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Business Connections 96 through 496

Former BS I-96 (Portland) BUS US-127 (St Johns) BUS US-127 (Harrison) BUS US-131 (Cadillac) BS I-375 (Detroit)
BL I-96 (Lansing) BUS US-127 (Ithaca) BUS US-131 (Constantine) BUS US-131 (Manton) CAPITOL LOOP (Lansing)
BL I-96 (Howell) BUS US-127 (Alma) BUS US-131 (Three Rivers) BL I-196 (South Haven)  
Former BS I-96 (Detroit) BUS US-127 (St Louis) BUS US-131 (Kalamazoo) BL I-196 (Holland)  
BUS US-127 (Jackson) BUS US-127 (Mt Pleasant) Fmr BUS US-131 (Grand Rapids) BS I-196 (Wyoming)  
Former BUS US-127 (Lansing) BUS US-127 (Clare) BUS US-131 (Big Rapids) BUS US-223 (Adrian)  
FORMER
BS I-96
Portland
 Fmr. West Terminus: Downtown Portland at cnr of Grand River Ave & Kent St
Fmr. East Terminus: I-96 at Exit 77 southeast of downtown Portland
Former Length: 1.289 miles
Map: Route Map of Former BS I-96 (Portland)
Notes: Portland's BS I-96 ran via Grand River Ave for its entire length, and was also a portion of the former US-16 which was supplanted by I-96.
[Editorializing] It seemed rather odd to only include Grand River Ave from I-96 southeast of town into downtown Portland in the state highway system as a Business Spur, when the route could have been easily be extended west along Grand River for approximately two additional miles back to I-96 west of town, making the route a Business Loop.
History: 1978 (Sept 18) – After having been transferred to local control, along with the rest of Grand River Ave in Ionia Co, on March 7, 1960, approximately one-quarter mile of Grand River from I-96 at Exit 77 to the Portland city limit is transferred back to state control. It can be assumed no BS I-96 route markers appear at this time.
  1982 – The remainder of BS I-96 at Portland from the east city limit into downtown, where it terminates, begins appearing on official state highway maps, so it can be assumed the rest of the route has been transferred back to state control this year. The route is now signed as BS I-96.
  2007 (Oct 31) – The entire route of BS I-96 at Portland is turned back to city controland is no longer a state trunkline highway.
  2012–2017 – As of December 2012, the BS I-96 route markers on the Exit 77 signage along I-96 are still present and some of the admittedly sparse BS I-96 signage along Grand River Ave in Portland still exists more than five years after its transfer to local control. While the freeway signage changes are awaiting this area's conversion to the newer Clearview typeface in the future, it is interesting to note how long some of the route markers have hung on along this route so long after it was decommissioned. The BL I-96 ENDS assembly on ebd Grand River Ave at the I-96 interchange remains posted as of 2024!
Freeway/Expwy: No portion of the former BS I-96 (Portland) was freeway or expressway.
Photographs:
Weblinks: • BS I-96 (Portland) @ Michigan Highway Ends – photos of the termini of Former BS I-96 (Portland) at Dan Garnell's Michigan Highway Ends website.
BL I-96
Lansing
 Western Terminus: I-96 at Exit 90 northwest of Lansing
Eastern Terminus: I-96 at Exit 104 on the southside of Lansing
Length: 13.595 miles
Map: Route Map of BL I-96 (Lansing)
Notes: Lansing's BL I-96 runs along former portions of three highways:
  1. US-16 – from western terminus to (unsigned) BUS US-127.
  2. US-27 – from North St to I-496.
  3. US-127 – from I-496 to eastern terminus.
Lansing's BL I-96 is the third-longest Business Connection in the state, running nearly a mile shorter than Lansing's other Interstate Business Connection, BL I-69, and approximately 1/10th mile shorter than Battle Creek's BL I-94.
History: 1962 (Dec 14) – The middle portion of the I-96 freeway in mid-Michigan, from northwest of Lansing to Brighton, is completed and opened to traffic, signaling and end for the US-16 route designation in Michigan. At Lansing, a new BL I-96 routing debuts, beginning at I-96 at Exit 90 and continuing southeasterly via the former route of US-16 along Gran River Ave and North St to US-27/Larch St, where it turns southerly concurrently with US-27 along the one-way pair of Cedar St (sbd) and Larch St (nbd). At Main St, where US-27 turns westerly with M-78, the new BL I-96 continues southerly with US-127 via Cedar St to the south end of the city and a terminus at the new I-96 at Exit 104.
  1963 (Dec 20) – After only a year along the US-127/Cedar St routing from the center of Lansing southerly, the route of BL I-96 is transferred onto the first portion of the I-496 freeway to be constructed southeast of the city. Instead of continuing southerly with US-27/BUS M-78 via Cedar–Larch Sts, BL I-96 now turns easterly to run concurrently with M-43/BUS M-78 along Saginaw St (ebd) and Oakland St–Grand River Ave (wbd) to another one-way pair on the eastern edge of the city: Homer St and Howard St. Homer & Howard run one block apart either side of a proposed north-south freeway and will one day serve as service streets for it. BL I-96 continues southerly via Homer–Howard Sts to just south of Kalamazoo St where they merge together as they cross the Red Cedar River to form the I-496/M-78/BL I-96 freeway running southerly from there to a terminus at I-96 at Exit 106. The former route of US-27/BUS M-78/BL I-96/Cedar-Larch Sts and US-127/BL I-96/Cedar St retains those other designations.
  1966 (Nov 18) – Nearly three years pass before BL I-96 at Lansing is again rerouted, this time back to its original 1962–63 alignment from downtown Lansing southerly via Cedar St to I-96 at Exit 104. This is the result of the completion of the US-127 freeway between Mason and I-96 southeast of Lansing and the transfer of US-127 off Cedar St and onto the I-496/M-78 freeway from I-96 northerly to Saginaw St–Grand River Ave. US-27/BUS M-78 and BL I-96 are again concurrently signed along Cedar–Larch Sts between Saginaw-Oakland Sts and Main St in downtown Lansing as well.
Freeway/Expwy: No portion of BL I-96 (Lansing) is freeway or expressway.
NHS: The entirety of BL I-96 (Lansing) is on the National Highway System (NHS). (The portion of the route from I-496 downtown to the eastern terminus at I-96 was added to the NHS in 2012 with the passage of the MAP-21 funding and authorization bill.)
Photographs:
Weblinks:  
BL I-96
Howell
 Western Terminus: I-96 at Exit 133 (M-59 interchange) west of Howell
Eastern Terminus: I-96 at Exit 141 southeast of Howell
Length: 8.144 miles
Map: Route Map of BL I-96 (Howell)
Notes: Except for the portion concurrent with M-59, BL I-96 follows Grand River Ave through Howell.
History: 1962 (Dec 14) – With the completion and official assumption of the new I-96 freeway from northwest of Lansing to Brighton into the state trunkline system, the US-16 designation in Michigan is officially"decommissioned." While some portions of the former US-16 in Livingston Co are turned back to local control, such as Grand River Ave east of the Lake Chemung area and west of M-59/Highland Rd, the portion through Howell is retained and assigned the designation BL I-96. A new limited-access connector roadway is built west of the city to provide both M-59 and BL I-96 access to the new I-96 freeway between Grand River Ave and Burkhart Rd. From there, BL I-96 continues easterly through Howell via Grand River Ave to the Lake Chemung area, where it terminates at a new partial interchange with I-96.
Freeway: No portion of BL I-96 (Howell) is freeway.
Expressway: From western terminus at I-96 easterly with M-59 to Grand River Ave, BL I-96/M-59 is a four-lane expressway on limited-access alignment.
NHS: The entirety of BL I-96 (Howell) is on the National Highway System (NHS). (The portion of the route from M-59 to the eastern terminus at I-96 was added to the NHS in 2012 with the passage of the MAP-21 funding and authorization bill.)
Photographs:
Weblinks:  
FORMER BS I-96
Detroit
 PLEASE NOTE: The Former BS I-96 (Detroit) route information has been added on its own page: Former BS I-96 (Detroit) Route Listing.
BUSINESS US-127
Jackson
Southern Terminus: Jct US-127 & M-50 (Exit 34) southeast of Jackson
Northern Terminus: Jct I-94 & US-127/M-50 north of Jackson (at US-127 Exits 43A-B)
Length: 6.537 miles
Map: Route Map of BUS US-127 (Jackson)
Notes: Although well-signed through the city, until 2008 BUS US-127 did not show up on any freeway exit signage at either end of the route. On sbd US-127/M-50 approaching I-94 north of Jackson, a single sign which formerly read "M-50 – Jackson" was changed to read "BUSINESS US-127 / M-50 – Jackson" as part of a sign replacement project in 2008. BUS US-127 is still omitted from all signs along I-94 at Exit 138, which read "US-127 NORTH – Lansing / M-50 – Jackson", likely due to an attempt to limit clutter on the signs along I-94. At the southern end of BUS US-127, however, the route remains unidentified on signage along nbd US-127 at Exit 34, which still reads "M-50 – Jackson/Monroe". As M-50 is concurrently designated with BUS US-127 for its entire length, however, this purposeful omission likely does not hinder the motoring public.
New! 2023-04 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." In March 1983, the MDOT Traffic & Safety Division proposed to eliminate Jackson's BUS US-127 routing to eliminate the triple-concurrency of BL I-94/BUS US-127/M-50 through the downtown area of the city. However, no further action toward decommissioning Jackson's BUS US-127 routing was ever taken and it remains on the route it followed in 1983 to this day.
Until 2002, Jackson's BUS US-127 was the only Business Connection for US-127 in Michigan. Once US-127 took over the mainline routing of US-27 from Lansing northerly to Grayling, however, eight additional Business Connections were added to the list of BUS US-127 routings in the state.
History: 1959 (Nov 6) – A new eastern freeway bypass of the city of Jackson is completed and opened to traffic as part of a relocated US-127, which now continues continues via the new freeway from the southern jct with M-50 northerly to the I-94/US-12 freeway, then westerly concurrently with I-94/US-12 back to the existing route of US-127 (completed in 1957) northwest of downtown. The former route of US-127/M-50 through the city is redesignated as BUS US-127/M-50. It begins at jct US-127 & M-50 southeast of the city and proceeds northwesterly via M-50/Brooklyn Rd into the city limits, turns westerly via Prospect St, northerly on Fourth St, westerly via High St, northerly again via West Ave to Clinton Rd, then northwesterly to jct I-94/US-12, US-127 & M-50 northwest of the city.
  1964 (Sept 9) Updated 2024-05 – The City of Jackson, in a desperate effort to stem the tide of businesses and shoppers leaving the central business district, comes to an agreement with the State Highway Dept to close Michigan Ave through the central business district and, initially, reroute traffic along existing streets to form a one-way loop around the downtown area, which allows the city to establish a two-block downtown pedestrian "mall." As that happens, planning will continue on converting additional blocks of Michigan Ave and reconfiguring streets downtown to allow for a smoother traffic flow, including building new "connector" streets to shuttle traffic away from and back onto Michigan Ave from the parallel, one-way streets. During the initial trial period, no trunkline establishments or cancellations or transfers of jurisdiction occur, however eastbound BL I-94 traffic now turns southerly from Michigan Ave via Blackstone St for two blocks, then follows Washington Ave easterly three blocks and back northerly via Francis St for two blocks back to Michigan Ave, while westbound BL I-94 traffic continues west from Francis along Michigan for one block (which becomes one-way westbound only) to Mechanic St, then northerly via Mechanic St for one block, westerly along Pearl St for two blocks, and southerly on Blackstone St back to Michigan Ave. The new route becomes a "marked-and-maintained" route until a permanent "downtown perimeter traffic route" is finalized and constructed. While neither BUS US-127 nor M-50 travel through downtown yet, planning is underway to construct a new roadway for those routes to enter downtown from the southeast as well, so these changes will have a direct impact on those trunkline routes in the near future.
  1966 (Nov 14) Updated 2024-05 – A ¼-mile segment of new four-lane roadway in downtown Jackson is completed and opened to traffic immediately south of and paralleling the New York Central Railroad from Michigan Ave northwesterly to just west of Mechanic St where it turns westerly, merging into an existing segment of Clinton St, which has been reconstructed into a three-lane one-way street westerly to Blackstone St. This new roadway becomes the first portion of the permanent "downtown perimeter route" to be completed and westbound BL I-94 traffic uses it to bypass much of the downtown area, turning southerly via Blackstone for two blocks back to the existing route at Michigan Ave. Eastbound BL I-94 continues to use the Blackstone–Washington–Francis "temporary" perimeter route. As with the 1964 changes, BUS US-127 and M-50 are not yet signed along the route pending completion of construction on the new Airline Rd (present-day S Cooper St) is completed.
  1967 (Mar 4) New! 2024-05 – Louis Glick Hwy signs are posted along the northern portion of the downtown Jackson "perimeter route" (the new segment from E Michigan Ave/Milwaukee St westerly to Mechanic St and the portion of Clinton St from Mechanic St westerly to Blackstone St). The Jackson City Council voted to apply the recently-deceased Jackson businessman's name to the street in 1966, although the name approved by the council was "Louis Glick Memorial Drive" which was slightly altered by city street engineers in order for the name to fit on street signs.
  1967 (July 28) New! 2024-05 – The easternmost portion of the permanent downtown Jackson "perimeter route" is completed and opened to traffic, with eastbound BL I-94 traffic now continuing easterly along Washington Ave from Francis St to Milwaukee St, where BL I-94 now turns northerly back to the existing route along Michigan Ave where traffic can either turn right to continue via BL I-94 along E Michigan Ave, turn left to follow westbound BL I-94 around the perimeter route, or continue straight ahead on northbound M-106.
  1967 (Nov 30) Updated 2024-05 – While much of the new alignment for the new BUS US-127/M-50 approach into downtown Jackson from the southeast was complete the previous year and at least some of the roadway was opened to local traffic on August 15, 1966, media reports note the State Highway Dept refrains from directing trunkline traffic along the new roadway, which is named Airline Dr (present-day S Cooper St), until all connections have been completed with the downtown Jackson "perimeter route" are completed. On November 30, the new Airline Dr route from Prospect Ave northwesterly into downtown tto the cnr of Milwaukee St & Wilkins St where it turns northerly via Milwaukee to BL I-94/Washington St. There, BUS US-127/M-50 now utilizes the downtown "perimeter route" along Louis Glick Hwy, Blackstone St, and Washington Ave, then continues westerly with BL I-94 via W Michigan Ave to the former route of BUS US-127/M-50 at West St, where the two routes continue northerly out of the city. The former route of BUS US-127/M-50 westerly from Airline Rd via Prospect Ave, northerly on Fourth St, westerly along High St and northerly on West St to BL I-94/W Michigan Ave remains an unsigned state trunkline highway for now.
      Additionally, the portions of roadway which now make up the downtown Jackson "perimeter route" are officially established as state trunkline routes, having been "marked-and-maintained" routes to this point. Specifically, the segments include Blackstone St from Clinton St/Louis Glick Hwy southerly to Washington Ave, Washington Ave from Blackstone St easterly to Milwaukee St, Milwaukee St from Washington Ave to E Michigan Ave and Louis Glick Hwy/Clinton St from Milwaukee St westerly to Blackstone St. For now, the bypassed portion of Michigan Ave through the downtown core remains an unmarked trunkline route, even though parts of it have already been closed and converted into a pedestrian mall.
  1968 (Nov 1) Updated 2024-05 – The portion of Michigan Ave in downtown Jackson bypassed by the preliminary downtown "perimeter route" in 1964 from Blackstone St easterly through the central business district to the newly-completed Louis Glick Hwy is cancelled as a state trunkline route and turned back to city control. Portions of this section have been converted into a pedestrian mall over the preceeding four years while other segments are obliterated and abandoned as public roadways.
  1969 (Nov 2–3) Updated 2024-05 – The ribbon is cut on November 2 on the completion of the BL I-94/BUS US-127/M-50 downtown Jackson "perimeter route" constructed to allow for conversion of several blocks of Michigan Ave to a pedestrian mall. A new three-lane, diagonal roadway from Louis Glick Hwy at Blackstone southwesterly to W Michigan Ave at Steward Ave is completed and opened for westbound BL I-94/M-50 and northbound BUS US-127 traffic, while a similar three-lane diagonal roadway departs from W Michigan Ave at Steward Ave continuing southeasterly, merging into Washington Ave east of First St is completed and opened for eastbound BL I-94/M-50 and southbound BUS US-127 traffic. The two new diagonal connectors are then officially established as state trunkline routes the next day on November 3: 0.328 mile for the Washington connector and 0.318 mile for the Louis Glick extension. The four block long, 0.258-mile former route along Blackstone St for eastbound/southbound traffic (W Michigan Ave to Washington Ave) and westbound/northbound traffic (Louis Glick Hwy to W Michigan Ave) as well as the three blocks (0.282 mile) section of W Michigan Ave from Blackstone St westerly to the new connectors are retained as unsigned state trunklines for the time being.
  1971 (June 30) – Several former state trunklines in the City of Jackson are turned back to local control on this date. Downtown, the portions of Michigan Ave (from Second St to Blackstone St) and Blackstone St (Washington Ave to Louis Glick Hwy) superseded by the new alignments opened in November 1969 are officially cancelled and transferred to city control. The Prospect-Fourth-High-West route formerly used by BUS US-127/M-50 until late 1967 is also cancelled and transferred to city control. The signed routes of BL I-94/BUS US-127/M-50 remain unchanged.
  1982 (Oct)—1983 (Mar) New! 2023-04 – In October 1982, some MDOT staffers internally propose eliminating BUS US-127 at Jackson in its entirety, to eliminate th triple-concurrency of BL I-94/BUS US-127/M-50. By March 1983, others within the department concurred with the proposal, however no further action on eliminating Jackson's BUS US-127 routing is ever taken. (See Notes section above for details.)
  2018 (Feb 6–Mar 26) New! 2023-11 – After being under construction for the majority of 2017, the reconfiguration of Jackson's "downtown trunkline loop" from a system of one-way thoroughfares back into two-way streets is completed and the actual traffic changes occur on February 6. The former eastbound leg of BL I-94/BUS US-127/M-50 bypassing the central business district to the south is reconfigured as a two-way street with the trunkline designations removed. Complimenting this, the westbound trunkline traffic is transferred onto Louis Glick Hwy which is similarly reconfigured to handle two-way traffic. Now, BUS US-127/M-50 enters downtown Jackson along S Cooper St (formerly Airline Hwy) and proceeds to E Michigan Ave–Louis Glick Hwy, then heads westerly bypassing downtown to the north concurrently with BL I-94 back to W Michigan Ave west of downtown where it continues via is existing route. The former eastbound side of the loop—now named Wildwood Ave between W Michigan Ave and First St, then as Washington Ave from First to Cooper—temporarily becomes an unsigned state trunkline, which is then cancelled and turned back to city control on March 26. The overall downtown trunkline loop conversion project, which has its roots back to February 2002 when the city recommended the changes, reverses some of the major changes made during the 1960s urban renewal efforts downtown.
Freeway/Expwy: No portion of BUS US-127 (Jackson) is freeway or expressway.
NHS: The entirety of BUS US-127 (Jackson) is on the National Highway System (NHS).
Memorial Highways:  The following Memorial Highway designation has been officially assigned to a part of BUS US-127 by the Michigan Legislature:
  • Officer James Bonneau Memorial Bridge – "The bridge on West Avenue in Jackson County between Ganson Street and Wildwood Avenue..." From MDOT: "Police Officer James Bonneau was shot and killed after responding to a domestic disturbance. Officer Bonneau and an officer from the Blackman Township Department of Public Safety were following up on a report from earlier in the night of a domestic incident. When they arrived, the suspect opened fire, killing Officer Bonneau and wounding the Blackman Township officer. The suspect was shot and killed by the officers. Officer Bonneau had served with the Jackson Police Department for two years. He is survived by his fiancée, parents, sister, and brother."
Photographs:
Weblinks:  
BUSINESS
BUSINESSUS-127
Lansing
Unsigned Trunkline
 Former
Southern Terminus:		 Jct BL I-96 at cnr Cedar St & North St on the north side of Lansing
Former
Northern Terminus:		 I-69 (at Exit 87) southeast of DeWitt
Former Length: 4.874 miles
Map: Route Map of Former BUS US-127 (Lansing)
Notes: Lansing's BUS US-127 routing was unique among state trunkline highway routes in Michigan. Not only was it an unsigned state trunkline, of which there are many others, but Former BUS US-127 did not even come in contact with its "parent" route, US-127. Former BUS US-127 at Lansing was the last remnant of the former BUS US-27 routing dating from the mid-1980s. That route had been shortened in 1991 to become only a signed spur route from the north side. Then, in 2002 when all of US-27 from Lansing northerly was re-signed as an extension of US-127, the various BUS US-27 routings were all converted to BUS US-127 routings. This was easy in places like St Johns, Alma, Mount Pleasant and Clare, where both ends of the BUS US-27-turned-BUS US-127 routes touched their parent route. However, in Lansing BUS US-27 did not touch US-127 and MDOT simply chose to leave it separated and, as such, unsigned. This seemingly stayed the case for a few years until the middle of the 2000s decade when internal MDOT documents and maps began referring to the unsigned BUS US-127 at Lansing as part of the OLD US-27 route running from I-69 at Exit 87 near DeWitt northerly toward St Johns.
Unsigned BUS US-127 at Lansing followed a portion of the former route of US-27 through Lansing in its entirety.
Prior to completion of the last section of the I-69/US-27 freeway southwest of Lansing in 1992, BUS US-27 continued southerly from Michigan Ave to I-496, then westerly via I-496 to Lansing Rd, and southwesterly via Lansing Rd back to US-27. Although not signed as such, MDOT continued to refer to Lansing Rd from I-69 at Exit 70 to I-496 in Lansing as "BUS US-27" for some time. One MDOT source noted there had been some interest during the early 2000s in re-signing the Lansing Rd portion of this route in the field, possibly as M-442, an obvious reference to Lansing's proud Oldsmobile heritage. To date, however, the former BUS US-27 along Lansing Rd from I-69 at Exit 70 to I-496/R.E. Olds Frwy at Exit 4 remains an unsigned state trunkline route.
The history of this route, below, also includes the complete history of BUS US-27 at Lansing, the direct predecessor of the current route.
History: 1985 (July 18) – A northern freeway bypass of the Lansing area opens to traffic and is designated as part of US-27 (present-day I-69) between I-96 at Exits 89-91 and existing US-27 southeast of DeWitt at present-day Exit 87. From the southwest corner of Metro Lansing, US-27 is rerouted to run northerly from Lansing Rd at Exit 97 via I-96 to the western end of the new freeway at Exits 89-91, then easterly via the new highway to the existing route of US-27 near DeWitt. The former route of US-27 through the City of Lansing, including concurrently-signed portions with I-496 and BL I-96, is redesignated as BUS US-27 in its entirety.
    1991 (July 24) – MDOT announces that the portion of BUS US-27 at Lansing from the route's southern terminus at I-96 Exit 89 northeasterly via Lansing Rd, then easterly along I-496/R E Olds Frwy and then north on BL I-96/Cedar St-Larch St to Capitol Loop/E Michigan Ave in downtown Lansing will no longer be signed as part of the BUS US-27 route. Lansing's BUS US-27 will now be a spur route beginning at E Michigan Ave and continuing northerly via Cedar-Larch Sts and East St to its existing northern terminus at I-69/US-27 (at Exit 87) southeast of DeWitt. MDOT officials say the change is "to help reduce confusion in highway numbering" and that they expect the portion of Lansing Rd between I-96 and I-496 to be turned back to county control in the future. For the time being, that segment of Lansing Rd technically remains designated as BUS US-27, but as an unsigned state trunkline route.
    1999 – MDOT gains approval from AASHTO to completely remove the US-27 designation from the state, meaning some kind of change is coming for BUS US-27.
    2002 (May) – The "big changeover" takes place, converting all of US-27 from De Witt northerly to US-127, while all US-27 route markers along the concurrent portion with I-69 from De Witt southerly have been removed for nearly a year. At this point, Lansing's BUS US-27 is technically not connected to its new supposed "parent route" (US-127), but rather runs parallel to it, about 1½ miles to the west. Although it is assumed MDOT will either attempt to hand BUS US-27 north of the BL I-96/North St intersection back to local control or simply maintain it as an unsigned state trunkline highway, several MDOT documents reference this route as BUS US-127, confirming the existence of a Business Connection which does not connect with its parent route!
    c.2004–05– At some point during this timeframe, MDOT begins referring to unsigned BUS US-127 as part of OLD US-27.
Freeway/Expwy: No portion of Former BUS US-127 (Lansing) was freeway or expressway.
NHS: The entirety of Former BUS US-127 (Lansing) was on the National Highway System (NHS). (The entire route was added to the NHS in 2012 with the passage of the MAP-21 funding and authorization bill.)
Photographs:
Weblinks:  
BUSINESS US-127
St Johns
Southern Terminus: US-127 at the Price Rd interchange (Exit 91) south of St Johns
Northern Terminus: US-127 at the Old 27 interchange (Exit 99) north of St Johns
Length: 8.807 miles
Map: Route Map of BUS US-127 (St Johns)
Notes: BUS US-127 at St Johns is one of eight former BUS US-27 routings which required the new route designation BUS US-127 when the "parent" route, US-27, was "decommissioned" in favor of an extension of US-127 from Lansing northerly to Grayling in 2002. Prior to 2002, BUS US-127 at St Johns was designated as BUS US-27 in its entirety.
Newly designated as BUS US-27 with the completion of the first two segments of the so-called "St Johns Bypass" in December 1996. It took MDOT more than a year to add the "BUSINESS" signs to the US-27 markers along the route of BUS US-27.
The history of this route, below, also includes the complete history of BUS US-27 at St Johns, the direct predecessor of the current route.
History: 1996 (June 28) Updated 2023-10 – In preparation for the completion and opening of the full "St Johns Bypass" by the end of the year, Price Rd from the existing US-27 easterly to the interchange with the relocated US-27 freeway interchange is officially established as a state trunkline highway and transferred to state control as part of the anticipated BUS US-27 route. For its first two years, however, this segment of Price Rd would actually be signed as and used for the mainline route of US-27 until the segment of freeway from Price Rd southerly to the I-69 & US-127 jct is completed.
  1996 (Dec 15) - The US-27 "St Johns Bypass" freeway opens to through traffic, bypassing one of the more notorious traffic bottlenecks in the state. The US-27 mainline is routed easterly of its existing route south of St Johns via Price Rd (which was transferred to state control seven months prior) to the southern end of the new freeway, then northerly via the new highway back to its existing route 2 miles north of downtown. The former route of US-27 through St Johns from Price Rd on the south to the new US-27 freeway interchange at Avery Rd is redesignated as BUS US-27.
  1997–98 – The "BUSINESS" signs are finally added to the existing US-27 route markers along St John's BUS US-27 routing in late-1997 or early-1998.
  1998 (Aug 31) – The last segment of the so-called US-27 "St Johns Bypass" freeway opens to traffic between I-69 & US-127 at DeWitt and Price Rd south of St Johns. With the mainline route of US-27 removed from Price Rd between the freeway and Old 27, the BUS US-27 designation is extended easterly from Old 27 via Price Rd to the freeway, adding approximately 1¼ mile to its route.
  2002 (May) – The "big changeover" takes place, converting all of US-27 from De Witt northerly to US-127, while all US-27 route markers along the concurrent portion with I-69 from De Witt southerly have been removed for nearly a year. Along with changing out all US-27 markers with new US-127 signs on the mainline, all US-27 markers along BUS US-127 at St Johns are replaced with US-127 signs signaling the redesignation of BUS US-27 to BUS US-127.
Freeway/Expwy: No portion of BUS US-127 (St Johns) is freeway or expressway.
NHS: The entirety of BUS US-127 (St Johns) is on the National Highway System (NHS). (The entire route was added to the NHS in 2012 with the passage of the MAP-21 funding and authorization bill.)
Photographs:
Weblinks:  
BUSINESS US-127
Ithaca
Southern Terminus: US-127 at the Washington Rd interchange (Exit 117) east of Ithaca
Northern Terminus: US-127 at the Polk Rd interchange (Exit 119) north of Ithaca
Length: 3.745 miles
Map: Route Map of BUS US-127 (Ithaca)
Notes: BUS US-127 at Ithaca is one of eight former BUS US-27 routings which required the new route designation BUS US-127 when the "parent" route, US-27, was "decommissioned" in favor of an extension of US-127 from Lansing northerly to Grayling in 2002. Prior to 2002, BUS US-127 at Ithaca was designated as BUS US-27 in its entirety.
With the exception of the short Polk Rd segment, Ithaca's BUS US-127 follows the former route of US-27 through the city.
The history of this route, below, also includes the complete history of BUS US-27 at Ithaca, the direct predecessor of the current route.
History: 1961 (Aug 17) – The new US-27 expressway—it would not become a fully controlled-access freeway for another few years—is officially assumed into the state trunkline system and opens to traffic from existing US-27 at Washington Rd east of downtown Ithaca northerly to M-46 west of St Louis. The portion of the former US-27 route through Ithaca—from the Washington Rd interchange east of the city westerly via Center St into downtown, then northerly via Pine River St and State Rd to Polk Rd—is redesignated as BUS US-27. Polk Rd from State Rd easterly to the new highway is transferred to state control to complete the BUS US-27 loop route.
  1973 (Apr 6) – BUS US-27 is rerouted in downtown Ithaca, removing the trunkline routing from travelling through the main business district. The state transfers Center St from Main St westerly to Pine River St and Pine River from Center to Emerson St to local control while the City transfers the other "sides" of this block—Main from Center to Emerson and Emerson from Main to Pine River—to state control. Thus, there is no net gain or loss in state trunkline mileage with the "swap."
  2002 (May) – The "big changeover" takes place, converting all of US-27 from De Witt northerly to US-127, while all US-27 route markers along the concurrent portion with I-69 from De Witt southerly have been removed for nearly a year. Along with changing out all US-27 markers with new US-127 signs on the mainline, all US-27 markers along BUS US-127 at Ithaca are replaced with US-127 signs signaling the redesignation of BUS US-27 to BUS US-127.
Freeway/Expwy: No portion of BUS US-127 (Ithaca) is freeway or expressway.
NHS: No portion of BUS US-127 (Ithaca) is on the NHS.
Photographs:
Weblinks:  
BUSINESS US-127
Alma
 Southern Terminus: US-127 at the Lincoln Rd interchange (Exit 123) east of Alma
Northern Terminus: US-127 at the Alger Rd interchange (Exit 127B) north of Alma
Length: 5.631 miles
Map: Route Map of BUS US-127 (Alma)
Notes: BUS US-127 at Alma is one of eight former BUS US-27 routings which required the new route designation BUS US-127 when the "parent" route, US-27, was "decommissioned" in favor of an extension of US-127 from Lansing northerly to Grayling in 2002. Prior to 2002, BUS US-127 at Alma was designated as BUS US-27 in its entirety.
    Before the US-27 freeway was completed in the early 1960s, BUS US-27 in Alma was designated as US-27A (the US-27 mainline ran through St Louis). Today, the twin BUS US-127 routes at Alma and St. Louis form an almost-perfect rectangle, practically sharing southern and northern termini.
The history of this route, below, also includes the complete history of US-27A and BUS US-27 at Alma, the direct predecessors of the current route.
History: 1926–27 – When the US Highway System is laid out, the route of M-14 through Central Michigan is assumed into the new system and assigned the designation US-27. At Alma and St Louis, M-14 originally turned westerly from State Rd via Lincoln Rd/Superior St into downtown Alma, turning northerly via Wright St/Alger Rd to Jefferson Rd, westerly to Forest Hill, then northerly via Luce Rd toward Shepherd. The plans, however, call for US-27 to continue northerly into St Louis, turn westerly via Monroe Rd to Alger Rd then northerly via the route of M-14, but this route is not yet in the state trunkline system. It is assumed new US-27 markers are erected along the existing route of M-14 through downtown Alma at this time.
  1927 (Dec 1) – The 2 miles of State Rd from Lincoln Rd east of Alma northerly to M-46 in St Louis are transferred to state control as a part of the proposed 'final' route of US-27, although  since the east-west component running westerly from St Louis is not yet a trunkline, this two-mile segment is likely not yet signed as US-27.
  1929 (Aug 17) – A 3-mile long stretch of Monroe Rd from downtown St Louis westerly to Alger Rd is transferred to state control as is an additional mile of Monroe Rd to Luce Rd and the 2 miles of Luce from Monroe to Jefferson Rd (in Forest Hill). This becomes the new route for US-27 from east of Alma to St Louis, westerly to Luce Rd and then northerly to Forest Hill. The former route of US-27 via Lincoln Rd/Superior St into downtown Alma and Wright St/Alger Rd from there northerly to Monroe Rd is redesignated as US-27A ("US-27 Alternate"), one of the earliest Alternate US Highways in the country. (The former US-27 along Alger from Monroe to Jefferson and along Jefferson from Alger to Luce is transferred to local control.)
  1951 (July 2) – The route of US-27A is realigned at the C&O Railway crossing between Grover Ave and Pleasant Ave onto a slightly new route, with most of the former route being turned back to local control as an extension of Grover Ave and the rest abandoned.
  1961 (Aug 17) – The new US-27 expressway—it would not become a fully controlled-access freeway for another few years—is officially assumed into the state trunkline system and opens to traffic from existing US-27 at Washington Rd east of downtown Ithaca northerly to M-46 west of St Louis. All of the existing route of US-27A through Alma is redesignated as BUS US-27 with very minor extensions at either end to bring the route along Lincoln Rd from State Rd easterly and along Alger Rd northerly from M-46/Monroe Rd to the new US-27 expressway.
  1979 (May 15) – The popular trend at this time is to improve traffic flow and the overall "friendliness" in downtown cores across the state, with Alma being no different. Traffic on BUS US-27/Superior St from Pine Ave westerly to Lincoln St/Wright St is changed to one-way west(north)bound. To service east(south)bound traffic, Lincoln St from the cnr of Wright & Superior Sts southerly one block to Center St, Center St from Lincoln easterly six blocks to Pine Ave and Pine Ave from Center back to Superior is transferred to state control.
  2002 (May) – The "big changeover" takes place, converting all of US-27 from DeWitt northerly to US-127, while all US-27 route markers along the concurrent portion with I-69 from DeWitt southerly have been removed for nearly a year. Along with changing out all US-27 markers with new US-127 signs on the mainline, all US-27 markers along BUS US-127 at Alma are replaced with US-127 signs signaling the redesignation of BUS US-27 to BUS US-127.
  2004 (Sept 10) Updated 2023-11 – After 25 years running on a one-way pair of streets through downtown, the process for reverting the route of BUS US-127 back to the original configuration of BUS US-27 and US-27A before it begins, although actual changes to traffic flow and route sigange will not occur for nearly a year. Superior St between Lincoln-Wright Sts and Pine Ave is to be returned to a two-way configuration. With Superior St accommodating two-way travel, the former east(south)bound route via Lincoln-Center-Pine will no longer needed and is transferred from state to city control. The one-way streets and all BUS US-127 signage, however, remains in place for now.
  2005 (July 1) – While the Lincoln-Center-Pine route for south(east)bound BUS US-127 through downtown Alma was transferred to local control eleven months earlier, the necessary signage, traffic signal and pavement marking changes are completed and BUS US-127 traffic now officially runs in a two-way pattern through downtown via Superior St and all remaining state trunkline signage on the Lincoln-Center-Pine route is removed.
Freeway/Expwy: No portion of BUS US-127 (Alma) is freeway or expressway.
NHS: The entirety of BUS US-127 (Alma) is on the National Highway System (NHS). (The entire route was added to the NHS in 2012 with the passage of the MAP-21 funding and authorization bill.)
Photographs:
Weblinks:  
BUSINESS US-127
St Louis
Southern Terminus: US-127 at the State Rd interchange (Exit 124) south of St Louis
Northern Terminus: US-127 at the M-46/Monroe Rd interchange (Exit 127A) west of St Louis
Length: 4.825 miles
Map: Route Map of BUS US-127 (St Louis)
Notes: BUS US-127 at St Louis is one of eight former BUS US-27 routings which required the new route designation BUS US-127 when the "parent" route, US-27, was "decommissioned" in favor of an extension of US-127 from Lansing northerly to Grayling in 2002. Prior to 2002, BUS US-127 at St Louis was designated as BUS US-27 in its entirety.
    St. Louis' BUS US-127, the former mainline routing of US-27 through the city, runs concurrently with M-46 between downtown St Louis and the highway's northern terminus. The twin BUS US-127 routes at Alma and St. Louis form an almost-perfect rectangle, practically sharing southern and northern termini.
The history of this route, below, also includes the complete history of BUS US-27 at St Louis, the direct predecessor of the current route.
History: 1961 (Aug 17) – The new US-27 expressway—it would not become a fully-controlled access freeway for another few years—is officially assumed into the state trunkline system and opens to traffic from existing US-27 at Washington Rd east of downtown Ithaca northerly to M-46 west of St Louis. The portion of the former US-27 route through St Louis—from the State Rd interchange south of the city (present-day Exit 124) northerly via State Rd/Main St into downtown, then westerly via M-46/Washington St-Monroe Rd back to the new highway west of the city at present-day Exit 127A—is redesignated as BUS US-27.
  2002 (May) – The "big changeover" takes place, converting all of US-27 from De Witt northerly to US-127, while all US-27 route markers along the concurrent portion with I-69 from De Witt southerly have been removed for nearly a year. Along with changing out all US-27 markers with new US-127 signs on the mainline, all US-27 markers along BUS US-127 at St Louis are replaced with US-127 signs signaling the redesignation of BUS US-27 to BUS US-127.
Freeway/Expwy: No portion of BUS US-127 (St Louis) is freeway or expressway.
NHS: The entirety of BUS US-127 (St Louis) is on the National Highway System (NHS). (The portion of the route from the southern terminus at US-127 south of St Louis to M-46 in downtown was added to the NHS in 2012 with the passage of the MAP-21 funding and authorization bill.)
Photographs:
Weblinks:  
BUSINESSUS-127
Mount
Pleasant
 Southern Terminus: US-127 at Exit 139 southeast of Mount Pleasant
Northern Terminus: US-127 at Exit 144 north of Mount Pleasant
Length: 5.702 miles
Map: Route Map of BUS US-127 (Mount Pleasant)
Notes: BUS US-127 at Mount Pleasant is one of eight former BUS US-27 routings which required the new route designation BUS US-127 when the "parent" route, US-27, was "decommissioned" in favor of an extension of US-127 from Lansing northerly to Grayling in 2002. Prior to 2002, BUS US-127 at Mount Pleasant was designated as BUS US-27 in its entirety.
    The portion of BUS US-127 along Mission St runs via the former route of US-27 through the city.
The history of this route, below, also includes the complete history of BUS US-27 at Mount Pleasant, the direct predecessor of the current route.
History: 1961 (Aug 10) – The US-27 bypass at Mount Pleasant is opened to traffic from the southern Mount Pleasant interchange (present-day US-127 Exit 139) northerly 3.3 miles to M-20 (present-day Exit 143, however only the northbound lanes are signed as mainline US-27 at this point. At M-20, nbd US-27 traffic continues westerly along M-20/Pickard Rd back to existing US-27 at Mission St. Southbound US-27 traffic continues to use the existing route through Mount Pleasant. State Highway Dept district engineer John Hautala noted southbound through US-27 traffic is not directed to the new freeway to avoid congestion caused by left turns onto M-20 at the Mission St & Pickard Rd intersection. The sbd lanes of the new bypass are open to traffic, however, but only signed for local traffic originating from M-20. Wether or not it is signed as such, the former northbound route of US-27 through Mount Pleasant (from present-day US-127 Exit 139 northwesterly to Mission St then northerly along Mission to jct M-20/Pickard Rd) effectively begins operating as BUS US-27 at this point.
  1961 (Nov 10) – The portion of the new US-27 expressway from M-20/Pickard Rd on the northeastern edge of Mount Pleasant northerly to Clare is completed and opened to traffic. While northbound US-27 traffic had been using the first 3.3-mile segment of the Mount Pleasant bypass since August, southbound mainline US-27 traffic had been maintained along its existing route through the city until now. What had been operating as BUS US-27 for northbound traffic and US-27 for southbound traffic along Mission St from the new expressway bypass southeast of Mount Pleasant to M-20/Pickard Rd on the north side of town now becomes BUS US-27 for both directions of traffic. Additionally, former US-27 from M-20/Pickard St northerly for ½ mile becomes an extension of BUS US-27, which then veers easterly via a new freeway connector to a northern terminus at the new US-27 expressway (at present-day US-127 Exit 144).
  1961 (Nov 25) – The entire route of the US-27 expressway in Isabella Co is officially assumed into the state trunkline system, as are the 2.22-mile southern and 0.89-mile long northern connectors linking the new US-27 with the former route, which is now BUS US-27, even though each has been open to traffic since August 10 and November 10, respectively.
  2002 (May) – The "big changeover" takes place, converting all of US-27 from De Witt northerly to US-127, while all US-27 route markers along the concurrent portion with I-69 from De Witt southerly have been removed for nearly a year. Along with changing out all US-27 markers with new US-127 signs on the mainline, all US-27 markers along BUS US-127 at Mount Pleasant are replaced with US-127 signs signaling the redesignation of BUS US-27 to BUS US-127.
Freeway: From northern intersection with Mission Rd (north of the northern M-20 jct at Pickard St) northerly to northern terminus.
Expressway: From southern terminus northwesterly to southern intersection with Mission Rd (south of Bluegrass Rd), the highway is a two-lane, undivided limited-access expressway.
NHS: The entirety of BUS US-127 (Mount Pleasant) is on the National Highway System (NHS). (The entire route was added to the NHS in 2012 with the passage of the MAP-21 funding and authorization bill.)
Photographs:
Weblinks:  
BUSINESS US-127
Clare
Southern Terminus: US-127 at Exit 156 south of Clare
Northern Terminus: US-127/US-10 at the Old 27 interchange (Exit 160) north of downtown Clare
Length: 3.385 miles
Map: Route Map of BUS US-127 (Clare)
Notes: BUS US-127 at Clare is one of eight former BUS US-27 routings which required the new route designation BUS US-127 when the "parent" route, US-27, was "decommissioned" in favor of an extension of US-127 from Lansing northerly to Grayling in 2002. Prior to 2002, BUS US-127 at Clare was designated as BUS US-27 in its entirety.
    Contrary to what is indicated on many commercial maps, BUS US-127 and BUS US-10 remain concurrently designated along McEwen St between downtown Clare and US-127/US-10 north of the city. The highway referred to as BUS US-10 west of Clare through Farwell on the erroneous maps is, in reality, M-115.
The history of this route, below, also includes the complete history of BUS US-27 at Clare, the direct predecessor of the current route.
History: 1961 (Nov 10) – The US-27 expressway bypass of Clare is completed and opened to traffic as part of the segment of the new highway to be opened from Mount Pleasant northerly past Rosebush and Clare to existing US-27 north of Clare (present-day US-127/US-10 Exit 160). A 1.06-mile long limited-access connector from the new US-27 expressway (at present-day US-127 Exit 156) northwesterly to the former route of US-27 at Mission Rd also opens as part of the new BUS US-27 routing through downtown Clare which debuts today as well.
  1975 (Nov 12) – With the completion of the new US-10/M-115 freeway from US-27 north of Clare westerly past Farwell and the transferring of the US-10 route to that freeway and concurrently with US-27 between the new highway and the existing freeway at Clare, a new BUS US-10 designation is created at Clare and runs concurrently with BUS US-27 via McEwen St from Fifth St downtown northerly to the US-27/US-10 interchange north of the city.
  1994 (Aug 2) New! 2023-10 – In what may have been a jurisdictional tansfer "oversight" in 1961, the portion of BUS US-27/BUS US-10 along Clare Ave just north of Clare from the centerline of the US-27/US-10 freeway northerly to the nbd US-27/US-10 on-ramp was transferred to local control and is not part of the trunkline route under MDOT jurisdiction. To solve this problem, the 615.41-foot (0.117 mile) segment is re-established as a state trunkline route so the state would have full control over the highway throughout the interchange.
  2002 (May) – The "big changeover" takes place, converting all of US-27 from De Witt northerly to US-127, while all US-27 route markers along the concurrent portion with I-69 from De Witt southerly have been removed for nearly a year. Along with changing out all US-27 markers with new US-127 signs on the mainline, all US-27 markers along BUS US-127 at Clare are replaced with US-127 signs signaling the redesignation of BUS US-27 to BUS US-127.
Freeway: From the southern terminus northwesterly to Mission Rd south of downtown Clare.
Expressway: No portion of BUS US-127 (Clare) is expressway.
NHS: No portion of BUS US-127 (Clare) is on the NHS.
Photographs:
Weblinks:  
BUSINESS US-127
Harrison
 Southern Terminus: Jct US-127 & M-61 southeast of Harrison (US-127 Exit 170)
Northern Terminus: US-127 at the Old 27 interchange (Exit 176) north of Harrison
Length: 6.894 miles
Map: Route Map of BUS US-127 (Harrison)
Notes: BUS US-127 at Harrison is one of eight former BUS US-27 routings which required the new route designation BUS US-127 when the "parent" route, US-27, was "decommissioned" in favor of an extension of US-127 from Lansing northerly to Grayling in 2002. Prior to 2002, BUS US-127 at Harrison was designated as BUS US-27 in its entirety.
The history of this route, below, also includes the complete history of BUS US-27 at Harrison, the direct predecessor of the current route.
History: 1961 (Nov 10) – The US-27 expressway bypass of Harrison is completed and opened to traffic as part of the segment of the new highway to be opened from M-61 southeast of town then northerly past Harrison to the Houghton Lake area. The portion of former US-27 through Harrison between the two US-27 interchanges southeast and north of town is then redesignated as BUS US-27.
  2002 (May) – The "big changeover" takes place, converting all of US-27 from De Witt northerly to US-127, while all US-27 route markers along the concurrent portion with I-69 from De Witt southerly have been removed for nearly a year. Along with changing out all US-27 markers with new US-127 signs on the mainline, all US-27 markers along BUS US-127 at Harrison are replaced with US-127 signs signaling the redesignation of BUS US-27 to BUS US-127.
Freeway/Expwy: No portion of BUS US-127 (Harrison) is freeway or expressway.
NHS: No portion of BUS US-127 (Harrison) is on the NHS.
Photographs:
Weblinks:  
BUSINESS US-131
Constantine
 PLEASE NOTE: The BUS US-131 (Constatine) route information has been added on its own page: BUS US-131 (Constantine) Route Listing.
BUSINESS US-131
Three
Rivers
 Southern Terminus: Jct US-131 & M-60 west of downtown Three Rivers
Northern Terminus: US-131 just north of Three Rivers
Length: 2.982 miles
Map: Route Map of BUS US-131 (Three Rivers)
Notes: Three River's BUS US-131 follows a former alignment of US-131 through the city.
In the late-1990s, several prominent business owners and Three Rivers City Council members floated the idea of moving the BUS US-131 routing out of downtown and out onto the US-131 "bypass" west of the city. They hoped this would decrease the traffic in the downtown area. Cooler heads prevailed, noting three things: 1) many downtown businesses actually needed the traffic to survive; 2) even if the Business Connection was removed, the route would still be a signed state trunkline highway (as M-60 and M-86), thereby not lessening the traffic levels; and 3) the "bypass" was already signed as part of US-131, so it logically could not serve as both the "bypass" and "business route" simultaneously!
History: 1954 (Jan 4) – The US-131 bypass of Three Rivers from the present-day northern jct of M-60 northerly to Main St north of the city is completed and opened to traffic. The former route of US-131 through downtown Three Rivers, from the new bypass west of the city easterly with M-60 via Michigan Ave  then northerly via Main St back to US-131 north of the city, is redesignated as BUS US-131.
Freeway/Expwy: No portion of BUS US-131 (Three Rivers) is freeway or expressway.
NHS: No portion of BUS US-131 (Three Rivers) is on the NHS.
Photographs:
Weblinks:  
BUSINESS US-131
Kalamazoo
Southern Terminus: Nbd: N Park St & Dunkley St (North Kalamazoo city limit)
Sbd: N Westnedge Ave & Dunkley St (North Kalamazoo city limit)
Northern Terminus: US-131 at Exit 41 northwest of Kalamazoo
Length: 4.660 miles
Map: Route Map of BUS US-131 (Kalamazoo)
Notes: In 2019, every through trunkline route in Kalamazoo—BL I-94, BUS US-131 and M-43—as well as the unsigned M-331 were all turned back to local control by MDOT after many, many years of discussion between City and MDOT planners and engineers. City staffers had long sought to eliminate what they termed as "confusing" one-way streets through the heart of downtown Kalamazoo as well as trying to limit or eliminate large trucks from traversing through the city. MDOT, on the other hand, had long stuck to its mandate to provide a smoothly-operating network of arteries, minimizing delays and congestion. The two sides could never come to a satisfactory solution so, in 2018, MDOT staff in Southwest Region finally gave up and acquiesced to the City's demands by agreeing to transfer all downtown trunkline highway routes to local control. As of January 14, 2019, the downtown trunklines became city streets. To retain "route connectivity," MDOT decided to reroute M-43 along US-131 from Kalamazoo to Plainwell, then southeasterly concurrently with M-89 to Richland where it meets back up with the existing route. Unfortunately, this left several "stub routes" terminating at random locations around the city. MDOT employed three different strategies to deal with this:
  • Retaining the existing route designation, which is the case for the northern "stub" of BUS US-131 from US-131 Exit 41 to the northern Kalamazoo city limit. It remains BUS US-131, but is a spur route now instead of being a complete loop route through the city.
  • Removing any signed designation and maintaining the route as an unsigned state trunkline, as was the case with the former BL I-94/BUS US-131 segment along Stadium Dr from US-131 at Exit 36 to Rambling Rd, and the former M-43 along W Main St from US-131 at Exit 38 easterly to Douglas St.
  • Assigning a new route desigation, as was done to the former segment of M-43 along Gull Rd from Richland southwesterly to Riverview Dr northeast of downtown Kalamazoo. This portion of highway was designated M-343 by MDOT Southwest Region staffers in early 2019. Also, the stub of what had been BL I-94 east of the city is redesigated as BS I-94 (Business SPUR I-94).
  Prior to its truncation due to the 2019 juridictional transfers, BUS US-131 at Kalamazoo was 10.096 miles in length. It is now 46.2% of its previous length.
  In the late-1990s, it had been speculated that Kalamazoo's BUS US-131 might be a good candidate for rerouting on its southern end. As a part of the short-lived Rationalization Process in the late-1990s, S Park St & Westnedge Ave from downtown Kalamazoo southerly to the Portage city limit at Kilgore Rd were transferred to state control and given the unposted designation of M-331. If Westnedge Ave in the City of Portage from Kilgore Rd southerly to Centre St and Centre St from Westnedge westerly to US-131 had also been transferred to state control, it would have made an excellent routing for BUS US-131. This, however, never happened in the end.
History: 1962 (Nov 5) – In preparation for a future BUS US-131 routing at Kalamazoo, Westnedge Ave and Park St from downtown northerly to the north city limit are transferred to state control, although not signed with any route markers in the field. Additionally, a new freeway routing is officially established as a state trunkline, although not yet constructed, from the north Kalamazoo city limit (at the end of Westnedge-Park) northwesterly to the new US-131 freeway near Mile 41.
  1963 (Dec 16) – With the completion and opening of the segment of the US-131 freeway from M-43/W Main St west of Kalamazoo to Shaver Rd between Portage and Schoolcraft, a new BUS US-131 routing debuts at Kalamazoo but is not signed in the field at first. Beginning at the Stadium Dr interchange, the new BUS US-131 runs concurrently with BL I-94 via Stadium Dr and Michigan Ave into downtown Kalamazoo where it continues easterly with BL I-94/M-43 along Michigan Ave to Westnedge Ave & Park St. Downtown, the new route continues northerly via the one-way pair of streets—Westnedge Ave & Park St—transferred to the state in 1962—to the north Kalamazoo city limit where a new freeway 'connector' will take the route back to US-131 northwest of the city when completed the next year.
  1964 – The fully-controlled access freeway 'connector' which connects BUS US-131 north of downtown Kalamazoo (along Westnedge Ave & Park St) with the US-131 freeway at Exit 41 northwest of the city is completed and opened to traffic. The entire BUS US-131 route at Kalamazoo is now complete and fully signed.
  1965 (Oct 4) – Several segments of streets in downtown Kalamazoo are transferred to state control in an effort to streamline traffic patters through the heart of the city. Kalamazoo Ave from Michigan Ave east of downtown to nbd BUS US-131/Park St becomes a state trunkline and a brand-new street, Michikal Ave—a connector between Michigan Ave and Kalamazoo Ave—is also made part of the system. Kalamazoo Ave from sbd BUS US-131/Westnedge Ave to Michikal and Michikal from Kalamazoo to the cnr of Michigan Ave & W Main St is then signed as the southbound route of sbd BUS US-131 through the city, while the existing route via Michigan Ave from the cnr of W Main St & Michikal Ave to Park st now serves nbd BUS US-131 traffic.
  2000s–2010s – For many years, disagreement about the proper function of the major thoroughfares through downtown Kalamazoo, the most major of which were state trunkline highway routes, existed between City planners and engineers and the planners and engineering staffs at the MDOT regional office. Several attempts were made to find common ground with little to no success. A push in the mid- to late-2010s resulted in City staff members making headway while MDOT staff grew tired of the impass, resulting in the state agreeing to simply turn back all downtown Kalamazoo state highway routes to the City.
  2019 (Jan 7–14) – After the Kalamazoo City Commission agrees to the Memorandum of Understanding from MDOT on the conditions of the trasfer of the affected streets in the city a week earlier on January 7, MDOT approves the changes on January 14, thereby removing them from the state trunkline highway system and transferring them to the city primary street system. For M-43, this affected the entire route from Douglas St west of downtown to the intersection of Riverview Dr & Gull Rd/Gull St northeast of dowtown, including the one-way pair of Michigan Ave (eastbound) and Kalamazoo Ave/Douglas St (westbound) through the heart of the city.
  2019 (June 3–7) – MDOT crews remove the state trunkline route markers from both the transferred roadways in dowtown Kalamazoo as well as along those segments which will remain as unsigned state trunkline routes. Thus, in the field, BUS US-131 becomes a spur route beginning at US-131 northwest of the city and terminating at the northern city limit, although no "ENDS" route marker assembly is erected by MDOT noting this and a few remaining straggler BUS US-131 route markers remain along the Westnedge—Park couplet north of downtown at this point. Additionally, all BUS US-131 signage remains at US-131's EXIT 36 on the west side of Kalamazoo.
Freeway: BUS US-131 is freeway from the N Westnedge Ave intersection north of Kalamazoo to its northern terminus.
Expressway: From southern terminus at Dunkley St to the N Westnedge Ave intersection, BUS US-131 is a limited-access expressway.
NHS: The entirety of BUS US-131 (Kalamazoo) is on the National Highway System (NHS).
Photographs:
Weblinks:  

BUSINESS
US-131
Grand
Rapids
 Former
Southern Terminus:		 US-131 at Exit 83B in downtown Grand Rapids within the Wealthy St interchange complex
Former
Northern Terminus:		 US-131 at Exit 87 (Leonard Ave interchange) north of downtown Grand Rapids
Former Length: 2.810 miles
Map: Route Map of Former BUS US-131 (Grand Rapids)
Detailed map of Downtown Grand Rapids
Notes: As of 2017, Grand Rapids' BUS US-131 is no longer a state-maintained trunkline routing. After having been a state trunkline route for 64 years from 1953–2017, a redevelopment project on the south side of downtown proposed vacating the one block of the route between Cherry and Oakes Sts south of the Van Andel Arena. Instead of relocating that portion of the route to a different street—say, Cherry St easterly to Division Ave—the City of Grand Rapids and MDOT came to an agreement to simply turn back control of BUS US-131 in its entirety! The BUS US-131 route in Grand Rapids pre-dates the present US-131 freeway by nine years, from a time when mainline US-131 bypassed Grand Rapids on the Beltline System—present-day M-11/28th St east from US-131, then northerly via M-37 and M-44/East Beltline Ave, with BUS US-131 originally running along Division and Plainfield Aves between 28th St south of the city to East Beltline Ave & Northland Dr northeast of the city. Once the US-131 freeway was constructed through the city in the early 1960s, BUS US-131 was shortened to its final length as a shorter route in the central city area. At the same time BUS US-131 was decommissioned in its entirety, several other signed and unsigned trunkline routes within Grand Rapids were also transferred from state to city control.
During the "S-Curve 2000" reconstruction project along US-131 in downtown Grand Rapids, the former elevated off-ramp for BUS US-131 at its southern terminus was removed as part of the project. The old elevated ramp, which was closed and removed in mid-1999, diverged from the elevated portion of the US-131 S-Curve and descended into downtown, making a sharp turn to the right and dumping traffic directly onto Oakes St ebd at Ionia Ave. (A companion ramp leading traffic from wbd Weston St at Ionia Ave a block north was interrupted a few years earlier—see note below.)
     To both accommodate the S-Curve 2000 Project and provide a path for the "Local Detour" traffic when US-131 itself was completely shut down for much of 2000, a new nbd BUS US-131 off-ramp was built, diverging from the freeway south of the Wealthy St overpass and paralleling the freeway for a short distance before encountering a new intersection created during the "reconnection" of Cherry St, which was severed during the original S-Curve construction four decades earlier. From there the new BUS US-131 route now proceeded northerly another block to Oakes St, now a two-way street, where it turned right for 2½ blocks to Division Ave.
With the completion of the Van Andel Arena in downtown Grand Rapids, the ramp from southbound BUS US-131 to southbound US-131 was severed, creating a route gap in sbd BUS US-131. (See 1995-96 listing in the History section below.) Also, since MDOT has contracted with the City of Grand Rapids for signage and day-to-day maintenance of BUS US-131 through downtown, decent signage of the route was, for many years, nearly nonexistent. Until corrected during the S-Curve 2000 project, this route discontinuity only made it more difficult to follow BUS US-131 through downtown Grand Rapids. Then in May 2007, an MDOT project replaced all route marker (and other) signage along the route of BUS US-131, including those signs marking the previously unsigned turns. For the first time in many years, the route of BUS US-131 through downtown Grand Rapids is now very easy to follow.
History: 1953 – In mid-1953, what had been designated BYP US-131 bypassing the Grand Rapids metro area via South Beltline Rd (28th St) and East Beltline Ave is redesignated as the mainline route of US-131. Simultaneously, the former route of US-131 through the city, via Division Ave and Plainfield Ave from 28th St to East Beltline Ave, is redesignated as BUS US-131.
  1954 (Dec) New! 2023-11 – A 3½-mile project to widen the highway to four lanes divided with a median along BUS US-131 along Plainfield Ave from Woodworth St northeasterly to US-131 at East Beltline Ave, then northerly along US-131/Northland Dr to the Plainfield Bridge spanning the Grand River is completed. In addition to the addition of a second two-lane roadway (to create the divided highway), some curves in the route are lessened and one segment of the former highway from Coit Ave northeasterly to Grand River Dr (present-day Breckenridge Dr) is bypassed and becomes a service road providing access to properties on the north side of the way—present-day Plainfield Service Drive. The service drive remains an unsigned state trunkline route.
  1961 (July 24) – A one-mile segment of the "Grand Rapids North–South Freeway" (future US-131) is completed and opened to traffic from US-16/M-21/28th St (present-day M-11) northerly to Burton St. Construction on this segment began in 1958 but completion was delayed due to right-of-way acqusition issues. Construction on the seven miles of freeway north of Burton St is underway. It is not clear if the BUS US-131 designation is officially signed along this mile of freeway at this time or not, however. Mainline US-131 traffic continues to exit the freeway at 28th St to continue to bypass Grand Rapids via the "Beltline System."
  1961 (Nov 6) – Another 1½-mile long section of the Grand Rapids North-South Freeway (future US-131) is opened to traffic, from Burton St northerly to BUS M-21/Franklin St in the southern part of the city. Instead of waiting for the entire segment from the southern city limit northerly to Pearl St downtown to be completed, the State Highway Dept is opening segments as they are completed. As with the previous segment opened to the south between 28th St and Burton St 3½ months earlier, it is not clear if the BUS US-131 designation is officially extended along the freeway to Franklin St at this time or not. Mainline US-131 traffic continues to exit the freeway at 28th St to continue to bypass Grand Rapids via the "Beltline System."
  1961 (Dec 23) – The extension of the Grand Rapids North-South Freeway (future US-131 freeway) from BUS M-21/Franklin St northerly to Pearl St downtown Grand Rapids is completed and opened to traffic. Since the freeway is not yet complete through the city, the US-131 mainline designation remains on the "Beltline System" of 28th St easterly from the freeway to East Beltline Ave, then northerly via East Beltline to Plainfield Ave northeast of the city. The new freeway from 28th St northerly to the "Downtown" exit (present-day Exit 84B) is designated as BUS US-131, while the remainder from the "Downtown" exit northerly to Pearl St is not given a route designation in the field. BUS US-131 from the "Downtown" exit continues northerly to Oakes & Weston Sts. Northbound traffic is routed easterly via Oakes to Division Ave while southbound traffic uses Weston westerly from Division to the new on-ramp. From Oakes & Weston, BUS US-131 continues northerly via its previous routing on Division & Plainfield Aves. The former route of BUS US-131 via Division Ave from US-16/US-131/M-21/28th St (present-day M-11) northerly to Oakes St remains an unsigned state trunkline for the time being.
  1962 (Oct 15) – The former route of BUS US-131 (formerly US-131) via Division Ave from US-131/M-11/M-21/28th St northerly into downtown Grand Rapids at Oakes St is cancelled and turned back to local control, even though the freeway route replacing the Division Ave trunkline was opened to traffic the previous December.
  1962 (Dec 28) – Exactly one year and five days after opening, the new BUS US-131 freeway from 28th St northerly into downtown Grand Rapids is officially assumed into the state trunkline system. The determination for the freeway continues northerly from downtown to I-196 (present-day I-96) on the north side of town, generally coinciding with the completion of this portion of the freeway which opens to traffic on Dec 28. With this completion, the following changes are made:
  • US-131 is routed off the "Grand Rapids Beltline" system (28th St & East Beltline Ave) and onto the new freeway from 28th St northerly through downtown to the location of future the I-96/M-21 freeway (present-day I-196) where it becomes concurrently designated with I-296 from there northerly to I-196 (present-day I-96) north of the city, where I-296 terminates. US-131 then runs easterly with I-196 to Plainfield Ave (formerly BUS US-131), then northeasterly via Plainfield supplanting that portion of the BUS US-131 routing to the cnr of East Beltline Ave, Plainfield Ave & Northland Dr where US-131 picks up its former routing.
  • The former route of US-131 via 28th St retains the M-11/M-21 designation (the M-11 designation being brand new, as 28th St was redesignated as M-11 from US-16 earlier in the month on Dec 12), while East Beltline Ave from 28th St northerly to Plainfield Ave is signed as a southerly extension of M-44.
  • Since the former route of BUS US-131 via Plainfield Ave from Coldbrook St northerly to I-196 (present-day I-96) is turned back to local control, the route of BUS US-131 now turns westerly onto Coldbrook St to Monroe Ave, northerly via Monroe to Leonard St and westerly again via Leonard to a terminus at the new I-296/US-131 freeway.
  1986 (Nov 1) – A jurisdictional "route-swap" near the northern end of BUS US-131 moves the route off Coldbrook St (Division Ave to Monroe Ave) and Monroe Ave (Coldbrook St to Leonard St), which is cancelled as a state trunkline and turned back to city control. The new route of BUS US-131 is officially established as continuing northerly via Division Ave/Plainfield Ave to Leonard St, then westerly via Leonard to Monroe and on westerly toward US-131. This change takes two left turns and a right turn just to stay on the route and replaces them with a single left turn.
  1995–96 – To accommodate the construction of the Van Andel Arena in downtown Grand Rapids, Weston Ave (sbd BUS US-131) from Ionia Ave westerly for approximately ½ block and southerly for one block is vacated, while the northbound BUS US-131 ramp "plugging into" Oakes St at Ionia Ave remains untouched. The southbound on-ramp to US-131 is tied into eastbound Oakes St just east of Ottawa Ave, however Oakes St itself is not "reconnected" to form a through street. Since southbound BUS US-131 traffic travelling westerly via Weston St at Ionia Ave has no way to access the southbound US-131 on-ramp (without travelling northerly via Ionia, westerly via Fulton St, southerly via Ottawa Ave and easterly via the new Oakes St connection), the route in that direction is effectively broken. The Van Andel Arena officially opens on October 10, 1996, but sbd BUS US-131 would remain discontinuous for more than three more years.
  1999 (Dec 17) – Construction, which began in May, to demolish the previous elevated ramp from nbd US-131 to nbd BUS US-131 at the cnr of Oakes St & Ionia Ave and replace it with a new surface level off-ramp, is completed and the ramp opened on this day. While the former elevated ramp (Exit 84B) formerly departed the US-131 freeway after (north of) the Wealthy St ramp (Exit 84A), the new "Downtown" BUS US-131 off-ramp departs the freeway on the right just before the Wealthy ramp departs on the left. The two ramps retain their existing exit numbers, however. The new BUS US-131 ramp passes under the Wealthy St overpass and hugs the freeway before passing through an intersection with a newly-reconnected Cherry St then proceeding northerly for another block to a new T-intersection at Oakes St behind the Van Andel Arena. Oakes St is restored not only as a two-way street, but also as a through street between Ottawa Ave and Ionia Ave. Both directions of BUS US-131 now use Oakes St between the end of the new freeway ramps and Division Ave and Division between Oakes and Weston Sts. Weston St from Division Ave westerly two blocks to Ionia Ave (the former sbd BUS US-131) remains as an unsigned state trunkline, but now posted for two-way traffic.
  2017 (Aug 22) – To accommodate a two-block redevelopment on the south side of downtown Grand Rapids, the closing and vacating the segment of BUS US-131 between Cherry St and Oakes St south of the Van Andel Arena is required. MDOT comes to an agreement with the City of Grand Rapids to transfer several signed and unsigned state trunklines within the city, including the entirety of BUS US-131. From Cherry St to Oakes St, existing BUS US-131 is turned over to the City, which allows the City to sell the right-of-way to accommodate the new development. (The City will construct a one-block southerly extension of Ottawa Ave to the west to take the place of the former BUS US-131 between Cherry and Oakes.) The other segments of BUS US-131 turned back to city control are:
  • Oakes St from BUS US-131 easterly to S Division Ave
  • Division Ave from Oakes St northerly to Taylor Ave & Plainfield Ave
  • Plainfield Ave from Taylor & Division northeasterly to Leonard St
  • Leonard St from Plainfield Ave westerly to Turner Ave at the US-131 interchange (Exit 87)
  • Turner Ave (US-131 service drive) between the sbd US-131 off- and on-ramps at Exit 87
  • Scribner Ave (US-131 service drive) between the nbd US-131 off- and on-ramps at Exit 87
  • The two blocks of Weston St between Ionia & Division Aves formerly part of sbd BUS US-131 until the mid-1990s (and unsigned since that time, internally designated by MDOT as OLD US-131BR)
  • The Michigan St bridge over N Division Ave
Thus, after 64 years, Grand Rapids' BUS US-131 route ceases to exist as a state trunkline highway route. (Additional trunkline transfers also take place at this time, including BS I-196 and OLD M-45 within Grand Rapids.)
Freeway/Expwy: No portion of former BUS US-131 (Grand Rapids) was freeway or expressway.
NHS: No portion of former BUS US-131 (Grand Rapids) was on the NHS.
Photographs:
Weblinks:  
BUSINESS US-131
Big Rapids
Southern Terminus: US-131 at Exit 139 (M-20 EAST interchange) west of Big Rapids
Northern Terminus: US-131 at Exit 142 (B-96/19 Mile Rd interchange) northwest of Big Rapids
Length: 7.855 miles
Map: Route Map of BUS US-131 (Big Rapids)
Notes: The portion of BUS US-131 along Northland Dr and State St runs along a former segment of US-131 before the freeway past Big Rapids was completed in the mid-1980s.
History: 1980 – Two early developments leading to the eventual establishment of a BUS US-131 routing at Big Rapids:
  • (Oct 15) – A new state trunkline establishment adds 2.16 miles of new routing to the system beginning at existing M-20 near the 220th Ave intersection and proceeding east-northeasterly to the Big Rapids city limit, then easterly to the western end of Perry St and continuing via Perry to US-131/State St. The new highway likely opens to traffic near this time, although a precise opening has not yet been verified. This is not only a relocation for M-20 approaching Big Rapids from the west, but also allows for the construction of the US-131 freeway bypassing the city to the west. The former route of M-20 between 220th Ave and US-131/State St remains an unsigned state trunkline for the time being.
  • (Oct 21) – The route of the proposed US-131 freeway in much of Mecosta Co from the south county line northerly to 19 Mile Rd northwest of Big Rapids is officially assumed into the trunkline system but will not be completed for another three years.
  1983 (Dec 9) Updated 2023-09 – Eleven miles of US-131 freeway are completed and open to traffic in Mecosta Co from B-88/8 Mile Rd (present-day M-20) at Stanwood northerly to 19 Mile Rd northwest of Big Rapids, where US-131 traffic turns easterly via 19 Mile Rd, now a state trunkline, to Northland Dr and US-131's original routing. A new BUS US-131 routing at Big Rapids is created, beginning at Exit 139 and heading easterly via M-20 (using the 1980 relocation) to State St, then northerly with M-20 via State St into downtown where BUS US-131 continues northerly via the former US-131, terminating at US-131 at the cnr of Northland Dr & 19 Mile Rd.
  1986 (Oct 23) – Eighteen miles of new US-131 freeway are completed from B-96/19 Mile Rd northwest of Big Rapids past Reed City to the southern end of the freeway southwest of Le Roy, thus completing the US-131 freeway from north of Schoolcraft to just south of Cadillac. The former route from the 19 Mile Rd interchange easterly via 19 Mile to Northland Dr becomes a northerly extension of the BUS US-131 route at Big Rapids, while Northland Dr northerly from 19 Mile Rd toward Reed City becomes an unsigned state trunkline.
  1988 (Feb 1) – The former route of M-20 (the one replaced by the 1980 relocation) from 220th Ave just west of the US-131 freeway interchange at Exit 139 easterly to State St (OLD US-131) is finally turned back to local control.
Freeway/Expwy: No portion of BUS US-131 (Big Rapids) is freeway or expressway.
NHS: The entirety of BUS US-131 (Big Rapids) is on the National Highway System (NHS). (The route was added to the NHS in 2012 with the passage of the MAP-21 funding and authorization bill.)
Photographs:
Weblinks: • BUS US-131 (Big Rapids) @ Michigan Highway Ends – photos of the termini of BUS US-131 (Big Rapids) at Dan Garnell's archived Michigan Highway Ends website.
BUSINESS US-131
Cadillac
Southern Terminus: US-131 at Exit 177 south of Cadillac
Northern Terminus: US-131 at Exit 183 ("Boon Rd" interchange) north of Cadillac
Length: 5.597 miles
Map: Route Map of BUS US-131 (Cadillac)
Notes: The majority of Cadillac's BUS US-131 routing runs along the previous route of US-131 through the city used prior to the 2001 completion of the long-awaited "Cadillac Bypass." Prior to that, the US-131 freeway leading from downstate cities like Kalamazoo and Grand Rapids simply ended at the south end of the city and emptied all of its traffic onto the main street of Cadillac.
History: 1999 (June 1) Updated 2024-01 – The 0.951-mile portion of Boon Rd (34 Rd) on the north side of Cadillac between existing US-131/N Mitchell St easterly for 5,023.31 feet—the location of the future nbd US-131 freeway off ramp when constructed—is established as a state trunkline route and transferred from county to state control as part of the future route of BUS US-131. This nearly mile-long segment of roadway is then reconstructed from a rural two-lane county road into a five-lane highway in preparation for its use as part of the Cadillac business route.
  2000 (Nov 1) – The first 2.9 miles of the "Cadillac Bypass" opens to traffic and while that freeway would eventually bear the US-131 designation, for the next year, it will only be signed as a rerouted M-55. For the time being, through US-131 traffic is directed to exit the freeway at Exit 177 to continue into Cadillac and on toward Petoskey.
  2001 (Oct 30) – The remainder of the US-131/"Cadillac Bypass" is opened to traffic on this day from the M-55 EAST interchange (Exit 180) northerly to existing US-131 north of Cadillac. US-131 now officially joins M-55 on the portion of the freeway opened November 1, 2000 between Exits 177 and 180, then continuing northerly to the end of the new freeway segment. The former US-131 from Exit 177 northerly through downtown Cadillac to Boon Rd (34 Rd) is redesignated as BUS US-131, which then turns easterly via Boon Rd (34 Rd), terminating at the new freeway at Exit 183. Former US-131 from Boon Rd (34 Rd) northerly to the northern end of the new freeway becomes an unsigned state trunkline route as OLD US-131, although it will take MDOT several years to remove the physical US-131 route markers.
Freeway/Expwy: No portion of BUS US-131 (Cadillac) is freeway or expressway.
NHS: The entirety of BUS US-131 (Cadillac) is on the National Highway System (NHS). (The route was added to the NHS in 2012 with the passage of the MAP-21 funding and authorization bill.)
Photographs:
Weblinks:  
BUSINESS US-131
Manton
Southern Terminus: US-131 at Exit 191 (M-42 interchange) east of Manton
Northern Terminus: US-131 near the north end of the freeway, south of the Manistee River bridge north of Manton
Length: 5.668 miles
Map: Route Map of BUS US-131 (Manton)
Map of US-131 Manton Bypass as opened 9/19/2003
Map of US-131 Manton Bypass prior to completion
Notes: The BUS US-131 routing was a new, "surprise" designation, as most external observers had not anticipated MDOT designating the bypassed segment of the former US-131 at Manton as a Business Connection. Unfortunately, MDOT was very slow to re-sign the former US-131 now part of BUS US-131 and was also slow to remove the old US-131 route markers along the portion of the former route between Cadillac and Manton. Thus, it was unclear whether BUS US-131 at Manton would be signed as a full loop routing or as a spur route from the north side of town, ending at (now former) M-42/Main St downtown. All doubt and question was erased during the fall of 2005 when BUS US-131 route marker assemblies began showing up along (now former) M-42 on the south side of Manton and the old US-131 markers along the former route of that highway south of M-42 (toward Cadillac) were removed.
History: 2003 (Sept 19, 10am) – The so-called US-131 "Manton bypass" opens from the north end of the freeway north of Cadillac to north of Manton, just south of the Manistee River bridge in northeastern Wexford Co. The former route of US-131 from the former end of the freeway northerly to the south jct of M-42 at Manton becomes an unsigned state trunkline highway, while the formerly concurrent US-131/M-42 becomes M-42/BUS US-131 with the BUS US-131 designation continuing northerly out of Manton via the old route to the northern end of the freeway north of Manton.
  2005 (Oct, Nov) – Over two years after the route's debut, BUS US-131 markers are erected along (now former) M-42 on the south side of Manton, signifying the route will be maintained as a loop, albeit without corresponding signage along the US-131 freeway itself at the M-42 interchange.
Freeway/Expwy: No portion of BUS US-131 (Manton) is freeway or expressway.
NHS: No portion of BUS US-131 (Manton) is on the NHS.
Photographs:
Weblinks:  
BL I-196
South Haven
 Southern Terminus: I-196/US-31 at Exit 18 southeast of downtown South Haven
Northern Terminus: I-196/US-31 at Exit 20 (Phoenix Rd interchange) east of downtown South Haven
Length: 3.806 miles
Map: Route Map of BL I-196 (South Haven)
Notes: New! 2023-10 BL I-196 at South Haven is a standard Interstate Business Connection, starting at its parent route south of the city, looping through the center of town, then terminating at I-196/US-31 on the eastern edge of South Haven. Beginning at I-196/US-31 Exit 18 south of downtown—which is also the northern terminus of M-140— the route heads northerly into the city along La Grange St, crossing A-2/Blue Star Hwy, to a junction with M-43 at that route's western terminus at the corner of La Grange St, Phillips St & South Haven Pl. There, BL I-196 takes a short northwesterly jog, then continues northerly along Broadway to an intersection with Phoenix St at the eastern edge of the Central Business District. From there, the route turns easterly along Phoenix St, crosses A-2/Blue Star Hwy again, then terminating at I-196/US-311 Exit 20. The Lake Michigan Circle Tour and the West Michigan Pike Historic Byway run concurrently with BL I-196 in its entirety.
    Updated 2023-10 South Haven's BL I-196 traces its origins back to the original South Haven Bypass when US-31 was route out of the downtown area onto present-day A-2/Blue Star Hwy during World War II. When the new bypass opened, the former route of US-31 through the city was redesignated as BUS US-31, running along La Grange St, Phillips St, Broadway, Dyckman Ave and North Shore Dr. With the completion of the I-196/US-31 freeway past South Haven in the early-1960s, the northern portion of BUS US-31 in South Haven was given back to local control and a new BL I-196 debuted utilizing part of M-140, the former US-31 bypass along Blue Star Hwy, and a segment of North Shore Dr to complete the loop. Later in the 1960s, the Dept of State Highways initiated a project to utilize Phoenix St between downtown and a new interchange on I-196/US-31 to redirect the business loop to bring traffic into, through, and out of downtown—more in line with the traditional purpose of a Business Connection. This was completed in late 1971 and BL I-196 now used La Grange St, Phillips St, Broadway and Phoenix St while the former route of BL I-196 along Blue Star Hwy between M-140 and North Shore Dr as well as North Shore Dr between Blue Star Hwy and the freeway became an unsigned trunkline for almost a quarter century before being turned back to local control.
    The history of this route, below, also includes the complete history of BUS US-31 at South Haven, the direct predecessor of the current route.
History:

1942 (Jan 28, Sept 5) Updated 2023-10 – An easterly bypass of South Haven is established as a state trunkline route around the city on January 28. It follows present-day A-2/Blue Star Hwy from M-140 south of downtown then northeasterly and northerly past the city back to the existing route of US-31 North Shore Dr northeast of town. Even with wartime shortages and strict controls on new infrastructure work, the State Highway Dept is able to complete and open two lanes of the four-lane divided highway in time for Labor Day Weekend traffic on September 5. They bypass will be completed as a four-lane, divided highway in 1943 and fully opened to traffic at that time. With the new bypass, the former route of US-31 through the city along La Grange St, Phillips St, Broadway, Dyckman Ave, and North Shore Dr is redesignated as BUS US-31.
  1963 (Aug 30, 11 am–Noon) New! 2023-10 – A 22½-mile long segment of I-96/US-31 freeway opens from I-94 northeast of Benton Harbor (present-day Exit 34) northerly through western Van Buren Co, bypassing South Haven to the east, and terminating at North Shore Dr (present-day Exit 22), ½ mile north of the Van Buren/Allegan Co line. At the northern terminus of the completed freeway, the US-31 designation temporarily heads westerly via North Shore Dr back to its existing alignment along Blue Star Hwy. While US-31 is transferred from its former route along present-day A-2/Blue Star Hwy onto the new I-96 freeway, the 1942–43 "South Haven Bypass" segment from M-140 northerly to North Shore Dr is retained in the state trunkline system, earmarked to become a new BL I-96 routing. As the portion of the BUS US-31 routing at South Haven along North Shore Dr from Dyckman Ave back to existing US-31 (present-day Blue Star Hwy) is in the process of being transferred to local control (it would happen 3½ months from now), it is likely the State Highway Dept removes the BUS US-31 route markers from the route at this time.
  1963 (Oct 21) Updated 2023-10 – Approval by the American Association of State Highway Officials (AASHO) is given to flip-flop the I-96 and I-196 route designations west of Grand Rapids. Planning for the switchover will take the next couple months, however, and I-96 remains posted with US-31 along the completed portion of the "Benton Harbor–Holland Freeway" between I-94 and South Haven. The planned BL I-96 routing at South Haven will now be designated BL I-196 and the concurrent BS I-196/BUS US-31 leading into Muskegon will become BS I-96/BUS US-31 once the transition is completed.
  1963 (Dec 16) New! 2023-10 – The 1.95-mile segment of South Haven's BUS US-31 route from the cnr of Dyckman Ave & North Shore Dr northerly into Allegan Co to the cnr of North Shore Dr & Blue Star Hwy is cancelled as a state trunkline highway route and the BUS US-31 designation at South Haven is officially "decommissioned." The former BUS US-31/M-140 concurrency along La Grange St from the South Haven Bypass northerly to M-43/Phillips St becomes just M-140, while the M-43 designation is extended to replace the former BUS US-31 routing along Phillips St, Broadway and Dyckman Ave to North Shore Dr. A planned BL I-96 routing at South Haven from the new I-96/US-31 freeway (at present-day Exit 18) northerly with M-140 to present-day A-2/Blue Star Hwy then northeasterly and northerly along present-day Blue Star Hwy to North Shore Dr now becomes a new BL I-196 routing, although BL I-196 route markers are likely not erected along that route until the I-96/I-196 switchover occurs a month later.
  1964 (Jan 6–10) New! 2023-10 – While the I-96 and I-196 designation swap was approved the previous October, the actual swap-out of the route markers on both routes occurs during the first week of January 1964. All I-96 route markers along the completed portions of the so-called Benton Harbor–Holland Expressway are swapped out for I-196 route markers, while the I-196 signs posted along the US-16 freeway between Holland and the east side of Grand Rapids are replaced by I-96 markers. At this point, BL I-196 route markers are also likely posted along its route at South Haven.
  1968 (Aug 30) Updated 2023-10 – The 0.571-mile segment of M-43 along the former route of BUS US-31 on Broadway from Phoenix St to Dyckman Ave and then northwesterly on Dyckman Ave to North Shore Dr is cancelled as a state trunkline route and turned back to city control. This transfer takes place after the State Highway Dept demolishes the existing Black River truss bridge on Dyckman Ave and replaces it with a modern bascule (draw) bridge. M-43 remains designated along Phillips St and Broadway into downtown for the time being.
  1970–71 New! 2023-10 – Long planned by State Highway Dept planners, going back to 1962 according to State Highway Dept documents, the reconfiguration of the route of BL I-196 at South Haven is annouced and proves to be rather contentious as it involves reconstructing and widening Phoenix St—including the removal of countless large shade trees along the street—between M-43/Broadway downtown and a planned Phoenix Rd interchange at the I-196/US-31 freeway east of town. (At this point, the only two South Haven interchanges on I-196/US-31 are at M-140 south of the city and existing BL I-196/North Shore Dr northeast of town.) La Grange St, Phillips St and Broadway, currently signed as part of M-140 and M-43, are rebuilt during 1970, while the Phoenix St project takes place throughout 1971. During the construction project, BL I-196 remains signed along present-day A-2/Blue Star Hwy from M-140 northerly to North Shore Dr, then easterly back to I-196/US-31 at the North Shore Dr interchange. The new South Haven Business Loop project cost $2.9 million total.
  1971 (Dec 4) New! 2023-10 – While originally planned to be completed in 1972, the Phoenix St reconstruction and the new Phoenix Rd interchange on I-196/US-31 (present-day Exit 20) is completed and opened to traffic, albeit without most route and directional signage due to an ongoing steel suppliers' strike. As the new signs are erected, though, this marks the transition of BL I-196 off the Blue Star/North Shore alignment and onto the La Grange–Phillips–Broadway–Phoenix route. The concurrent M-140 route markers between I-196/US-31 and M-43/Phillips St are likely removed, leaving just the BL I-196 designation, and M-43 signs are taken down from the portions of Phillp St and Broadway now part of BL I-196. The former route of BL I-196 along North Shore Dr from M-140 to North Shore Dr and North Shore from Blue Star easterly to I-196/US-31 is retained as an unsigned state trunkline route for the time being.
  1972 (Dec 15) Updated 2023-10 – The 1.055 mile segment of Phoenix St/Rd from Broadway downtown South Haven easterly to the new I-196/US-31 interchange (present-day Exit 20) is officially established as a state trunkline route.
  1996 (Apr 1) Updated 2024-01 – A full 25 years after it ceased to be part of the routing of BL I-196 at South Haven, the unsigned trunkline portion of A-2/Blue Star Hwy from M-140 northeasterly and northerly past South Haven to North Shore Dr and the portion of North Shore Dr between Blue Star Hwy and I-196/US-31 is cancelled as a state trunkline route turned back to local control. The 2.76-mile segment of A-2/Blue Star Hwy from M-140 south of South Haven to the Van Buren/Allegan Co line is transferred to the Van Buren Co Road Commission, while the 0.802-mile portion of A-2/Blue Star Hwy from the county line north to North Shore Dr and North Shore Dr from Blue Star easterly to I-196/US-31 at Exit 22 is turned back to the Allegan Co Road Commission.
  2016 (July 25) – The West Michigan Pike Historic Byway is officially unveiled at a ceremony in Muskegon's Heritage Park. Running from the Indiana state line south of New Buffalo up Michigan's west coast to Ludington, the Byway runs along the entire length of BL I-196 through South Haven.
Freeway/Expwy: No portion of BL I-196 (South Haven) is freeway or expressway.
NHS: The entirety of BL I-196 (South Haven) is on the National Highway System (NHS). (The route was added to the NHS in 2012 with the passage of the MAP-21 funding and authorization bill.)
Circle Tour: Lake Michigan Circle Tour MarkerLake Michigan Circle Tour: Entire Route
Pure Michigan Byway: Lake Michigan Circle Tour MarkerWest Michigan Pike Historic Byway: Entire route.
Photographs:
Weblinks:  
BL I-196
Holland–
Zeeland
 Southern Terminus: Jct I-196 & US-31 (at Exit 44) south of Holland
Eastern Terminus: I-196/Gerald R Ford Frwy at Exit 55 east of Zeeland
Length: 11.635 miles
Map: Route Map of BL I-196 (Holland–Zeeland)
Notes: For many years, the City of Holland and MDOT had been at odds over the matter of additional downtown parking spaces, speed limits and traffic signal timing. Holland had been able to create and maintain a vibrant, healthy downtown business, shopping and entertainment district over the past few decades. Unfortunately, the City may have done too good of a job as there was a perceived dearth of convenient parking spaces in the downtown area and they had butted heads with MDOT over the state's insistence that all three through traffic lanes on Seventh & Ninth Sts be maintained based on current traffic volumes. Finally, in January 2004, an agreement was tenatively reached between the City and MDOT to transfer a few blocks of Seventh St to the City with the City maintaining all Business Connection signage for the benefit of motorists.
By the Summer of 2004, however, MDOT was in talks with the City of Holland and the Ottawa Co Road Commission to turn back all of BUS US-31 and BL I-196 "inside" the US-31/Holland bypass to local control. These talks resulted in the August 2004 jurisditional transfer of essentially all of BUS US-31 (and that portion of BL I-196 co-signed with BUS US-31) to local control. The Ottawa Co Road Commission took over the portion of the route along Chicago Dr from 8th St northeasterly to US-31, while the City accepted the remainder of the route, with the exception of the portion of Washington Ave from Matt Urban Dr southerly through the US-31 interchange on the south side of town. Reportedly, this remaining portion of trunkline was retained by MDOT to facilitate the eventual reconstruction of the US-31 & Washington interchange in the future. While the road commission removed all trunkline signage along Chicago Dr soon after the transfer, the City of Holland took until May 2005 to remove all BUS US-31, BL I-196 and LMCT route signage through the city, replacing some of the former trunkline route marker assemblies with trailblazer signage ("TO US-31"), however several of the necessary turns are not signed, resulting in a confusing and unfortunate situation for visitors and tourists. Also unfortunate was the continued existence of BUS US-31, BL I-196 and LMCT route signage along US-31 itself directing motorists to a non-existant business route until late-2006.
From 2004 when the first BL I-196 route markers were removed from the in-town routing (and then from 2005 when the remainder of the signs were taken down), BL I-196 was a de facto discontinuous route in the field, existing in two segments: From the southern terminus at I-196 Exit 41 to where the route formerly left US-31 at Exit 47; and from the US-31 & Chicago Dr interchange east of Holland to the northern terminus at I-196 Exit 55 east of Zeeland. MDOT may have considered the route of BL I-196 at Holland/Zeeland as one, continuous route on paper, while signage in the field otherwise reflected a discontinuity only resolved in 2009-2010 when BL I-196 route markers were erected in the gap.
This author believed the turnback the entire "Holland Business Loop" (BUS US-31 & BL I-196) in exchange for a few additional parking spaces caused more negative side effects than positive. While additional downtown parking spaces may be needed to ensure downtown Holland remains healthy and a desirable place to visit, the loss of a marked route into and through the city for tourists and casual visitors does much more harm than not adding the new on-street parking spaces. In fact, since the Lake Michigan Circle Tour is only signed along state trunkline routes, the removal of BUS US-31/BL I-196 through Holland also meant the loss of the Circle Tour routing as well, thus another blow to the City's tourist prospects. In an era of waning manufacturing jobs, tourism is becoming an increasingly more important industry for the area. The removal of the convenient signed and mapped route will can only hurt the City. To that end, the author contacted various civic leaders in Holland with a letter expressing the above concerns. A presentation was also given to the Holland AM Rotary in mid-August 2004, linked from the Holland Business Routes: The Turnback page.
History: 1974 (Dec 11) – The short connection from M-21/Chicago Dr easterly to the new I-196 freeway at Exit 55 east of Zeeland via Byron Rd is transferred to state control. This short new connector is then paired with existing M-21 around the south side of Zeeland to US-31 at the Chicago Dr interchange on the eastern edge of Holland and designated as an I-196 Business Connection. Official maps seem to indicate only the portion of the former M-21 from US-31 to I-196 at Exit 55 receives this designation, meaning it would be signed as BS I-196. However, by 1976 official maps show the route continuing through downtown Holland concurrently with BUS US-31 to US-31 south of the city at the Washington Ave interchange, then back to I-196 at Exit 44, meaning the route may have been designated as BL I-196 (as a loop route) from day one, however. Former M-21 via Chicago Dr from the new BL I-196 east of Zeeland to Exit 69 in Grandville is relieved of its M-21 designation, but remains as an unmarked state trunkline highway.
  c.1990s – In the early 1990s, Ninth Ave from Lincoln Ave easterly to its end is tranferred to state control and a new double-curve connector roadway between Ninth and Eighth Sts is built. This becomes the new north/eastbound route for BUS US-31/BL I-196.
  1998 – After Seventh St was reconstructed in 1995 and Ninth St reconstructed this year, both streets—along with the rest of the BUS US-31/BL I-196 route "inside" the US-31/Holland Bypass, it can be assumed—are "scheduled" to be turned back to local control. This transfer, for whatever reason, does not take place.
  2004 (Jan, Aug 4) – After years of constant back-and-forth between MDOT and the City of Holland over adding additional parking spaces on either Seventh or Ninth Sts downtown, the city and state supposedly reach an agreement in January whereby a short portion of Seventh St is to be turned back to the city, while Business Connection route markers for BUS US-31/BL I-196 would remain "for the benfit of motorists." However, by the Summer, MDOT, the City of Holland and the Ottawa County Road Commission have initiated talks to turn back the entire length of BUS US-31/BL I-196 within the city from US-31 east of downtown to US-31 south of downtown. On August 4, the Holland City Commission votes to accept these streets from MDOT.
  2005 (May) – Even after accepting the majority of the former BUS US-31/BL I-196 route through the city, Holland waits nine months before removing the trunkline route markers during May. A few "trailblazer" signs are erected simultaneously, though not at all of the required turns, providing additional points of confusion for visitors and tourists. The only signs now remaining for the business route are along US-31 itself.
  2009 (Oct) – The route of BL I-196 at Holland/Zeeland is again made "whole" with the erection of BL I-196 route markers along US-31 from Chicago Dr southerly to 32nd St on the Allegan/Ottawa Co line. While no BL I-196 signs are present along US-31 between 32nd St and the Washington Ave interchange (Exit 47), the formerly discontinuous route of BL I-196 effectively becomes a single route as far as signage is concerned.
  2010 – BL I-196 route signage appears along US-31 between 32nd Ave (the Allegan/Ottawa Co line) and A-2/Washington Ave, filling the remaining unsigned portion of the route left over from the jurisdictional transfer of the former route through downtown Holland six years prior.
  2016 (July 25) – The West Michigan Pike Historic Byway is officially unveiled at a ceremony in Muskegon's Heritage Park. Running from the Indiana state line south of New Buffalo up Michigan's west coast to Ludington, the Byway runs along the segment of Holland's BL I-196 from the southern terminus at jct I-196 & US-31 northerly to the US-31 & Chicago Dr interchange.
Freeway: From the southern terminus at I-196 northerly to Central Ave on the south side of Holland.
Expressway: Two segments:
  1. From the end of the freeway at Central Ave on the south side of Holland to the Chicago Dr interchange on the east side of Holland.
  2. From the intersection of 112th Ave between Zeeland and Holland to the eastern terminus at I-196.
NHS: The entirety of BL I-196 (Holland-Zeeland) is on the National Highway System (NHS). (The portion of the route east of US-31 to the eastern terminus at I-196 was added to the NHS in 2012 with the passage of the MAP-21 funding and authorization bill.)
Circle Tour: Lake Michigan Circle Tour MarkerLake Michigan Circle Tour: Along the segment concurrent with US-31, from the southern terminus at jct I-196 & US-31 northerly to the US-31 & Chicago Dr interchange.
Pure Michigan Byway: Lake Michigan Circle Tour MarkerWest Michigan Pike Historic Byway: Along the segment concurrent with US-31, from the southern terminus at jct I-196 & US-31 northerly to the US-31 & Chicago Dr interchange.
Photographs:
Weblinks: • Holland Business Routes: The Turnback – Detailing the transfer of control of both Business Connections in the City of Holland—BUS US-31 and BL I-196—to local control due to a perceived lack of parking downtown. This page explains some of the other negative side-effects of the transfer and offers other possible solutions.
  • Retain Holland's Business Routes – presentation given to Holland AM Rotary meeting August 18, 2004.
BS I-196
BL I-196
Wyoming
 Western Terminus: I-196 at Exit 72 in on the Wyoming/Grandville city limit
Eastern Terminus: Cnr of Chicago Dr, Grandville Ave (Cesar E. Chavez Ave) & Clyde Park Ave on the Wyoming/Grand Rapids municipal boundary
Length: 2.457 miles
Map: New! 2023-06 Maps of BS I-196 (Wyoming)
Notes: Updated 2023-06 In August 2017, the portion of BS I-196 within the City of Grand Rapids—Grandville Ave from Clyde Park Ave northerly to Franklin St (since renamed as Martin Luther King Jr Ave) and Franklin (M L King) from Grandville easterly through the US-131 interchange—was transferred to city control and ceased to be part of BS I-196. This rendered the route of BS I-196 a dangling route with a terminus not at another highway, but at an intersection of two streets along a municipal boundary. At present, MDOT has continued to sign the portion of BS I-196 within Wyoming (instead of either attempting to transfer the remainder of BS I-196 to the City of Wyoming or simply removing the route markers, rendering it an unsigned state trunkline route). While formerly listed as the Grand Rapids-Wyoming BS I-196 route listing, it is now listed as being the Wyoming BS I-196 listing, as it no longer enters the City of Grand Rapids.
Updated 2023-06 The 2017 jurisdictional transfer of BS I-196 within the City of Grand Rapids had been pursued by the City for many years, due to neighborhood pressure to remove through truck traffic from Grandville Ave (since renamed Cesar E. Chavez Ave), which runs through the densely populated Southwest neighborhood. With the agreement between the City and MDOT to transfer control of the entirety of BUS US-131 through downtown Grand Rapids to local control to accommodate a planned development, several other signed and unsigned trunkline routes were also transfered as part of what seemed to be a "package deal." Prior to the 2017 truncation, BS I-196 was 4.132 miles in length.
BS I-196 at Grand Rapids was formerly designated as a portion of BUS M-21 prior to the completion of I-196 between Holland and Grand Rapids. Prior to that, today's BS I-196 was a part of the Holland-to-Port Huron route of M-21.
Updated 2023-06 At some point in the first decade of the 2000s, during a regular sign replacement program along the route of BS I-196, the route markers were replaced with BL I-196 (Business Loop I-196) signs. While BS I-196 had always been designated as such on MDOT-produced maps in the 1970s into the 1990s, MDOT staff decided the route had an implied connection back to I-196 in downtown Grand Rapids, utilizing the US-131 freeway to make that connection. No BL I-196 route markers were ever erected along any portion of US-131 (with the exception of exit signage at the Franklin St [now M L King] interchange pointing the way to the route itself) and other than the insistance of a couple MDOT employees, no other evidence of this route being a Business Loop can be found. It seems to be a matter of a judgement call by MDOT staff to sign BS I-196 as BL I-196 at that point. Check out two MDOT-produced maps from c.1979 and c.1995 showing this route as Business Spur I-196
Prior to its 2017 truncation and elimination of the portion of the route within the City of Grand Rapids, technically state jurisdiction along BS I-196 did not end at the US-131 interchange, but continued 755 feet east of the nbd US-131 off- and on-ramp, ending 407 feet west of Ionia Ave. This roughly corresponds to the eastern end of the Franklin Ave (now Martin Luther King Jr Ave) bridge spanning US-131, Buchanan Ave and the Grand Elk Railroad. It made sense for a bridge structure to be under the ownership and maintenance of one agency instead of being split between two or more. With the 2017 jurisdictional transfer, the entire bridge came under city control.
The history of this route, below, also includes the complete history of BUS M-21 at Grand Rapids, the direct predecessor of the current route.
History: 1953 – During mid-1953, M-21 mainline route is removed from its through-town routing in the Grand Rapids area out to the "Beltline System" to replace the BYP M-21 designation created a decade earlier via 28th St and East Beltline Ave. The former route of M-21 through Grand Rapids via Chicago Dr, Grandville Ave, Franklin St, Eastern Ave and E Fulton Ave is re-designated as BUS M-21.
  1964 (Dec 14–21) – The I-196/M-21 freeway through Grand Rapids is opened to traffic on December 14th and is officially assumed into the trunkline system one week later on the 21st, from existing M-21/Chicago Dr at Exit 69 in Grandville through downtown Grand Rapids to its terminus at I-96, where M-21 now continues the short distance via I-96 easterly to its existing routing along E Fulton St. Due to the relocation of M-21, the route of BUS M-21 is elongated at either end. From the former western terminus at M-11/28th St in Grandville, BUS M-21 now continues southwesterly via Chicago Dr to the western end of the completed I-196/M-21 freeway (present-day Exit 69). On the east, BUS M-21 is extended a short distance via E Fulton St to terminate at jct I-96 & M-21 east of Grand Rapids (present-day Exit 38).
  1972 (Dec 29) – A portion of the "in-town" business routing for the I-196/M-21 freeway through Grand Rapids, designated BUS M-21, is turned back to local control, specifically the portion from US-131 easterly via Franklin St, northerly via Eastern Ave and easterly again via E Fulton St. At this point, BUS M-21 becomes a spur routing from I-196/M-21 at Exit 69 through Grandville and Wyoming to US-131 in Grand Rapids.
  1973 (Mar 12) – The final segment of I-196 freeway is estabished as a state trunkline route (and likely opens within several months) from the existing I-196/US-31 freeway south of Holland at Exit 44 northeasterly past Zeeland and Hudsonville to the western end of the existing freeway at M-21/Chicago Dr (Exit 69). Sources indicate the BS I-196 designation debuts at this time from the Chicago Dr interchange (Exit 72) in Wyoming easterly into Grand Rapids via Chicago Dr, Grandville Ave and Franklin St, replacing that portion of BUS M-21. The remainder of the former BUS M-21 within the City of Grandville via Chicago Dr becomes an unsigned state trunkline for the time being.
  1982 (Aug 31) – The portion of the former BUS M-21 along Chicago Dr from the ebd I-196 off-ramp (at Exit 69) in Grandville easterly to Wilson Ave downtown is turned back to local control.
  1982 (Oct 20) – The segment of the former BUS M-21/Chicago Dr from the ebd I-196 off ramp in Grandville (at Exit 69) westerly to the Kent/Ottawa Co line is cancelled as a state trunkline route and turned back to city control.
  1985 (Dec 1) – The portion of the former BUS M-21/Chicago Dr from downtown Grandville at Wilson Ave northeasterly to the Grandville/Wyoming city limit is cancelled as a state trunkline route and turned back to city control.
  Early 2000s Updated 2023-04 – At some point in the early 2000s during a regular highway sign replacement project along BS I-196, MDOT replaces all BS I-196 route markers with BL I-196 markers, implying the route is now a Business Loop instead of a Business Spur. (See Note above.)
  2017 (Aug 22) – The segment of BS I-196 within the City of Grand Rapids is cancelled as a state trunkline highway route and jurisdiction is turned back to city control. This involves Grandville Ave (present-day Cesar E Chavez Ave) from the cnr of Chicago Dr & Clyde Park Ave on the Wyoming/Grand Rapids municipal boundary northerly to Franklin St (present-day Martin Luther King Jr Ave) and Franklin (M L King) from Grandville easterly through the US-131 interchange. The transfer occurs as part of a wider effort by the City of Grand Rapids to gain control over several signed and unsigned state trunkline routes within the city, including the entirety of BUS US-131 through downtown and all of unsigned OLD M-45. The transfer involves one-quarter of the entire route.
Freeway/Expwy: No portion of BS I-196 (Wyoming) is freeway or expressway.
NHS: The entirety of BS I-196 (Wyoming) is on the National Highway System (NHS). (The route was added to the NHS in 2012 with the passage of the MAP-21 funding and authorization bill.)
Photographs:
Weblinks: • BS I-196 (Grand Rapids) @ Michigan Highway Ends – photos of the termini of BS I-196 (Grand Rapids) at Dan Garnell's Michigan Highway Ends website.
BUSINESS US-223
Adrian
Western Terminus: US-223 northwest of downtown Adrian
Eastern Terminus: Jct US-223 & M-52 south of downtown Adrian
Length: 3.750 miles
Map: Route Map of BUS US-223 (Adrian)
Notes: Concurrently signed with M-52 between southern terminus and downtown Adrian, this highway runs along a former routing of US-223 through downtown.
Adrian's BUS US-223 is the highest-numbered and signed Business Connection in Michigan. BS I-375 in downtown Detroit is an unsigned trunkline, while the I-496 "Capitol Loop" in Lansing has a higher-numbered parent route, but is not signed with "496," making BUS US-223 the highest-numbered business route.
  In an interesting side note, BUS US-223 at Adrian is signed as an east-west route throughout, while its parent route, US-223, is signed as a north-south route in its entirety. While more of BUS US-223, indeed, runs east-west than north-south. the same is also true of US-223 itself, while that route has been signed as a north-south route... likely due to a determination by highway authorites that most traffic using the US-223 corridor is north-south in nature instead of east-west.
  During 2010, massive changes in the traffic patterns and state trunkline routings in downtown have added complexity to BUS US-223's history while also generally simplifying its actual route in the field. (See map.)
History: 1942 (Jan 28) – South of Adrian, a new 1.27-mile segment of state trunkline highway following Cadmus Rd from US-223 at Treat Hwy westerly to M-52/Adrian Hwy is established and the US-223 routing is transferred onto it. At M-52, US-223 now turns northerly with M-52 into downtown Adrian where it meets up with its former routing. The former route of US-223 from M-52/Main St east along E Church St, south along S Center St, east and southeast via Treat St and then southerly along Treat Hwy to existing US-223 is redesignated as BUS US-223. (See map.)
  1943 (Feb 26) – Winter St from US-223/Church St southerly for a bit more than one block to US-223/M-52/Main St in downtown Adrian is established as a state trunkline highway and the US-223 route is moved onto it, acting as a "cut-off" of sorts. The US-223 route along Main St from Winter St to Church St remains designated M-52, while the portion of Church St from M-52/Main St westerly to Winter St now becomes a short westerly extension of the BUS US-223 routing. (See map.)
  1956 (Mar 26) – A new US-223 southwestern bypass of Adrian consisting of 2.885 miles of new trunkline highway on new alignment is officially established as a state trunkline route. The new bypass begins at the southern jct of US-223 & M-52 south of the city and proceeds northwesterly back to existing US-223 west of town. The previous (1942–56) iteration of BUS US-223 is cancelled as a state trunkline (with the exception of the one block of Church St between M-52/Main St and Winter St) allowing the 1942–56 routing of US-223 through Adrian to become a new BUS US-223 routing. (See map.)
  1959 (Mar 29) – In downtown Adrian, the one block of Front St between Main St and Winter St along with the four blocks of Winter St from Front St southerly to Church St are transferred to state control and become the new southbound route of M-52 through the center of the city. The change for BUS US-223 is that the one block "cutoff" along Winter St between Church St and Main St is now one-way southbound and part of the new southbound M-52 routing. Thus, the "cutoff" is now eastbound BUS US-223 only, while westbound BUS US-223 now continues northerly on Main St one additional block to Church St where it turns west via Church to Winter St to continue on its existing route. (See map.)
  1960 (Jan 6) – Less than a year after M-52 was split into a one-way pair routing through downtown Adrian (nbd via Main St, sbd via Front-Winter Sts)—which resulted in BUS US-223 using the southernmost city block of this one-way pair before turning west along Church St—BUS US-223 itself becomes a one-way pair when Maumee St from nbd M-52/Main St westerly for four blocks to Church St is transferred to state control on this date. The new westbound route for BUS US-223 continues north from Church St with M-52 via Main St for an additional block, then turns west along Maumee St for four blocks back to its existing routing. Eastbound BUS US-223 now uses the formerly two-way route along Church St from Maumee St easterly to sbd M-52/Winter St where it turns southerly. Interestingly, the one block of Church St between sbd M-52/Winter St and nbd M-52/Main St remains a state trunkline route, though not "technically" part of the eastbound route of BUS US-223, which turns south with sbd M-52 along Winter St. (See map.)
  1973 (June 29) – Several trunkline changes in downtown Adrian effectively remove the routes of M-52 and BUS US-223 from the downtown core. Main St from Church St northerly to Front St is turned back to local control, while Church St from Main St easterly to Broad St, Broad northerly from Church to Front St and Front from Broad back westerly to Main becomes the new northbound M-52 route and the westbound BUS US-223 route, which now continues westerly another block via Front St to Winter St, then southerly via Winter to Maumee St where it then continues westerly. Maumee St (formerly part of wbd BUS US-223) between Main & Winter Sts is also turned back to local control. The sbd M-52 and ebd BUS US-223 routes remain unchanged. (See map.)
  1996 (Jan 3) Updated 2023-11 – The two blocks of Church St, functioning as ebd BUS US-223 between Maumee St and sbd M-52/Winter St in downtown Adrian, are turned back to city control on this date. This conicides with the first wave of returning some of the downtown streets to two-way traffic flow. The former ebd BUS US-223 along Church St is now a two-way city street, while the former wbd BUS US-223 from sbd M-52/Winter St westerly to Church St is now the two-way route for both directions of BUS US-223. Since M-52 still occupies the "one-way box" routing around the downtown core, however, wbd BUS US-223 still travels concurrently with M-52 north via Main St, east via Church St, north via Broad St, west via Front St, and south via Winter St to Maumee St. Ebd BUS US-223 now turns southerly from Maumee St onto sbd M-52 via Winter St. Thus the only one-way portions of BUS US-223 in downtown Adrian are portions shared with M-52. (See map.)
  2010 (May 19) – Apparently the removal of the one-way pair for BUS US-223 along Church and Maumee Sts is a success, as the City of Adrian decides to remove the remainder of the one-way streets in its downtown area, after a 51-year experiment with that configuration. The 1959 southbound routing for M-52 via Front St from Main St to Winter St and along Winter St from Front south to Main St is turned back to city control. Since the City still does not want through trunkline traffic to use the two main streets through its downtown core—north/south Main St and east/west Maumee St—MDOT converts Church St east of Main St, Broad St from Church St to Front St and Front St from Broad back to Main to two-way traffic and, with it, that becomes the sole route for M-52 through the city. So as to not cause a discontinuity in the BUS US-223 route, the 1996 jurisdictional transfer of Church St from Maumee St to Winter St is "undone" and Maumee St from Winter St to Church St is, this time, transferred to city control. Coupled with the one block of Church between Main and Winter that has not technically had a trunkline designation since 1960 once again regains the BUS US-223 designation that segment of street had from 1943 to 1960. Now BUS US-223 enters downtown Adrian from the south via M-52/Main St, turns westerly to follow Church St for three blocks, then continues westerly out of the downtown area along Maumee St. (See map.)
Freeway/Expwy: No portion of BUS US-223 is freeway or expressway.
NHS: No portion of BUS US-223 is on the NHS
Photographs:
Weblinks: • BUS US-223 @ Michigan Highway Ends – photos of the termini of BUS US-223 at Dan Garnell's Michigan Highway Ends website.
  • Adrian Downtown: Trunkline Routing History map – A map showing ALL of the state trunkline routes through Adrian since 1915, including the various changes from 2010. Includes EVERY state trunkline designation on each segment of highway, including the dates of determinatio or designation.

BS I-375
Detroit
Unsigned Trunkline
 Western Terminus: Updated 2023-04 Downtown Detroit at the cnr of Jefferson Ave & Randolph St (at the western terminus of M-10)
Eastern Terminus: Southern end of the I-375/Walter P Chrysler Frwy along Jefferson Ave between Beaubien & St Antoine Sts in downtown Detroit.
Length: 0.1675 mile (884.2 feet) (10,610 inches)
Map: New! 2023-04 Route Map of BS I-375
Notes: Downtown Detroit's curious trunkline designation, BS I-375 has never been posted during during its existence. In 1986, US-10 was truncated at Bay City, and segments of the former US-10 in Wayne and Oakland Counties needed new designations to take the place of the old one. The "M-10" designation was selected for much of the John C Lodge Frwy from I-75/Fisher Frwy in downtown Detroit out to suburban Southfield. However, for whatever reason, MDOT decided to designate the former US-10 from I-75 southeasterly into downtown Detroit along the John C Lodge Frwy and Jefferson Ave as "BS I-375." Since it took the department several years to remove most of the old US-10 signage , by the time new signs were erected along the former US-10 in downtown Detroit, M-10 markers replaced the old US-10 ones, and BS I-375 returned to its position as a very short, unsigned state trunkline routing.
History: The History section for this route listing is under development.
Freeway/Expwy: No portion of BS I-375 is freeway or expressway.
NHS: The entirety of BS I-375 is on the National Highway System (NHS).
Photographs:
Weblinks: • Downtown Detroit Trunklines Map – PDF map showing the official routings and termini of all state trunklines in downtown Detroit. Many of these termini and some of the trunklines themselves are unsigned, making this map particularly helpful.
FORMER
Capitol Loop
Lansing
 Former
Western Terminus:		 I-496/R.E. Olds Frwy at Exit 5 (M-99/M L King Jr Blvd interchange) in Lansing west of downtown
Former
Eastern Terminus:		 I-496/R.E. Olds Frwy at Exit 7 (BL I-96/Cedar St-Larch St interchange) in Lansing on the southeast side of downtown
Former Length: 2.243 miles (eastbound)
2.552 miles (westbound)
Map: Route Map of FORMER CAPITOL LOOP (Lansing)
Notes: Information from MDOT about the (now-former) Capitol Loop:
 
"The Capitol Loop [was] established in 1986 as part of a larger effort to revitalize Michigan’s Capitol city and the downtown area. It [was] one of several elements intended to create and enhance historic, cultural, educational, recreational and economic opportunities for visitors, businesses and residents in the Capitol Complex area. Other aspects which are already set in place include:
  • Renovation of the State Capitol Building
  • Construction of the State Library and History Museum
  • Creation of a Capitol Park with the core of the Capitol Loop"
  Two figures are shown for the length of the Capitol Loop since, depending on which direction the route is measured, there was a three-tenths mile difference in the lengths. Normally, route lengths on this website are measured along the east- or northbound sides of a route if any part of that route is divided or runs along separate roadways, as in a one-way pair. In this instance, the former route of the westbound Capitol Loop began one block farther west than the eastbound side and then traversed a longer route through downtown Lansing as well, so both lengths are shown here. For "official" purposes, as far as the Michigan Highways website goes, the eastbound length is the one used for recordkeeping purposes.
Updated 2024-04 Unfortunately, while MDOT's signing of its state trunkline highways across the state often tends to be very complete and thorough, it seems signage along portions of the Capitol Loop in downtown Lansing had disappeared at some crucial turns along the route. In an inspection of the route in December 2012 (re-verified in summer 2016 and fall 2023), the western third of the route—from the Captiol Building westerly and southerly to I-496 at Martin Luther King, Jr Blvd—was excellent and signage along the eastern third—from the Grand River easterly and southerly to I-496 at the Cedar-Larch Sts interchange—was acceptable. The following portions, howver, were no longer signed:
  • Eastbound Capitol Loop along Allegan St is ungsigned from Townsend St easterly to Grand Ave
  • The turn along eastbound Capitol Loop from Allegan St onto northbound Grand Ave
  • Westbound Capitol Loop along Grand Ave from Michigan Ave to Ottawa, including the turn from nbd Grand Ave onto Ottawa Ave.
While what are referred to as "reassurance route markers"—those route markers posted alongside the highway following intersections and junctions with other highways that "reassure" motorists that they are still on the correct route—are important, the lack of "route turn assemblies"—route marker assemblies which indicate that a route turns onto a different street or highway—can cause confusion, especially when motorists unfamiliar with the area are trying to navigate along a signed route. See the Capitol Loop Route Map for details. However, as of the March 2024 cancellation of the Capitol Loop through downtown Lansing, the lack of signage at certain route turning points is a moot point.
New! 2024-04 In the 2010s, the City of Lansing began converting portions of their downtown one-way street system into two-way facilities. As with many cities across the state, Lansing embraced the one-way concept in the 1950s and 1960s as a way to better move traffic through the downtown core. However, as with many transportation-related treatments, the pendulum tends to swing widely. So, as traffic movement and congestion relief gave way in the early 2000s to more pedestrian and "complete streets"-focused uses, some cities—Lansing included—jumped onto this bandwagon and reversed the one-way treatments in place for six decades or more in favor of two-way streets. At this time, the City began talks with MDOT on the possibility of either turning the streets in the Capitol Loop route to two-way traffic flow or to just transfer those streets back to city control. The latter became the eventual solution when, in late-March 2024, all of the street segments which were not also concurrently-designated with BL I-96 were turned back to the city, thus ending the 35-year existence of the Capitol Loop.
The Capitol Loop had also been designated on some MDOT maps and internal documents as "CL I-496" similar to a Business Loop, only with the word "Capitol" in place of "Business." Formerly, the Capitol Loop was also known internally by MDOT as "Connector 81," a designation having no relation to its route number. Then in c.2006–2008, MDOT reassigned most of their internal connector designations, giving each a much more logical designation. As such, from c.2006–2008 until its decommissioning in 2024, the Captiol Loop was then internally known as "Connector 496."
History: 1977 (Dec 1) – A dozen years before the creation of the Captiol Loop in Lansing, the northern terminus of M-99 is reconfigured into a one-way pair in the area of the I-496 interchange. Logan St (present-day Martin Luther King Jr Blvd) from St Joseph St (the I-496 wbd service drive) northerly to Kalamazoo St is transferred to state control and the northound route, while a new southbound connector is officially assumed into the trunkline system beginning at the cnr of Logan & Kalamazoo to the cnr of Birch St & St Joseph St (Birch St becomes the new sbd route of M-99 from St Joseph St southerly). While the M-99 markers officially end at I-496/US-27, the state trunkline itself extends northerly from the freeway via Logan-Birch to end at Kalamazoo St.
  1986 (July) – The first mentions of a "Capitol Loop" come in conjunction with public hearings on projects associated with the Governor's Capital City Revitalizaton Task Force which is soliciting "ideas on how downtown Lansing can serve its residents, government workers, tourists, conventioneers and business people in parking, pedestrian movement, traffic circulation, roadway entrances to the Capitol Complex and transit services," according to an MDOT spokesman. In addition to the proposed signed loop route leading motorists into and through downtown from I-496, the task force is also considering ideas such as a proposed Capitol Park, a state welcome center and historic renovation of the State Capitol building.
  Capitol Loop route marker1989 (June 15)– The brand-new "Capitol Loop" route markers are unveiled to the public today in advance of their posting along the route of the loop in the coming days. The route marker, designed by an artist according to MDOT, features an image of the Capitol dome. While the signs go up along the route of the Capitol Loop at this point, the official transfer of the route from city to state control won't come for another four months.
  1989 (Oct 13) – Four months after Capitol Loop route markers are erected through downtown lansing, the route technically comes under state control as it is officially established as a trunkline route and transferred from city to state control. From the northern end of state control where Logan & Birch meet at Kalamazoo St, Logan St from Kalamazoo northerly to Ottawa St is transferred to MDOT, as are Allegan & Ottawa Sts (Allegan serves ebd traffic, while Ottawa is signed for wbd) and Grand Ave between Allegan and Ottawa. Michigan Ave from Grand Ave easterly to nbd BUS US-27/wbd BL I-96/Larch St. The "loop" part of the Captiol Loop is completed by using the one-way pair of Cedar & Larch Sts from Michigan Ave southerly back to I-496.
  1991 (June) – The portion of Logan St/MLKing Jr Blvd, signed as part of the Capitol Loop since 1989, from St Joseph St at I-496 northerly to north of Ionia St is completely reconstructed as a six-lane divided boulevard. It was the most controversial part of the entire Capitol Loop project as nearly 60 residences were removed to make way for the improved street alignment.
  2024 (Mar 26) New! 2024-04 – The Capitol Loop is cancelled as a state trunkline highway route and all portions of the route not concurrently designated with other rotues (e.g. BL I-96) are transferred to municipal control. The City of Lansing had been slowly converting some of its downtown one-way streets to two-way operation and had been in talks with MDOT to possibly regain control of the Capitol Loop streets to potentially convert those to two-way traffic as well. The Capitol Loop cancellation, interestingly, comes with a "re-establishment" of a portion of M-143 along Michigan Ave from Detroit St (one block west of US-127 at the wbd Michigan Left location) easterly to the Lansing/East Lansing city limit. This segment had been cancelled and turned back to city control in October 1989 when the Capitol Loop was established and transferred to state control! Now, the reverse has ocurred, at least in part. (The portion of the former 1962–1989 route of M-143 along Michigan Ave from downtown Lansing easterly to Detroit St remains a city street.) The Capitol Loop street segments which are transferred to municipal control are:
  • Martin Luther King Jr Blvd – Saint Joseph St northerly to Ottawa St
  • Allegan St – Martin Luther King Jr Blvd easterly to Grand Ave
  • Ottawa St – Grand Ave westerly to Martin Luther King Jr Blvd
  • Grand Ave – Allegan St northerly to Ottawa St
  • Michigan Ave – Wbd BL I-96/Nbd Larch St westerly across the Grand River to Grand Ave
Freeway/Expwy: No portion of the Capitol Loop was freeway or expressway.
NHS: The entirety of the Former Capitol Loop is on the National Highway System (NHS). (The portion of the route west of BL I-96/Cedar-Larch Sts to the western terminus at I-496 Exit 5 was added to the NHS in 2012 with the passage of the MAP-21 funding and authorization bill.)
Photographs:
Weblinks: • Former Capitol Loop Route Map – detailed map of the route of the Former Capitol Loop in downtown Lansing. Includes termini, major state government buildings, and unsigned route turns.
  • Capitol Loop @ Michigan Highway Ends – photos of the termini of the Capitol Loop at Dan Garnell's archived Michigan Highway Ends website.
  • Renew the Loop! Presentation – (700 KB PDF) from MDOT via MichiganHighways.
  • Capitol Loop Fact Sheet – from MDOT.
  • Capitol Loop Reopening – from MDOT.
 
Former BS I-96 (Portland) BUS US-127 (St Johns) BUS US-127 (Harrison) BUS US-131 (Cadillac) BS I-375 (Detroit)
BL I-96 (Lansing) BUS US-127 (Ithaca) BUS US-131 (Constantine) BUS US-131 (Manton) CAPITOL LOOP (Lansing)
BL I-96 (Howell) BUS US-127 (Alma) BUS US-131 (Three Rivers) BL I-196 (South Haven)  
Former BS I-96 (Detroit) BUS US-127 (St Louis) BUS US-131 (Kalamazoo) BL I-196 (Holland)  
BUS US-127 (Jackson) BUS US-127 (Mt Pleasant) Fmr BUS US-131 (Grand Rapids) BS I-196 (Wyoming)  
Former BUS US-127 (Lansing) BUS US-127 (Clare) BUS US-131 (Big Rapids) BUS US-223 (Adrian)  

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