segment—Harvey to the Sault—originally beging designated M-25. The two highways were united into one route using a concurrent designation with US-41 in the middle in the late-1920s.
History: 1919 - Originally M-28 ran roughly along its present alignment from M-12 (present-day US-2) in Wakefield to M-15 (present-day US-41) 6-1/2 miles east of Covington in southern Baraga Co.
1924 - M-28 is rerouted between Covington and its eastern terminus at M-15. From Covington at M-69 (part of present-day US-141) easterly, M-28 now runs along present-day Old M-28 to present-day Old US-41. The former route along Murphy Rd, a two-track road and King Lake Rd, roughly parallel to the DSS&A Railroad line, is turned back to local control.
1927 - Several realignments of M-28 are officially added to the state trunkline system this year, including:
  • (June 29) A realignment of M-28 along is added running partly along the present-day route and partly along present-day Co Rd M28C from Kenton easterly to east of Kitchie in southern Houghton Co. The former route along Kitchie Rd is turned back to local control, while the remainder is abandoned.
  • (June 30) A new route of M-28 along present-day Old M-28 from Polvi Rd easterly through Ewen to just east of that community. The former route along, ironically enough, the present-day route of M-28 is turned back to local control.
  • (June 30) M-28 is realigned to its present routing at the Baltimore River crossing west of Bruce Crossing in Ontonagon Co. The former route is partly turned back to local control, while the rest is abandoned.
  • (June 30) A new routing of M-28 is added which "cuts the corner" from Paynesville northerly, with the old route along Blacksmith and N Paynesville Rds being turned back to local control.
  • (June 30) M-28 is realigned to the present-day Old M-28 from Mile West Rd to Gardner Rd in Trout Creek. The former route is partially abandoned with the rest along Mill Pond Rd being turned back to local control.
  • (July 15) Assumedly as part of the same project, a new alignment of M-28 is added to the state highway system from Paynesville south-southeasterly to Haight Rd. The former route along Marty Rd to Haight and along Haight southerly is turned back to local control.
1928 - M-28 is extended easterly from its terminus at the brand-new US-41 (formerly M-15) 9 miles easterly of Covington along US-41 through Ishpeming to Negaunee where it splits from the new US-41 for 10 miles. Between Negaunee and Marquette, US-41 follows the "northerly" route formerly part of M-35 close to its present-day routing, while M-28 runs along the "southerly" route which had been designated M-15 along present-day CR-492. Three miles west of downtown Marquette, the two routes combine again and proceed through Marquette then southeasterly to 2 miles south of Skandia. There, M-28 now turns easterly to supplant the M-25 designation through Chatham, Munising, Seney, Newberry, and Brimley, ending in downtown Sault Ste Marie.
1931 (Aug 31) - M-28 is slightly realigned in downtown Newberry off W Court St and Harrie St and onto McMillan Ave easterly to Newberry Ave. The former route is turned back to municipal control.
1932 (Oct 29) - The route of M-28 is realigned from Merriweather to just west of Bergland in Ontonagon Co onto its present-day route. The former route through the communities of Merriweather and Lake Gogebic is turned back to local control.
1933 (Mar 14) - A new routing of US-41/M-28 on the south side of Marquette is officially added to the state highway system, although sources peg the actual completion date during the middle of 1933. The new route follows a new highway alignment of S Front St from Fisher St southerly to Hampton St south of downtown. The former route along Lake St between Fisher and Hampton is abandoned as a public way and the right-of-way is transferred to the DSS&A Railroad for use as a railroad yard. This relocation removes the dangerous situation where the DSS&A tracks ran down the route of US-41/M-28 on Lake St and was pursued both by DSS&A and the local business community.
1934 - Although the official date of the change was August 31, 1931, a new, more direct routing of M-28 from present-day Old M-28 northeast of Wakefield to Tula is completed and opened totraffic. The former route, along present-day Old M-28, is turned back to local control.
1935 - Four new alignments of M-28 this year:
  • (Jan 7) M-28 is officially transferred from its own independent routing between Negaunee and Marquette to run concurrently with US-41 between those cities. The former route, from downtown Negaunee easterly along Main St to Healey St, northerly to Mitchell Ave, northerly along a now-abandoned road to Cherry St, then northeasterly via Cherry to Prince St, northeasterly along Prince to Old Cemetery Rd, easterly along Old Cemetery and a now-abandoned road to Co Rd 492, then easterly along Co Rd 492 to US-41 at the present-day western city limit of Marquette, is transferred to local control.
  • (Oct 22) A new "cutoff" alignment of M-28 is completed from east of Bergland to Topaz in Ontonagon Co. The former route along present-day Old M-28 is transterred to local control.
  • (Oct 22) Also, on the same day as the Ontonagon Co transfer above, a new routing of M-28 is added between Munising and Wetmore along its present-day alignment. The former route along Cemetery & Alger Heights Rds is turned back to local control.
  • (Dec 9, 1936) Although MDOT records point to December 9, 1936 as being the official date of transfer, a new routing of M-28 is completed along its present-day alignment south of Newberry between present-day Co Rd 405 and present-day M-123. The former route through downtown Newberry is retained as a state highway and is designated M-28A.
1936 - A pair of realignments come to the route of M-28 this year:
  • (Oct 22, 1935) Although the official transfer date was late the year before, actual construction on a slight realignment of M-28 in western Chippewa Co is completed during 1936. The new route runs from the Luce/Chippewa Co line easterly to Hulbert Corners. Portions of the old route are either abandoned or obliterated under the new road, with one old segment along Basnau Curve Rd being turned back to local control.
  • (Dec 9) A new routing for US-41/M-28 on the south side of Marquette is completed along its present-day routing between Lake/Hampton Sts and Lake St/Cliffs Power Rd near the state prison. The former route of US-41/M-28 is temporarily retained in the state highway system until the next year.
1937 - Additional changes to M-28 during 1937:
  • (Aug 30) A new alignment of M-28 is officially added to the state highway system in Ontonagon Co along its present-day routing from Norwich Rd at Matchwood to just east of Ewen. A portion of the former route of M-28 is abandoned as a public way, while the remainder along Malner Rd and Old M-28 Rd is turned back to local control.
  • (Aug 30) On the same day as the Ontonagon Co tranfer, US-41/M-28 in Ishpeming and Negaunee is realigned. The new routing begins at Co Rd 583 west of Ishpeming and continues easterly to Hickory St, then runs easterly via Elm St (now abandoned) and Junpier St into Neguanee. From there, the new route runs along a now-abandoned highway to Water St, then easterly via Water St to the existing route at Teal Lake Ave. The former route along Randall Dr, North Lake Rd, Greenwood St, Division St (present-day BUS M-28) and Reidy St (also part of present-day BUS M-28) in Ishpeming, and along the present-day BUS M-28, Silver St, Jackson St, Main St and Teal Lake Ave in Neguanee is turned back to local control.
  • (Sept 27) Almost one month later, the former route of US-41/M-28 along Lake St on the south side of Marquette—the segment superceeded by a new routing in late 1936—is turned back to local control.
1940 (Nov 12) - M-28 is realigned to its present-day routing from 2 miles east of Strongs Corners in Chippewa Co easterly for approximately 2 miles. The former route along the present USFS-3367 is turned back to local control.
1941 - In a major flip-flop of highway designations, the routings of M-28 and M-94 are switched west of Munising in mid-1941. M-28, which formerly ran southwesterly, then westerly from the Munising area through Forest Lake and Chatham to US-41, then northerly with US-41 to Harvey is rerouted along M-178—completely supplanting that route designation—into downtown Munising, then westerly along what had been M-94 along the Lake Superior shoreline to US-41 at Harvey. M-94 is rerouted southerly from downtown Munising along the ex-M-178 for 1 mile, then southwesterly and westerly along the former M-28 through Chatham to end at US-41 three miles south of Skandia.
1942 (Jan 28) - A new alignment opens in Chippewa Co between present-day M-221 near Brimley and US-2 near Dafter. The entire former route of M-28, including the portion along present-day M-221, is turned back to local control, with the M-221 portion being reassumed into the state highway system only three years later! Also during 1942, M-28 is extended westerly along US-2 from Wakefield into Ironwood, bringing M-28 to the Wisconsin state line.
1947 - A new alignment of US-41/M-28 opens near Clarksburg west of Ishpeming, shaving a mile from the route. The new route runs from Co Rd CKC east of Clarksburg to the easternmost jct of CR-496 east of Greenwood. The former route along Co Rd CKC and CR-496/Diorite Rd is turned back to local control. MDOT records date the official transfer at this location to Nov 10, 1949, but the new highway is shown as complete on many official maps from late 1947 on.
1948 - Two realignments are completed this year, although MDOT records indicate the official date of jurisdictional transfer as being during November of 1949, similar to the situation indicated above in 1947. First, a new route for US-2/M-28 is completed from downtown Wakefield westerly to the eastern limit of Bessemer, opening in late 1948. The official date for this addition, though, is listed as Nov 7, 1949. Similarly, a new alignment of US-41/M-28 is completed along its present-day routing in Baraga Co from Old M-28 easterly to Nestoria. This new alignment is assumed into the system and the former route is turned back to local control officially on Nov 10, 1949, although it opens to traffic in late 1948. On the eastern end of M-28, that route's designation is extended northerly along US-2 from its former eastern terminus to end in downtown Sault Ste Marie with US-2.
1949 (Nov 10) - Of the several changes listed in MDOT documents as occurring on Nov 10, 1949, three of those changes did occur in late 1949. They are:
  • In Marquette Co, a slight realignment moves US-41/M-28 onto its present-day routing. The former route through Harvey via Main St/BAA and Corning St is turned back to local control.
  • M-28 is realigned along its present-day route from the east side of Seney for a bit more than 1 mile into Luce Co. The former route, mostly parallel to the Wisconsin Central Railroad tracks, is largely abandoned or obliterated.
  • A new alignment of M-28 "cuts the corner" southeast of McMillan in Luce Co, shaving about 1 mile from the length of the highway. The east-west leg of the former alignment becomes an extension of M-98, while the north-south leg into McMillan becomes an extension of M-135.
  • In addition, M-28A at Newberry is redesignated as BUS M-28. The concurrent M-48 designation between McLeod's Corner and Roberts Corner (south of Newberry) is removed with the rerouting of M-48 to end at US-2 at Epoufette. A new 3-mile concurrent designation of M-117 is added with the relocation of M-117 in the Newberry area.
1950 - There are two changes to the route of M-28 this year:
  • (Nov 3) A new alignment of US-41/M-28 is added to the state trunkline system in Negaunee along its present-day route from Water St on the shore of Teal Lake to Croix St north of downtown. The former route along Water St & Croix St is turned back to local control.
  • Also in 1950, the 1948 extension of M-28 along US-2 into downtown Sault Ste Marie is scaled back and the pre-1948 eastern terminus of M-28 is restored.
1952 - The concurrent M-28 designation is removed from US-2 west of Wakefield and extended southerly along present-day CR-519 to the Chaney Lake area on the Wisconsin state line. Although the rerouted M-28 shows up on 1952 maps, some MDOT records indicate the official transfer from county to state control takes place over a year later, on June 16, 1953. Also in 1952, the M-35 designation is routed concurrently along US-41/M-28 from Negaunee westerly to connect the two previously unconnected portions of M-35.
1953 - Several various changes come to the route of M-28 in 1953:
  • Several route changes occur at Newberry in early 1953, although the official date of jurisdictional transfer is listed in MDOT documents as Nov 10, 1949. All BUS M-28 signs came down as that route through Newberry is "decommissioned" as a state highway. The former BUS M-28 segments not concurrent with M-117 are turned back to local control. On the south side of Newberry, a part of the route of M-117/BUS M-28 is relocated with only M-117 markers being erected on the new routing. The former route along present-day Co Rd 403 and Co Rd 461 is turned back to local control.
  • (June 16) The former route of US-2/M-28 in Wakefield along present-day Old US-2 is turned back to local control. This segment of highway had been replaced by a new alignment in 1948.
  • (Sept 22) A new US-41/M-28 alignment is completed in western Marquette Co from Co Rd FNO southeast of Champion to "downtown" Humboldt. The former route along Co Rd FNO, CR-601, Co Rd FNP and segments of now-abandoned road is turned back to local control. A portion of this former route is later closed and becomes part of the Barron Mine.
1955 (Nov 18) - Two route changes are officially made on the same day. In Baraga Co, a new alignment of US-141/M-28 opens between Covington and US-41/M-35 with the former route along present-day Old 28 is turned back to county control. In Schoolcraft Co, M-28 is rerouted along Main St & Lewis St through Seney, with the former route along Railroad St being turned back to local control.
1957 (Nov 25) - A new alignment of US-41/M-28 is added along its present-day routing from Heritage Dr/JAD in Neguanee to Northwoods Rd/HIA west of Marquette. The former route along Heritage Dr/JAD, Forest Cir/JB, CR-502/Midway Rd, Co Rd JPC-HPB and Northwoods Rds/HIA is turned back to local control.
1958 - Two changes to M-28 in 1958:
  • (July 7) A new alignment of M-28 is added along its present-day routing from west of Trout Creek in Ontonagon Co easterly into Houghton Co at Golden Glow Rd. The former route of M-28 along Old M-28 is returned to local control.
  • (Sept 16) In an interesting turn, the former route of US-41/M-28 through the downtowns of Ishpeming and Neguanee is re-assumed into the state highway system. Although one MDSH source indicates a US-41A designation existed along this route, most other official maps and information only show BUS M-28. This "new" BUS M-28 begins at US-41/M-28/M-35 in West Ishpeming and continues easterly via North Lake Rd, Greenwood St, Division St and Reidy St into Negaunee, whenre it turns northerly on Silver St, east on Jackson & Main Sts, and north again via Teal Lake Ave back to US-41/M-28.
1959 (Dec 1) - The 14-mile loop of M-94 north of M-28 between Shingleton and Munising is removed from the state highway system and turned back to local control. M-94 is rerouted concurrently with M-28 from Shingleton westerly through Wetmore to the junction of M-94 two miles south of downtown Munising. Also, with the exception of the 13-mile leg of M-28 between Wakefield and the Wisconsin state line, the last 10 miles of gravel-surfaced highway on the rest of M-28 is paved.
1960 - Four changes to M-28 this year:
  • (June 21) A new alignment US-41/M-28 is added from the cnr of Hickory & Palm Sts in northern Ishpeming along Pals St to the Negaunee city limit, then along its present-day routing to Water St in Neguanee. The former route along Juniper St in Ishpeming and Tilot Rd in Neguanee are turned back to city control, with the interim segment mostly abandoned or obliterated under the new highway.
  • (Oct 14) M-28 is realigned from just east of Kenton to the west side of Sidnaw in Houghton Co to its present-day route. Some of the former route is turned back to local control while other segments are partly abandoned and partly obliterated.
  • (Oct 14) A new alignment of M-28 is added from Prch Rd to near Keranen Rd between Sidnaw and Watton. The old route is abandoned or obliterated under the new highway.
  • (Oct 14) A new alignment of M-28/M-94 is completed from Alger Heights Rd southeast of Munising, bypassing Wetmore and continuing easterly back to the former route. The old route along Prospect St through Wetmore is turned back to local control, while the segment east of FFH-13 is abandoned as a public road.
1962 (June 30) - The ten-year old extension of M-28 south of Wakefield to the Wisconsin line is scaled back to end at US-2 in downtown Wakefield.
1963 (Dec 5) - A new US-41/M-28 bypass of downtown Marquette is opened. The former route of US-41/M-28 along Front and Washington Sts through downtown Marquette becomes a BUS US-41/BUS M-28 routing. Also, with the opening of the new I-75/US-2 freeway south of Sault Ste Marie, M-28 is scaled back approximately one-half mile to end at the new freeway. Both route changes officially take place on the same day.
1968 - With the redesignation of M-35 as M-38 between Baraga and Greenland, the concurrent M-35 designation along US-41/M-28 in Baraga and Marquette Cos is removed.
1973 (Dec 14) - A new alignment of M-28 is added to the state trunkline system along its present-day route southeast of Paynesville in Ontonagon Co and the former route is turned back to local control.
1977-81 - Concerning the BUS US-41/M-28 routing through downtown Marquette: According to the 1978-79 Official Highway Map, the business routing through downtown (both BUS US-41 and BUS M-28) was completely removed from the state highway system. On the 1980 Official Highway Map, though, the former routing was again displayed as it had been on before 1978. On the 1981 map, the concurrent BUS M-28 designation was shown removed and only the BUS US-41 designation remaining. Whether some of these changes were mapmaking errors or actual changes to the state highway system is unclear.
1989 (March 3) - M-28 is extended easterly from I-75 via 9 Mile Rd for approximately 2-1/2 miles to terminate at M-129 five miles south of downtown Sault Ste Marie.
Freeway: No portion of M-28 is freeway.
Expressway: In Marquette from the eastern jct of BUS US-41 at Front St to the western jct of BUS US-41 at Washington St.
NHS: Entire route.
Circle Tour: Lake Superior Circle Tour: Three segments:
     1. From western terminus in Wakefield to eastern jct of M-64 at Bergland.
     2. From jct US-41 & US-141 near Covington to western jct of M-123 at Newberry.
     3. From eastern jct of M-123 near Eckerman to I-75 south of Sault Ste. Marie.
Business Connection: BUS M-28 - Ishpeming/Negaunee. From US-41/M-28 on the west side of Ishpeming through the downtowns of both cities to US-41/M-28 on the north side of Negaunee.
Photographs:
Weblinks: • M-28 @ Michigan Highway Ends - photos of the termini of M-18 at Dan Garnell's excellent Michigan Highway Ends website.
• M-28/Sand River Bridge - from MDOT, "This medium-span concrete bridge crosses the Sand River between the village of Sand River and the shore of Lake Superior."
• M-28/Ontonagon River Bridge - from MDOT, "This is one of only three steel arch bridges in Michigan, with the main arch span 150 feet in length."
• Old M-28/Rock River Bridge - from MDOT, "Crossing the Rock River in rural Covington Township, this medium-span concrete bridge carries Old M-28 about two miles east of the town of Covington."
• US-41 (Abandoned)/Peshekee River Bridge - from MDOT, "It is...historically significant as the first trunk line bridge designed by the state highway department and as a pivotal crossing on one of the Upper Peninsula's most important routes."
• M-28/East Branch Tahquemenon River Bridge - from MDOT, "The structure is configured as a 55-foot, steel deck girder bridge, with nine lines of built-up I-beams encased in concrete."
M-29 Southern Terminus: I-94 Exit 243 (at jct I-94/M-3/M-29) in Chesterfield Twp five miles west of New Baltimore
Northern Terminus: BL I-94/Gratiot Ave in Marysville
Length: 41.26 miles
Map: Route Map of M-29
Notes: The "original" M-29 routing in Michigan connected Lansing with the Indiana state line via Charlotte, Marshall and Coldwater—a route which bore the US-27 designation for many decades. Later, after the debut of the US Highways, M-29 ran along its present route as well as extending northerly around the Thumb to Bay City, and southerly from the Mount Clemens area along the Lake St Clair shoreline to end in Harper Woods. The portion from Port Huron to Port Austin became part of US-25 and the segment from there to Bay City was redesignated as M-25. On the southern end, the section through Macomb Co was slowly whittled away over the years, mostly replaced by I-94.
History: 1919 - As noted above, M-29 is designated to run along the state highway from the Indiana state line northerly through Coldwater, Marshall and Charlotte, ending at M-14 (later US-127, now BL I-96) in downtown Lansing. No major alignment changes occurred during M-29's tenure along this route.
1926 - The entire route of M-29 is supplanted by the new US-27 designation—one of more than a dozen new US Highways in Michigan. The M-29 designation is immediately moved to the east side of the state; from US-25 at Chesterfield (north of Mount Clemens), M-29 replaces what had been designated M-27 through Algonac to Port Huron where it replaces the M-31 designation from there to Harbor Beach. At Harbor Beach, M-29 again replaces the M-28 designation to Port Austin where M-29 supplants M-19 from there to Bad Axe. Between Bad Axe and Unionville, the M-29 designation again supplants the M-31 routing, and from Unionville in to Bay City, M-29 runs along a route not previously a state trunkline.
1928 (Aug 2) - The route of M-29 is removed from Main St through downtown New Baltimore and transferred to its present-day alignment via Green St. Main St is turned back to local control.
1930 (Sept 30, Dec 23) - Two portions of a realignment for M-29 are completed in northern Huron Co in 1930. The segment from the present-day jct of M-25 & M-142 northerly to approximately 1 mile north of Bay Port is certified on Sept 22, while the portion from the southern limit of Caseville to the "Huron County State Park" (present-day Albert E Sleeper State Park) is certified on Dec 23. These segments were likely not signed until additional portions were completed in 1931.
1931 - The route of M-29 is completed from north of Bay Port to the southern limit of Caseville and from the "Huron County State Park" to Oak Beach Rd. Maps indicate a temporary routing of M-29 via Oak Beach Rd south and east to M-53 north of Kinde, then northerly via M-53 to Port Austin, although the Oak Beach Rd routing was not a state trunkline.
1933 - The US-25 designation is extended northerly from Port Huron along the route of M-29 to end in Port Austin and the M-25 designation is applied to the portion of the former M-29 from Port Austin to Bay City. The M-25 designation was applied to this route for two reasons: First, to avoid having a discontinuous M-29 and, second, to continue the convention begun with US-24/M-24, US-112/M-112 and US-131/M-131. Also in 1933, on February 24 the final portion of the route of M-29 is completed and certified between Oak Beach Rd and Port Austin in northern Huron Co. It is unclear whether this segment was signed as M-29 or if it opened as part of the newly-designated M-25.
1939 (July 13) - Formerly ending at US-25/Gratiot Ave in Chesterfield Twp between Mount Clemens and New Haven, in mid-1939 M-29 is rerouted southerly via Jefferson Ave along the Lake St Clair shore from New Baltimore to Grosse Pointe Shores, then westerly on Vernier and Eight Mile Rds to end at US-25/Gratiot Ave on the Detroit/East Detroit border. Former M-29 (23 Mile Rd) between New Baltimore and US-25 becomes an extension of M-59.
1939 (Aug 30) - A slight realignment at Fair Haven in southern St Clair Co is completed, including a new crossing over Swan Creek. The former route is turned back to local control.
1945 (July 10) - With the expansion of Selfridge Air National Guard Base, a 2.3 mile portion of M-29 through the base is removed from the state trunkline system, with no apparent official replacement on the books. Maps, however, note M-29 is detoured westerly via William P Rosso Hwy to US-25/Gratiot Ave, then southerly into downtown Mount Clemens, southeasterly along Crocker Blvd back to Jefferson Ave.
1947-49 - A new bypass of Mount Clemens is constructed in 1947 and M-29, again, changes its route. From New Baltimore, M-29 once again follows 23 Mile Rd (formerly M-59) westerly to US-25/Gratiot Ave, then southwely to M-59/Hall Rd. M-29 proceeds southerly via the new bypass to Crocker Blvd (formerly M-29), then southeasterly on its former alignment. The old route of M-29 between M-59/Gratiot Ave and New Baltimore along William P Rosso Hwy and Jefferson Ave is redesignated as M-59. On Nov 10, 1949, the new M-29 routing is apparently made official on the MDSH rolls and the former route along Jefferson Ave is officially removed.
1956 (Mar 26) - The route of M-29 through downtown Marine City via Brown, Bridge and Main Sts is removed from the state trunkline system and given back to local control. M-29 is rerouted to is present routing via Parker, Fairbanks and Broadway Sts.
1963 - With the opening of I-94, M-29 is rerouted onto I-94 southerly from 23 Mile Rd to Shook Rd (present-day Exit 235).
1966 (Nov 16) - A new alignment of M-29 through Marysville, via Busha Hwy, is completed and certified, while the former route via River Rd is turned back to local control.
1971 (July 1) - The entire route of M-29 south of I-94 Exit 243 in Chesterfield Twp is removed and scaled back to its present southern terminus.
Freeway/Expwy: No portion of M-29 is freeway or expressway.
Photographs:
Weblinks: • M-29 @ Michigan Highway Ends - photos of the termini of M-29 at Dan Garnell's excellent Michigan Highway Ends website.
 

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