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On to Next Route: Former M-131 |
| Southern Entrance: | Indiana state line 3 miles south of US-12 near White Pigeon |
| Northern Terminus: | US-31/Charlevoix Ave in Petoskey (cnr of Spring St & Charlevoix Ave) |
| Length: | 269.274 miles |
| Maps: | Route Map of US-131 US-131 Constantine Bypass – Before & After |
| Notes: | Over the decades, US-131 has developed into what could be called the "Main Street of West Michigan," much in the way I-75 is sometimes referred to as the "Main Street of Michigan" in that it connects many of the largest communities together and runs the entire length of the state. US-131 connects two of West Michigan's largest cities—Grand Rapids and Kalamazoo—and forms a heavily-travelled corridor north-and-south through the entire western half of the Lower Peninsula. It is also an important link from the more developed and industrialized southern part of the Mitten with the more tourist-oriented areas of the North Country ("Up North" in Michigander parlance), with the Traverse City–Charlevoix–Petoskey area being the epicenter of that area. Today, 168½ miles (62.6% or nearly two-thirds) of this highway have been completed as freeway. A southerly extension of the limited-access highway has been intermittently under study for a few decades as well. |
| The total length of US-131 as a whole is approximately 268.8 miles, only 0.64 of which exist outside of Michigan. In the early days of US-131, the "US-131" designation only appeared in Michigan, ending at the Indiana state line. In fact, it wasn't until 1939 that US-131 was connected to its parent route, US-31. Prior to that, it terminated at a jct with M-113 and M-131 near Fife Lake. | |
Taken in its entirety, US-131 in Michigan can be considered "the route of many faces" as its character changes between the Indiana state line and Petoskey. From south to north, US-131 can be roughly classifed in the following ways
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| Major upgrades to the route of US-131 have been completed in Wexford Co, including the completion of the "Cadillac bypass" in 2001 and the "Manton bypass" in 2003, both of which are actually just segments of a long freeway extension from south of Cadillac to north of Manton. A northeasterly continuation of the US-131 freeway past Fife Lake toward Kalkaska and beyond had been studied for several years, but at present MDOT has shelved all plans for a US-131 freeway north of the Manistee River bridge between Manton and Fife Lake. Safety and capacity improvements to the corridor have been promised, however. | |
| Planning for some sort of bypass or relocation of US-131 in the Constantine area began in the 1950s as the Michigan State Highway Dept was considering upgrades for many of its heavily-traveled corridors throughout the state. As early as 1951, US-131 from Reed City on the north to the Indiana state line on the south was earmarked to be upgraded to a divided highway under the oversight of then-State Highway Commissioner Charles M. Ziegler. When John C. Mackie replaced Ziegler in that position in 1957, he overhauled plans for the future of the state trunkline highway system, including many more miles of freeway than his predecessor had. By 1960, MSHD plans showed US-131 being converted to a full freeway facility for its entire length in the state, from Indiana to Petoskey. A similar planning map from 1968 confirmed the department was still viewing the entire US-131 corridor as being a freeway at some point in the future. In the ensuing decades, however, a shift in transportation priorities as well as a lack of funding stalled all freeway conversion in the US-131 corridor south of Kalamazoo at the Shaver Rd intersection north of Schoolcraft. In the 1990s, MDOT proposed a western freeway bypass of the Village of Schoolcraft, but a Prairie Ronde Township trustee objected to the route through his township and the taking of farmland and MDOT committed to maintain the existing heavily-traveled route through the downtown district instead. Farther to the south, however, officials in the Village of Constantine—the first incorporated community US-131 travels through north of its beginning at the I-80/I-90/Indiana East-West Toll Road—were campaigning for a bypass. After studying the route of US-131 through St Joseph Co for many years, MDOT announced in late 2005 it would not be moving forward with any relocation of US-131 in the county. Following intense pressure from local officials and politicians, MDOT reversed its decision in April 2006. It committed to building the western bypass of Constantine as a two-lane limited-access expressway (with access at most crossroads), but constructed on a four-lane right-of-way which would facilitate conversion to a four-lane expressway or a fully controlled-access freeway at some point in the future, if traffic volumes, political will, and funding allowed. The bypass was completed and opened on October 30, 2013. (Map of Constantine Bypass.) |
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| While changes have been taking place at either end of the freeway portion of US-131, a major overhaul occurred smack in the middle during 2000. During the 1990s, MDOT discovered the 35-year-old "S-Curve" bridges in downtown Grand Rapids were in need of replacement sooner than originally envisioned due, in part, to the sinking of one of the bridge piers next to the Grand Rapids into the gypsum sub-base being eaten away by groundwater erosion. The entire S-Curve was scheduled to be removed and completely reconstructed to modern-day standards. Formerly a six-lane freeway with no shoulders, improper banking, no acceleration and deceleration lanes at interchanges and deteriorating structures, the new S-Curve would be eight-lanes wide with full weave/merge lanes between interchanges, proper banking, full shoulders and a gentler curve. Instead of attempting to maintain traffic through the S-Curve during reconstruction, which would have stretched the project out to five years, MDOT decided to completely close the freeway through downtown Grand Rapids for 1½ to 2 years. The primary contractor, Kiewit Western Co, however was able to rebuild the northbound lanes in less than eight months and had the southbound side open within ten months! | |
| Nearly 3½ miles of the US-131 freeway on the north side of Grand Rapids is officially part of the Interstate Highway system, designated I-296. However, since approximately 1980, I-296 has not been signed in the field, although the portion of US-131 from I-196/Gerald R Ford Frwy downtown northerly to I-96/M-37 north of the city remains officially an Interstate with the "secret" route designation of I-296. | |
 In the mid/late-1950s prior to the designation of the various Interstate routes around the state, the northern portion of the "Grand Rapids Expressway" between downtown Grand Rapids and the proposed "US-16 Relocation" (present-day I-96) was referred to as "US-16 Business, Relocation" for a short perood of time. This implies the planned designation for what later became I-296/US-131 and is today just US-131 was to have been part of the BUS US-16 route at Grand Rapids once completed. The existing BUS US-16 route along Monroe Ave, Leonard St and Remembrance Rd would have then been transferred to local control. |
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| History: | 1926  – Until the debut of the U.S. Highway system, M-13 is a major route up the western side of the Lower Peninsula, running from Indiana northerly via Three Rivers, Kalamazoo, Grand Rapids, Big Rapids, Cadillac, Kalkaska and Petoskey, terminating in downtown Harbor Springs. When the U.S. Highway system is laid out, all of M-13 from the Indiana line northerly to a point between Fife Lake and Kingsley in southeastern Grand Traverse Co (cnr present-day M-113, Keffer Rd & Van's Ln) is designated as US-131. A segment of unbuilt trunkline from the northern end of US-131 west of Fife Lake to US-31 at the southern tip of the East Arm of Grand Traverse Bay is proposed to complete the  connection of US-131 back to its "parent route," US-31. From the point west of Fife Lake northerly through Kalkaska, Mancelona and Petoskey to Harbor Springs, the former M-13 is redesignated M-131. While this may have been potentially confusing, the State Highway Dept has also created a similar situation with US-24 and M-24 at Pontiac and will, in the future, with US-25 and M-25 as well as US-112 and M-112.Note: As the portion of M-131 from Fife Lake north-northeasterly to Petoskey would eventually be incorporated into the route of US-131, any occurrences along that portion the route between 1927 and 1939 are included in the History section below and include an historic M-131 route marker to denote that occurrence happened along what was then part of M-131 but is now part of US-131. The History section of the Former M-131 route listing, though, lists all historical occurrences along any portion of the route of M-131, both the segment that became part of US-131 in 1939 or the "standalone" section from Petoskey to Cross Village that existed until 1979. |
| 1927 (May 2) – The new US Highway designations across the state of Michigan officially become effective today, with US-131 and M-131 superseding the entire route of M-13 in Michigan, as noted above. Road crews erect temporary cardboard route markers over the existing state trunkline route markers for all new US Highways and changed state highways as a result of the new US Highways. This marks the end of the first iteration of M-13 after just 14 years. (The State Highway Dept plans to have permanent markers in place by midsummer.) | |
1927 – Several changes to the route of the new US-131 this year:
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1928 – Several more changes to US-131 during 1928:
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| 1929 (May 26) – US-131 is moved onto new highway alignment (present-day Mackinaw Tr) running within ¾ mile east of the former route via 41½ Rd in east-central Wexford Co, from 30 Rd four miles north of downtown Cadillac to 18½ Rd, then easterly via 18½ Rd to Mackinaw Tr, 1½ miles southof downtown Manton, which is turned back to local control. | |
| 1929 (Oct 7) – With Governor Fred Green in attendance at the ribbon-cutting ceremonies, the new US-131 alignment from Cadillac southerly "over Cemetery Hill", then southwesterly to Tustin is completed and opened to traffic. |
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1930 – Two route changes this year:
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| 1931 (May 19) – Act 131 of 1931, which gives the State Highway Dept powers to establish, sign and maintain trunklines through cities, sees the transferring of Division Ave through Grand Rapids, from Burton St northerly to Michigan St and Plainfield Ave from Coldbrook St northeasterly to Knapp St to state control. In addition, on May 20, Division Ave from Michigan St northerly to Plainfield Ave at the cnr of Coldbrook St is established as a state trunkline. Previously, the route of US-131 through Grand Rapids was subject to change, since the City of Grand Rapids could re-route the highway on a whim. | |
| 1931 (July 15) – The 0.4 mile of 14 Mile (Luther) Rd between 210th Ave and US-131/Mackinaw Tr southwest of LeRoy is assumed into the state trunkline system as a new alignment for M-63. Instead of turning southerly via 120th Ave to terminate at US-131 one mile south of 14 Mile (Luther) Rd, approximately two miles north of Ashton, M-63 now continues due easterly along 14 Mile (Luther) Rd to terminate at US-131/Mackinaw Tr. The mile-long segment of 210th Ave between US-131 and M-63 is retained in the state trunkline highway system as a connector route initially designated as US-131 STUB. It is highly unlikely this route is not signed as "US-131 STUB" in the field, but rather signed either as "TO M-63" or just as a leg of M-63 itself northbound and as "TO US-131" or just as US-131 southbound. ("US-131 STUB" will be redesignated as M-179 in mid-1934.) | |
| 1931 (Aug 31) – The former route of US-131 at the new Grand Rapids & Indiana Railroad underpass north of Morley (see Oct 3, 1930 listing above) is turned back to local control. Additionally, a new routing for M-131 between Kalkaska and Mancelona is established as a state trunkline route, replacing the route established approximately 10 months earlier. This new alignment of M-131 runs via that of present-day US-131. The former alignment, while never constructed, is cancelled as a state trunkline route. |
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| 1932 (Oct 29) – A new 2.5-mile long routing for US-131 in southern Kalamazoo Co spanning the Portage/Schoolcraft Twp boundary from the present-day intersection of US-131 & U Ave northeasterly to the cnr of Shaver Rd & Oakland Dr is officially established as a state trunkline route, although construction on the new route is not yet complete. The former route—U Ave from present-day US-131 eaterly to Oakland Dr and Oakland Dr from U Ave northerly to Shaver Rd—is cancelled as a trunkline route and turned back to local control, even though that route is temporarily retained as a "marked-and-maintained" route until the new alighment is completed. The new alignment is not only 0.8 mile shorter and more direct than the older one, it also removes two 90° turns and two railroad grade crossings from the route of US-131, thus increasing the safety of the route. | |
| 1933 (Mar 20, July 12) – M-131 is rerouted from south of Walloon Lake in northeast Charlevoix Co into Emmet Co and into downtown Petoskey. On March 20, a completely new alignment for M-131 is established from the present-day cnr of Mackinaw Tr & River Rd approximately 1½ miles south of Walloon Lake north-northwesterly into Emmet Co, then northerly to US-31 at the cnr of Spring St & Charlevoix Ave (the present-day northern terminus of US-131). While established as a trunkline, the new highway won't be completed and opened to traffic until the next year. Then on July 12, the former alignment of M-131 via River Rd from Mackinaw Tr south of Walloon Lake to the south Petoskey city limit, then northerly via Standish Ave & Emmet St in downtown Petoskey, is cancelled as a trunkline and turned back to local control, pending completion of the new alignment of M-131. |
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| 1933 (Aug) – Construction on the new route for US-131 spanning the Portage/Schoolcraft Twp boundary in southern Kalamazoo Co officially established in October 1932 is completed and opened to traffic and the former route along U Ave and Oakland Dr—already cancelled as a state trunkline highway route—ceases to be a "marked-and-maintained" route for US-131. | |
| 1934 (Sept 7) – The new alignment for M-131 from south of Walloon Lake to the west side of Petoskey, noted above, is completed and open to traffic. |
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| 1934 (Aug 27) – A new US-131 route through Rockford is established, running northerly from the cnr of Fremont St & E Division St for three blocks to Courtland St, then easterly on Courtland, which turns northerly into Northland Dr to N Main St and the former route. Previously, US-131 turned westerly from Fremont St via E Division St, then northerly via Main St, turning easterly via Main to Northland Dr. This former route is temporarily retained as a state trunkline for 4½ months. | |
| 1935 (Jan 7) – The former route of US-131 through Rockford (E Division & Main Sts) is turned back to local control. The new route was established the previous August. | |
| 1936 (Dec 9) – A new route of US-131 between Constantine and Three Rivers, this one west of the St Joseph River, is officially assumed into the state trunkline system, beginning at the cnr of Washington & Broad Sts on the north side of Constantine and ending at M-60 southwest of Three Rivers. US-131 then runs concurrently with M-60 into Three Rivers, entering the city from the west via Michigan Ave to the former route at Main St. | |
| 1937 (Aug 30) – The portion of Washington St in Constantine between Water St (the former route of US-131 via the east side of the St Joseph River) and Broad St (the route established as a trunkline on December 9, 1936) is transferred to the state while the former route of US-131 from Constantine to Three Rivers via Water St, Featherstone Rd, Centreville-Constantine Rd and Lutz Rd is cancelled as a state trunkline route and transferred to local control. | |
| 1937 (Aug 30) – A realignment of US-131 immediately north of Wayland cuts two 90° corners with the former alignment via 10th St, Tyler Rd and 11th St being cancelled as a trunkline route and turned back to local control. | |
 1938 (Dec 1) – The "1939 Winter Michigan Highway Map" is issued by the State Highway Dept and shows US-131 extended westerly from the Fife Lake area replacing M-113 through Kinglsey, then northerly with M-42 (present-day M-37) to a new northern terminus at US-31 in Chums Corners south of Traverse City. That same map still shows M-131 running from US-131 west of Fife Lake north-northeasterly through Petoskey to Harbor Springs. And while the department's own "Biennial Report Map" showing the trunkline system as it was as of July 1, 1938 also included this extension of US-131 via Kingsley to Chums Corners (see snippet at right), that map is not widely available to the public. Once the change shows up on the official highway map, though, local news reports state that's when "the fireworks started." In fact, State Highway Commissioner Murray D. Van Wagoner stated "the marking of the highway maps was an error and that M-131 would be changed to US-131 on north to Petoskey at once, just as soon as markers could be secured, and that in any event the spring highway map would show the change even though the shield-shaped markers were not ready." According to the media reports, "When the state winter highway maps were being made somebody somewhere took it upon themselves to show US-131 extended from Fite Lake to join US-31 seven miles south of Traverse City..." While this would finally "complete" the route of US-131 through to its "parent" route (US-31) after no progress in over a decade to construct a new highway alignment for the proposed US-131 from Fife Lake to US-31 at Acme, the changes are pegged as a cartographic error. |
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 1939 (mid-Apr, June) – As noted above, highway crews change out all M-131 route markers from the southern terminus of that route (also the de facto northern terminus of US-131 since May 1927) with new US-131 signs through Kalkaska, Mancelona and Boyne Falls to US-31 at Petoskey in mid-April, leaving M-131 to only run concurrently with US-31 from US-131's new northern terminus through Petoskey and Bay View, then around the eastern end of Little Traverse City to its terminus in downtown Harbor Springs. This represents a major change to the routes of both US-131 and M-131. The American Association of State Highway Officials (modern-day AASHTO) receives the request for this change from the State Highway Dept early in the year and it is approves at their June meeting. |
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| 1940 (Aug 17) – Nearly five miles of new state trunkline alignment are established as a state trunkline for US-131 between Walton Junction and the jct with present-day M-186 on the western edge of Fife Lake. The former route of US-131 from Walton Junction northerly four miles is redesignated as an extension of M-113, while the east-west segment from M-113 easterly to the new alignment on the west edge of Fife Lake receives a brand-new route designation: M-186. | |
| 1940 (Nov 12) –Fifteen additional miles of new trunkline are officially established from M-186 at Fife Lake to downtown Kalkaska at M-66/M-72 and the former route in Grand Traverse Co via State St & State Rd through Fife Lake and the former route in Kalkaska Co via Ingersoll Rd, Shippy Rd, Woodman Rd, Hudson Rd, E Main St (through South Boardman) and Boardman Rd to Lodi at M-66 is cancelled as a trunkline route an turned back to local control, while the formerly-concurrent US-131/M-66 between Lodi and Kalkaska retains the M-66 designation. However, only the portion of new US-131 from Fife Lake to South Boardman is completed and opened to traffic in 1940, where US-131 traffic remains routed easterly via Boardman Rd to Lodi, then northerly via M-66 into Kalkaska for the time being. | |
| 1941 (Aug 16) – The new trunkline alignment for US-131 from South Boardman to downtown Kalkaska established the previous November is completed and opened to traffic. | |
| 1942 (Jan 28) – A short, ½ mile realignment immediately north of the Indiana state line moves US-131 slightly east and reduces the number of curves at this location from three to one more gradual one. The former route via present-day Old M-103 is turned back to local control. | |
| 1944 – Since the 1920s, the State Highway Dept has been slowly building a Grand Rapids Beltline System of highways around all sides of the city, forming a "box of highways" of sorts. By the 1940s, the state has completed the West Beltline (present-day Wilson Ave), the South Beltline (present-day 28th St) and the portion of the East Beltline (present-day East Beltline Ave) north of US-16/M-50/Cascade Rd to US-131/Plainfield Ave. This beltline system is designated M-114. A few years prior, the South and West Beltlines are given the BYP (Bypass) US-16 designation to underscore its position as a bypass route for that highway. In 1944, the East Beltline is finally completed from US-16/M-50/Cascade Rd southerly to BYP US-16/28th St and with that completion, all of the East Beltline and the portion of the South Beltline (28th St) from the East Beltline westerly to US-131/Division Ave is assigned the BYP US-131 designation. (A new BYP M-21 between the east and southwest parts of the Beltline is also designated at this time.) US-131 remains designated through Grand Rapids via Division & Plainfield Aves. | |
1949 – A pair of changes to US-131 this year:
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| 1952 (Nov 10) – A state trunkline route establishment and cancellation for US-131 and M-66 occurs in downtiown Mancelona. Formerly, both routes entered Mancelona from the south along Mackinaw Trail–Williams St, then turned northerly along Maple St for a block to jct M-88 at State St. The routes turned easterly along State St for ½ block, then northeasterly for another block along the present-day Williams St "service street" before jogging back onto Williams St at Hinman St. The 0.2-mile former route along Maple St and the "service street" is cancelled as a state trunkline route while the 0.2 mile segment of Williams St between Maple St and Hinman St is officially established as the new route for US-131/M-66. Construction on the new route is likely also finished around this time. The 200 feet of Maple St formerly part of US-131/M-66 becomes an easterly extension of M-88. |
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| 1953 (Summer) – In mid-1953, all of BYP US-131 around the south and east sides of Grand Rapids is redesignated as part of mainline US-131, while the former route of US-131 from the cnr of 28th St & Division Ave south of town to the cnr of East Beltline Ave, Plainfield Ave & Northland Dr northeast of the city is simply redesignated as BUS US-131. | |
| 1954 (Jan 4) – The US-131 "Three Rivers bypass" officially established as a state trunkline highway routing, between the present-day jcts of BUS US-131. Some official highway maps, however, show this route may have been completed as early as the fall of 1953. The former route of US-131 through downtown Three Rivers is redesignated as BUS US-131. | |
| 1955 (Feb 28) – A judge issues an injunction against the State Highway Dept to halt grading operations on the $1 million US-131 bypass of Rockford currently underway pending a hearing. The injunction to halt construction activities was obtained by nearby property owners. | |
| 1956 – Nearly 15 miles of US-131 from jct M-66 north of Mancelona to the northern jct of M-32 northwest of Elmira is "twinned" whereby a second carriageway is constructed adjacent of the existing roadway, which is turned into a four-lane, divided highway, with the exception of approximately ¾ mile through the community of Alba. From M-66 north to the sweeping curve at Deadman's Hill and Coulter Rds (approx 1½ miles south of southern M-32 jct), the new lanes are constructed west of the existing highway, built in the 1920s, while from there north to the northern M-32 jct, the new roadway is built on the east side of the existing highway. The original plans called for the 1920s lanes to be removed, although a decision to leave them in place for now has an unintended side-effect. The new lanes, built to modern (1950s) standards, facilitate easier snow removal than the older lanes and the State Highway Dept makes the determination that US-131 between Mancelona and M-32 WEST will be a seasonal four-lane divided highway. Each winter, the 1920s lanes of US-131 are blocked off and the new 1956 lanes are converted to two-way traffic until the spring. | |
| 1956 (late-July) – A five-mile, four lane divided expressway bypass of Rockford in central Kent Co is completed and opened to traffic from Northland Dr near Brewer Rd south of Rockford northerly back to Northland Dr just north of 11 Mile Rd during the week of July 23. The former route of US-131 through Rockford via Northland Dr, Fremont St, Courtland St and Northland Dr (again) is retained as an unsigned state trunkline route for now. |
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| 1956 (Nov 21) – A four-mile segment of divided, limited-access US-131 from the north end of the Three Rivers Bypass northerly, running parallel to and east of the existing route past Moorepark, and merging back into the existing highway near M-216 is completed and opened to traffic. The former route of US-131 along Wilbur Rd becomes an unsigned state trunkline route for the time being. As part of this project, the 2.1-miles of southbound lanes on US-131 along the previously-completed Three Rivers Bypass are completed and opened to traffic, bringing the bypass to its full four-lane divided highway configuration. The entire 5.1-mile project cost almost $880,000 to complete. |
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1957 (mid-June) – Two official establishments for reroutings of portions of US-131 are made during mid-June:
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| 1957 (July 29) – The first five miles of the Grand Rapids Expressway is completed and opened to (mainly local) traffic from the "South Beltline" at US-16/M-21/M-50/28th St in northeast Wyoming Twp southerly to 68th St in northeast Byron Twp while construction crews await the delivery of structural steel for the Pennsylvania Railroad overpass between 68th and 76th Sts. While southbound traffic can use the entire five mile stretch, northbounders must exit at 36th St, as there is currently no off-ramp at 28th St ("South Beltline") which is awaiting resolution of a property sale there in order to begin work on the ramp. The US-131 mainline route likely remains signed along its existing S DIvision St route in southern Kent Co. |
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| 1957 (Oct 22) – A brand-new alignment for US-131 between the north city limit of Reed City and the Lincoln/Le Roy Twp line a mile north of Ashton is officially established (and likely opens to traffic around the same time), running parallel to and immediately west of the Pennsylvania (formerly Grand Rapids & Indiana) RR line. This new alignment eliminates two grade-level railroad crossings and bypasses the hamlet of Ashton. Site contributor Brian Reynolds notes this alignment is constructed on four-lane right-of-way for future expansion to four lanes divided, which never ends up occurring because divided highway standards are updated soon after and the 1957 realignment of US-131 will never meet those standards. [Many thanks to Brian!] The former route via Mackinaw Tr from Chestnut St at the north Reed City limit northeasterly to 210th Ave, then northerly via Mackinaw Trail/210th Ave to 12 Mile Rd is cancelled as a state trunkline route and turned back to local control, although the 2/10 mile portion of Mackinaw Tr between US-131 and US-10 on the north side of Reed City is re-established as a trunkline in December, acting as a short connector route between those two highways. | |
| 1957 (Oct/Nov) – The 4.1-mile segment of the US-131 freeway in southern Kent Co from 68th St at Cutlerville southerly to 100th St is opened to traffic by mid-November once the overpass spanning the Pennsylvania (present-day Grand Elk) Railroad north of 76th St is completed. Completion of this final bridge had been held up due to lack of structural steel. The mile-long segment of the new freeway is actually complete from 100th St southerly to the Kent/Allegan Co line, but as the portion of the route in Allegan Co is not yet complete, that segment is not yet opened to traffic. |
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| 1958 (June 30, 3pm) – The 7½-mile segment of the US-131 freeway from 100th St in southern Kent Co southerly to 135th Ave at Wayland in northeast Allegan Co is opened to traffic by State Highway Commissioner John C Mackie. This brings the length of the US-131 freeway open to traffic to about 17 miles total. The segment of 135th Ave–Superior St between the southern end of the new freeway segment and existing US-131 in downtown Wayland at Main St was "improved" and "blacktopped" by the State Highway Dept in order to handle the increased traffic shuttling between the new freeway and the exisiting route downtown. |
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| 1958 (July 7) – The US-131 freeway from the south city limit of Grand Rapids southerly to the Kent/Allegan Co line (10.780 miles) is officially established as a state trunkline on July 7, although the portion from US-16/M-21/M-50/28th St northerly to the G.R. city limit is not yet complete and the portion of the freeway from 28th St southerly to 100th St in southern Kent Co was opened to traffic in two stages the previous year. The segment of the US-131 freeway from 100th St southerly into Allegan Co opened to traffic the week prior. The 10.9-mile long former route of US-131 via Division Ave from the south limits of Grand Rapids southerly to the Kent/Allegan Co line is cancelled as a state trunkline route and turned back to local control. |
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| 1958 (July 29) – Two miles of new highway on new alignment along with a new Manistee River bridge are established as a state trunkline route on this date in northeastern Wexford Co, five miles north of downtown Manton. The former route via present-day Old US-131 is turned back to local control, however the old Manistee River bridge is removed. | |
| 1958 (Nov 28) – Michigan State Highway Commissioner John C Mackie petitions the American Association of State Highway Officials (AASHO, the present-day AASHTO) to swap the US-131 and M-103 routes between US-112 (present-day US-12) and the Indiana state line, which is granted at the organization's November 28 meeting in San Francisco, California. Mackie notes he will also ask the State of Indiana to redesignate its short segment of IN SR-13 between the Indiana East-West Toll Road and the Michigan state line as a southerly continuation of US-131, although it's not known if this actually occurred. | |
1959 – Four changes to US-131 in 1959:
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| c.1959 – In an odd turn of events, one internal Michigan State Highway Dept map (nothing released for public consumption) seems to indicate highway planners are contemplating using the M-131 designation for significant portions of the Grand Rapids Beltline System once the US-131 designation is removed and placed onto the new north-south "Grand Rapids Freeway" currently under contruction. The map shows the proposed M-131 beginning at the US-131 freeway interchange south of Grand Rapids and proceeding easterly via 28th St to East Beltline Ave, then northerly along East Beltline Ave back to US-131 at Plainfield Ave & Northland Dr northeast of the city. Interestingly, though, M-131 still exists along the route from Petoskey through Harbor Springs to Cross Village. It is not clear what highway planners would have done with that route designation if the M-131 designation was moved down to the Grand Rapids area. |
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| 1960 (Sept 23–27) – The US-131 freeway in Allegan Co from the Kent Co line southerly past Wayland and Martin to M-89 at Plainwell is finally officially established as a state trunkline highway on Sept 27, although the portion from Kent Co southerly to M-118 at Martin had already been completed and opened to traffic. In any event, 8 additional miles of freeway are opened to traffic four days earlier on Sept 23 from M-118 southerly to M-89 at Plainwell, where US-131 traffic temporarily utilizes M-89 into downtown Plainwell to rejoin the existing highway. The former route of US-131 from the Kent/Allegan Co line southerly to M-89 in downtown Plainwell is turned back to local control. | |
| 1961 (July 24) – A one-mile segment of the "Grand Rapids North–South Freeway" (future US-131) is completed and opened to traffic from US-16/M-21/28th St (present-day M-11) northerly to Burton St. Construction on this segment began in 1958 but completion was delayed due to right-of-way acqusition issues. Construction on the seven miles of freeway north of Burton St is underway. It is not clear if the BUS US-131 designation is officially signed along this mile of freeway at this time or not, however. Mainline US-131 traffic continues to exit the freeway at 28th St to continue to bypass Grand Rapids via the Beltline System. | |
| 1961 (Sept 27) – A short, new alignment along US-131 just south of Cadillac is complete and opened to traffic, shaving 1/10 mile from the route. Beginning on Mackinaw Tr, ¼ mile south of the southern Cadillac city limit, the routing for US-131 carries the route southerly via 43 Rd for ½ mile before making a sweeping curve first southwesterly then southerly, connecting back with Mackinaw Tr near 46 Rd, north of M-115. The former route remains an unsigned trunkline for the next few months. | |
| 1961 (Nov 6) – Another 1½-mile long section of the Grand Rapids North-South Freeway (future US-131) is opened to traffic, from Burton St northerly to BUS M-21/Franklin St in the southern part of the city. Instead of waiting for the entire segment from the southern city limit northerly to Pearl St downtown to be completed, the State Highway Dept is opening portions as they are completed. As with the previous portion opened to the south between 28th St and Burton St 3½ months earlier, it is not clear if the BUS US-131 designation is officially extended along the freeway to Franklin St at this time or not. Mainline US-131 traffic continues to exit the freeway at 28th St to continue to bypass Grand Rapids via the Beltline System. | |
| 1961 (Dec 4) – The short realignment in US-131 south of Cadillac completed and opened to traffic at the end of September is officially established as a state trunkline route, adding 1.901 miles. The 2.0-mile former route of US-131 along Mackinac Trail is cancelled as a state trunkline route and is turned back to local control. | |
| 1961 (Dec 23) – The extension of the Grand Rapids North-South Freeway (future US-131 freeway) from BUS M-21/Franklin St northerly to Pearl St downtown Grand Rapids is completed and opened to traffic. The feeway opening is marked by the inclusion of wheeled dogsleds and two teams of malemutes and Siberian huskies. The teams pulled dignitaries along the new segment of freeway with State Highway Commissioner John C Mackie cutting the ceremonial ribbon. Since the freeway is not yet complete through the city, the US-131 mainline designation remains on the Beltline System of 28th St easterly from the freeway to East Beltline Ave, then northerly via East Beltline to Plainfield Ave northeast of the city. The new freeway from 28th St northerly to the "Downtown" exit (present-day Exit 84B) is designated as BUS US-131, while the remainder from the "Downtown" exit northerly to Pearl St is not signed with a route designation in the field. BUS US-131 from the "Downtown" exit continues northerly to Oakes & Weston Sts. Northbound traffic is routed easterly via Oakes to Division Ave while southbound traffic uses Weston westerly from Division to the new on-ramp. From Oakes & Weston, BUS US-131 continues northerly via its previous routing on Division & Plainfield Aves. | |
| 1962 (Oct 5, Nov 2) – On October 5, the next 11 miles of US-131 freeway are established as trunkline beginning at the southern end of the completed freeway at M-89 west of Plainwell southerly to M-43/West Main St on the west side of Kalamazoo. The $4.7-million freeway itself opens to traffic less than a month later on November 2, with US-131 traffic directed from the new southern end of the freeway easterly via M-43/West Main St into downtown Kalamazoo. In addition, the route of the proposed BUS US-131 freeway from the new US-131 freeway northwest of Kalamazoo easterly to Westnedge Ave north of downtown is established although it will not be opened to traffic until the end of the next year. From the end of the proposed BUS US-131 freeway spur, Westnedge Ave & N Park St are assumed into the state trunkline system as a continuation of BUS US-131 into downtown at M-43/BL I-94/Kalamazoo Ave, however signs will not be erected until the freeway spur noted above is complete. The former route of US-131 via Douglas Rd (Allegan Co) & Douglas Ave (Kalamazoo Co) between Plainwell and Kalamazoo is turned back to local control. | |
| 1962 (Oct 15) – The former route of BUS US-131 (formerly US-131) via Division Ave from US-16/US-131/M-21/28th St (present-day M-11) northerly into downtown Grand Rapids at Oakes St is cancelled and turned back to local control—the freeway route replacing the Division Ave trunkline has been open to traffic since the previous December. | |
1962 (Dec 17, 10:00am; Dec 28) – The entire 3.4-mile long I-296/US-131 freeway route from the proposed junction with I-96 (present-day I-196) in downtown Grand Rapids northerly to an interchange with I-196/US-16 (present-day I-96) north of the city is completed and opened to traffic on December 17. Eleven days later on December 28, the same segment of highway is officially established as a state trunkline highway. Additionally, exactly one year and five days after opening, the new BUS US-131 freeway from 28th St northerly into downtown Grand Rapids is officially assumed into the state trunkline system on Dec 28. With this completion, the following changes are made:
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| 1963 (Sept 30–Dec 16) – The 10½-mile long segment of the US-131 freeway from M-43/W Main St at Kalamazoo southerly to the Shaver Rd & Westnedge Ave intersection north of Schoolcraft is completed and opened to traffic on Sept 30. The US-131 freeway is now complete from north of Schoolcraft to I-96 (formerly I-196) north of Grand Rapids. Then 2½ months after opening to traffic, this new segment of US-131 is officially established as a state trunkline highway route on Dec 16 and the former route of US-131 along Shaver Rd northeasterly into Portage, then northerly via Westnedge Ave to I-94 at Exit 76 is turned back to local control. The portion of Westnedge Ave northerly from I-94 into Kalamazoo and the Westnedge–Park one-way pair into downtown remain as an unsigned state trunkline route for the time being. | |
| 1964 (Sept 30) – The route of former US-131 in Kalamazoo from I-94 at Exit 76 northerly via Westnedge Ave and the Westnedge-Park one-way pair into downtown are cancelled as state trunklines and turned back to local control. Also in 1964, the BUS US-131 freeway spur from US-131 at present-day Exit 41 into the north side of Kalamazoo is completed and opened to traffic. Thus, the BUS US-131 routing at Kalamazoo becomes official, beginning at US-131 at present-day Exit 36 and proceeding into downtown concurrently with BL I-94 via Stadium Dr and W Michigan Ave, then easterly with M-43 via Michigan Ave and northerly via the Westnedge-Park one-way pair from downtown to meet up with the new freeway spur, then northwesterly from Kalamazoo back to US-131. | |
| 1965 (Nov 8) – A Bureau of Public Roads (BPR—today's Federal Highway Administration, or FHWA) ceremonial tree planting along I-296/US-131 in Grand Rapids makes national news when a short blurb referring to the event even shows up in the New York Daily News and the Arizona Daily Star! The event is believed to be one of the first ever BPR highway beautification efforts, in this case, the tree planted on a rainy Monday is the first of 197 meant to screen four junkyards from the view of passing motorists. | |
| 1966 (Sept 8–15) – On September 8, a new 15.9-mile relocation of US-131 is officially established as a state trunkline route starting at the southern end of the new segment of US-131 established in late 1961 south of Cadillac at Mackinaw Trail, proceeding southwesterly into Osceola Co, then turning generally southery passing west of Tustin and Le Roy before merging back into the existing route of US-131 just south of 14 Mile Rd. One week later on September 15, the new segment of highway is completed and opened to traffic as a fully controlled-access freeway for about three miles from Mackinaw Trail (where a new overpass has been constructed over US-131) southwesterly to just beyond the Pennsylvania (GR&I) Railroad overpasses near the Wexford/Osceola Co line. From that point, the new highway continues southwesterly and southerly to a point just north of Ashton in Osceola Co as a two-lane, limited-access expressway built on sufficient right-of-way to allow for conversion to a four-lane, divided freeway in the future as funding permits. The $5 million project also includes a northbound rest area south of Cadillac, a southbound scenic overlook north of Tustin and a full interchange at
M-115. The former route of US-131 from the new Mackinaw Trail overpass southerly past Tustin and Le Roy to just north of Ashton is cancelled as a state trunklne route on September 8 and turned back to local control. |
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| 1968 (Fall) – The divided highway portion of US-131 from M-66 north of Mancelona to the northern jct of M-32 northwest of Elmira "twinned" in 1956 is "de-twinned" when the original northbound lanes of the highway are closed and torn up with two lanes of traffic maintained on the "new" carriageway. The $170,000 project was deemed necessary as snow removal costs were deemed to be too great—the original northbound lanes were lower in many areas than the new southbound lanes to the west and the railroad tracks to the east, compounding the drifting snow problem—and the Dept of State Highways concludes it is too dangerous to continue to shut down the northbound lanes and convert the southbound side of the highway to two-way traffic each winter. The alternative, a $1.5 million project to bring the 1920s lanes up to modern standards, is deemed unwarranted by the State Highway Commission as 1968 traffic volumes do not justify a four-lane divided highway between Mancelona and M-32. As long-range plans call for a freeway in the US-131 corridor from Grand Rapids northerly toward the Straits of Mackinac, any future traffic volume increases would be handled by the proposed freeway routing. The 1920s-era northbound lanes are removed by late fall and US-131 reverts back to a two-lane, undivided highway through this stretch. (To this day, the location of the northbound lanes is somewhat easy to spot.) |
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| 1968 (Nov 1) – A northerly extension of the US-131 freeway from I-96 on the north side of Grand Rapids northerly to the Kent/Montcalm Co line is officially established as a state trunkline route, yet the only portion of the new freeway actually under construction is from I-96 to 14 Mile Rd south of Cedar Springs. This establishment, interestingly, reverses a State Highway Dept decision to improve the route of US-131 north of Grand Rapids as a four-lane divided expressway on or near its existing route, including the Rockford Bypass via Wolverine Blvd, which date back to the administration of State Highway Commissioner Charles Ziegler. Once John C. Mackie took over that post, many of the Ziegler-era route upgrades were jettisoned in favor of full freeway upgrades, usually on a new alignment.
Plans are now to continue the freeway northerly from Grand Rapids to at least Cadillac. |
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| 1968 (Nov 13) – In response to the passage of the Federal-Aid Highway Act of 1968 which, among other things, authorizes an additional 1,500 miles of Interstate highway nationally, the State Highway Commission announces a request containing 600 miles of additional Interstate mileage within the state. Since the entire nationwide allotment for additional Interstate mileage is 1,500 miles, MSHD officials are aware, however, their request is unlikely to be granted in its entirety. One of the requests is an approximatley 225-mile long extension the US-131 freeway northerly from Grand Rapids past Big Rapids, Cadillac and Kalkaska to Petoskey, where the freeway would then continue northerly in the US-31 corridor to a terminus at Mackinaw City. (No potential Interstate route designation for the US-131/US-31 freeway extension is suggested in the request.) This request is ultimately not granted by the federal government. | |
| 1969 (Oct 26) – At its regular meeting at the Sheraton Hotel in Philadelphia, the U.S. Route Numbering Subcommittee of the American Association of State Highway Officials (AASHO) approves a request from the Michigan Dept of State Highways to relocate the route of US-131 between Grand Rapids and Howard City from its existing route via Rockford, Cedar Springs, Sand Lake and Pierson and placing it onto a new 30½-mile long freeway facility from I-96 in Walker northerly to just north of Howard City. The first 12 miles of the new route is just three days from opening to traffic, while the remainder will be complete in approximately four years. | |
| 1969 (Oct 29) – The 12-mile, $13 million segment of US-131 freeway north of Grand Rapids from I-96 (at present-day Exit 31) northerly past Rockford to a temporary terminus at 14 Mile Rd (present-day Exit 101) south of Cedar Springs is completed and opened to traffic. A ribbon-cutting ceremony is held at the 10 Mile Rd interchange attended by Governor William Milliken who stated the new freeway stretch is "one of the safest and most beautiful segments in the state highway system." At 14 Mile Rd, the route of US-131 laterals back over via 14 Mile to the existing route at Northland Dr before continuing northerly into Cedar Springs with M-57. The former route of US-131 along I-96 between the freeway and Plainfield Ave retains the I-96 designation, while Plainfield Ave from I-96 northerly to M-44/East Beltline Ave is redesignated as CONN M-44 ("Connector M-44") and the concurrent US-131/M-44 via Northland Dr & Wolverine Blvd from East Beltline & Plainfield northerly to Belding Rd retains the M-44 designation. From M-44/Belding Rd northerly to M-57/14 Mile Rd, the former US-131 along Wolverine Blvd and Northland Dr is cancelled as a state trunkline highway route and turned back to county control. At the same time this new segment of US-131 is opened, the M-37 designation is re-routed around Grand Rapids—it formerly ran concurrently with M-11 along 28th St from Broadmoor–East Beltline westerly, then northerly via US-131 through the city, splitting off at I-96 to head northerly via Alpine Ave. Now, M-37 continues northerly with M-44 along East Beltline Ave to I-96, then runs concurrently with I-96 across the north side of Grand Rapids to Alpine Ave. |
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| 1973 (Sept 21) – A 16.7-mile stretch of US-131 freeway is completed and officially opened to traffic from M-57/14 Mile Rd north of Rockford northerly past Cedar Springs and Howard City to Edgar Rd, then easterly along a newly-constructed extension of Howard City–Edmore Rd back to the existing US-131 alignment at Federal Rd. With the completion, the M-46 designation is transferred to the new freeway from M-46 north of Howard City southerly concurrently with US-131 to M-57 at Cedar Springs, then westerly via 17 Mile Rd supplanting the M-57 designation toward Kent City. | |
| 1973 (Oct 22) – The US-131 freeway from the Kent/Montcalm Co line northerly to Edgar Rd north of Howard City is established as a state trunkline, as is Edgar Rd and a new highway alignment easterly from the new freeway are also assumed into the trunkline system. This segment of freeway was completed and opened to traffic almost exactly a month earlier, along with the connector along Edgard Rd and Howard City–Edmore Rd. | |
| 1976 – The two-lane undivided expressway segment of US-131 from Mackinaw Tr southwest of LeRoy to the Penn Central RR overpass south of Cadillac is converted to full freeway with the addition of the northbound lanes, overpasses and interchanges. The existing two-lane alignment becomes the southbound lanes on the new freeway. | |
| 1977 (July 5–Nov 10) – A US-131 S-Curve "renewal" project closes each direction of the accident-prone stretch of freeway across the Grand River in downtown Grand Rapids, with southbound closing first July 5–September 2, followed by the northbound side shutting down completely September 6–November 10. Included in the "renewal" project are new concrete barriers to replace old bridge railings, adjusting the superelevation (or "re-banking") the roadway for better traction, and then repaving the entire S-Curve between Wealthy St and Pearl St with a more "skid-resistant" material. The resurfacing of the S-Curve will be done using a relatively new process and a more skid-resistant asbestos-asphalt mixture, which is likely a very safe material, both to work with and drive on.🙄 Media reports state that "the S-Curve has earned a reputation as one of the most treacherous stretches of pavement in the area" and that "ten persons have died in accidents there since opened in 1961." Ninety percent of the $1.9-million project is being covered by federal funds, while the State and City are splitting the remaining $80,000. |
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| 1978 (Oct 28) – At its regular meeting in Hartford, Connecticut, the U.S. Route Numbering Subcommittee of the American Association of State Highway & Transportation Officials (AASHTO) approves a request from the Michigan Dept of State Highways & Transportation to "eliminate the I-296 signing between I-96 and I-196 in Grand Rapids" but to "retain [the] route as a part of the Interstate system." US-131 and I-296 have been routed concurrently along that segment since its opening in December 1963. | |
| 1980 – The last Official Michigan Highway Map with I-296 indicated along US-131 in Grand Rapids between I-196/Gerald R Ford Frwy and I-96/M-37 is the 1979 edition; all references to I-296 are removed on the 1980 map. Sources seem to indicate the I-296 route markers were removed in 1980, in part due to a freeway signage upgrade project along US-131 in the Grand Rapids area. I-296 remains as an unsigned Interstate routing from this time forward. | |
| 1980 (Oct 21) – A northerly extension to the route of the US-131 freeway from M-46/Edgar Rd northerly to 19 Mile Rd northwest of Big Rapids is officially established as a state trunkline route on this date, although the freeway is only complete and open to 8 Mile Rd at Stanwood. US-131 traffic utilizes 8 Mile Rd between the new freeway at Exit 131 to Northland Dr and 8 Mile is temporarily established as a state trunkline. The former route of US-131 via Federal Rd (Montcalm Co) & Northland Dr (Mecosta Co) remains an unsigned state trunkline. | |
| 1981 (June 25) – At its regular meeting in Dallas, the U.S. Route Numbering Subcommittee of the American Association of State Highway & Transportation Officials (AASHTO) approves a request from the Michigan Dept of Transportation to relocate the route of US-131 from M-46 northwest of Howard City northerly to B-88/8 Mile Rd near Stanwood, placing it onto the new freeway facility which opened to traffic nine months earlier. | |
1981 (Sept 30) – Two segments of the former route of US-131—one each in Kent and Montcalm Cos—are cancelled as state trunkline highway segments and turned back to local control, almost exactly eight years to the day after the freeway segment which replaced these segments was opened to traffic:
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| 1983 (Oct 1) – At its regular meeting in Denver, the U.S. Route Numbering Subcommittee of the American Association of State Highway & Transportation Officials (AASHTO) approves a request from the Michigan Dept of Transportation to relocate the route of US-131 between Stanwood and north of Big Rapids, placing it onto a new freeway facility beginning at the northern end of the US-131 freeway at B-88/8 Mile Rd near Stanwood northerly to 19 Mile Rd north of Big Rapids, then running easterly via 19 Mile Rd back to existing US-131. Also approved by the AASHTO subcommittee is the designation of a new BUS US-131 routing at Big Rapids along the existing route from 19 Mile Rd southerly to M-20. | |
| 1983 (Dec 9) – An additional 11 miles of US-131 freeway is completed and opens to traffic in Mecosta Co from B-88/8 Mile Rd (present-day M-20) at Stanwood northerly to 19 Mile Rd northwest of Big Rapids, where US-131 traffic turns easterly via 19 Mile Rd, now a state trunkline, to Northland Dr and US-131's original routing. The former route via 8 Mile Rd from the freeway at Exit 131 to Northland Dr at Stanwood is turned back to local control, while the portion via Northland Dr from Stanwood to the southern jct of M-20 at Big Rapids remains an unsigned state trunkline. A new BUS US-131 routing at Big Rapids is created, beginning at Exit 139 and heading easterly via M-20 to State St, then northerly with M-20 via State St into downtown where BUS US-131 continues northerly via the former US-131, terminating at US-131 at the cnr of Northland Dr & 19 Mile Rd. This phase of the US-131 freeway cost $29.1 million to complete and the dedication ceremony features U.S. Rep. Donald Albosta and MDOT Director Jim Pitz. Site visitor John McDowell wrote in to say that only the southbound bridge over the Muskegon River is complete when the freeway opens—northbound traffic is forced off at 8 Mile Rd easterly to the former route of US-131 via Northland Dr, northerly via Northland to 11 Mile Rd, and westerly back to the new freeway where a temporary ramp provides access to the northbound lanes. —Thanks much John! |
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| 1984 – As noted above, the northbound Muskegon River bridge was not yet complete in time for the opening of the US-131 freeway between Stanwood and Big Rapids. It is completed and opened to traffic this year allowing northbound traffic to continue straight through at the 8 Mile Rd interchange. The temporary ramp at 11 Mile Rd is removed. —Thanks again, John! | |
| 1984 (Dec 21) – The remainder of the former route of US-131 in northern Kent Co, from M-57/14 Mile Rd northerly to the Kent/Montcalm Co line at Sand Lake, except for the portion within the City of Cedar Springs which was transferred three years prior, is cancelled as a state trunkline route and turned back to county control. |
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| 1986 (Oct 23) – Eighteen miles of new US-131 freeway are completed from B-96/19 Mile Rd northwest of Big Rapids past Reed City to the southern end of the freeway southwest of LeRoy, thus completing the US-131 freeway from north of Schoolcraft to just south of Cadillac. The former route from the 19 Mile Rd interchange easterly via 19 Mile to Northland Dr becomes a northerly extension of the BUS US-131 route at Big Rapids, while Northland Dr (Mecosta Co) & Mackinaw Tr (Osceola Co) between 19 Mile Rd and BUS US-10/Church St in Reed City becomes an unsigned state trunkline. The portion of US-131/BUS US-10 through Reed City retains the BUS US-10 designation, while the portions which remain accessible between Reed City and Ashton—from US-10 north to 7 Mile Rd and from Sylvan Rd to 1,000 ft south of 13 Mile Rd—remain as unsigned state trunkline segments for the time being. A portion of the existing US-131 route from 7 Mile Rd to Sylvan Rd north of Reed City is physically replaced by the northbound lanes of the new freeway. |
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| 1992 (Sept 24) – Oddly, nearly six years after it was completed and opened to traffic, the Osceola Co portion of the US-131 freeway opened in 1986 is officially established as a state trunkline highway route. The segment in question is from the Mecosta/Osceola Co line northerly to Sylvan Rd near Ashton. It's unclear why this segment was not established at the time it was completed. Additionally, the 3.583-mile segment of the former route of US-131—which had been completely obliterated and abandoned as a public roadway—from 7 Mile Rd northerly to Sylvan Rd is officially cancelled as a state trunkline route. (A major portion of this segment runs immediately adjacent to the northbound lanes of the US-131 freeway.) |
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| 1993 (June 30) – The two segments of OLD US-131 in western Osceola Co north of Reed City which were temporarily retained as unsigned state trunkline routes are finally cancelled and turned back to county control 6½ years after the freeway segment which replaced them was completed and opened to traffic. The two segments of OLD US-131 now under County jurisdiction are from US-10 at Reed City northerly for 2.223 miles to 7 Mile Rd and from Sylvan Rd northerly for 2.336 miles to 1,000 ft south of 13 Mile Rd north of Ashton. |
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| 1996 (Aug 1) – Due to a bill signed into law on June 25, 1996 (based on a federal bill signed into law by President Bill Clinton on November 28, 1995 removing the federal restrictions on speed limits on "federally designated" highways), five segments of freeway, including US-131 from just north of Grand Rapids to Cadillac, were approved as test stretches to be raised to a 70 mph speed. The speed limit on US-131 from Grand Rapids northerly officially increased to 70 on August 1, 1996. | |
| 1996 (Nov 12) – Jurisdiction of the 2.564 miles of OLD US-131 along Federal Hwy north of Howard CIty from M-46/Howard City-Edmore Rd northerly to the Montcalm/Mecosta Co line in Montcalm Co is transferred from MDOT to the Montcalm Co Road Commission. This comes 13 years after the completion of the US-131 freeway extension from M-46 near Howard City northerly to Stanwood. |
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2000 – Several Grand Rapids "S-Curve 2000" Project related items:
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| 2000 (Nov 1) – The first 2.9 miles of the "Cadillac Bypass" opens to traffic and while that freeway would eventually bear the US-131 designation, for the next year, it will only be signed as a rerouted M-55. From the north end of the opened freeway about 1½ miles east of downtown Cadillac, M-55 now turns southwesterly via the new freeway (joining with US-131 at Exit 177) to M-115 at Exit 176, then runs concurrently with M-115 northwesterly back to the former route of M-55 in the "Lakes Area" on the west side of Cadillac. For the time being, through US-131 traffic is directed to exit the freeway at Exit 177 to continue into Cadillac and on toward Petoskey. | |
| 2001 (Oct 30) – The remainder of the US-131 "Cadillac Bypass" is opened to traffic on this day from the M-55 EAST interchange (Exit 180) northerly to existing US-131 north of Cadillac. US-131 now officially joins M-55 on the portion of the freeway opened November 1, 2000 between Exits 177 and 180, then continuing northerly to the end of the new freeway segment. The former US-131 from Exit 177 northerly through downtown Cadillac to Boon Rd (34 Rd) is redesignated as BUS US-131, which then turns easterly via Boon Rd (34 Rd), terminating at the new freeway at Exit 183. Former US-131 from Boon (34) Rd northerly to the northern end of the new freeway becomes an unsigned state trunkline internally designated by MDOT as OLD US-131 (although it will take MDOT some time to remove the physical US-131 route markers). | |
| 2003 (Sept 19, 10am) – This site's author's 30th birthday also sees the opening of the US-131 "Manton Bypass," from the north end of the freeway north of Cadillac to north of Manton, just south of the Manistee River bridge in northeastern Wexford Co. The former route of US-131 from the former end of the freeway northerly to the south jct of M-42 at Manton becomes an unsigned state trunkline highway internally designated within MDOT as OLD US-131, while the formerly concurrent US-131/M-42 becomes M-42/BUS US-131 with the BUS US-131 designation continuing northerly out of Manton via the old route to the northern end of the freeway north of Manton. For the foreseeable future, this concludes freeway-building activity on the north end of US-131… although the same was said at I-96 north of Grand Rapids in the 1960s! | |
| 2005 (Feb 1) – The 0.77-mile segment of OLD US-131 along S Chestnut St from the Reed City city limit northerly to BUS US-10/Church St is turned back to city control. This former trunkline was superseded by the US-131 freeway when it was completed past Reed City in 1986—19 years prior. At this time, though, the portion of OLD US-131 from the southern Reed City city limit into Mecosta Co toward Big Rapids remains as a unsigned trunkline. MDOT agrees to pay the City of Reed City nearly $68,000 to cover the cost of upgrading this segment of former trunkline to current standards. | |
| 2009 (June 17) – The 3.01 miles of OLD US-131 running along Mackinac Trail from the south Osecola Co line at Meceola Rd northerly to the southern limits of the City of Reed City at 3 Mile Rd is transferred to county jurisdiction as a County Primary Road. This former trunkline was superseded by the US-131 freeway when it was completed past Reed City in 1986. MDOT agrees to pay the Osceola Co Road Commission $1.48-million to cover the cost of upgrading this segment of former trunkline to current standards. | |
| 2012 (Nov 16) – In preparation for the 2013 completion of the Constantine Bypass, MDOT applies to AASHTO for official approval to both relocate the mainline route of US-131 onto the new bypass as well as to designate a BUS US-131 routing to travel along the existing route of US-131 through the village. AASHTO officially approves both requests at their November 16, 2012 meeting of the Special Committee on U.S. Route Numbering in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. | |
| 2013 (Oct 30, 10:30 am) – The Constantine Bypass opens to traffic, first beginning with southbound traffic just after 10:30 am, with northbound traffic shifted to the new roadway around 11:00 am. The new bypass begins along existing US-131 approx 0.3 mile north of Dickinson Rd (or 1.3 mile north of US-12) north of White Pigeon and veers to the west intersecting Stears Rd 0.6 miles west of the existing route before curving back to a due northerly alignment as it intersects with Riverside Dr. The new bypass crosses the St Joseph River, intersects with North River Rd and then Quarterline Rd-Birch St. At the Youngs Prairie Rd intersection, the US-131 bypass curves to the northeast, then intersecting Zerbe Rd before merging back into the existing route approx 0.6 mile south of Garber Rd. Construction on the 4.201-mile, $18 million bypass took just nine months and a ceremonial ribbon-cutting ceremony is held on October 18, twelve days before the new roadway actually opens to traffic. The entire bypass is constructed as a two-lane limited-access expressway on a four-lane right-of-way to accommodate future expansion as a four-lane expressway or freeway. The former route of US-131 through Constantine is retained in the state trunkline system as BUS US-131. (Map of Constantine Bypass.) | |
| 2015 (Aug 5) – The 2.875-mile segment of OLD US-131 along Mackinaw Trail between BUS US-131 at the cnr of Boon Rd (34 Rd) & Mitchell St just north of Cadillac to 0.35 mile south of the US-131 overpass in northern Haring Twp is turned back to county control. This is the segment south of the northern end of the US-131 "Cadillac Bypass" segment—where the US-131 freeway temporarily terminated and merged back into the old US-131 route from October 2001 to September 2003. The remaining 5.773-mile portion of OLD US-131 in Wexford Co is the is part byapssed by the US-131 "Manton Bypass" in September 2003. |
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2017 (Aug 22) – To accommodate a two-block redevelopment on the south side of downtown Grand Rapids, the closing and vacating the segment of BUS US-131 between Cherry St and Oakes St south of the Van Andel Arena is required. MDOT comes to an agreement with the City of Grand Rapids to transfer several signed and unsigned state trunklines within the city, including the entirety of BUS US-131. From Cherry St to Oakes St, existing BUS US-131 is turned over to the City, which allows the City to sell the right-of-way to accommodate the new development. (The City will construct a one-block southerly extension of Ottawa Ave to the west to take the place of the former BUS US-131 between Cherry and Oakes.) The other segments of BUS US-131 turned back to city control are:
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| 2018 (June 21) – Nearly fifteen years after being bypassed by the "Manton Bypass" segment of the US-131 freeway between Cadillac and Manton, the former route of US-131 along Mackinaw Trail, which had been maintained by MDOT as an unsigned state trunkline highway, is finally turned back to county control. The Cadillac News chose to identify the occurence as a renaming of the roadway—from "Old 131" to "Mackinaw Trail"—althought the name of the road had always been Mackinaw Trail. It was simply that while it was an unsigned state trunkline route, MDOT referred to it by the route designation of OLD US-131. (Often, MDOT doesn't really grasp what the local roadname is of a state trunkline... or doesn't really care. There have been countless ocurrences of the department using the wrong name or simply ignoring the given name of a trunkline highway over the years. It's not just MDOT, though. Many average citizens don't understand the difference between a route designation and a road name for the same piece of roadway.) In any event, the transfer marked the end to 89 years of continual state ownership of this segment of roadway, which was constructed by the State Highway Dept in 1929 and paved in 1930. |
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| 2019 (Aug 19) – Due to the myriad changes in the greater Kalamazoo area due to the jurisdicational changes of the state trunklines traveling through the city of Kalamazoo, MDOT decides to reroute M-43 on a rather circuitous route from Richland northwesterly via M-89 to Plainwell, then southerly with US-131 from there back to its existing route west of Kalamazoo, in the name of "route continuity." The M-43 route markers begin being posted along M-89 on this date. | |
| Controlled-Access: | Freeway: From Mile 29 at Shaver Rd southwest of Portage (north of Schoolcraft) to jct BUS US-131 north of Manton. (168.5 miles) |
Expressway: Three segments sf US-131 exist as expressway:
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| NHS: | The entire length of US-131 in Michigan is part of the National Highway System (NHS). |
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| Memorial Highways: | The following Memorial Highway designations have been officially assigned to parts of US-131 by the Michigan Legislature:
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| Continue on: | US-131 into Indiana – via the Indiana Highway Ends website |
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| Back to Former M-130 | Route Listings Home | On to Former M-131 |