| M-178 is a former state trunkline route existing from May 14, 1928 until July 1, 1941. |
| Southern Terminus*: |
M-28 at present-day western jct of M-28 & M-94 near Alger Falls south of Munising |
| Northern Terminus*: |
M-94 at present-day jct of M-28 & H-58 at cnr of Cedar St & E Munising Ave in Munising |
| Final Length*: |
0.7 mile |
| Maps: |
Route Map of Former M-178 |
| Notes: |
*The termini and final length for M-178 reflect the beginning and ending of the route and its length as of the time of its decommissioning in mid-1941. |
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In the late 1920s, M-28 traversed central Alger Co along the present-day route of M-94, while M-94 was a spur trunkline route beginning at M-28 at the present-day western jct of those two routes south of Munising and continued northerly into Munising, then continued westerly through Christmas toward Au Train. In 1928, a new trunkline loop route between Munising and Shingleton was created (along present-day H-58 and H-15) and the M-94 designation was assigned to that loop. This resulted in a 7/10 mile long state trunkline between M-28 south of Munising and M-94 in Munising without a route designation, thus M-178 was born. Extensions of M-94 along the Lake Superior shoreline westerly from Au Train past Rock River and Deerton and into Marquette Co progressed until the route was completed to US-41/M-28 in Harvey in 1939. The State Highway Dept swapped the routes of M-28 (running along present-day M-94 between Munising and Skandia, then concurrently with US-41 from Skandia through Marquette and westerly) and M-94 (utilizing present-day M-28 from Munising to Harvey) for the benefit of the motoring public, as the M-94 route between Munising and Marquette was six miles shorter than staying on what was then signed as M-28. This swap resulted in M-28 and M-94 both traversing the 0.7-mile long route of M-178, resulting in that designation's retirement. The M-178 designation has not been used again since on any highway in Michigan. |
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Only two blocks of the route followed by M-178 during its entire 13-year existence is shared with today's routing of M-28 at Munising: the segment from jct H-58 at E Munising Ave southerly along Cedar St to Onota St. The segment of M-28 from Onota St to Prospect St was constructed in the late 1940s. M-178, instead, continued southerly along Cedar St, then easterly along Prospect to the jct of M-28 at present-day M-28 and Prospect St. |
| History: |
1927 (Apr 28) – The 0.7 mile of Cedar St (E Munising Ave to Prospect St) and Prospect St (Cedar St to existing M-25 [which would become part of M-28 the next year])is officially determined as a state trunkline highway route. Indications are, however, this route is likely signed as part of M-94. |
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1928 (May 14) – With the official addition of the M-94 "loop" between Munsing and Shingleton via Van Meer (along present-day H-58 and H-15), the 0.7 mile long trunkline in Munising between M-94 along E Munising Ave and M-28 along the southern edge of the city is given the designation M-178 and serves as a connector between the two through routes. |
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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 (along the former M-178), 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. As such, the M-178 designation is retired and its 13-year history comes to a close. |
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