| Western Terminus: |
I-94 at Exit 171 west of Ann Arbor in Washtenaw Co |
| Eastern Terminus: |
Jct I-96 & I-275 on the City of Livonia/Plymouth Twp boundary in northwest Wayne Co |
| Length: |
22.725 miles |
| Map: |
Route Map of M-14 |
| Notes: |
M-14 is one of Michigan's many non-Interstate designated freeways. Unlike some other states which only build long-distance freeways once an Interstate routing is approved, Michigan has built freeways wherever the need arises. Because of this, "roadfans" (those interested in highway infrastructure and route designations from a hobbyist aspect) often throw out various would-be Interstate designations for these non-Interstate freeways. It has been suggested that MDOT could, at some time, seek an Interstate designation for M-14, possibly in the form of I-394. While improvements have been made to the route over the years, M-14 is still a substandard freeway (in terms of Interstate highway standards) on the north side of Ann Arbor at the Main St and Barton Dr interchanges. Even if this stretch was upgraded, MDOT's general lack of interest in new Interstate designations means the M-14 designation will likely remain as-is indefinitely. |
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The route of present-day Old M-14 (Plymouth Rd) was, until late 1956, the routing of US-12 between Detroit and Ann Arbor. |
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In Wayne Co, outside the City of Detroit, the former route of M-14 is still a state-maintained trunkline, un-numbered of course. From the Washtenaw/Wayne Co line at Napier Rd southwest of Plymouth to the Redford Twp/City of Detroit limit between US-24/Telegraph Rd and Lamphere, those segments of Ann Arbor and Plymouth Rds are still within the state highway system. —Thanks to Dyche Anderson for pointing this one out! |
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 As the system of freeways were being developed in the Greater Detroit region in the 1950s and into the 1960s, M-14 was destined to become a major component in that system—even more than it is today. Originally, the I-96/Jeffries Frwy was planned to run northwesterly from downtown Detroit in the Grand River Ave corridor (formerly US-16) to hook into the "Farmington Bypass" and proceed toward Brighton, Howell and Lansing. At that time, a freeway along the "Schoolcraft Corridor" or "C&O Corridor" (after the railroad line running parallel to and just south of Schoolcraft Ave from Plymouth into Detroit) was proposed, carrying the M-14 designation. Transportation planners continued this freeway along the Davison Ave corridor where it would hook into the existing Davison Expwy (now M-8/Davison Frwy), then continue easterly from the end of the Davison first to an eastern end at a proposed M-53 freeway along the Mount Elliot Corridor. Later in the mid-1960s, the proposed M-14 freeway was extended easterly south of McNichols (7 Mile) Rd to tie into the I-94/Edsel Ford Frwy between Casino Ave and Moross Rd (at Sasser Playground). By the late 60s, the eastern end of the proposed M-14 freeway was redirected to run from the Mount Olivet Cemetery area along the Connor Ave corridor to end at I-94 at the Connor interchange. Initial plans had the M-14 Davison-McNichols-Connor freeway completed as early as 1972 or as late as 1975 due to state funding issues. In early 1973, a transportation package was passed by the state legislature which provided money for the Davison extensions to I-96 on the west and I-94 on the east as well as the "Mound Road Expressway" which would connect with the Davison East. However, sentiment, especially by those in the City of Detroit, was beginning to turn against even more freeways being constructed in the city. By the mid-1970s, Detroit Mayor Coleman Young halted all further freeway construction within the city, thereby dooming the Davison Frwy extensions as well as the Mound Rd Frwy. |
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The Dept of State Highways had, at one time, planned to designate Plymouth Rd in Ann Arbor from US-23 into downtown as a BUS M-14 (Business M-14) routing, but shelved the plan because of local homeowner opposition. MDOT no longer maintains Plymouth Rd in Ann Arbor as a state trunkline, meaning no BUS M-14 routings will be popping up in the near future! —Thanks much to Ron Wilbanks! |
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In "State Trunkline Needs, 1960–1980," a set of maps prepared by the State Highway Dept's Office of Planning, Programming Division in 1960 showing possible additions, upgrades and improvements to the state trunkline system over the ensuing twenty years, MSHD staff recommended several major upgrades to the route of M-14 during that timeframe. During the time these maps were being prepared, the US-23 freeway bypass of Ann Arbor was under construction and plans to bypass the north side of Ann Arbor with an M-14 freeway were being finalized. The planner's recommendations for M-14 included:
- An M-14 freeway connecting the I-94/US-12 freeway west of Ann Arbor with the US-23 freeway heading north toward Brighton. This is the freeway that was built soon after, however the only interchange between I-94/US-12 and US-23 was to have been at BUS US-23/Main St. The Miller Rd-Maple Rd and Whitmore Lake Rd-Barton Dr interchanges were added at some point during the freeway's planning stages.
- An M-14 freeway continuing east from the "east triple-decker" interchange with US-23 northeast of Ann Arbor, again, as was eventually constructed... generally. After passing through an interchange at Dixboro Rd, the freeway would have met existing M-14/Plymouth Rd at Frain Lake (about 1/2 mile northeast of the present day intersection of M-153 & Plymouth Rd) where a realigned M-153 would have also taken off to the southeast. The M-14 freeway would have continued almost due easterly at this point instead of staying north of Plymouth Rd as eventually constructed twenty years later. After crossing into Wayne Co, the M-14 freeway would have started curving to the north, including an interchange at Canton Center Rd north of Warren Rd, another interchange at the existing M-14 along Plymouth Rd west of Haggerty Rd to an interchange with the proposed I-275 in the vicinity of Plymouth Rd.
- A further extension of the M-14 freeway easterly from proposed I-275 at Plymouth Rd running northeasterly to Newburgh Rd where it would then take over the alignment of Schoolcraft Rd east of that point. From Newburgh Rd easterly to Outer Dr, the M-14 freeway would run along the Schoolcraft Ave corridor much as the I-96/Jeffries Frwy does today. However, at Outer Dr, the proposed M-14 freeway would have interchanged with the proposed I-96/Jeffries Frwy as it had originally been proposed, itself following a much different route than today. The M-14 freeway continue due easterly following Schoolcraft Ave to Wyoming Ave, as opposed to the modern day I-96/Jeffries Frwy which dips to the south to follow the CSX/Fullerton Ave corridor in this area. The M-14 freeway would dip slightly south away from Schoolcraft at Wyoming, transferring to the Davison Ave corridor from there to the western end of the Davison Expwy at the John C Lodge Expwy under construction.
- Transfer control of the Davison Expwy (the completed portion from the John C Lodge Expwy easterly to Brush St near the proposed Walter P Chrysler Frwy) from county to state jurisdiction and assign the M-14 designation to it.
- Extend the M-14/Davison Expwy easterly along the Davison Ave corridor (with an interchange at Conant St) to McNichols Rd, then continuing east along the McNichols corridor with interchanges at McNichols/Davison, the proposed M-53/Mound Rd Expwy, existing M-53/Van Dyke Ave, and Outer Dr-Conner St. At Conner, the M-14 freeway would turn southeasterly to follow Conner through an interchange the proposed US-25/Gratiot Expwy (which would've completely replaced Gratiot Ave) to a terminus at I-94/Edsel Ford Frwy, which may explain the somewhat interesting interchange that was designed for Conner St at I-94.
Of all these recommendations, some were almost exactly implemented as planned—those which were likely already well along in the planning stages, like the M-14 freeway between I-94 and US-23 and the portion east of US-23 to Plymouth Rd near M-153—while others were altered significantly or not implemented at all. A "Schoolcraft Ave" freeway had been planned to run through the western Detroit suburbs for some time and much of it was subsumed into the eventual I-96/Jeffries Frwy routing, once a freeway within the Grand River Ave corridor was ultimately rejected. Serious plans to connect I-96 to the M-10/John C Lodge Frwy and I-75/Walter P Chrysler Frwy with an extension of the Davison Frwy were still under consideration—serious or otherwise—into the 1970s. Detroit Mayor Coleman A Young, an ardent opposer of additional freeways within the city, is often credited as having driven any final nails into any hopes of a Davison Frwy extension or any freeway east along McNichols Ave and Conner St. |
| History: |
c.1920 – The original M-14 in Michigan runs much of the length of the Lower Peninsula. Beginning at the Ohio state line south of Hudson, M-14 continues northerly along the present-day route of US-127 through Jackson and into Lansing. From there, M-14 heads northerly along what later became US-27 through Saint Johns, Alma, Mount Pleasant and Clare to the Houghton Lake area, where M-14 turns westerly along present M-55 past Merritt, thrn northerly through Star City, westerly again through Moorestown to Pioneer, and northerly once again along the present route of M-66 to end at M-13 (later M-131 and US-131, now a county road) at Lodi, 6 miles south of Kalkaska. |
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1922 – M-14 is rerouted to bypass downtown DeWitt using the present-day route of Old US-27. Formerly, M-14 departed this road to run through downtown DeWitt on Webb Rd, Bridge St and Round Lake Rd. |
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1923 – M-14 undergoes a major realignment from Houghton Lake northerly—one which makes M-14 now resemble the future route of US-27, to which much of M-14 will be redesignated later in the decade. From the community of Houghton Lake, M-14 now runs along the south and east sides of Houghton Lake into Roscommon (along present-day M-55 and M-18), then northwesterly into Grayling and northerly along the later route of US-27 through Grayling and Indian River, ending at M-10 (later US-23, now M-33), 3 miles south of downtown Cheboygan. The former route of M-14 from Houghton Lake to Merritt is redesignated as M-55, from there to Pioneer it becomes part of M-74, and from Pioneer to Lodi, the former M-14 is redesignated as part of M-66. |
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c.1925 – On the eve of the designation of the US Highway system, M-14 is routed out of downtown St Louis, turning west from State Rd onto Lincoln Rd, running directly into downtown Alma. The former route of M-14 along State Rd is turned back to local control. |
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1926 – With the coming of the US Highways, the route of M-14 is drastically scaled back; once reaching to the tip of the Lower Peninsula, M-14 now doesn't make it out of the second tier of counties! What had been formerly designated M-14 from Jackson to Lansing is incorporated into US-127, while all of M-14 from Lansing northerly to Cheboygan becomes part of US-27. Only the segment from the Ohio state line northerly to US-127 near Somerset , where it then runs concurrently with US-127 for 18 miles into Jackson. As to why M-14 continues to run concurrently with US-127 from Somerset into Jackson, it can only be inferred that other plans were originally in store for M-14... or US-127! |
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1930 (late-Oct) – The first iteration of M-14 comes to an end when the US-127 designation is removed from the Somerset–Adrian–Blissfield–Toledo route and realigned, instead, to continue southerly supplanting the M-14 designation from Somerset southerly through Addison and Hudson to the Ohio state line, with the concurrent US-127/M-14 routing from Somerset into Jackson becoming just US-127. (The former route of US-127 through Adrian to Toledo becomes US-223.) All M-14 signs and route markings are removed in late-October. Thus finally calls a close to the first iteration of M-14. |
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1931 (mid-May) – After only having existing on its route for a few months—and possibly not even signposted in the field!—the newly-designated M-13 routing from M-78 north of Battle Creek through Nashville, Ionia, Sheridan and Stanton to M-46 near Edmore is redesignated as M-14 in its entirety. According to a report in the Battle Creek Enquirer, "a number of motorists and a group of residents along the former M-13 highway petitioned that the name be changed" solely for superstitious reasons behind the number "13." So, the route temporarily known as M-13 and previously part of M-79, a set of county roads between Nashville and Woodbury, M-43 and M-85 (roughly along present-day M-66) is now signed as M-14. |
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1935 (Jan 7) – When originally established as a state trunkline route (as M-13 in late 1930 before being redesignated as M-14 in May 1931 due to superstitious motorists and residents), the segment of now-M-14 between Nashville and Woodbury utilized a routing along the Barry/Eaton Co line for much of that distance, although some of that route had not yet been constructed due to a lack of state funds. As such, the signed route of M-13-turned-M-14 ran along a "marked & maintained" routing north from Nashville along Clark Rd to M-50 southeast of Lake Odessa, then ran easterly with M-50 for one mile back to its official route. As of today, the 9.3-mile long segment of the county line route from State Rd/Vermontville Hwy northerly to M-50 is officially cancelled as a trunkline route and any roads the state may have taken jurisdiction of are transferred back to local control. Simultaneously, the 9.8 miles of Clark Rd from Kellogg St in Nashville to M-50/Brown Rd southwest of Woodbury is transferred to state control and officially becomes a state trunkline route, although it has been signed as part of M-14 for the past four years. The 1.95 miles of Kellogg St/Rd and Hager Rd from Main St in Nashville to State Rd/Vermontville Hwy is retained as an established-but-unsigned state trunkline route for the time being as part of the official route for M-214 to Vermontville, even though the "marked & maintained" version of that route uses the Reed St–Nashville Hwy route on the south side of the Thornapple River instead. |
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1937 (Aug 30) – In an effort to remove a third parallel state highway route within 2½ miles and overall save 1.3 miles of trunkline mileage, the route of M-14 south of Nashville in Barry Co is rerouted. The segment of M-14 along Bivens Rd between Clark Rd and M-79/Assyria Rd is cancelled as a trunkline route and turned back to county control, while the 1.0 mile of Clark Rd from Biven Rd southerly to M-79/Lawrence Rd is established as a trunkline route and transferred to state control. Leaving Nashville to the south, M-14 now continues due southerly along Clark Rd to a jct with M-79 at Lawrence Rd, then turns westerly with M-79 for 2.1 miles to Assyria Rd where M-79 turns northerly and M-14 turns southerly along its exising route. Actual signage changes in the field doesn't seem to take place for a year until August 1938, however. |
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1942 (April 13) – All of M-14 is redesignated as a part of a relocated M-66 between M-46 west of Edmore and M-78 north of Battle Creek. The M-14 route designation is no longer extant on the state trunkline system and would be absent for 14 years. |
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1956 (Nov 1) – The third incarnation of M-14 is created in mid-1956 when US-12 between Ann Arbor and Detroit is rerouted onto the newly-completed "Ann Arbor Southbelt" freeway, then continuing into Detroit via the M-112/Willow Run Expwy & Detroit Industrial Expwy. The new M-14 takes over the former route of US-12, beginning just west of Ann Arbor at the new US-12 & Jackson Ave interchange (today's I-94 Exit 172), runs through downtown Ann Arbor, then northeasterly past Dixboro, Plymouth and Livonia before ending at US-16 (cnr Plymouth Rd & Grand River Ave) in northwest Detroit. |
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1964 (Nov) – A new freeway connecting M-14 with US-23 northeast of Ann Arbor and the jct of M-14 & M-153 is completed and opens to traffic. From the M-153 junction, M-14 is routed westerly via this new freeway, then continues westerly along US-23 across the north side of Ann Arbor between the two triple-decker interchanges, then southerly along BUS US-23 to pick up its old route in downtown Ann Arbor. The former route of M-14 along Plymouth Rd and Beakes St is retained as an unsigned state trunkline route for now. |
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1965 (Mar 31–June 30) – The former route of M-14 between downtown Ann Arbor and Relocated M-153 in Washtenaw Co bypassed by the M-14 freeway opened in late 1964 is cancelled as a state trunkline highway and turned back to local control in two segments:
- On March 31, the 3.927-miles of Plymouth Rd from the Ann Arbor city limit at Green Rd east-northeasterly to Relocated M-153 northeast of Dixboro is turned back to county control.
- On June 30, the 3.236-mile segment of former M-14 along Plymouth Rd, Broadway St and Beakes St from Green Rd at the city limit southwesterly into downtown at BUS US-23/Main St is turned back to city control.
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1965 (Nov 12, 11:00am)  – The segment of the M-14 "Ann Arbor Northbelt" freeway bypass of the city is completed and opened to traffic at 11:00 am November 12, linking I-94 west of the city (at present-day Exit 171) with the existing freeway at the BUS US-23/Main St interchange north of downtown. The 3¾-mile freeway which cost $2.6 million to construct was somewhat controversial in its final location which some area residents felt was too close to the city in general and to Wines Elementary School (just west of Newport Rd) specifically. In the end, the alignment chosen by the State Highway Dept becomes the constructed route. With the opening of the Northbelt, M-14 is now open as a freeway from I-94 west of Ann Arbor to Relocated M-153 northeast of Dixboro, a total distance of 10½ miles, before transitioning back to the two-lane highway alignment via Plymouth Rd. The former route of M-14 through downtown Ann Arbor retains the existing trunkline designations: BUS US-23 on the Main St segment between the freeway and Huron St, and BL I-94 on the Huron St–Jackson Ave segment between downtown and I-94 on the west side of town. Four days after the Northbelt opens to traffic, the 3.552-mile segment is officially certified as a state trunkline route on November 15. |
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Mid-1960s – The Dept of State Highways may have had plans to retain the former route of M-14 which was bypassed by the M-14 freeway around Ann Arbor as a state trunkline highway prior to it being cancelled as a trunkline route and turned back to local control in 1965. Departmental right-of-way maps show the original route of M-14 into downtown Ann Arbor from the Dixboro area southwesterly along Plymouth Rd, Broadway St and Beakes St to BUS US-23/Main St witha designation of "M-114." It is not known how close to actually being designated M-114 this route was in reality, as the portion of former M-14 from downtown out to the US-23 freeway (as well as US-23 from Plymouth Rd northerly back to M-14) are shown as "BUS M-14" on other internal maps, so there many have been several ideas on how to handle the bypassed trunkline segments during this timeframe. |
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1967 (Oct 30) – The State Highway Dept announces a route for a proposed second Metro Detroit–Ann Arbor freeway. The $32-million, 12-mile long route would connect the eastern end of the M-14 freeway northeast of Ann Arbor with the western end of the I-96/Jeffries Frwy at its proposed interchange with I-275 near Plymouth. Construction of the freeway is anticipated for the 1971–72 timeframe, with completion "in the mid-1970s." |
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1977 (Nov 21) – With the completion of the final segment of the I-96/Jeffries Frwy in Detroit and Livonia between M-39/Southfield Frwy and I-275, M-14 is scaled back to end at I-275, shortening the route by more than 14½ miles. The former routing of M-14 from Grand River Ave in Detroit westerly to I-275 at Exit 28 near Plymouth is retained in the state highway system as an unsigned trunkline as OLD M-14 for now. |
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1979 (Oct 31, Noon) – The final 12-mile segment of the M-14 freeway opens between the current end of the freeway at M-153 northeast of Ann Arbor and the I-96/I-275 interchange near Plymouth. Work began on the last segment of the M-14 freeway in early 1978 and the freeway will open at Noon with a public dedication ceremony, while traffic begins using the new highway approximately two hours later. The former route of M-14 along Plymouth Rd from M-153/Ford Rd in Washtenaw Co easterly into Wayne Co and proceeding along Plymouth Rd is retained as an unsigned state trunkline highway route for now as OLD M-14. |
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1985 (Oct 1) – The approx 4½-mile section of unsigned OLD M-14 along Plymouth Rd from M-153/Ford Rd northeast of Dixboro northeasterly to Napier Rd on the Washtenaw/Wayne Co line is cancelled as a state trunkline highway and turned back to county control. (The entirety of OLD M-14 in Wayne Co remains an unsigned state trunkline.) |
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1989 (Mar 3) – The 5.897-mile segment of OLD M-14 (Plymouth Rd) in the City of Detroit, from Grand River Ave westerly to the Detroit west city limit (halfway between West Parkway St and Hazleton Ave) is cancelled as a state trunkline route and turned back to city control. This portion of what had been M-14 had been essentially replaced by the I-96/Jeffires Frwy in 1977. The remainder of OLD M-14 between the Detroit city limit and Napier Rd on the Wayne/Washtenaw Co line remains an unsigned trunkline.) |
| Controlled-Access: |
The entire length of M-14 is freeway. |
| NHS: |
The entire length of M-14 is part of the National Highway System (NHS). |
| Memorial Highway: |
At present, no portion of M-14 has been designated as part of a Memorial Highway. |
| Photographs: |
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| Weblinks: |
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