Back to Previous Route: M-27

On to Next Route: M-29

Western Terminus:	US-2 in downtown Wakefield
Eastern Terminus:	M-129 three miles south of Sault Ste Marie
Length:	290.498 miles
Maps:	Route Map of M-28 Map of Potential M-28 Reroute near Marquette (2004-05) Map of 1930s Proposal to Realign M-28 between Newberry and Munising
Notes:	One of two primary east-west routes across the Upper Peninsula—the other being US-2. In fact, following M-28 versus US-2 across the U.P. from Wakefield to I-75 is approximately 20 miles shorter, depending on your final destination.
	M-28 runs concurrently with US-41 between Harvey (southeast of Marquette) and US-141 south of Alberta. Originally, however, M-28 ran only between Wakefield and US-41 near Covington, with the eastern segment—Harvey to the Sault—originally beging designated M-25. The two highways were united into one route using a concurrent designation with US-41 in the middle in the late-1920s.
	Along with erecting cumulative milemarkers along US-2—the state highway running across the Upper Peninsula parallel to M-28 to the south—MDOT also erects cumulative milemarkers along M-28 throughout the UP. After beginning to milemark US-2 in the Western UP in the 1990s and finally finishing the process in 2017, the M-28 milemarkers represent the second non-freeway milemarking project in Michigan.
	In October 1982, the Reflective Systems Unit of MDOT began reviewing the state trunkline sytem and "discovered a substantial number of dual and some triple routing on both the free access and limited access system." The result of which was forwarded to "the Trunkline Numbering Committee in an attempt to reduce as much of this unnecessary routing as possible in an attempt to avoid driver confusion and save funds." (Although, at this point, M-28 and US-41 had been concurrent for approximately 55 years with no known reports of "driver confusion.") That December, the MDOT Transportation Planning unit proposed: "Stop M-28 at US-41 south of Marquette and select new markers for the route from US-141 to the Wisconsin state line." However, the Supervising Engineer of the Reflective Safety Unit replied in March 1983, stating: "M-28 is a continuous route along the northern portion of the U.P. and would be impractical to change this route number. An alternative would be to have US-41 which intersects with US-2, go west to existing US-141, then replace existing US-141 up to M-28. This would require a new route number between Rapid River and Marquette for the existing US-41." In the decades since, though, no route changes for M-28 (or US-41 or US-141) on this scale have occured.
	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, State Highway Dept staff recommended several realignments and upgrades to the route of M-28 during that timeframe. They included, from west to east: Turning back the 1952 extension of M-28 from US-2 at Wakefield southerly to the Wisconsin state line. This turnback is completed soon after in 1962, truncating M-28 back to its current western terminus in Wakefield. Constructing a new alignment for M-28 starting in Bergland and closely paralleling the Duluth, South Shore & Atlantic Railroad (DSS&A, later Soo Line) alignment, removing two long, sweeping curves from the route as it left Bergland heading easterly. This proposal was enver acted upon, however. Constructing another new alignment routing for M-28 beginning at the community of Paynesville in southeastern Ontonagon Co and continuing southeasterly on a gentle, sweeping curve north of its existing route, skirting the north side of the community of Trout Creek before merging with Old M-28 (ironically) just west of the Ontonagon/Houghton county line. The new routing for M-28 would then continue east along Old M-28 back the existing alignment near Golden Glow Rd west of Kenton. Then starting in Kenton itself, a new alignment routing was proposed for M-28, first running to the south of the existing alignment before crossing to the north side the rest of the way to Sidnaw with a slight "corner-cuttng" new alignment proposed just east of Sidnaw. While the proposed realignment from Paynesville to Kenton never took place, the proposal from Kenton to just east of Sidnaw was acted on—interestingly the Kenton to Sidnaw portion was completed only a few months later in October 1960, showing these plans included proposals/projects for facilities under construction at the time. Constructing a new alignment route of US-41/M-28 beginning at Beacon just west of Champion in western Marquette Co and continuing as an uncontrolled-access divided highway on an arrow-straight route to the Clarksburg area, with the former alignment of US-41/M-28 being turned back to local control. From the Clarksburg area easterly to the western limits of Ishpeming, the existing alignment of US-41/M-28 was to have been converted to an uncontrolled-access divided highway. The new alignment portion of this proposal was not constructed, but the portion of the route heading west from Ishpeming was eventually converted to a five-lane cross section with a continuous left-turn lane. From a purely route designation standpoint, the planning maps showed US-41 splitting away from M-28 at West Ishpeming and continuing via BUS M-28 through downtown Ishpeming and Negaunee before turning southerly via a much-upgraded M-35 corridor to Princeton (just west of Gwinn) where it would then continue southerly via a mostly newly-built alignment to its existing route at US-2 in Powers. M-35 was to have been routed along what was US-41 from Gladstone via Rapid River and Marquette to Ishpeming, meaning under these plans, the state trunkline route from Negaunee through Marquette to Harvey would have been M-28/M-35 instead of US-41/M-28. This was, of course, never implemented.
	In 2004, a potential re-routing of M-28 in the Marquette and Ishpeming/Negaunee area was discussed prompted by the Marquette Co Road Commission offering to transfer control of Co Rd 480 to the state. The discussion started primarily due to the high cost to the MCRC to maintain Co Rd 480 because of the volume and type of traffic using it. It is a major artery built to state trunkline-like standards and would be a good fit into the state trunkline system. MCRC staff believes "that County Road 480 has at least regional (Upper Peninsula) importance if not State and National importance" and that it "provides a valuable east/west corridor as an alternate route to bypass the congestion of the US-41/M-28 corridor." The Road Commission noted that traffic volumes on Co Rd 480 exceeds that on many other state trunklines, even within Marquette Co itself.         Two issues, however, complicate it's possible inclusion in the highway system. First, to connect the western end to another trunkline at Negaunee would either require routing it via city streets in the downtown area (e.g. Healy Ave and Main St). County jurisdiction terminates at the cnr of Healy Ave-Ann St & Rail St, as the western continuation of Co Rd 480 along Rail St does not intersect with BUS M-28 along Silver St, instead crossing it via a former railroad overpass. The second issue is connecting Co Rd 480 on its eastern end. While the county road does end at US-41, it does so 2.3 miles southeast of the eastern jct of US-41 & M-28. If the M-28 designation were to be relocated onto the Co Rd 480 route, the "Z" zig-zag routing of Co Rd 480 east to US-41 north(west)erly to M-28 east (and vice-versa) would not make much sense. While M-28 could use Co Rd 551/Cherry Creek Rd from Co Rd 480 northerly to meet US-41 at the M-28 junction in Harvey, that option introduces a 90° turn into routing and Co Rd 551/Cherry Creek Rd is a lower-speed road with a more residential character. (See Map.)         On the proposed route's western end, a new alignment "US-41/M-28 spur" was proposed to split from the existing US-41/M-28 route somewhere between 3rd St in Ishpeming and Teal Lake in Negaunee, then proceeding east/southeast across the "caving grounds"—lands subject to subsidence due to the nearby Mather A and Mather B iron mines—into downtown Negaunee, then running via Rail St and feeding into Co Rd 480. (See Map.)         After the Marquette Co Board of Commissioners gave the proposition its support, a lukewarm reception by MDOT followed. No further action has been taken on the proposal since 2005.
	In the mid-1930s, the Michigan State Highway Dept (MSHD) contemplated a major relocation of M-28 across parts of three counties, running on almost completely new alignment. The route as it existed in the 1930s was considered substandard because of the several sharp turns and hills along the route, especially in southwestern Luce Co, and for the long, straight-as-an-arrow section through the swamps and lowlands of northern Schoolcraft Co, now known as the much-beloved "Seney Stretch." The Seney Stretch would often flood in the spring and was targeted both for the expense involved in keeping it cleared of snow in the winter and because of its straightness, that "driver's hypnotism is apt to get you [t]here," according to one news article of the day.       To replace the existing route, M-28 (which still ran into and through Newberry at the time) was proposed to continue northerly from town via present-day M-123 to Four Mile Cnr at the jct of present-day H-37, then turn westerly and run generally along that section line for 46 miles until it met up with M-94 at the present-day jct of H-58 & H-15 near Van Meer, north of Shingleton in Alger Co. From there, M-28 would continue westerly along M-94 (present-day H-58) into Munising, where it would then continue toward Marquette along the shoreline route being constructed at that point as M-94. (The M-94 and M-28 designations west of Munising would be "flip-flopped" in 1941.) Interestingly, unless this new alignment for M-28 was built with subtle curves, it would feature a much longer and straighter route than the existing alignment, greatly increasing the danger of "driver hypnosis." Additionally, the route across northern Schoolcraft Co—parallel to and five miles north of the "Seney Stretch"— would also traverse a relatively swampy area, most notably the Creighton and Driggs Marshes. Reports indicate the existing route of M-28 through McMillan, Seney, Shingleton and Wetmore would be transferred to county control, but was expected to maintained as a secondary route. (See Map.)       The only "real" progress on this new alignment for M-28 that was ever made was to map out a general alignment for the highway across northern Schoolcraft Co and designate it on internal MSHD maps. This proposed routing never made it onto the internal MSHD maps for Alger and Luce Cos and the Schoolcraft Co segment remained mapped through the 1940s before being quietly removed and relegated as a historical footnote. Other than the "Newberry bypass" of the mid-1930s and realignments southeast of McMillan and east of Seney in the late 1940s, M-28 today runs along the same general path as it did in the 1930s.
History:	1919 – Originally M-28 ran roughly along its present alignment from M-12 (present-day US-2) in Wakefield to M-15 (present-day US-41) 6-1/2 miles east of Covington in southern Baraga Co.
	1924 – M-28 is rerouted between Covington and its eastern terminus at M-15. From Covington at M-69 (part of present-day US-141) easterly, M-28 now runs along present-day Old M-28 to present-day Old US-41. The former route along Murphy Rd, a two-track road and King Lake Rd, roughly parallel to the DSS&A Railroad line, is turned back to local control.
	1927 – Several realignments of M-28 are officially added to the state trunkline system this year, including: (June 29) A realignment of M-28 along is added running partly along the present-day route and partly along present-day Co Rd M28C from Kenton easterly to east of Kitchie in southern Houghton Co. The former route along Kitchie Rd is turned back to local control, while the remainder is abandoned. (June 30) A new route of M-28 along present-day Old M-28 from Polvi Rd easterly through Ewen to just east of that community. The former route along, ironically enough, the present-day route of M-28 is turned back to local control. (June 30) M-28 is realigned to its present routing at the Baltimore River crossing west of Bruce Crossing in Ontonagon Co. The former route is partly turned back to local control, while the rest is abandoned. (June 30) A new routing of M-28 is added which "cuts the corner" from Paynesville northerly, with the old route along Blacksmith and N Paynesville Rds being turned back to local control. (June 30) M-28 is realigned to the present-day Old M-28 from Mile West Rd to Gardner Rd in Trout Creek. The former route is partially abandoned with the rest along Mill Pond Rd being turned back to local control. (July 15) Assumedly as part of the same project, a new alignment of M-28 is added to the state highway system from Paynesville south-southeasterly to Haight Rd. The former route along Marty Rd to Haight and along Haight southerly is turned back to local control.
	1928 – M-28 is extended easterly from its terminus at the brand-new US-41 (formerly M-15) 9 miles easterly of Covington along US-41 through Ishpeming to Negaunee where it splits from the new US-41 for 10 miles. Between Negaunee and Marquette, US-41 follows the "northerly" route formerly part of M-35 close to its present-day routing, while M-28 runs along the "southerly" route which had been designated M-15 along present-day CR-492. Three miles west of downtown Marquette, the two routes combine again and proceed through Marquette then southeasterly to 2 miles south of Skandia. There, M-28 now turns easterly to supplant the M-25 designation through Chatham, Munising, Seney, Newberry, and Brimley, ending in downtown Sault Ste Marie.
	1931 (Aug 31) – M-28 is slightly realigned in downtown Newberry off W Court St and Harrie St and onto McMillan Ave easterly to Newberry Ave. The former route is turned back to municipal control.
	1932 (Oct 29) – The route of M-28 is realigned from Merriweather to just west of Bergland in Ontonagon Co onto its present-day route. The former route through the communities of Merriweather and Lake Gogebic is turned back to local control.
	1933 (Mar 14) – A new routing of US-41/M-28 on the south side of Marquette is officially added to the state highway system, although sources peg the actual completion date during the middle of 1933. The new route follows a new highway alignment of S Front St from Fisher St southerly to Hampton St south of downtown. The former route along Lake St between Fisher and Hampton is abandoned as a public way and the right-of-way is transferred to the DSS&A Railroad for use as a railroad yard. This relocation removes the dangerous situation where the DSS&A tracks ran down the route of US-41/M-28 on Lake St and was pursued both by DSS&A and the local business community.
	1934 – Although the official date of the change was August 31, 1931, a new, more direct routing of M-28 from present-day Old M-28 northeast of Wakefield to Tula is completed and opened totraffic. The former route, along present-day Old M-28, is turned back to local control.
	1935 – Four new alignments of M-28 this year: (Jan 7) M-28 is officially transferred from its own independent routing between Negaunee and Marquette to run concurrently with US-41 between those cities. The former route, from downtown Negaunee easterly along Main St to Healey St, northerly to Mitchell Ave, northerly along a now-abandoned road to Cherry St, then northeasterly via Cherry to Prince St, northeasterly along Prince to Old Cemetery Rd, easterly along Old Cemetery and a now-abandoned road to Co Rd 492, then easterly along Co Rd 492 to US-41 at the present-day western city limit of Marquette, is transferred to local control. (Oct 22) A new "cutoff" alignment of M-28 is completed from east of Bergland to Topaz in Ontonagon Co. The former route along present-day Old M-28 is transterred to local control. (Oct 22) Also, on the same day as the Ontonagon Co transfer above, a new routing of M-28 is added between Munising and Wetmore along its present-day alignment. The former route along Cemetery & Alger Heights Rds is turned back to local control. (Dec 9, 1936) Although MDOT records point to December 9, 1936 as being the official date of transfer, a new routing of M-28 is completed along its present-day alignment south of Newberry between present-day Co Rd 405 and present-day M-123. The former route through downtown Newberry is retained as a state highway and is designated M-28A.
	1936 – A pair of realignments come to the route of M-28 this year: (Oct 22, 1935) Although the official transfer date was late the year before, actual construction on a slight realignment of M-28 in western Chippewa Co is completed during 1936. The new route runs from the Luce/Chippewa Co line easterly to Hulbert Corners. Portions of the old route are either abandoned or obliterated under the new road, with one old segment along Basnau Curve Rd being turned back to local control. (Dec 9) A new routing for US-41/M-28 on the south side of Marquette is completed along its present-day routing between Lake/Hampton Sts and Lake St/Cliffs Power Rd near the state prison. The former route of US-41/M-28 is temporarily retained in the state highway system until the next year.
	1937 – Additional changes to M-28 during 1937: (Aug 30) A new alignment of M-28 is officially added to the state highway system in Ontonagon Co along its present-day routing from Norwich Rd at Matchwood to just east of Ewen. A portion of the former route of M-28 is abandoned as a public way, while the remainder along Malner Rd and Old M-28 Rd is turned back to local control. (Aug 30) On the same day as the Ontonagon Co tranfer, US-41/M-28 in Ishpeming and Negaunee is realigned. The new routing begins at Co Rd 583 west of Ishpeming and continues easterly to Hickory St, then runs easterly via Elm St (now abandoned) and Junpier St into Neguanee. From there, the new route runs along a now-abandoned highway to Water St, then easterly via Water St to the existing route at Teal Lake Ave. The former route along Randall Dr, North Lake Rd, Greenwood St, Division St (present-day BUS M-28) and Reidy St (also part of present-day BUS M-28) in Ishpeming, and along the present-day BUS M-28, Silver St, Jackson St, Main St and Teal Lake Ave in Neguanee is turned back to local control. (Sept 27) Almost one month later, the former route of US-41/M-28 along Lake St on the south side of Marquette—the segment superceeded by a new routing in late 1936—is turned back to local control.
	1940 (Nov 12) – M-28 is realigned to its present-day routing from 2 miles east of Strongs Corners in Chippewa Co easterly for approximately 2 miles. The former route along the present USFS-3367 is turned back to local control.
	1941 (July 1) – The routes of M-94 and M-28 west of Munising are swapped, a change ordered by State Highway Commissioner G. Donald Kennedy "for the benefit of through traffic on M-28, a route which extends the length of the Upper Peninsula." The length of M-28 is now six miles shorter verus the route via Skandia, Sundell, Eben, Chatham and Forest Lake, while the overall length of M-94 is also shortened by six miles. The western terminus of M-94, formerly at Harvey south of Marquette, is relocated to US-41 southeast of Skandia. At Munising, M-94 turns southerly via Cedar St, supplanting the M-178 designation to a jct with M-28 at Alger Falls south of Munising where it now turns westerly following the former route of M-28 through Chatham to US-41 near Skandia. Similarly, M-28 now continues northerly, concurrently with M-94, from Alger Falls into Munsing, where it turns westerly at Munising Ave to replace M-94 through Christmas and past Au Train and Deerton to Harvey where it continues with US-41 through Marquette, Ishpeming, Negaunee and westerly.
	1942 (Jan 28, Apr 1) – The first step in a major realignment of M-28 in Chippewa Co comes on January 28 when a 7.976-mile segment of the 9 Mile Rd corridor from present-day M-221 south of Brimley easterly to US-2/Mackinac Tr near Dafter is officially assumed into the state trunkline highway system, although the new segment of highway isn't yet open to traffic. The former route of M-28, including the portion along present-day M-221, is turned back to local control but remains "marked-and-maintained" as M-28 until the new alignment is opened to traffic. (Interestingly, the M-221 poriton of the turned back portion wull be reassumed into the state highway system only three years later!) Then on April 1, the 224-foot, $50,887 Waiska River bridge is completed and opened to traffic, marking the completion of the new segment of M-28. The former route of M-28, turned back to county control in January, has its markers removed and is no longer maintained as a state route.
	1942 – During 1942, M-28 is extended westerly along US-2 from Wakefield into Ironwood, bringing M-28 to the Wisconsin state line.
	1947 – A new alignment of US-41/M-28 opens near Clarksburg west of Ishpeming, shaving a mile from the route. The new route runs from Co Rd CKC east of Clarksburg to the easternmost jct of CR-496 east of Greenwood. The former route along Co Rd CKC and CR-496/Diorite Rd is turned back to local control. MDOT records date the official transfer at this location to Nov 10, 1949, but the new highway is shown as complete on many official maps from late 1947 on.
	1948 – Two realignments are completed this year, although MDOT records indicate the official date of jurisdictional transfer as being during November of 1949, similar to the situation indicated above in 1947. First, a new route for US-2/M-28 is completed from downtown Wakefield westerly to the eastern limit of Bessemer, opening in late 1948. The official date for this addition, though, is listed as Nov 7, 1949. Similarly, a new alignment of US-41/M-28 is completed along its present-day routing in Baraga Co from Old M-28 easterly to Nestoria. This new alignment is assumed into the system and the former route is turned back to local control officially on Nov 10, 1949, although it opens to traffic in late 1948. On the eastern end of M-28, that route's designation is extended northerly along US-2 from its former eastern terminus to end in downtown Sault Ste Marie with US-2.
	1949 (Nov 4) – The route of M-28/M-94 in the southeastern portion of Munising in Alger Co is realigned onto a brand-new 0.41-mile long alignment, which is officially assumed into the state trunkline system. Simultaneously, the former 0.6-mile long route via Cedar St from Onota St to Prospect St and Prospect St from Cedar St to the new M-28/M-94 alignment is turned back to municipal control. The realigned M-28/M-94 also opens to traffic on or soon after this date as well.
	1949 (Nov 10) – Of the several changes listed in MDOT documents as occurring on Nov 10, 1949, three of those changes did occur in late 1949. They are: In Marquette Co, a slight realignment moves US-41/M-28 onto its present-day routing. The former route through Harvey via Main St/BAA and Corning St is turned back to local control. M-28 is realigned along its present-day route from the east side of Seney for a bit more than 1 mile into Luce Co. The former route, mostly parallel to the Wisconsin Central Railroad tracks, is largely abandoned or obliterated. A new alignment of M-28 "cuts the corner" southeast of McMillan in Luce Co, shaving about 1 mile from the length of the highway. The east-west leg of the former alignment becomes an extension of M-98, while the north-south leg into McMillan becomes an extension of M-135. In addition, M-28A at Newberry is redesignated as BUS M-28. The concurrent M-48 designation between McLeod's Corner and Roberts Corner (south of Newberry) is removed with the rerouting of M-48 to end at US-2 at Epoufette. A new 3-mile concurrent designation of M-117 is added with the relocation of M-117 in the Newberry area.
	1950 – There are two changes to the route of M-28 this year: (Nov 3) A new alignment of US-41/M-28 is added to the state trunkline system in Negaunee along its present-day route from Water St on the shore of Teal Lake to Croix St north of downtown. The former route along Water St & Croix St is turned back to local control. Also in 1950, the 1948 extension of M-28 along US-2 into downtown Sault Ste Marie is scaled back and the pre-1948 eastern terminus of M-28 is restored.
	1952 – The concurrent M-28 designation is removed from US-2 west of Wakefield and extended southerly along present-day CR-519 to the Chaney Lake area on the Wisconsin state line. Although the rerouted M-28 shows up on 1952 maps, some MDOT records indicate the official transfer from county to state control takes place over a year later, on June 16, 1953. Also in 1952, the M-35 designation is routed concurrently along US-41/M-28 from Negaunee westerly to connect the two previously unconnected portions of M-35.
	1953 – Several various changes come to the route of M-28 in 1953: Several route changes occur at Newberry in early 1953, although the official date of jurisdictional transfer is listed in MDOT documents as Nov 10, 1949. All BUS M-28 signs came down as that route through Newberry is "decommissioned" as a state highway. The former BUS M-28 segments not concurrent with M-117 are turned back to local control. On the south side of Newberry, a part of the route of M-117/BUS M-28 is relocated with only M-117 markers being erected on the new routing. The former route along present-day Co Rd 403 and Co Rd 461 is turned back to local control. (June 16) The former route of US-2/M-28 in Wakefield along present-day Old US-2 is turned back to local control. This segment of highway had been replaced by a new alignment in 1948. (Sept 22) A new US-41/M-28 alignment is completed in western Marquette Co from Co Rd FNO southeast of Champion to "downtown" Humboldt. The former route along Co Rd FNO, CR-601, Co Rd FNP and segments of now-abandoned road is turned back to local control. A portion of this former route is later closed and becomes part of the Barron Mine.
	1955 (Nov 18) – Two route changes are officially made on the same day. In Baraga Co, a new alignment of US-141/M-28 opens between Covington and US-41/M-35 with the former route along present-day Old 28 is turned back to county control. In Schoolcraft Co, M-28 is rerouted along Main St & Lewis St through Seney, with the former route along Railroad St being turned back to local control.
	1957 (Nov 25) – A new alignment of US-41/M-28 is officially established as a state trunkline along its present-day routing from Heritage Dr/JAD in Neguanee to Northwoods Rd/HIA west of Marquette. The former route along Heritage Dr/JAD, Forest Cir/JB, CR-502/Midway Rd, Co Rd JPC-HPB and Northwoods Rds/HIA is cancelled as a state trunkline route and turned back to local control, although the new alignment is not yet completed and opened to traffic. The former route is retained as a "marked-and-maintained" route for the time being.
	1958 (July 3) – The seven miles of divided US-41/M-28 highway from Marquette westerly to Negaunee that were officially established the previous November are completed and opened to traffic, with the former alignment, already officially transferred to local control, no longer being "marked-and-maintained" as a state trunkline route.
	1958 – Two changes to M-28 in 1958: (July 7) A new alignment of M-28 is added along its present-day routing from west of Trout Creek in Ontonagon Co easterly into Houghton Co at Golden Glow Rd. The former route of M-28 along Old M-28 is returned to local control. (Sept 16) In an interesting turn, the former route of US-41/M-28 through the downtowns of Ishpeming and Neguanee is re-assumed into the state highway system. Although one MDSH source indicates a US-41A designation existed along this route, most other official maps and information only show BUS M-28. This "new" BUS M-28 begins at US-41/M-28/M-35 in West Ishpeming and continues easterly via North Lake Rd, Greenwood St, Division St and Reidy St into Negaunee, whenre it turns northerly on Silver St, east on Jackson & Main Sts, and north again via Teal Lake Ave back to US-41/M-28.
	1959 (Dec 1) – The 14-mile loop of M-94 north of M-28 between Shingleton and Munising is removed from the state highway system and turned back to local control. M-94 is rerouted concurrently with M-28 from Shingleton westerly through Wetmore to the junction of M-94 two miles south of downtown Munising. Also, with the exception of the 13-mile leg of M-28 between Wakefield and the Wisconsin state line, the last 10 miles of gravel-surfaced highway on the rest of M-28 is paved.
	1960 – Three of the changes to M-28 this year include: (June 21) A new alignment US-41/M-28 is added from the cnr of Hickory & Palm Sts in northern Ishpeming along Pals St to the Negaunee city limit, then along its present-day routing to Water St in Neguanee. The former route along Juniper St in Ishpeming and Tilot Rd in Neguanee are turned back to city control, with the interim segment mostly abandoned or obliterated under the new highway. (Oct 14) M-28 is realigned from just east of Kenton to the west side of Sidnaw in Houghton Co to its present-day route. Some of the former route is turned back to local control while other segments are partly abandoned and partly obliterated. (Oct 14) A new alignment of M-28 is added from Perch Rd to near Keranen Rd between Sidnaw and Watton. The old route is abandoned or obliterated under the new highway.
	1960 (Nov 4) – The route of M-28/M-94 is reconstructed and partially realigned from the Wetmore area in central Alger Co easterly to jct M-28 & M-94 in Shingleton. The entire 8.31-mile segment is officially established on this date, while the 8.43-mile old alignment is cancelled and is turned back to local control, obliterated, or subsumed under the reconstructed highway. Beginning at Alger Heights Rd on the western edge of Wetmore, a new, more direct 1.1-mile long M-28/M-94 bypass of the community removes through traffic from the business district of Wetmore and merges back with the existing alignment 0.4 mile east of H-13/FFH-13/Connors Rd. The former route along Prospect St through Wetmore from M-28/M-94 west of the community easterly to H-13/FFH-13/Connors Rd is turned back to county control, while the portion east of H-13/FFH-13 is obliterated as a public roadway. Between Wetmore and Shingleton, M-28/M-94 is upgraded and slightly shifted to the north. From approximately 1½ miles west of Shingleton, M-28/M-94 is shifted onto a new, more notherly alignment to Pine St, one block west of the M-28 & M-94 jct in downtown Shingleton and the former alignment is obliterated as a public roadway.
	1961 (Oct 1) – An 12.9-mile long, $320,000 modernization project along M-24 from Wakefield southerly to the Wisconsin state line is completed and opened to traffic, likely in preparation for the anticipated cancellation of that portion of the route as a trunkline and transfer back to local control. This segment of M-28 is one of the last gravel-surfaced state highways in Michigan.
	1962 (June 30) – The ten-year old, 13.5-mile extension of M-28 south of Wakefield to the Wisconsin line is cancelled as a state trunkline route and turned back to local control. M-28's new western terminus is now at US-2 in downtown Wakefield.
	1963 (Nov 22, 12:00 Noon) – A new US-41/M-28 bypass of downtown Marquette is completed and opened to traffic. The route is a partially-limited access expressway, with access only at select crossroads. (Other intersecting roads are either closed off or are grade-separated via overpasses.) The former route of US-41/M-28 through downtown along Front St & Washington St becomes BUS US-41/BUS M-28.
	1963 (Dec 5) – A segment of the I-75/US-2 freeway south of Sault Ste Marie is completed and opened to traffic which results in the M-28 route designation being scaled back by approximately ½ mile to end at the new freeway. The former route of M-28 between the new freeway interchange and the former route of US-2 along Mackinac Tr is turned back to local control.
	1969 (Jan) – As part of a program by the Dept of State Highways to "eliminate all extraneous markings on state highways," the M-35 route west of Baraga is redesignated as M-38. The formerly concurrent US-41/M-28/M-35 from Negaunee to US-141 near Covington becomes just US-41/M-28, while what had been US-41/M-35 from there to Baraga retains just the US-41 designation. M-35 now terminates at US-41/M-28 between Negaunee and Marquette.
	1973 (Dec 14) – A new alignment of M-28 is added to the state trunkline system along its present-day route southeast of Paynesville in Ontonagon Co and the former route is turned back to local control.
	1975 (July 18) – A new long, continuously curvilinear routing alignment for M-28 is constructed and opened to traffic in western Alger Co, beginning near Shelter Bay Rd in the Deer Lake/Shelter Bay area (west of Au Train) and continuing northwesterly for 1.865 miles. The former 1.825-mile long route is cancelled as a trunkline highway and abandoned as a public roadway (the portions where the former route tied in to the new alignment are obliterated, the remainder becomes a private roadway).
	1977–81 – Concerning the BUS US-41/M-28 routing through downtown Marquette: According to the 1978-79 Official Highway Map, the business routing through downtown (both BUS US-41 and BUS M-28) was completely removed from the state highway system. On the 1980 Official Highway Map, though, the former routing was again displayed as it had been on before 1978. On the 1981 map, the concurrent BUS M-28 designation was shown removed and only the BUS US-41 designation remaining. Whether some of these changes were mapmaking errors or actual changes to the state highway system is unclear.
	1981 (Feb 18, Apr 3) – In what is essentially a continuation of the upgrading of M-28 in western Alger Co that had begun in 1975, a 0.97-mile long segment of M-28 is cancelled as a state trunkline route on February 3 running close to the Lake Superior shoreline at Shelter Bay west of Au Train and transferred to county control. The new 1.48-mile long relocation is officially established as a trunkline over six weeks later on April 3. (The new alignment is longer than the bypassed segment due to a truncation of the former route at each end at the newly-contstructed "turned-in approaches.")
	1981 (Feb 18–23, Apr 3) – In what is essentially a continuation of the upgrading of M-28 in western Alger Co that had begun in 1975, a 0.97-mile long segment of M-28 is cancelled as a state trunkline route on February 3 running close to the Lake Superior shoreline at Shelter Bay west of Au Train and transferred to county control. The new 1.48-mile long relocation is officially established as a trunkline over six weeks later on April 3. (The new alignment is longer than the bypassed segment due to a truncation of the former route at each end at the newly-contstructed "turned-in approaches.") In between, the two new "turned-in approaches" at either end of the bypassed segment which connect the old roadway to the new one, measuring 0.03 mile and 0.046 mile for a total of 0.49 mile total, are officially transferred to county jurisdiction on February 23.
	1982 (Oct)—1983 (Mar) – Some MDOT staffers internally propose terminating M-28 at its eastern jct with US-41 at Harvey south of Marquette, removing the concurrent designation between Harvey and Covington, and then giving the remainder of M-28 from US-41 at Covington to US-2 at Wakefield a new route designation. By March 1983, however, the proposal is deemed "impractical" and no changes are made. (See Notes section above for details.)
	1989 (March 3) – The 2.51 mile segment of 9 Mile Rd from the eastern terminus of M-28 at I-75 (at Exit 386) easterly to M-129 /Meridian Rd south of Sault Ste Marie in northeastern Chippewa Co is officially established as a state trunkline route and transferred from county to state control. M-28 is extended over the new trunkline route to a new eastern terminus at M-129 approximately five miles south of downtown Sault Ste Marie.
	2010 (Aug 9) – After a three-month construction project, a brand new roundabout replaces the somewhat confusing intersection at the eastern end of the Marquette Bypass, where US-41/M-28 intersects Front St south of the downtown district. The previous intersection was original to the bypass when it was constructed in 1962–63.
Controlled Access:	Freeway: No portion of M-28 exists as freeway.
	Expressway: In Marquette from the intersection of US-41/M-28 & Washington St (formerly BUS US-41) easterly to the intersection of US-41/M-28 & Front St (formerly BUS US-41).
NHS:	M-28 from the its western terminus at US-2 in Wakefield to jct I-75 south of Sault Ste Marie is on the National Highway System (NHS)—all but the easternmost 2.7 miles of the route. (287 miles)
Business Connection:	BUS M-28 – Ishpeming/Negaunee. From US-41/M-28 on the west side of Ishpeming through the downtowns of both cities to US-41/M-28 on the north side of Negaunee.
Circle Tour:	Lake Superior Circle Tour in three segments: From M-28's western terminus in Wakefield to the eastern jct of M-64 at Bergland. From jct US-41 & US-141 near Covington to the western jct of M-123 at Newberry. From eastern jct of M-123 near Eckerman to I-75 south of Sault Ste. Marie.
Memorial Highways:	The following Memorial Highway designations have been officially assigned to parts of M-28 by the Michigan Legislature: Veterans Memorial Highway – "Highway M-28, beginning at the eastern city limits of Ishpeming in Marquette County and continuing west through Baraga County, Houghton County, Ontonagon County, and Gogebic County to the intersection of highway M-28 and highway US-2..." From MDOT: "Title 38 of the Code of Federal Regulations defines a veteran as “a person who served in the active military, naval, or air service and who was discharged or released under conditions other than dishonorable.” This definition explains that any individual that completed a service for any branch of armed forces classifies as a veteran as long as they were not dishonorably discharged." Earl DeMarse Memorial Highway – "The portion of highway US-41 beginning at the intersection of US-41 and highway M-28 in the city of Harvey and extending north to the intersection of US-41 and Genesee Street in the city of Marquette..." From MDOT: "Earl F. DeMarse was a corrections officer at the Michigan Department of Corrections' Marquette Branch Prison. On September 25, 1973, Mr. DeMarse was stabbed to death by an inmate at the prison. DeMarse has been recognized as the first Michigan corrections officer killed in the line of duty. He was 55 years old and had served as a corrections officer for 26 years. The Earl F. DeMarse Corrections Academy in Lansing is named after him." Jacobetti Highway – "Highway M-28 beginning at the intersection with highway M-123 in Chippewa County and extending west to the east city limit of the city of Negaunee..." From MDOT: "The son of an Italian immigrant miner, Dominic Jacobetti was born in Negaunee, MI July 20, 1920 to Nicholas and Josephine (Sano) Jacobetti. He graduated from St. Paul's High School in 1938 and went to work in the Athens Mine in 1940. He eventually became President of UAW Local 4950 and United Steel Workers Local 2867. He married Marie Burnette in 1942 and had three children, Judith, Colin and Dominic, Jr. He was elected to office in 1953, and began his 40 years as Representative in 1954. Because of funding Jacobetti obtained for projects in the Upper Peninsula, his constituents and colleagues regarded him as "Puga," "King Jake," and the "Godfather of the U.P." However, he also helped various "down-state" areas obtain the funding they needed as well. Keeping in mind that Jacobetti often considered the entire Upper Peninsula as part of his District, he promoted the interest of industry (sometimes at the expense of the environment), strove to improve educational opportunities, and worked hard to improve economic conditions for both the State and his District."
Photographs:
Weblinks:	M-28 @ Michigan Highway Ends – photos of the termini of M-18 at Dan Garnell's archived Michigan Highway Ends website. M-28: Map of Potential Reroute near Marquette – illustration of the proposed rerouting of M-28 along Co Rd 480 between Ishpeming/Negaunee and Harvey in Marquette Co in 2004-05. M-28: 1930s Proposed Realignment between Newberry and Munising – illustration of a proposal from the 1930s to possibly realign M-28 between Newberry and Munising. Historic M-28 Bridges from MDOT's (archived) Michigan's Historic Bridges website: M-28/Sand River Bridge – from MDOT, "This medium-span concrete bridge crosses the Sand River between the village of Sand River and the shore of Lake Superior." M-28/Ontonagon River Bridge – from MDOT, "This is one of only three steel arch bridges in Michigan, with the main arch span 150 feet in length." Old M-28/Rock River Bridge – from MDOT, "Crossing the Rock River in rural Covington Township, this medium-span concrete bridge carries Old M-28 about two miles east of the town of Covington." US-41 (Abandoned)/Peshekee River Bridge – from MDOT, "It is...historically significant as the first trunk line bridge designed by the state highway department and as a pivotal crossing on one of the Upper Peninsula's most important routes." M-28/East Branch Tahquemenon River Bridge – from MDOT, "The structure is configured as a 55-foot, steel deck girder bridge, with nine lines of built-up I-beams encased in concrete." Historic M-28 Bridges from Nathan Holth's excellent HistoricBridges.org website: M-28 Bridge – "This bridge is one of the oldest examples of a steel stringer bridge in Michigan with concrete balustrade railings. ..." Railroad Street Bridge – "This bridge is an example of a bridge design built from approximately 1927 to 1932 in relatively large quantities in Michigan. ..." M-28 Sand River Bridge – "This bridge is a rare, unaltered example of a concrete rigid-frame bridge in Michigan. ..." M-28 Soo Line Railroad Overpass – "This bridge is a heavily skewed through plate girder overpass. The bridge has massive concrete abutments with some attractive detailing. ..." Old US-41 Peshekee River Bridge: Trunk Line Bridge Number 1 – "...the bridge is highly significant since it marks the beginning of bridge construction by Michigan's state highway agency..." Old M-28 Hickey Creek Bridge – "This bridge is an excellent example of a straight chord through girder in Michigan. ..." Old M-28 Rock River Bridge – "This bridge is  a remnant of this road's trunk line past. This road used to be M-28, but is today a very rural local road since M-28 was realigned to a new location. ..." Agate Falls Bridge – "This bridge is one of a couple magnificent steel deck arch bridges found in the Upper Peninsula. Highway bridges of this structure type are otherwise essentially unheard of in Michigan. ..."

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