Historic US-27
On Page 1: Historical Overview
On Page 2: Year-by-Year History | Additional Information
This page mainly consists of a year-by-year history of US-27, including route realignments, business connections, bypasses and other changes to the route. A more general historical overview of US-27 can be found on Page 1.
Year-by-Year History
| 1926 9999X9999X |
Before the debut of the US Highway System in 1926, the route of what would become US-27 consisted of two state trunklines: M-29 from the Indiana state line (at a connection with Indiana SR-13) to Lansing; and M-14 from Lansing northerly through Mount Pleasant and Clare to Cheboygan. When the US Highway System was finalized in late 1926, the US-27 designation replaces all of the first iteration of M-29 and all of M-14 north of Lansing, ending in downtown Cheboygan. |
| 1927 (May 15) |
The new US Highway designations across the state of Michigan officially become effective today, with US-27 superceeding the entire route of M-29 and most of M-14, as noted above. In a somewhat odd situation, with the replacement of M-14 with the US-27 designation between Prudenville and Roscommon in Roscommon Co, the M-18 designation is also added to this segment as a redundant concurrent designation for unknown reasons. The M-18 designation actually continues west concurrently with US-27 from Roscommon about five additional miles to the cnr of Federal Rd & S Grayling Hwy/E Higgins Lake Dr, where it terminates—this is where US-27 turns northerly via S Grayling Hwy toward Grayling. (It is unknown why the State Highway Dept chooses to terminate M-18 here of all places!) This portion of highway had been designated as part of M-18 for at time from c.1919 to c.1924. |
| 1927 | Some of the first changes to the new US-27 routing this year are:
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| 1928 (Oct 26) |
A new alignment of US-27 is added to the state trunkline system in Harrison from south of M-61 to the corner of County Farm Rd and the existing US-27 along what is now BUS US-127. The former route along a now-abandoned road, Larch Rd and County Farm Rd is turned back to local control. Physical construction doesn't seem to have been completed until a year later, though. |
| 1929 | Several changes to US-27's routing during this year are:
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| 1930 | Several changes to US-27's routing during this year are:
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| 1931 (Aug 31) |
A slight realignment takes US-27 to the south side of the Pennsylvania Railroad tracks in Roscommon. Formerly running along North Central Dr from Lake St in downtown Roscommon northwesterly to the Crawford Co line, US-27 now runs along Fifth St, with the former route being turned back to local control. Also just northwest of Roscommon in Crawford Co, two 90° turns are replaced by a direct angling alignment between Merrio and Fletcher Rds, with the old route along Merrio and Fletcher being turned back to local control. |
| 1932 | A new alignment of US-27 opens between Kalamazoo Rd in Marshall and present-day N Drive North, north of Marshall, in early in the year. The rest of the new alignment of US-27 north of Marshall opens from present-day N Drive North to Garfield Rd later in the year, with the former route of US-27 along Kalamazoo St, 16½ Mile Rd, 16 Mile Rd and Garfield Rd is turned back to local control on Aug 29, 1932. |
| 1935 | Two changes to the route of US-27 this year:
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| 1936 | Another pair of changes in the route of US-27:
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| 1937 | Three routing changes to US-27 during this year:
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| 1938 | US-27 is relocated on the north side of Lansing onto a newly extended Larch St, meeting up with the former alignment, N East St, at Barnhart St. The former route of US-27 along McKinley & N East Sts is turned back to local control. While the change was official on December 30, 1937, the new route was actually completed and opened to traffic in 1938. |
| 1939 (July 13) |
The route of US-27A, a loop through downtown Shepherd in southeast Isabella Co, is removed and the route is turned back to local control. |
| 1940 (Nov 12) |
With the completion of the new alignment of US-23 along the Lake Huron shoreline east of Cheboygan, the US-23/US-27 concurrency for four miles south of Cheboygan becomes just US-27. |
| 1940 (Nov 12) |
A 3-mile rerouting of US-27 on new alignment just southwest of Houghton Lake near Loxley opens, running along today's Old 27 and Federal Ave. An additional two-mile long northerly extension of this new alignment opens as M-169 (to become a segment of US-27 eight years later). The former route along Nestel & Loxley Rds is turned back to local control. |
| 1941 (May) |
 The Michigan National Guard airfield on the north side of Grayling is taken over by the federal government for military use as the country ensures its preparedness in case it ends up becoming involved in World War II. The Army embarks on a project to enlarge the existing airfield, constructed in 1927–29. This project extends the airfield and its runways across the existing route of US-27/M-93 between North Down River Rd (present-day F-32) and M-93/Hartwick Pines Rd. US-27/M-93 is moved onto a "temporary" gravel road which is the northerly continuation of Grayling's McClellan St which then bends northwesterly to merge back into the former route at the jct of US-27 & M-93. A portion of the former route is obliterated and lies under the airfield's expanded runways. |
| 1941 (Spring) |
At some point during the Spring of 1941, the concurrent M-18 designation along US-27 between Prudenville and Roscommon in central Roscommon Co is removed from US-27 (and the US-27/M-55 concurrency at Prudenville) and M-18 now terminates at US-27/M-55 in downtown Prudenville. The purpose of the redundant M-18 concurrent designation from Prudenville northerly to Roscommon, then westerly for an additional five miles to the cnr of Federal Rd & S Grayling Hwy-E Higgins Lake Dr is still not clear. |
| 1942 (Jan 28) |
In downtown Lansing, the US-27/M-78 TRUCK ROUTE is removed from Washington Ave & Kalamazoo St easterly to Cherry St and relocated to continue easterly on Main St to Cherry St, then northerly on Cherry back to Kalamazoo St. The former route is turned back to local control. |
| 1942 (Aug 17) |
A slight realignment along US-27 between M-55 and M-157 near Prudenville is officlally established as a state trunkline highway route. It's assume the actual roadway opens around this same time as well. |
| 1943 (Late) | Construction on the "temporary" alignment for US-27/M-93 north of Grayling, which had been displaced by the expansion of the Grayling McNamara Army Airfield when it was taken over by the federal government in 1941, is completed with a 20-foot wide gravel surface, bypassing the expanded airfield to the east. |
| 1944 | The final touches on the "temporary" US-27/M-93 alignment to the east of the Grayling McNamara Army Airfield are completed with the completion of its 22-foot wide concrete surface. The federal government covers the entire $93,700 cost of relocating the highway around the airfield. |
| 1945 (June 26) |
 Four years after the process of relocating US-27/M-93 due to the construction of the Grayling Army Airfield and two years after the roadway initially opens to traffic, the new 2.3-mile long alignment is officially established as a state trunkline route, while the former 2.5-mile long route is officially cancelled. The 0.51-mile portion of the old alignment which remains open as public roadway (from the north airfield boundary northerly to N Grayling Hwy) is turned back to county control and become Airport Rd, while the segment through the airfield itself is abandoned as a public road and obliterated. Parts of the original 1929 and 1931 pavement not physically obliterated by airfield construction still remain in between the runways and taxiways to the present day, as is the 0.23-mile section of the former highway from McClellan St northwesterly to North Down River Rd, which is abandoned as a public roadway, although the original concrete pavement is still there to the modern day. |
| 1949 (July 3) |
The US-27 westerly bypass of Houghton and Higgins Lakes is fully complete and open to traffic. The new alignment begins at the former jct of US-27 & M-169 (present-day cnr of Old US-27 & Federal Ave) and continues due northerly supplanting the M-169 designation (along present-day Old US-27) to M-55. There, US-27 continues northerly along new highway constructed during 1947 (from M-55 to Mead Rd) and 1948 (Mead Rd to North Higgins Lake Dr). From late 1947 until this date, local traffic was allowed to use the new highway while US-27 trunkline traffic remained routed to the south and east of Houghton and Higgins Lakes via Prudenville and Roscommon and on to Grayling. The final segment of the new bypass route to be completed is the portion from North Higgins Lake Rd north-northeasterly back to the previoqus alignment approximately six miles south of Grayling. Work on the new highway began on July 31, 1946, measures exactly 18.477 miles in length and cost $1,515,640 to construct. Officials note that while the US-27 routing shaves 12.1 miles from the route, it will save motorists anywhere from a half-hour to an hour or more during heavy holiday traffic. With the rerouting of US-27 to the west of the lakes, M-55 is rerouted to turn southerly to follow the former M-169 (now part of US-27) for 2.1 miles to Federal Ave, then turns easterly to follow the former US-27 route along Federal Ave back to Houghton Lake Dr, then easterly along the former US-27/M-55—now just M-55—to Prudenville. There, M-18 is extended northerly to take over the former route of US-27 to Roscommon where M-76 is extended westerly and northerly to take the place of the former US-27 to the jct of the new US-27 bypass route six miles south of Grayling. The final route change is a flip-flop of the M-169 designation: It moves from the 2.1-mile segment of what becomes US-27 (along present-day Old US-27 between M-55/Houghton Lake Dr and Federal Ave) to the 3.1-mile segment of the former M-55 through Houghton Lake Heights between US-27 and Federal Ave (along Houghton Lake Dr and Heightsview Dr). For a visual representation of the these route changes and more, check out: Houghton & Higgins Lakes Area Trunkline History Map, 1939-Present Interestingly enough, even though work on the Houghton and Higgins Lake bypass route began three years previously, upon its completion and opening to traffic, this new routing for US-27 has not been officially "assumed" into the state trunkline highway system, nor will it be for another four months (see below). |
| 1949 (Nov 7) |
Also on November 7, US-27 is realigned to follow present-day M-27 between the two intersections with Ranch Rd southwest of Topinabee. The former route of US-27 along Ranch Rd is turned back to local control. |
| 1949 (Nov 7–10) |
The new US-27 westerly bypass of Houghton and Higgins Lakes is officially assumed as a state trunkline highway, just over four months from its opening to traffic. For the Roscommon Co portion from M-55/M-169/Houghton Lake Rd at Houghton Lake northerly to the Crawford Co line, the new highway is established as of November 11. For the Crawford Co portion from the Roscommon Co line north-northeasterly to the M-76 jct south of Grayling, it is established a few days earlier on November 7. |
| 1950 | Two routing changes in downtown Lansing:
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| 1951 (Oct 29) |
A new route into St Johns from the south opens, when a curving highway on new alignment is completed from the existing route at the corner of Scott & Townsend Rds northwesterly to Whittemore St, then northerly along Whittemore to the jct of the existing US-27 & M-21 east of downtown. The former portion of US-27—in part co-signed with M-21 along E State St and then southerly along Scott Rd—receives a new BUS US-27 route designation. |
| 1952 (Fall)– 1953 (Aug 24) |
A new 3.55-mile long, four-lane divided "bypass" of the segment of US-27/M-78/Lansing Rd through the community of Millett southwest of Lansing is completed and opened to traffic in the Fall of 1952. The new bypass route begins about 1,600 feet (0.3 mile) northeast of Creyts (Creitz) Rd, swings to the north to run parallel to the Grand Trunk (present-day Canadian National) Railway into Ingham Co where it swings back to the east to merge back into the original route of Lansing Rd approximately ¾ mile northeast of Waverly Rd. While the new alignment for US-27/M-78 opens to traffic in the fall of 1952, it's not until nearly a year later on August 24, 1953 that the new alignment is officially assumed into the state trunkline highway system and the old route along Lansing Rd (present-day Old Lansing Rd) is cancelled as a state trunkline route and turned back to local control. |
| 1955 (Nov 16, 10:00 am) |
Until now, US-27/M-78 across the south side of central Lansing used W Main St (present-day Malcolm X St) with two-way traffic between the Grand RIver bridge on the east and Clare St on the Lansing city limit on the west. Now, W Main St is converted to one-way serving ebd US-27/M-78 traffic only, while one block to the north, St Joseph St is converted to one-way traffic serving wbd US-27/M-78 traffic. Two new "crossovers" are constructed and opened to traffic: one to traffic to shift wbd traffic from W Main St just west of the Grand River bridge onto St Joseph St at Grand Ave and then approximately 1¾ miles to the west, another to shift wbd traffic back to W Main St at Clare St as it angles southwesterly out of Lansing toward Millet and Charlotte. For now, the new "crossovers" and the segment of St Joseph St between them is only a "marked-and-maintained" trunkline route until it is officially established as a trunkline eight months later. The new one-way operation goes into effect at 10:00 am on this date. |
| 1956 (Sept) | As part of a $25 million bond sale to finance construction of several major projects around the state includes the relocation of US-27 from Indian River northerly to the approach to the new Mackinac Straits Bridge. However, both a steel shortage and a major controversy in the location of the new route of US-27 at Indian River combine to delay the start of the project for a year. At Indian River, the original plan has US-27 running through downtown Indian River via a "depressed roadway" along the route of Pine St (present-day Juno St) immediately west of the existing route, which will cut off access to Burt Lake and its resorts from teh rest of the community. Local sentiment is sharply divided over the location of the new facility, although a slight majority of Indian River Chamber of Commerce members want the new facility east of the New York Central railroad instead. |
| 1957 (June 17) |
Twenty months after US-27/M-78 across the south side of central Lansing is converted into a one-way pair using W Main St (present-day Malcolm X St) for eastbound traffic and St Joseph St for wbd traffic between the Grand River bridge and Clare St at the city limit, the 1.8 miles of St Joseph St and the two new "crossovers" constructed in 1955 are officially established as a state trunkline highway. |
| 1957 (May 23, July 3 |
On May 23, five weeks before taking office, incoming State Highway Commissioner John C. Mackie requests a ruling from Attorney General Thomas M. Kavanagh regarding the legality of possibly abandoning the construction of a new depressed roadway for US-27 through downtown Indian River in southwest Cheboygan Co. On July 3, on Mackie's second day in office, Kavanagh rules that once bonds are sold for a project, the resulting funds must be spent on that project and no other. Mackie is quoted saying, "I haven't thoroughly checked this with my engineers but I understand it isn't feasible. The builder may end up pumping out nearby Burt Lake. That may force a change in the location of the road. No final decisions have been made." |
| 1957 (Summer) |
The 12.3-mile segment of US-27 between St Johns in Clinton Co and M-57 in Gratiot Co is fully converted to a four-lane divided highway with the completion of the second set of lanes next to the the existing highway, which is rehabilitated. |
| 1957 (Oct 9) |
The Michigan State Highway Dept opens six miles of new southbound US-27 lanes between the Ann Arbor Railroad southeast of Ithaca and M-57 in Gratiot Co, constructed immediately west of the existing US-27 highway, which itself has been reconstructed and turned into new northbound lanes of a four-lane divided highway. This complets the four-lane divided highway project between St Johns and southeast of Ithaca, which saw US-27 from St Johns to M-57 completed as a divided highway earlier in the year. |
| 1957 (Aug 21) |
The Michigan State Highway Dept officially anounces the US-27 designation will be the one that graces the Mackinac Bridge between the Lower and Upper Peninsulas when it opens later in the year. Also announced are plans, already approved by state and federal transportation officials, to extend US-27 from St Ignace northerly along the new freeway being constructed in the US-2 corridor to a new terminus at Sault Ste Marie. Essentially, US-27 is to replace US-2 between the Straits and the Soo. Also during August, the State Highway Dept confirms the route for the freeway relocation of US-27 at Indian River will be routed to the east of town and east of the New York Central railroad instead of through the middle of the community, as originally proposed by the outgoing State Highway Commissioner Charles Ziegler, thereby finally settling a major controversity in the routing of the highway relocation in the area. |
| 1957 (Oct 21) |
Eleven days before the opening of the Mackinac Bridge between the Lower and Upper Peninsulas, the route of US-23/US-27 is officially transferred onto the approach roadway for the Bridge. While US-23 and US-31 end at the southern end of the new Bridge, US-27 continues across the structure to US-2 on the southwestern edge of St Ignace. While the official transfer of the routes is October 21, the new highways open to traffic on November 1st. The former route of US-23/US-27 northerly along Huron St into Mackinaw City to the State Ferry Docks is turned back to local control. |
| 1957 (Oct 31) |
A project to increase capacity and safety on US-27 through the center of Lansing is completed and opened to traffic involving separating the US-27 traffic flows onto two one-way streets. Existing US-27 along Larch St from the from approximately 500 feet north of the Main St bridge and interchange (at the present-day I-496 interchange) northerly to Liberty St one block north of US-16/Grand River Ave retains the northbound US-27 traffic, while southbound US-27 departs Larch St at Liberty Ave, heads west one block to Cedar St, then southerly along a one block newly-constructed Cedar St extension to US-16/Grand River Ave, then Sbd US-27 traffic continues southerly along a newly-reconstructed Cedar St to approximately 550 feet south of Kalamazoo Ave, where Cedar Sthas been reconstructed to merge with Larch St as it enters the Main St interchange, reuinting both directions of US-27 (and M-78) traffic. For now, the one block of Liberty St and all of Cedar St from Liberty southerly back to Larch St is a "marked-and-mainatained" state trunkline highway route. |
| 1957 (Nov 1) |
At 2:05 pm, Governor G. Mennen Williams presents a check—the only one ever accepted for bridge fare—in the amount of $3.25 to toll collector Clifford France of Cheboygan as the first official bridge fare of the Mackinac Bridge, also officially opening the bridge to traffic. US-27 traffic now flows across the Straits of Mackinac for the first time and the new northern terminus of the route is at US-2 on the southwestern limits of St Ignace. |
| 1958 (Mid) | By mid-1958, the State Highway Dept's plans to extend the US-27 designation from St Ignace northerly along the new freeway being constructed between there and Sault Ste Marie is abandoned. US-27 was to have replaced US-2 between the Straits and the Soo, but internal department maps show the new plan is to transfer US-2 onto the new freeway segments as they are completed with the I-75 designation joining it on the route as well. |
| 1959 (Oct 1, Nov 25) |
A 2½ mile section of [Future] US-27 freeway is completed from the southern end of the US-31 Mackinac Bridge approach freeway (at present-day I-75 Exit 337) southerly to Potter Rd south of Mackinaw City on October 1. Included in the $1.18 milion project is an overpass at existing US-31 (Mackinaw Hwy) and southbound on- and northbound off-ramps along with a partial interchange at present-day Exit 336 leading toward the proposed US-31 relocation heading southwesterly toward Carp Lake. Traffic starts flowing on the new freeway—referred to as the "US-27 expressway," although it was likely not signed as such since it does not connect back to the existing US-27 at Indian River yet—as far south as the new US-31 off-ramps (present-day Exit 336). The new freeway segment is likely signed as part of US-31, though, as it runs parallel to and replaces the existing segment of US-31 in the area. That former 2.0-mile segment of US-31 along Mackinaw Hwy bypassed by the new freeway segment between the Nicolet St interchange and present-day Exit 336 is cancelled as a state trunkline route on November 25 and turned back to county control. |
| 1959 (Nov 13, Dec 7) |
A new US-27 overpass spanning the Chesapeake & Ohio Railway (present-day CSXT) tracks on the north side of Lansing opens to traffic on November 13, removing a dangerous grade crossing on Larch St. The new alignment for US-27 from the north departs the existing route of US-27 along Larch St approximately 300 feet south of Woodbury Ave and continues south-southwesterly with an overpass spanning both the railroad as well as North St before splitting into two roadways, The right roadway connects directly into the northern end of Cedar St at Liberty St, allowing Sbd US-27 traffic to continue straight through onto Cedar St, which became the southbound one-way route for US-27 two years prior. The left roadway swings back to the east to connect with Larch St between Liberty St and US-16/Grand River Ave, giving northbound traffic access to the new span. ramps are constructed providing access to E North St to accommodate a rerouted US-16 in the next month. The 0.3-mile long former portion of US-27 along Larch St from the new route (abould halfway between Grand River Ave and Liberty St) northerly to North St is cancelled as a state trunkline the next month on December 7 and tured back to city control. This is the same day the new overpass route is officially established as a trunkline route, too, though. |
| 1959 (Dec 7) |
Oddly, while Cedar St became the southbound route for US-27 traffic through central Lansing in late 1957 (with northbound traffic being maintained on the existing route, Larch St), it takes over two full years for that segment of Cedar St to be officially established as a state trunkline route and transferred to state control. |
| 1960 (Aug 20) |
The first 2.6 miles of mostly controlled-access US-27 expressway is completed and opened to traffic at Ithaca in central Gratiot Co. Beginning at the northern end of the existing four-lane divided (uncontrolled access) highway southeast of Ithaca, the new expressway diverges to the west from Bagley Rd before turning northerly to pass over the Ann Arbor Railroad and interchange with the existing route of US-27 at Washington Rd east of downtown Ithaca. The $1.2 million project was to have opened on November 30, 1959, however bad weather during construction delayed the opening and two sections of the new highway needed to be replaced over the winter, pushing the opening into late summer. |
| 1960 (Nov 8) |
With the opening of additional segments of I-75 freeway, the I-75 designation is also applied to the Mackinac Bridge and US-27 is scaled back to end in Mackinaw City once again. US-27 was only the second of three highway designations to ever cross the Mackinac Straits; the first was US-31 in the late-20s and early-30s, the third was (and still is) I-75. As of now, US-23 and US-27 run jointly from Cheboygan to Mackinaw City, then merge onto the I-75/US-31 freeway (at present-day Exit 338) where they continue concurrently with I-75 and US-31 before all three US routes terminate at the southernmost end of the Mackinac Bridge (as it crosses Huron St). I-75 now continues northerly across the Straits and into the Upper Peninsula. |
| 1960 (Dec 20–30) |
Another leg in the new mostly controlled-access expressway opens from M-46/Monroe Rd west of St Louis to the south side of Mount Pleasant opens to traffic on December 20 at 2:00 pm at a ribbon-cutting ceremony attended by State Highway Commissioner John C Mackie. Interchanges on this new 13-mile long segment are located at M-46 and Blanchard Rd (east of Shepherd), with the remaining crossroads closed or crossing at-grade. This segment of highway is officially added to the state trunkline system ten days later on December 30. The former route from the beginning of the expressway southeast of Ithaca to the southern Ithaca interchange, along Bagley & Washington Rds, as well as the segment of former US-27 from M-46 west of St Louis to the end of the new highway on the south side of Mt Pleasant (Luce, Shepherd, Federal, Blanchard and Mission Rds) is turned back to local control on December 30 as well. |
| 1961 | A year of MAJOR changes to the route of US-27... |
| 1961 (Aug 7–15) |
The State Highway Dept undertakes an eight-day test of No Passing Zone signage along US-27 in the Gaylord area during early August. Motorists will see two types of No Passing Zone signs. In some areas, standard "DO NOT PASS" signs will be posted on both the right- and left-hand sides of the highway, while in other areas, they will only be posted on the left-hand side. In other areas, the State Highway Dept is testing the effectiveness of the black-on-yellow, pennant-shaped "NO PASSING ZONE" signs, posted only on the left-hand side of the road, which the Iowa State Highway Commission first started using in early 1959 and, once found to be very effective, began posting at the start of no passing zones on all of its primary highways. |
| 1961 (Aug 10) |
The US-27 freeway bypass at Mount Pleasant in Isabella Co is opened to traffic from the southern Mount Pleasant interchange (present-day US-127 Exit 129) northerly 3.3 miles to M-20 (present-day Exit 143, however only the northbound lanes are signed as mainline US-27 at this point. At M-20, nbd US-27 traffic continues westerly along M-20/Pickard Rd back to existing US-27 at Mission St. Southbound US-27 traffic continues to use the existing route through Mount Pleasant. State Highway Dept district engineer John Hautala noted southbound through US-27 traffic is not directed to the new freeway to avoid congestion caused by left turns onto M-20 at the Mission St & Pickard Rd intersection. The sbd lanes of the new bypass are open to traffic, however, but only signed for local traffic originating from M-20. This segment of freeway is opened a week earlier than originally scheduled. |
| 1961 (Aug 17) |
The 10-mile section of new US-27 expressway opens to traffic from existing US-27 at Washington Rd east of downtown Ithaca (present-day Exit 117) northerly toward Alma and Saint Louis, then northwesterly between the two cities to the end of the completed expressway at M-46/Monroe Rd west of Saint Louis and north of Alma (at present-day Exit 127A). As with the other segments of relocated US-27 opened or under construction from Ithaca northerly, this portion also includes interchanges at many major roads with intersections at some secondary roads (others are blocked-off). The entire project from Ithaca toward Grayling is constructed for eventual conversion to fully limited-access freeway in the near future. The former route of US-27 between Ithaca and Alma-Saint Louis is turned back to local control except for portions through Ithaca and St Louis, which become new designations of BUS US-27. The former ALT US-27 (or US-27A) through Alma also becomes BUS US-27. |
| 1961 (Sept 1) |
The second scaling-back in the overall length of the route of US-27 in less than a year occurs when the State Highway Dept removes all US-27 route markers from the portion of US-23 between Mackinaw City and Cheboygan. US-27's new northern terminus is at US-23 at the corner of Main St & State St in downtown Cheboygan, shortening the route by 16.4 miles. The reason for the truncaction of US-27 given by the MSHD is "because Interstate 75 freeway has replaced it as the prime north-south route in the northern tip of Michigan's Lower Peninsula." The department is also preparing the request to truncate US-27 even further—this time to a point between Grayling and Higgins Lake—and will ask AASHO officals at their October meeting to approve such a change. |
| 1961 (Nov 10–14, Dec 4) |
Two additional segments of the partially limited-access US-27 expressway are open on November 10:
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| 1961 (Dec 1–4) |
A 16.7-mile segment of the I-75 freeway (assumedly not co-signed with US-27) is completed and opened to traffic from the south Grayling interchange (present-day Exit 254) in Crawford Co northerly to the Waters interchange (present-day Exit 270) in southern Otsego Co on December 1. Through traffic uses Marlette Rd between the new freeway and the existing route of US-27 to connect with the new freeway segment. The route of former US-27 from the south Grayling interchange through Grayling to M-93/Hartwick Pines Rd north of town is designated as BL I-75. The 12.3 miles of former US-27 from M-93 northerly to the Crawford/Otsego Co line is cancelled as a state trunkline route and turned back to local control on December 4. The 42.3-mile segment of US-27 from Waters northerly through Gaylord, Vanderbilt, and Wolverine to north of Indian River is also redesignated as "TO I-75," a temporary designation. It  is unclear whether any "TO I-75" route marker assemblies actually went up, or if the old US-27 route markers were just retained for the time being. One map source, however, shows a concurrently designated I-75/US-27 between Grayling and Gaylord and a preserved US-27 routing from there to Indian River in 1962. However, an internal State Highway Dept Control Section atlas from 1962 clearly shows the segment of US-27 from Waters to north of Indian River with the "TO I-75" designation and not as US-27. From the end of the completed I-75 north of Indian River into Cheboygan, US-27 is redesignated as M-27. Official effective dates (not necessarily dates of opening to traffic) follow the "1961 (Aug–Dec)" note below. |
| 1961 (Aug–Dec) |
The official effective dates (not the dates of opening to traffic) for these above 1961 changes are as follows:
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| 1961 (Dec 11) |
A new two-lane US-27 bypass is constructed around the east side of Charlotte, with the former route through the city designated BUS US-27. |
| 1962 | With the completion of I-96 around the west and south sides of Lansing, the concurrent M-78 designation is transferred to that route from US-27 through Lansing. The route through town becomes US-27/BUS M-78. In Northern Michigan, several segments of what had formerly been part of US-27 are cancelled as state trunkline routes and transferred to local control after more of the I-75 freeway is completed in the area. They are: |
| 1962 (June 4) |
From Clare northerly to where I-75 resumes south of Grayling, US-27 is now also signed as TO I-75. One source, however, states actual I-75 route markers were erected along the route instead of "TO I-75" or "TEMPORARY I-75" route marker assemblies. US-10 between Bay City and Clare is also being signed in a similar fashion. State Highway Commissioner John C Mackie says the "TO I-75" signs are put up to "aid motorists following I-75 signs already posted on freeways north of Grayling and south of Bay City." Since the portion of proposed I-75 between Bay City and Grayling via Standish, West Branch and Roscommon is not projected to be complete until later in the decade, Mackie felt it was prudent to erect the temporary signage. |
| 1962 (June 21) |
The last segment of the US-27 expressway between the northern Clare interchange at Clare Ave and the southern Harrison Interchange at M-61 in Clare Co is fully completed and opened to traffic with the completion of the southbound lanes. (Two-way traffic had been using the northbound lanes since December 1961.) The entire route of the US-27 expressway through Clare Co had been established as a state trunkline route on December 4, 1961 and the existing route of US-27 along Clare Ave between Clare and M-61 southeast of Harrison had been officially transferred to county control on that same day. |
| 1962 (Sept) | An experimenetal scheme to help motorists discern between on- and off-ramps at freeway interchanges is tested at three US-27 interchages in the Mount Pleasant and Clare areas. Blue paint is used to trim the edges of off-ramps while yellow paint is used for on-ramps; white paint is used to mark the edges of the mainline of the freeway lanes. In addition, blue and yellow reflectors will be used in the same way to aid motorists at night. Harold Cooper, MSHD traffic division director, noted blue backgrounds for exit signs may also be tested and that Michigan is one of five states experimenting with the color system. Cooper noted that if the system works out, it would be extended to all freeway ramps in the state and "Michigan will support its acceptance as a national freeway standard." |
| 1963 (Jan 23) |
The project to convert all of the US-27 expressway between Ithaca in Gratiot Co and I-75 south of Grayling to a fully controlled access freeway with grade separations constructed at all remaining intersecting roads begins. The $5 million project is expected to take three years to complete. |
| 1964 (June 30) |
While it had been replaced by the "new" US-27 routing thirteen years earlier, BUS US-27/Scott Rd along the eastern city limit of St Johns from Townsend Rd northerly to M-21 is transferred back to local control. While some official State Highway Department documents label the route as BUS US-27, another source shows it additionally as CONN M-21, although it is not clear precisely which route designations were actually posted in the field. |
| 1965 (June) | The section of the US-27 expressway between Ithaca and Mount Pleasant is officially converted to a fully controlled access freeway with the construction of overpasses as the five remaining roads still intersecting US-27 at grade: St Charles Rd and Van Buren Rd north of Ithaca, Coe Rd south of Shepherd, and Summerton Rd north of Shepherd. The five overpasses cost $630,000 total to construct. |
| 1966 (early Nov) |
The conversion of the final portion of partially limited-access "expressway" between Clare and I-75 south of Grayling into a freeway with full control of access (ie. overpasses construced at the remaining intersections) is complete in November. |
| 1967 (Oct 11, Nov 1) |
The first 24¾ miles of I-69/US-27 freeway are completed and opened to traffic from the Indiana state line south of Kinderhook, northerly past Coldwater to a temporary terminus at M-60 near Tekonsha just inside Calhoun Co on October 11. A ribbon-cutting ceremony is held at 10:00 am at the Indiana state line with officials from both states in attendence. At M-60 near Tekonsha, US-27 traffic is shunted from the new freeway back to its exisitng route where it then continues northerly toward Marshall. Three weeks later on November 1, the 22.126-mile section of I-69/US-27 freeway in Branch Co from the Indiana state line northerly to the Calhoun Co line south of Tekonsha is officially established as a state trunkline highway. Simultaneously, two sections of the former route of US-27 in Branch Co—the 10.4-mile portion from the Indiana state line northerly to Fenn Rd south of Coldwater and the 9.289-mile segment from US-12/Chicago St in downtown Coldwater northerly to the Branch/Calhoun Co line south of Tekonsha—are cancelled as state trunkline routes and transferred to county and city control. The 0.968-mile portion of Fenn Rd from the new I-69/US-27 freeway (at present-day Exit 10) westerly to the former US-27 on Angola Rd is established as a trunkline route as part of a new BL I-69 routing at Coldwater, which then continues north replacing the US-27 designation on Angola Rd and Division St into downtown Coldwater, then turns easterly with US-12 along Chicago St to run back to the new freeway where it terminates at present-day Exit 13. |
| 1967 (Oct 22) |
The portion of the new I-496/US-27 freeway from the Lansing Rd interchange on the Lansing west city limit to the US-27/US-127/Cedar st interchange southeast of downtown is officially established as a state trunkline highway route, but remains nder construction. |
| 1967 (Nov 29) |
The portion of US-27/BUS M-78 along Main & St Joseph Sts from the new interchange with I-496 (under construction) to Sbd M-99/Birch St is officially cancelled as a state trunkline route and turned back to local control. This stretch remains signed as US-27/BUS M-78 until the I-496/US-27 freeway is completed the next year, though. |
| 1967 (Dec 15) |
The 16.780-mile I-69/US-27 freeway in Calhoun Co from the Branch Co line northerly past Tekonsha to I-94 northwest of Marshall is officially established as a state trunkline highway route. The 2½ mile section of freeway from the Calhoun Co line northerly to M-60 has been open to traffic for just over a month, while the remainder from M-60 north to I-94 is still under construction and delayed due to a strike by highway engineers. Existing US-27 from the Branch Co line northerly to Marshall remains a trunkline route for the time being. |
| 1968 (June 28) |
The 13.5-mile stretch of the I-69/US-27 freeway from M-60 near Tekonsha northerly to I-94 northwest of Marshall is completed and opened to traffic. This section of freeway had been established as a trunkline route in mid-December 1967. On the same day, the 14.018-mile segment of the former route of US-27 in Calhoun Co from the Branch Co line northerly through Tekonsha to downtown Marshall is cancelled as a state trunkline route and turned back to local control. At Marshall, the I-69 designation terminates at I-94, while the US-27 routing turns easterly via I-94 for about 1½ miles back to the original US-27 alignment, then northerly toward Olivet and Charlotte. A brand new BUS US-27 designation is commissioned, beginning at I-69/US-27 on the west side of Marshall (present day Exit 36), and running easterly via Michigan Ave into downtown, then northerly via the former route of US-27 (Kalamazoo Ave & Brewer St) to the jct of I-94 & US-27 north of town at Exit 110. The BL I-94 routing at Marshall is realigned, also, to run westerly from downtown via Michigan Ave (newly co-designated as BUS US-27) to the new I-69/US-27 freeway, then northerly via the freeway to end at I-94. The former routing of BL I-94 northerly from downtown Marshall is redesignated as a part of the new BUS US-27. |
| 1969 (Dec 12) |
A new segment of the I-69/US-27 freeway is established as a state trunkline route from I-94 at Marshall northerly to the Calhoun/Eaton Co line, although this segment will not be completed until the end of 1970. US-27 remains fully-signed on the existing route for the time being. |
| 1970 | Three changes to US-27 in this year:
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| 1971 (June 30) |
The BUS US-27 designation is removed from Marshall and the the portion of the former BUS US-27 (recently part of US-27 itself) between BL I-94/Michigan Ave in downtown Marshall to I-94 north of the city is turned back to local control. |
| 1971 (Nov 9) |
The five-mile long four-lane divided US-27 freeway bypass of Charlotte in Eaton Co is opened to traffic, with Patricia Schrauben, Miss Michigan 1972, assisting John P Woodford, MDSH Deputy Director, with the ribbon-cutting duties. The two-year, $4.6 million project converted the existing two-lane US-27 limited-access bypass of Charlotte into a fully-controlled access freeway including eight bridges and two new interchanges. (The new M-50 interchange alone replaces an old at-grade intersection which had a 10-year record of 92 accidents, including nine fatalities and 96 injuries.) Building the new freeway bypass involved constructing a new set of northbound lanes next to the existing bypass which becomes the southbound lanes. The bypass with become part of I-69 when the segment of freeway between Charlotte and south of Olivet is completed in 1972. |
| 1972 (Nov 20) |
The I-69/US-27 freeway is opened northeasterly from Garfield Rd in northern Calhoun Co past Olivet and along the Charlotte bypass, ending at the junction of US-27, BUS US-27 & M-78 northeast of Charlotte. While truck traffic is now allowed on the I-69/US-27 freeway north of I-94, the former route of US-27 from Marshall northerly to Charlotte is retained as an unsigned state trunkline for now. The temporary connector route along Garfield Rd in northern Calhoun Co, however, is turned back to local control on November 20. At Charlotte, the BUS US-27 routing between the two junctions of I-69/US-27 is retained. |
| 1973 | Additional changes to US-27 in this year:
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| 1974 | BUS US-27 through Charlotte is redesignated as BL I-69. |
| 1974 (Feb) | M-78, concurrently posted with US-27 between Charlotte and Lansing, is scaled back to end at jct I-69/US-27 at Olivet and a designation of TEMP I-69 ("TEMPORARY I-69") is routed along US-27 between Charlotte and Lansing to replace what had been M-78. Also, the BUS M-78 designation running concurrently with US-27 from I-96 southwest of Lansing to M-43/Saginaw–Oakland Sts north of downtown Lansing is removed. (BUS M-78 markers had been removed from the route on official road maps since 1970.) |
| 1974 (June 25) |
The states of Michigan and Indiana apply to the American Association of State Highway & Transportation Officials (AASHTO) to have US-27 truncated at Fort Wayne, Indiana. AASHTO denies this request, presumably because the Dept of State Highways & Transportation doesn't make clear what they intend to do with US-27 between DeWitt and Grayling. For the time being, US-27 will remain as it has for nearly a half century in Michigan, but it is clear the route has been placed on the endangered list. |
| 1975 | The US-10/M-115 freeway opens from US-27 westerly, north of Clare and Farwell. US-10 now runs concurrently with US-27 between Clare and the new US-10 freeway. |
| 1977 (Sept 6) |
A consultant hired by the Dept of State Highways & Transportation recommends both a path and the type of facility for the completion of the US-27 freeway between Lansing and Ithaca, which is currently either a four-lane divided or five lane undivided highway, with uncontrolled access throughout the segment in question. Plans are in place to construct a northern bypass of the Lansing area to be used as part of the route of I-69 past Lansing to Flint, which would also complete US-27 as a freeway to the Greater DeWitt area. Between DeWitt and Ithaca, though, Wilbur Smith & Associates, the Columbia, South Carolina-based firm tasked with figuring out the best configuration for US-27, reccommends building a freeway facility from the future I-69 & US-127 interchange southeast of DeWitt almost due northerly to St. Johns, then bending westerly to the existing route where it will turn back northerly to parallel US-27 immediately to the west or east of the existing roadway, depending on the location, all the way to the start of the freeway southeast of Ithaca. The Dept of State Highways & Transportation had always hinted this segment of US-27 would be converted to a full freeway, but the $419,000 contract confirms this will likely be the chosen course. There is some disagreement by local interests on the route of the proposed freeway from St. Johns northerly to Maple Island Road, but ultimately, it is expected the Wilbur Smith proposal will be the route used. (It would be 21 years—almost to the week!—from the release of this recommendation for the entirety of the first segment of the Lansing-to-Ithaca freeway to be completed... and a half-century later, the only parts of the second phase to have been completed are an interchange at M-57 and the slow, methodical anticipitory purchase of right-of-way by MDOT in the hopes the last segment of the freeway is someday constructed. On top of that, the route in question isn't even US-27 any more!) |
| 1979 (May 15) |
South/eastbound traffic on BUS US-27 in downtown Alma is moved onto a different route via Lincoln, Center & Pine Sts, with north/westbound traffic remaining on Superior St. |
| 1980 (Sept 18) |
The 8.289-mile stretch of the proposed I-69/US-27 freeway north of Lansing from I-96 near the BL I-96/Grand River Ave interchange in Watertown Twp east-northeasterly to the northern terminus of US-127 at existing US-27 (present-day Old US-27) is officially certified as a state trunkline highway, although it won't be completed and opened to traffic for several years. Also certified as a trunkline is the 2.365-mile "I-69 Connector," the long freeway ramps which will connect ebd I-96 to nbd I-69/US-27 and wbd I-69/sbd US-27 to wbd I-96. |
| 1981 (Dec 7) |
The former route of US-27 in southern Eaton Co which was bypassed by the I-69/US-27 freeway in late-1972 is finally officially cancelled as a state trunkline route and turned back to local control. The segment runs from the Calhoun/Eaton Co line northeasterly through Olivet to Five Points Rd south of Charlotte. |
| 1983 (Summer) |
A 3.3-mile segment of future I-69/US-27 freeway from existing US-27 southeast of DeWitt westerly to Airport Rd northwest of Lansing is completed but remains unopened to traffic as, according to MDOT officials, doing so "would put a traffic burden on Ariport Road that it is not built to handle." The remaining five miles of freeway from Airport Rd westerly to I-96 at Exits 91–89 would not be completed and the entire 8.3-mile northern freeway bypass of Lansing would not open to traffic for another few years. |
| 1985 (July 18) |
A ribbon-cutting ceremony is held at the completion and opening of the 7.7-mile long northern freeway bypass of Lansing, designated as US-27, and running from I-96 (at Exits 89–91) on the west to the US-27 & US-127 interchange southest of DeWitt. The freeway segment cost $25.4 million and took approximately five years to construct in two phases—phase one from US-27 westerly to Airport Rd was completed but remained closed to traffic until the full freeway segment was completed. The second phase was to have opened to traffic in 1984, but "bad weather and unusually poor soil conditions" pushed completion back by a year. With the new segment of freeway, the US-27 designation now runs northerly from its existing route via I-96 from Exit 98 near Diamondale to Exit 91 northwest of Lansing, then turns northeasterly and easterly across the north side of Greater Lansing back to the existing route of US-27 southeast of DeWitt. All of the former route of US-27 between I-96 (at Exit 98) and US-127 (near DeWitt) is redesignated as BUS US-27. The new US-27 bypass will also bear the I-69 designation once the next segment in that route is completed and opened to traffic between US-127 at DeWitt and exisitng TEMP I-69 southeast of Bath in Clinton Co. |
| 1987 (Nov 3) |
With the opening of a new segment of I-69 freeway between US-127 and Peacock Rd in southeastern Clinton County, the I-69 designation is routed via I-96/US-27 northerly from I-96 at Exit 98 southwest of Lansing to Exit 91, then easterly across the north side of Lansing concurrently with US-27 to DeWitt, continuing easterly along US-127 for an additional 2 miles. |
| 1991 (Aug–Oct) |
 On August 7, MDOT again applies to the American Association of State Highway & Transportation Officials (AASHTO) with regard to US-27 north of Fort Wayne, Indiana, but this time tries a new approach used in other states: "gap signing." MDOT proposes to remove the US-27 route markers along I-69 from Fort Wayne, Indiana to DeWitt and, instead, erect a sign on sbd US-27 reading "SOUTH US-27 FOLLOW I-69 WEST" and having InDOT erect a similar sign in Fort Wayne reading "NORTH US-27 FOLLOW I-69 NORTH." (See map illustrating the scheme.) This type of treatment has been used elsewhere around the country, like Minnesota, while in other states, the state DOT simply "ignores" the concurrent US route—contrary to the AASHTO policies they have agreed to in signing the US Highway System—and only posts whichever routes they choose and disregarding others. However, those states either "ignoring" certain US Highway routes or posting the "FOLLOW"-type of signage assumedly do not petition AASHTO to do so, while, in this care, MDOT did ask for approval—but was denied on October 12. MDOT's main reasoning for asking for this approach is the dual signining "is both costly to maintain and confusing to motorists," although proof of the latter hasn't been evident. With this denial, US-27 gets a reprieve for a second time and remains as it has for 65 years in Michigan, although the route is clearly on the endangered list and may not be long before decommissioning. |
| 1992 (Oct 22) |
The final segments of the new I-69/US-27 freeway open between Charlotte and I-96 southwest of Lansing. The former route of TEMP I-69/US-27 (Lansing Rd) becomes an unsigned state trunkline, as does the decertified BUS US-27 (Lansing Rd) from I-96 into Lansing. BUS US-27 now runs from the junction of I-69/US-27 near DeWitt southerly to end at Michigan Ave in Lansing. BUS US-27 along Lansing Rd between I-69/US-27 Exit 72 and I-496 Exit 4 becomes an unsigned trunkline route, while "officially" retaining the BUS US-27 designation for internal MDOT purposes. |
| 1995 (Nov 9) |
The first segment of the new "St Johns Bypass" opens between Price Rd and M-21 east of St Johns. The northern portion between M-21 and US-27 north of St Johns is held up due to the discovery of mastadon bones in the construction zone. Accordingly, this segment is not signed as US-27, but as "TO M-21 EAST" northbound and as "TO US-27 SOUTH" southbound. Through US-27 traffic is maintained on the existing highway through St Johns. Construction on this segment of freeway began in the fall of 1991 and cost $7.1 million. |
| 1996 (June 28) |
In preparation for the completion and opening of the full "St Johns Bypass" by the end of the year, Price Rd from the existing US-27 easterly to the interchange with the relocated US-27 freeway interchange is officially established as a state trunkline route and transferred to state control as part of the anticipated BUS US-27 route. For its first two years, however, this segment of Price Rd would actually be signed as and used for the mainline route of US-27 until the segment of freeway from Price Rd southerly to the I-69 & US-127 jct is completed. |
| 1996 (Dec 15) |
The full "St Johns Bypass" opens around St Johns and the US-27 designation is transferred onto it. The former route of US-27 through St Johns becomes BUS US-27, although the actual "BUSINESS" signs aren't physically erected along the route until late-1997/early-1998. |
| 1998 (Aug 31) |
At 9:17am on Monday, August 31, 1998, the northbound lanes of the final link in the long-awaited, $180-million "St Johns Bypass," are opened to through traffic. The southbound lanes open within a couple hours of the northbound side. US-27 is now a freeway for the first 106 miles in Michigan, with only 15.7 miles of non-freeway divided highway between St Johns and Ithaca yet to be upgraded. With the opening of the new freeway, US-27 gains almost 3.6 miles, while US-127 loses about 1.7 miles in length. This was caused by the US-27 designation replacing the US-127 designation along I-69 between Exit 87 and 89 near DeWitt. The 7.73 miles of former US-27 from I-69 (at Exit 87 near DeWitt) to Price Rd (5 miles south of downtown St Johns) is now an un-numbered state trunkline, erroneously labled as BUS US-27 on some commercial maps. The portion of US-27 temporarily routed along Price Rd from the former US-27 to the new freeway becomes a part of St Johns' BUS US-27, adding 1.25 miles to that highway's route. In all the entire so-called "St Johns Bypass" includes four new interchanges, 14 highway overpasses and four freeway overpasses at the abandoned Central Michigan Railroad east of St Johns. |
| 1999 (Apr 16) |
At the April 16, 1999 meeting of the Standing Committee on U.S. Route numbering, MDOT applies once again to AASHTO for truncation of the US-27 designation back to Fort Wayne, Indiana (with the cooperation of InDOT), and for the redesignation of all of US-27 from DeWitt northerly to Grayling as part of US-127, and is given the go-ahead. Specifically, this is done the other way around, first petitioning to redesignate US-27 from DeWitt northerly as US-127, then immediately petitioning to truncate the newly-truncated US-27 back to Fort Wayne. It seems doing it the other way around was what caused AASHTO to deny the truncation eight years earlier. While MDOT intends on carrying through with the changeover, almost no signage changes take place for two years from the truncation approval. |
| 2000 (Sept 18) |
The final signalized intersection on US-27 in Michigan is removed with the completion of the M-57 interchange in southern Gratiot Co. The mainline of US-27 from just north of Roosevelt Rd (one mile south of M-57) northerly to just north of M-57 is shifted slightly to the west to accommodate the potential construction of a freeway upgrade in the corridor borth north and south of the new interchange. New frontage roads are constructed parallel to US-27 on both sides of the highway around the interchange ramps. The frontage road to the east takes the Bagley Rd name (the former name of US-27 prior to construction of the interchange), while the new westside frontage road is named Romney Rd, continuing Gratiot Co's north-south road-naming scheme after Michigan's governors. The frontage roads remain unsigned state trunkline routes for the time being. |
| 2001 | Most of the US-27 route markers are removed from the 89-mile portion of the route concurrent with I-69, between the Indiana state line and jct US-127 at DeWitt north of Lansing. Most of the signs were removed in June and July, with most of the stragglers being removed later in the year. A few markers remain, though, into 2002. |
| 2002 (May) |
The Big Changeover from US-27 north of Lansing to US-127 occurs. Starting in May in the Bay and North Regions (Gratiot, Isabella, Clare and Roscommon Counties), new US-127 markers go up along the freeway and the various Business Connections. After 76 years, this signals the end of US-27 in Michigan. |
Additional Information
- US-27... Goodbye Old Friend – a personal tribute page put together by Bob Nelson.
- Michigan Old US-27 Motor Tour – a website dedicated to the dual efforts to get the former US-27 designated as a historic route as well as to promote the classic automobile tour along the old road itself. As the site notes, "Back in the Day, It Was the Way."
- US-27 designation soon to be deleted from Michigan highways (PDF) – the official MDOT press release from 2002 announcing the emminent demise of US-27 in Michigan.
- End of US highway 27 – from Dale Sanderson's Endpoints of US highways website.
- Mackinac Straits Historic Photos – a collection of photos from the 1950s with scenes during and just after construction of the Mackinac Bridge.
- US-27 in Michigan – a blog posting on the Michigan in Pictures: Photos of the Great Lakes State from 2010.