| Western Terminus: |
US-127 at the Cedar St interchange in Mason |
| Eastern Terminus: |
US-23 at Exit 54 near Whitmore Lake |
| Length: |
 44.126 miles |
| Maps: |
 Route Map of M-36 |
| Notes: |
The western half of M-36 runs in relatively straight lines across the farm fields of Ingham County, while the eastern half weaves in amongst the lakes and hills of southern Livingston County. |
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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 a pair of changes to the route of M-36 during that timeframe, including:
- One of the major changes proposed for M-36 involved a westerly extension of the route from its terminus in Mason toward Charlotte. Beginning where M-50 turns southeasterly approximately 3½ miles east of Charlotte, M-36 would have had a new western terminus, proceeding easterly via Bell Hwy for four miles, then easterly along a newly-buit alignment, continuing another three miles easterly along Bunker Hwy to the Ingham Co line. In Ingham Co, M-36 would have then slowly bent a bit to the north of due east eventually interchanging with US-127 near the existing Columbia Rd overpass with a connection to existing M-36 just to the east of there. This proposed extension was never acted upon.
- Starting in eastern Ingham Co, M-36 was proposed to continue due easterly from its junction with the proposed M-47 (present-day M-52) along Stockbridge Rd for 2½ miles directly into Livingston Co. Once across the county line, M-36 would have then turn northeasterly heading directly for the southernmost end of M-155 at the Howell State Hospital southwest of Howell. From there, the proposed M-36 would have been routed along M-155, supplanting that route designation, to a terminus at US-16 (proposed to be redesignated at BL I-96 in the next few years) in downtown Howell. All of the former route of M-36 from M-92 (present-day M-52) easterly through Gregory, Pickney, Lakeland, and Hamburg to US-23 was to have been turned back to local control. As with the western extension toward Charlotte, this major reroute of M-36 was never implemented.
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| History: |
c.1920 – The "original" M-36 routing begins in downtown Pontiac and proceeds northerly via present-day M-24 to Lapeer, then easterly for 7.5 miles via M-21. From that point, M-36 turns northerly via Lake Pleasant Rd to North Branch, then easterly via North Branch, Marsh and Burnside Rds to end at M-53 in Burnside (at the present-day southern jct of M-53 & M-90). |
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1928 – By 1928, M-36 has been scaled back beginning at M-21 between Lapeer and Imlay City and ending at Burnside. The former portion of M-36 from Pontiac to Lapeer becomes a part of the newly-designated M-24. |
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c.1930 – The routing of M-49 from Mason to Whitmore Lake via Stockbridge and Pinckney is replaced, for the most part, by a relocated M-36 designation. The main difference between the routes of the former M-49 and the new M-36 is that M-49 ran southerly from White Oak, through Stockbridge to Gregory, while the new M-36 cuts off on a more direct route from White Oak direct to Gregory via Plainfield (along its present-day alignment). The former portions of M-49 through Stockbridge become portions of M-92 and M-106. |
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1940 – The final 23 miles of gravel-surfaced M-36 are paved, from Plainfield to Whitmore Lake. |
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c.1946 – With the opening of the US-127 bypass around Mason, M-36 is extended westerly along the former route of US-127, now designated BUS US-127/M-36, for more than a mile. |
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1958 (Apr) – In an ongoing effort to have M-36 extended easterly from US-23 in the Whitmore Lake area into southern Oakland Co, reports in the media state four Oakland Co townships—assumedly Lyon, Novi, Farmington and Southfield Townships—petition the State Highway Commissioner to designate 10 Mile Rd across the southern part of the county as a state trunkline highway. Nothing becomes of the petiton, however. |
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c.1962 – When the BUS US-127 designation is removed from the Mason area, the M-36 routing is maintained between downtown and US-127 northwest of downtown (M-36's present-day western terminus). |
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1967 (Sept 29) – A new alignment for M-36 is officially determined as a state trunkline along its present-day route in the Pettysville area of Livingston Co, between Pinckney and Hamburg. The former alignment along Hooker Rd is turned back to local control while the portion following Henry Rd between Hooker and relocated M-36 is obliterated as a public roadway. |
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1969 – M-52 is extended northerly along M-36/Stockbridge Rd north of the Millville area in southeastern Ingham Co toward Webberville, adding a three-mile concurrency with M-36. |
| Controlled Access: |
No portion of M-36 is freeway or expressway. |
| NHS: |
No portion of M-36 is on the National Highway System (NHS). |
| Memorial Highway: |
At present, no portion of M-36 has been designated as part of a Memorial Highway. |
| Photographs: |
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| Weblinks: |
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