| Southern Terminus: |
I-75 at Exit 109 west of Grand Blanc |
| Northern Terminus: |
I-75/US-23 at Exit 136 in Birch Run |
| Length: |
27.148 miles |
| Maps: |
Route Map of M-54 |
| Notes: |
The modern-day iteration of M-54 was originally conceived as a replacement for the US-10 designation in the Greater Flint area. When the I-75 freeway was completed through southern Genesee Co in 1962, US-10 was routed via I-75 and I-75/US-23 throughout the area. The Dept of State Highways decided to keep much of the former routing of US-10 and BUS US-10 in the state trunkline system and the M-54 designation was applied to the route. BUS US-10 then became BUS M-54. The new M-54 ran along what had been US-10 from the Oakland/Genesee Co line through Grand Blanc on Saginaw Rd, then turning northerly to bypass Flint to the east via Dort Hwy, returning to Saginaw Rd for a time near Clio, eventually turning northerly to supplant a portion of M-83 into Saginaw Co. At Birch Run Rd in southeastern Saginaw Co, the new M-54 designation was bent to the west, co-signed with M-83, to end at I-75/US-10/US-23 at Birch Run. BUS M-54 followed Saginaw St in its entirety from the southern intersection of Dort Hwy north of Grand Blanc to the northern intersection of Dort Hwy north of Mount Morris. |
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Only two main changes to this route have taken place over the past five-plus decades. First, in the mid-1970s, most of the BUS M-54 signage was removed, leaving an unsigned state trunkline through downtown Flint. For much of its route, the former BUS M-54 was replaced by the nearby I-475/UAW Frwy. It was not until the 1990s and early 2000s that much of Saginaw St was actually turned back to county and city control. Then in 1987, the southern Dort Hwy extension was completed, routing M-54 out of downtown Grand Blanc to a more direct connection with I-75. |
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As originally planned by State Highway Dept planners in 1960, the former route of US-10 through Flint and Genesee Co was originally planned to become a southerly extension of M-83 once the US-10 designation was relocated to the I-75 and US-23 freeway corridor. Similarly, the route of BUS US-10 through Flint was to have been designated BUS M-83. This proposed designation was indicated on official planning maps prepared in 1960. Those maps indicated the proposed BUS M-83 routing would follow N Saginaw St southerly from the northern end of Dort Hwy through downtown Mount Morris and into downtown Flint, then turn easterly along with the proposed BUS M-21 routing via E Court St to a terminus at Dort Hwy (proposed to be M-83). The southern portion of what became BUS M-54 along S Saginaw St from downtown Flint to Dort Hwy near Grand Blanc was to have been turned back to municipal and county control under the plans from 1960. In the end, most of the former US-10 route in Genesee Co was given the M-54 designation (and proposed BUS M-83 was designated BUS M-54) instead. |
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 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." That December, the MDOT Traffic & Safety Division stated "M-54 can be terminated at the junction of Gera-Birch Run Road intersection," which is the junciton with M-83, removing the M-54/M-83 concurrent routing between that point and I-75/US-23/US-10 at Birch Run. In March 1983, the Supervising Engineer of the Reflective Safety Unit concurred and recommended to the Trunkline Numbering Committee those changes be implemented. This change has never been enacted, however, as M-54 and M-83 have continued to run concurrently to this day. |
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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 many changes to existing state highway routes during that timeframe, including the following for the route of M-54 (which wouldn't be reconstituted as a state highway routing for nearly two years in the future):
- Constructing a southerly extension of Dort Hwy leading from Saginaw St south to a new interchange at I-75/US-10 southwest of Grand Blanc. It would take 27 years for this proposal to be implemented, although the original proposal was for an unlimited-access divided highway, while today's M-54/Dort Hwy Extension was constructed as a four- and five-lane, undivided highway in the 1980s.
- Jurisdictionally transferring what would become BUS M-54 (signed as BUS US-10 in 1960) to local control from M-54/Dort Hwy northwest of Grand Blanc northerly to M-21/Court St in downtown Flint. This proposal would eventually be implemented when BUS M-54 was transfered to local control in the 1980s and 1990s.
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| History: |
The first incarnation of M-54 in Michigan is earmarked to begin at M-16 (later US-16) on the west side of Grand Rapids continuing northerly via the present-day M-37 corridor through Sparta, Newaygo, and White Cloud to terminus at M-20 (now US-10) in Baldwin. |
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1915 (Nov 4) – The first four segments of T.L. 54 (M-54) are officially established as state trunkline highway routes in Newaygo and Lake Cos:
- 2.8 miles from north village limit of White Cloud in Newaygo Co northerly along Evergreen Dr to Jackson St.
- 12.4 miles from Pierce Rd at Brohman, northerly via Woodbridge Ave to approximately Iris Dr, then westerly along a no-longer-extant segment of 10 Mile Rd, northerly for one mile via a no-longer-extant portion of Gordon Dr to 11 Mile Rd, westerly along 11 Mile Rd to Ferris Ave, northerly on Ferris Ave to 12 Mile Rd, westerly via 12 Mile Rd to Bingham Ave, northerly on Bingham Ave through Bitely to 15 Mile Rd, easterly via 15 Mile Rd, then northerly along Woodbridge Ave to the Newaygo/Lake Co line.
- 3.0 miles from the Newaygo/Lake Co line northerly along present-day M-37 to 72nd St.
- 1.3 miles from the south boundary of Sec.10 in Pleasant Plains Twp (½ mile north of 68th St) northerly to the south village limit of Baldwin.
The remainder of what is signed as M-54 between Grand Rapids and Baldwin is not yet officially established, but rather "marked-and-maintained" along existing county and municipal roads. |
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1916 (Apr 27) – A 7.4-mile long segment of M-54 is officially established as a state trunkline highway route in northern Newaygo Co, beginning at the cnr of Evergreen Dr & Jackson St, westerly along Jackson to the Ramona Area where the trunkline route departs to the northwest along a yet-to-be-constructed roadway to Mundy Rd at the northeast corner of Diamond Lake, then northerly along Mundy Rd for approx ¾ mile, then due northerly along a yet-to-be-constructed roadway for an additional 1¼ mile to 6 Mile Rd, westerly via 6 Mile to Woodbridge Ave, northerly along Woodbridge Ave–Salvia Ave to 7 Mile Rd, easterly via 7 Mile, then northerly again along Woodbridge Ave to Brohman and a segment established the previous November. |
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1919 (Sept 1) – After 3½ without any official establishments, the 23.0 miles of M-54 in Kent Co and an additional 8.5-mile segment in southern Newaygo Co are officially assumed into the state trunkline highway system:
- In Kent Co, the 23.0 mile segment begins at the north city limit fo Grand Rapids and continues northerly along Alpine Ave, westerly via 10 Mile Rd, northerly on Sparta Ave through Sparta, westerly along 17 Mile Rd into Kent City, northerly via Peach Ridge Ave to the Kent/Newaygo Co line.
- In Newaygo Co, the 8.5-mile segment begins at the Muskegon Co line and proceeds northerly via Mason Dr through Grant to 112th St, easterly ½ mile on 112th, northerly for 0.8 mile along a present-day-abandoned segment of Centerline Rd, then continues northerly along Mason Dr to the south city limit of Newaygo. However, from Grant northerly, the signed route of M-54 follows Gordon Ave and Colonial Ave pending completion of the officially-established route.
Interestingly, even though the Kent Co establishment and ends at the Newaygo Co line, the Newaygo Co establishment begins 2.9 miles west of the north end of the Kent Co establishment—the two segments do not connect. (This would be remedied the following month.) |
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1919 (Oct 13) – In an interesting reversal, approximately six weeks after it was established in Kent Co, the entire 23.0-mile route of M-54 is cancelled as a trunkline route, replaced by a 22.5-mile long version that follows the exact same route from the north city limit of Grand Rapids to a point one mile north of downtown Kent City, then follows 18 Mile Rd westerly into Casnovia, then northerly 1½ miles along Kenowa Ave to the point where the Muskegon Co establishment takes over. In Muskegon Co, a 3.5-mile route for M-54 is officially established along Kenowa Ave for 1½ Miles, westerly via Bailey Rd for a mile into Bailey, then northerly along Newaygo Rd for another mile to meet up with the southern point of the 8.5-mile Newaygo segment noted above. |
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1919 (Dec 15) – A short, 0.6-mile long segment of M-54 in Baldwin from the south village limit northerly to M-20/7th St is officially established as a state trunline route. |
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1920 (Dec 29) – The final, 9.3-mile long segment of M-54 in Newaygo Co is officially established as a state trunkline route. beginning at the north city limit of Newaygo and contining northerly Centerline Rd, easterly via 56th St for one mile, then northeasterly along a yet-to-be-constructed roadway past Twinwood Lake, then northerly via Walnut Ave to the south village limit of White Cloud. However, since a portion of this route has yet to be constructed, the signed route of M-54 continues easterly from Newaygo along Croton Dr, then northerly via Basswood Dr to the Twinwood Lake area where it then picks up the Walnut Ave route. |
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1921 (Mar 10) – The final segment of M-54 to be officially established in Lake Co and along the route in its entirety (outside of municipal boundaries) is a one-mile long segment spanning Sec.15 of Pleasant Plains Twp south of Baldwin from 72nd Ave northerly along present day M-37 to the south end of the segment established on November 4, 1915. |
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1924 (Nov) – A new $80,000 steel truss bridge spanning Penoyer Cr and the Pere Marquette Railroad (later C&O then Chessie and CSX, present-day Marquette Rail) on the north side of Newaygo is completed and opened to traffic on M-54 immediately north of the previous grade crossing, which had been "termed by the state highway department [as] one of the most dangerous in Michigan." The new bridge is 175 feet in length and 20 feet wide. (This bridge is at the same location as the present-day M-82 span constructed in 1986 to replace the 1924 structure.) |
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1925 (Aug 24) – Two official trunkline establishments along M-54 are made in Kent and Muskegon Cos:
- In Kent Co, a more direct alignment for M-54 is officially established. The 4.7-mile segment begins at Sparta Ave & Ball Creek Rd and continues almost due northwesterly along the south side of the Pere Marquette Railroad (later C&O then Chessie and CSX, present-day Marquette Rail) through Kent CIty to Casnovia. The former 8.2-mile long route is cancelled as a trunkline route and turned back to local control. The new route, in addition to being two miles shorter (the additional 1½ miles of cancelled trunkline mileage involves Kenowa Ave from downtown Casnovia, northerly—belonging to the Muskegon Co change noted below) also eliminates three 90° turns and two grade crossings of the Pere Marquette Railroad.
- In Muskegon Co, a new 4.0-mile long route for M-54 is established from along Newaygo Rd from M-46/Apple Ave west of Casnovia northerly to the existing route at Bailey. The former 2.5-mile route along Kenowa Ave and Bailey Rd is cancelled as a state trunkline route and turned back to county control. (The 1.5 miles of Kenowa from downtown Casnovia northerly had been established—and ultimately cancelled—under Kent Co.) However, as the new Muskegon Co portion of the route, including a planned overpass spanning the Pere Marquette Railroad south of Bailey, is not yet complete and open to traffic, M-54 remains signed along its previous Kenowa Ave-to-Bailey Rd alignment for the time being.
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1925 (Sept 1) – As part of a 20.9-mile long official establishment of M-46 along Apple Ave in Muskegon Co between Casnovia and Muskegon—it had already been signed as M-46, even though it had yet to be established as a state trunkline route—the 1.0 mile of Apple Ave from the Kent/Muskegon Co line in downtown Casnovia westerly to Newaygo Ave is also part of the officially-established route for M-54, although since the Newaygo Ave segment from M-46/Apple Ave northerly to Bailey is not yet complete and open to traffic, M-54 remains signed along the Kenowa Ave-to-Bailey Rd alignment. |
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1926 (June 27) – The realignment of M-54 westerly from Casnovia via M-46/Apple Ave then northerly along Newaygo Rd to Bailey is completed and opened to traffic, having been established as a trunkline route ten months earlier. The former route along Kenowa Ave and Bailey Rd, which had been cancelled as a trunkline route at the same time, has been "marked-and-maintained" as M-54 until now. |
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1926 (June 29) – A new 1.0-mile long route for M-54 north of Grant in Newaygo Co is officially established along present-day M-37/Mason Dr between 112th St and a present-day-abandoned segment of Centerline Rd, eliminating two 90° turns in the route. The former 1.3-mile long route along 112th Ave and Centerline Rd is cancelled as a state trunkline route and turned back to county control. |
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1926 (Oct 24) – A 0.4-mile long segment of Michigan Ave through Baldwin in Lake Co from 7th St northerly to Washington St is officially established as a state trunkline route, even though that segment had been part of a 1.65-mile segment of M-20 established through the village of Baldwin in late 1919. This is due to a new established route (along present-day US-10) north and then west of Baldwin, even though that new alignment is not yet fully constructed and opened to traffic. As such, it is unclear whether M-54 route markers are added to the four blocks of Michigan Ave in Baldwin that also remains signed as M-20 for the time being, or not. |
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1926 (Late) – After several proposals and a bit of political wrangling on the actual numbering and routes, the U.S. Highway system is announced, with 13 new national route designations destined for Michigan. Due to this, several state highway designations across the state are changed and M-54 is earmarked to become a northerly extension of the existing route of M-37 running from Battle Creek to Grand Rapids. |
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1926 (Dec 1) – Business owners from Luther, Mesick, Buckley and surrounding areas form an association to campaign for the extension of M-54 from its existing northern terminus at M-20 (present-day US-10) in Baldwin northerly through Lake and western Wexford Cos, connecting with M-42 at Mesick to create a through route from Grand Rapids via Newaygo, White Cloud and Baldwin to Traverse City. |
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1927 (May 15) – The various state trunkline designation changes due to the debut of the U.S. Highway system in the State of Michigan become official as to the many modifications to other routes affected by those changes. M-54 in its entirety from Grand Rapids to Baldwin is decommissioned, with the M-37 route markers erected over the entire route. Thus marks the end of the first iteration of M-54 after a dozen years. |
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1939 (Mid) – By mid-1939, the route of US-2A leading from US-2/Cloverland Dr southerly and southwesterly into downtown Ironwood and then onward to the Wisconsin state line at the Montreal River, is redesignated and re-signed as M-54, ushering in the debut of the second iteration of M-54. |
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1942 (Aug 10–15) – The route of M-54 in Ironwood, which begins at US-2/Cloverland Dr & Douglas Blvd and continues southerly 7½ blocks to Frederick St, southwesterly one block via Frederick to Suffolk St, southeasterly 2 blocks along Suffolk to Aurora St, then southwesterly 4 blocks to a point approximately 125 feet beyond Albany St where it terminates, is redesignated in its entirety as BUS US-2, with new route markers replacing the existing M-54 signs Aug 10–15. Additionally, the remaining 0.3 mile of Aurora St from the previous end of M-54 to Silver St and Silver St westerly to the Montreal River on the Wisconsin state line is added to the BUS US-2 route. This additional 0.3 mile is officially transferred to state control on Aug 17. The new bi-state business route is craeted after an agreement with Wisconsin highway officials results in a completion of the loop from US-2 into downtown Hurley, then northerly back to US-2 via US-51. As such, the second iteration of M-54 comes to an end. |
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1962 (Oct 25) – With the completion of I-75 south of Flint, US-10 is transferred from its S Saginaw Rd–Dort Hwy–N Saginaw Rd alignment through Genesee Co to run concurrently with I-75. To replace the US-10 routing along Saginaw St and Dort Hwy, a third iteration of M-54 is applied to the former routing of US-10 from I-75 at Exit 106 south of Grand Blanc northerly to jct M-83 at Clio. From there, M-54 replaces M-83 northerly via Clio Rd (in Genesee Co) nd Gera Rd (in Saginaw Co) to Birch Run Rd, where both M-54 and M-83 travel west concurrently via Birch Run Rd to I-75/US-10/US-23. Additionally, BUS US-10 through downtown Flint via Saginaw St between its intersections with Dort Hwy is redesignated as BUS M-54. |
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1974 – The Dept of State Highways & Transportation removes the BUS M-54 route markers from Saginaw St between the M-54/Dort Hwy intersections, making the former BUS M-54 an unsigned state trunkline route for the time being, until the various segments are transferred to city or county control in the coming years. The reason for the removal of the BUS M-54 designation is the completion of the first segements of the I-475/Buick Frwy between I-75 south of Flint and downtown as well as the segment from I-75/US-10/US-23 northwest of the city and Saginaw St north of the city. |
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1975 (July 25) – The one block (0.067 mile or 353 feet) of former BUS M-54/Saginaw St between Water St and the Detroit St/First Ave/Saginaw St intersection largely consisting of the Flint River bridge, ceases to be a state trunkline highway and is turned back to City control, likely in preparation for the future rebuilding of the Saginaw St bridge spanning the Flint River. |
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1978 (Nov 21) – The 0.193-mile (1,019-foot) portion of former BUS M-54/Saginaw St from First St north to Water St in downtown Flint ceases to be a state trunkline highway and is turned back to City control according to MDOT documents. |
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1978 (Dec 19)  – The approximately 2.8-mile long segment of the former BUS M-54/Saginaw St through the City of Burton from M-54/Dort Hwy northwesterly and northerly to the Flint south city limit at Hemphill Rd is cancelled as a state trunkline highway and turned back to local control. |
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1980 (Aug 1) – The 0.46-mile segment of former BUS M-54/Saginaw St on the northern edge of the City of Flint from approximtely 40 feet north of the centerline of Russell St northerly to the northern city limit at Carpenter Rd is cancelled as a state trunkline and turned back to City control. |
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1983 (Jan 12) – The one-block of former BUS M-54/Saginaw St in downtown Flint from First St southerly to Second St is officially cancelled as as state highway route and turned back to City control. This segment of Saginaw St includes part of a three-block-long so-called "parking mall" from Third St to Kearlsey St, implemented at the request of downtown business interests during the 18-month closure of the Saginaw St bridge over the Flint River in 1977–78. The parking mall, with space for up to 114 cars, remained for several years after the bridge re-opened to traffic but that segment of Saginaw St was eventually converted back to normal street traffic flow. |
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1983 (Jan 12) – On the same day as the one-block transfer of a portion of the former BUS M-54/Saginaw St in downtown Flint (above), the 2.8-mile long segment of former BUS M-54/Saginaw St within the City of Burton and into Grand Blanc Twp—from Hemphill Rd at the Flint/Burton city limit southerly to M-54/Dort Hwy northwest of Grand Blanc—is turned back to County control. The Dept of State Highways & Transportation had completely reconstructed and widened Saginaw St between Hemphill Rd and M-54/Dort Hwy in 1976 in preparation for the turnback... that took an additional 6½ years to accomplish. |
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1986 (Dec 22) – Even though the full Dort Highway Extension project is not yet complete—construction was slowed due to heavy rains during the fall of 1986, putting the project behind—the new interchange with I-75/US-10 (Exit 109) and the portion of the new highway northerly to Grand Blanc Rd is complete and opened to car traffic only. Initially, City of Grand Blanc officials balked at opening the southernmost segment of the extension prior to completing the entire route through to Saginaw St, fearing the vast majority of traffic would turn easterly along Grand Blanc Rd into the already congested downtown area to connect back with the existing route of M-54, MDOT engineers compromised by limiting traffic on the new link between I-75/US-10 and Grand Blanc Rd to automobiles only, prohibiting trucks until the full extension is complete in six to seven months time. (This new segment of highway is not signed as M-54 pending completion of the remainder of the extension.) The interchange and ½ mile of roadway north to Grand Blanc Rd cost $4.6 million to construct. |
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1987 (June 26, 10:30 am) – After two decades of planning, two lawsuits and countless delays due to lack of funding, the Dort Highway Extension from S Saginaw St southerly to Grand Blanc Rd and on to the I-75/US-10 interchange (Exit 109) that had been completed and opened to traffic the previous December. The final segment of the extension, which shaves 3.6 miles from the overall length of M-54, cost $2.2 million to construct, consists of 1½ miles of new highway from Gibson Rd to Grand Blanc Rd and the resurfacing of the existing portion of S Dort Hwy from S Saginaw St to Gibson Rd. The former route of M-54 along S Saginaw St from Dort Hwy southeasterly to I-75/US-10 Exit 106 remains an unsigned state trunkline route (as OLD M-54) for the time being. |
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1988 (Jun 1–14) – The 5.233-mile portion of the OLD BUS M-54/Saginaw Rd from the north city limit of Flint northerly to M-54/Dort Hwy is cancelled as a state trunkline route turned back in two transactions. First, on June 1, the 0.987-mile segment of the unsigned trunkline in the City of Mount Morris from the south city limit northerly to the north city limit is turned back to city control. Second, two segments of OLD BUS M-54/Saginaw Rd—a 2.524-mile sgment between the Flint city limit at Carpenter Rd and the south city limit of Mount Morris and a 1.722-mile segment from the north city limit of Mount Morris to M-54/Dort Hwy—are turned back to county control on June 14. |
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1989 (June 22) – The 0.94-mile segment of the M-54 "Dort Hwy Extension" from a point 970 feet south of Gibson Rd northerly to Saginaw St (OLD M-54/OLD BUS M-54) is officially established as a state trunkline highway route—the last segment of the "Dort Hwy Extension" to be officially established—four days shy of a full two years after it was opened to traffic. |
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1990 (Aug 15) – The 2.017-mile segment of the M-54 "Dort Hwy Extension" from the southern terminus of M-54 at I-75 northerly to a point 970 feet south of Gibson Rd is—finally—officially established as a state trunkline highway route. This is the last segment of the "Dort Hwy Extension" to be officially established, more than three full years after it was fully opened to traffic! |
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1991 (Jan 28) – The 0.52-mile segment of OLD BUS M-54/Saginaw St on the southern end of Flint from Atherton St southerly to the city limit at Hemphill Rd is cancelled as a state trunkline highway route and turned back to local control. |
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1992 (Jan 10) – The extremely short portion of the former portion of M-54 along Dixie Hwy in extreme northwestern Oakland Co at the Genesee Co line, essentially within the interchange with I-75 at Exit 106, which became an unsigned state trunkline when the M-54/Dort Hwy Extension opened in 1987 is turned back to county control. The remainder of OLD M-54 within Genesee Co remains an unsigned trunkline route at this point. |
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1993–94 – The land needed to construct the proposed southerly extension of the Dort Hwy Extension (constructed in the 1980s) between I-75 at Exit 109 and the intersection of Cook & McWain Rds just to the south is sold off in two parcels in February 1993 and March 1994. By doing so, MDOT and the Genesee Co Road Commission seem to signal that such an extension is unnecessary. |
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1993 (June 30) – The remainder of the former route of OLD BUS M-54/Saginaw St on the north side of the City of Flint is cancelled as a state trunkline route and turned back to City control, approximately 19 years after its BUS M-54 route markers were removed and it became an unsigned state trunkline highway. This segment runs from the intersection of Saginaw St, First Ave & Martin Luther King Jr Ave (Detroit Ave) immediately north of the Flint River northerly to the centerline of Russell St. |
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1995 (June 30) – The 1.876-mile portion of OLD M-54/Saginaw St in the City of Grand Blanc which has been an unsigned trunkline route since 1987 is cancelled as a state trunkline route and turned back to City control, leaving just the portions of Saginaw St in Grand Blanc Twp southeast of Dort Hwy remaining as unsigned trunkline. |
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1996 (June 28) – The last segments of OLD M-54/Saginaw St in Genesee Co which had been bypassed by the Dort Hwy Extension in 1987 are finally cancelled as state trunkline highway segments and turned back to county control in Grand Blanc Twp. The 4.220 miles of former trunkline include one 0.804 mile segment from M-54/Dort Hwy southeasterly to the city limit of Grand Blanc (between Frederick St and Case Ave) and a second 3.416-mile long segment from 140 feet southeast of Stephens Ct southeasterly to the Genesee/Oakland Co line at I-75 Exit 106. |
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2002 (June 26) – Nearly all of the final segment of OLD BUS M-54 (S Saginaw St) in Flint remaining as an unsigned trunkline—1.918 miles from Atherton St northerly to Second St downtown—is cancelled as a state trunkline route and turned back to local control. The segment has not been signed as a state trunkline in nearly thirty years. The only portion of Saginaw St within the City of Flint remaining as state trunkline is the Thread Creek bridge and its approaches, which was retained by MDOT. (The state will rebuild the superstructure of the Thread Creek bridge and transfer it to the city at a later date.) |
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2011 (Feb 4) – The final portion of the former route of OLD BUS M-54/Saginaw St in the City of Flint—the Thread Creek bridge and its north and south approaches—is abandoned as a state trunkline highway and jurisdictionally transferred to the City of Flint, a total of 0.06 mile of trunkline route. |
| Controlled Access: |
Freeway: No portion of M-54 is constructed as freeway. |
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Expressway: The portion of M-54/Dort Hwy from Hill Rd southerly to I-75 is a limited-access, two-lane expressway. (3.0 miles) |
| NHS: |
The segment of M-54 from its southern terminus at I-75 at Exit 109 (west of Grand Blanc) to M-57 east of Clio is on the National Highway System (NHS). (28 miles) |
| Memorial Highways: |
The following Memorial Highway designations have been officially assigned to parts of M-54 by the Michigan Legislature:
- UAW Sitdown Strike Memorial Highway – "Highway M-54 in Genesee County beginning at the intersection of M-54 and I-75 and continuing north to the intersection of M-54 and I-69..." From MDOT: "The 1936–1937 Flint sit-down strike against General Motors (also known as the General Motors sit-down strike, the great GM sit-down strike, and other variants) changed the United Automobile Workers (UAW) from a collection of isolated locals on the fringes of the industry into a major labor union and led to the unionization of the domestic United States automobile industry."
- Marine Corps League Memorial Highway – "Highway M-54 in Genesee County beginning at the intersection of M-54 and I-69 and continuing north to the intersection of M-54 and M-57..." From MDOT: "The M-54 highway runs through the heart of Genesee County and is the site of the home of the Flint detachment of the Marine Corps League. The Marine Corps League is a veteran’s organization of the United States Marines that was founded in 1923 and has more than 50,000 members. The highway where the Flint Marine Corp League will be located is named the 'Marine Corps League Memorial Highway' in honor of the sacrifices the marines made in service to their country."
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