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M-18 (Michigan highway)
Encyclopedia
M-18 is a north–south state trunkline highway
in the Lower Peninsula
of the US state of Michigan
. It runs for 77.53 miles (124.8 km) through the central region
of the state connecting US Highway 10
(US 10) near North Bradley with M-72
in rural Crawford County
near the community of Luzerne. In between, the roadway connects several smaller communities while running through woodlands in a both state and national forest areas. Two segments of M-18 run along sections of county boundaries, and one part of the highway forms a component of the business loop for the village of Roscommon
.
When the highway was first designated in the late 1910s, it extended farther south than it does today and ended well short of its current northern terminus. The southern end was added to another state highway, truncating M-18's length to roughly its current southern terminus in 1926. The northern end was also simultaneously extended for the first time with these revisions to the highway's routing. In the 1940s, the northern extension was reversed and then reinstated. M-18's course was last changed with the opening of three different freeways in the area in the 1960s and 1970s.
at the North Bradley interchange on US 10 in rural Midland County
. The highway runs due north through woodlands that are a part of the Au Sable State Forest
and into Gladwin County
. The trunkline enters the community of Beaverton
and turns northwest to cross the section of the Tobacco River
known as Ross Lake. Continuing northwesterly, the road runs along a section of the lake and then turns back due northerly. North of Beaverton, M-18 runs through some farm fields as it approaches the county seat
of Gladwin
. The highway runs through the southwestern outskirts of town near a golf course as it approaches a junction with M-61
. M-18 merges with, and runs concurrently
along, M-61 eastward into town on Cedar Avenue. At Silverleaf Street, M-18 turns back north near the airport
. M-18 continues northward out of town back into farm country.
The highway turns westward along Wirtz Road and past the southern terminus of county road F-97 in the northern part of Gladwin County. Near a crossing with the Cedar River
, M-18 turns north along Bard Road and then west again along Renas Road. The highway returns to its northerly course when it turns to run along Clarwin Road, which runs along the Clare
–Gladwin county line. The roadway angles to the northwest briefly, cutting across the extreme northeast corner of Clare County as the highway crosses into Roscommon County
. Through the southern portion of the county, the road runs through the Roscommon forest management unit of the Au Sable State Forest as it approaches Prudenville
. In that community, M-18 turns northeasterly and runs along M-55
along the eastern shore of Houghton Lake
. The two highways separate on the eastern edge of town, and M-18 turns northward, intersecting the northern end of M-157
. M-18 continues north, parallel to Interstate 75
(I-75) near Higgins Lake
; M-18 crosses I-75 at exit 239 south of Roscommon
.
North of this freeway interchange, M-18 is also the route of Business Loop I-75 (BL I-75). The combined BL I-75/M-18 runs north near the Roscommon Conservation Airport and turns northeasterly into town. In the middle of Roscommon, BL I-75 turns northwest along Old 76 Road
, and M-18 continues northeasterly across a line of the Lake State Railway
. The highway continues independently to the northwest over the South Branch of the Au Sable River
and out of town. It then turns due east along the Roscommon–Crawford
county line. This section of the county line also forms the southern boundary of the Huron National Forest. M-18 curves to the northeast off the county line into the national forest territory where it meets F-97 for a second time. At this junction, F-97 merges with M-18 and the two roads run due north to a junction with M-72 west of Luzerne. At this intersection, F-97 continues north and M-18 terminates in rural Crawford County.
M-18 is maintained by the Michigan Department of Transportation
(MDOT) like all other state trunkline highways. As a part of these maintenance responsibilities, the department tracks the traffic volumes along the roads under its jurisdiction using a measurement called annual average daily traffic
(AADT). This is a metric for the level of traffic along a roadway segment for any average day of the year. In 2009, MDOT calculated that 14,017 vehicles used the section of M-18 along the M-61 concurrency, the highest traffic levels along M-18. The lowest AADT was found along the highway in Crawford County in the 2009 surveys. Commercial traffic varied between the 50 trucks daily in Crawford County and the 214 trucks a day north of Gladwin. No section of M-18 has been listed on the National Highway System
, a network of roads important to the country's economy, defense, and mobility.
west of Merrill
through Edenville
to M-14
(later US 27) in Prudenville
. The highway south of Beaverton was realigned to run due south a new terminus at North Bradley along the new US 10 in late 1926. The former routing between Beaverton and M-30
north of Edenville was redesignated M-80
, and the highway from the M-30 junction south to M-46 became an extended M-30. At the same time, the north end was extended along US 27 to end at M-76
in Roscommon. The northern extension was scaled back in 1941 to Prudenville.
When the new alignment for US 27 was opened in early 1949, M-18 was re-extended north from Prudenville to Roscommon, where it turned northwesterly with M-76 to end at US 27 south of Grayling
. The completion of two freeways in the state shifted the termini of M-18 slightly in 1961. The southern terminus was moved north about a mile (1.6 km) to the new US 10 freeway, and the northern terminus was also shifted north about a mile to the new I-75/US 27 freeway. The Michigan State Highway Department completed a freeway segment in 1970 in the Roscommon area for the modern I-75; in a temporary assignment they moved M-18/M-76 onto that freeway. When the remainder of the freeway for I-75 was completed between Roscommon and West Branch
in 1973, M-18 was rerouted at Roscommon to run northeasterly over the routing of M-144. Part of the former M-18/M-76 routing on the northwestern side of Roscommon was used for BL I-75.
Michigan Highway System
The Michigan State Trunkline Highway System is made up of all the highways designated as Interstates, U.S. Highways and State Highways in the US state of Michigan. The system is maintained by the Michigan Department of Transportation and comprises of trunklines in all 83 counties of Michigan on...
in the Lower Peninsula
Lower Peninsula of Michigan
The Lower Peninsula of Michigan is the southern of the two major landmasses of the U.S. state of Michigan. It is surrounded by water on all sides except its southern border, which it shares with Ohio and Indiana. Geographically, the Lower Peninsula has a recognizable shape that many people...
of the US state of Michigan
Michigan
Michigan is a U.S. state located in the Great Lakes Region of the United States of America. The name Michigan is the French form of the Ojibwa word mishigamaa, meaning "large water" or "large lake"....
. It runs for 77.53 miles (124.8 km) through the central region
Central Michigan
Central Michigan, often called Mid Michigan, is a region in the Lower Peninsula of the U.S. state of Michigan. Southern Michigan can be considered as a subregion of Central Michigan. As its name implies, it is the central area of the Lower Peninsula. Lower Michigan is said to resemble a mitten, and...
of the state connecting US Highway 10
U.S. Route 10 in Michigan
US Highway 10 is a part of the United States Numbered Highway System that runs from West Fargo, North Dakota, to the Lower Peninsula of the US state of Michigan. The highway enters the state on the SS Badger crossing Lake Michigan at Ludington and ends at Bay City.US 10 was created as part of...
(US 10) near North Bradley with M-72
M-72 (Michigan highway)
M-72 is a state trunkline highway in the US state of Michigan, running from Lake Huron to Lake Michigan across the northern part of the Lower Peninsula. The highway connects M-22 in Empire with US Highway 23 in Harrisville. It is one of only three Michigan state trunklines that cross the Lower...
in rural Crawford County
Crawford County, Michigan
See also: List of counties bordering eight counties-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 14,273 people, 5,625 households, and 4,038 families residing in the county. The population density was 26 people per square mile . There were 10,042 housing units at an average density of 18 per...
near the community of Luzerne. In between, the roadway connects several smaller communities while running through woodlands in a both state and national forest areas. Two segments of M-18 run along sections of county boundaries, and one part of the highway forms a component of the business loop for the village of Roscommon
Roscommon, Michigan
Roscommon is a village in the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2000 census, the village population was 1,133. It is the county seat of Roscommon County....
.
When the highway was first designated in the late 1910s, it extended farther south than it does today and ended well short of its current northern terminus. The southern end was added to another state highway, truncating M-18's length to roughly its current southern terminus in 1926. The northern end was also simultaneously extended for the first time with these revisions to the highway's routing. In the 1940s, the northern extension was reversed and then reinstated. M-18's course was last changed with the opening of three different freeways in the area in the 1960s and 1970s.
Route description
M-18 begins about 20 miles (32.2 km) northeast of Mount PleasantMount Pleasant, Michigan
Mount Pleasant is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan and the county seat of Isabella County. As of the 2000 census, the city population was 25,946. The 2008 census estimate places the population at 26,675....
at the North Bradley interchange on US 10 in rural Midland County
Midland County, Michigan
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 82,874 people, 31,769 households, and 22,683 families residing in the county. The population density was 159 people per square mile . There were 33,796 housing units at an average density of 65 per square mile...
. The highway runs due north through woodlands that are a part of the Au Sable State Forest
Au Sable State Forest
The Au Sable State Forest is a state forest in the north-central Lower Peninsula of Michigan. It is operated by the Michigan Department of Natural Resources....
and into Gladwin County
Gladwin County, Michigan
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 26,023 people, 10,561 households, and 7,614 families residing in the county. The population density was 51 people per square mile . There were 16,828 housing units at an average density of 33 per square mile...
. The trunkline enters the community of Beaverton
Beaverton, Michigan
Beaverton is a city in Gladwin County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 1,106 at the 2000 census.The city is adjacent to Beaverton Township and incorporates some land formerly in the township....
and turns northwest to cross the section of the Tobacco River
Tobacco River (Tittabawassee River)
The Tobacco River is a river in the U.S. state of Michigan. Located in Gladwin and Midland counties, the river rises in Beaverton at the confluence of the river's North, Middle, and South branches in Ross Lake. The river flows southeast and empties into the Tittabawassee River at the community of...
known as Ross Lake. Continuing northwesterly, the road runs along a section of the lake and then turns back due northerly. North of Beaverton, M-18 runs through some farm fields as it approaches the county seat
County seat
A county seat is an administrative center, or seat of government, for a county or civil parish. The term is primarily used in the United States....
of Gladwin
Gladwin, Michigan
Gladwin is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2000 census, the city population was 3,001. It is the county seat of Gladwin County.The city is at the southwest corner of Gladwin Township, but is politically independent....
. The highway runs through the southwestern outskirts of town near a golf course as it approaches a junction with M-61
M-61 (Michigan highway)
M-61 is a state trunkline highway in the US state of Michigan that runs between Marion and Standish. The highway runs along the boundary area between Northern Michigan and Central Michigan in the Lower Peninsula. M-61 runs through rural forestland connecting several smaller communities together as...
. M-18 merges with, and runs concurrently
Concurrency (road)
A concurrency, overlap, or coincidence in a road network is an instance of one physical road bearing two or more different highway, motorway, or other route numbers...
along, M-61 eastward into town on Cedar Avenue. At Silverleaf Street, M-18 turns back north near the airport
Gladwin Zettel Memorial Airport
Gladwin Zettel Memorial Airport is a public airport located 1 mile southeast of Gladwin in Gladwin County, Michigan, USA.-Runways:* Runway 9/27: 4,700 x 75 ft. , Surface: Asphalt* Runway 15/33: 2,600 x 150 ft...
. M-18 continues northward out of town back into farm country.
The highway turns westward along Wirtz Road and past the southern terminus of county road F-97 in the northern part of Gladwin County. Near a crossing with the Cedar River
Cedar River (Gladwin County, Michigan)
The Cedar River is a river in the U.S. state of Michigan, flowing though Clare County and Gladwin County.The main branch of the river is formed by the confluence of Cranberry Creek and the West Branch Cedar River at in Hamilton Township, Clare County...
, M-18 turns north along Bard Road and then west again along Renas Road. The highway returns to its northerly course when it turns to run along Clarwin Road, which runs along the Clare
Clare County, Michigan
- Demographics :As of the census of 2000, there were 31,252 people, 12,686 households, and 8,753 families residing in the county. The population density was 55 people per square mile . There were 22,229 housing units at an average density of 39 per square mile...
–Gladwin county line. The roadway angles to the northwest briefly, cutting across the extreme northeast corner of Clare County as the highway crosses into Roscommon County
Roscommon County, Michigan
-Local attractions and activities:The community is centered in the area of two very large lakes, in the middle of large state forests. Wildlife are nearby, including bear, deer, eagles, Kirtland's Warblers, and turkeys. Local attractions and activities include:...
. Through the southern portion of the county, the road runs through the Roscommon forest management unit of the Au Sable State Forest as it approaches Prudenville
Prudenville, Michigan
Prudenville is an unincorporated community in Denton Township, Roscommon County in the U.S. state of Michigan. It is a Census-designated place for statistical purposes...
. In that community, M-18 turns northeasterly and runs along M-55
M-55 (Michigan highway)
M-55 is a state trunkline highway in the northern part of the US state of Michigan. M-55 is one of only three state highways that extend across the Lower Peninsula from Lake Huron to Lake Michigan; the others are M-46 and M-72. The highway crosses through rural forest and farmlands to connect...
along the eastern shore of Houghton Lake
Houghton Lake (Michigan)
Houghton Lake is a large lake in Roscommon County. The unincorporated community of Prudenville is at the southeastern end of the lake, while the unincorporated communities of Houghton Lake and Houghton Lake Heights are on the southwest and west shores...
. The two highways separate on the eastern edge of town, and M-18 turns northward, intersecting the northern end of M-157
M-157 (Michigan highway)
M-157 is a short state trunkline highway in the US state of Michigan. The highway is entirely within Roscommon County in the Lower Peninsula. It is the fourth shortest state highway in the system, and it serves as a connector route between M-18 and M-55 just east of Prudenville...
. M-18 continues north, parallel to Interstate 75
Interstate 75 in Michigan
Interstate 75 is a part of the Interstate Highway System and runs from Miami, Florida to Sault Ste. Marie in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. I-75 enters the state from Ohio in the south, just to the north of Toledo. It runs generally north through Detroit, Pontiac and Bay City, crossing the...
(I-75) near Higgins Lake
Higgins Lake
Higgins Lake is a large recreational and fishing lake in Roscommon County, in the U.S. state of Michigan. The 9,900 acre lake is known for its deep, clear waters and is the 10th largest in Michigan with a shoreline of . It is named after Sylvester Higgins, Michigan's first chief of the...
; M-18 crosses I-75 at exit 239 south of Roscommon
Roscommon, Michigan
Roscommon is a village in the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2000 census, the village population was 1,133. It is the county seat of Roscommon County....
.
North of this freeway interchange, M-18 is also the route of Business Loop I-75 (BL I-75). The combined BL I-75/M-18 runs north near the Roscommon Conservation Airport and turns northeasterly into town. In the middle of Roscommon, BL I-75 turns northwest along Old 76 Road
M-76 (Michigan highway)
M-76 is a former state trunkline highway designation in the Lower Peninsula of the US state of Michigan. The highway's designation was decommissioned when the last section of it was converted to freeway as a part of the present-day Interstate 75 . At that time, M-76 extended from US Highway 23 ...
, and M-18 continues northeasterly across a line of the Lake State Railway
Lake State Railway
Lake State Railway is a railroad operating in the northeast quadrant of the Lower Peninsula of Michigan. The railroad moves large quantities of aggregate and limestone....
. The highway continues independently to the northwest over the South Branch of the Au Sable River
Au Sable River (Michigan)
The Au Sable River in Michigan runs approximately through the northern Lower Peninsula, through the towns of Grayling and Mio, and enters Lake Huron at Oscoda. It is considered one of the best brown trout fisheries east of the Rockies and has been designated a blue ribbon trout stream by the...
and out of town. It then turns due east along the Roscommon–Crawford
Crawford County, Michigan
See also: List of counties bordering eight counties-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 14,273 people, 5,625 households, and 4,038 families residing in the county. The population density was 26 people per square mile . There were 10,042 housing units at an average density of 18 per...
county line. This section of the county line also forms the southern boundary of the Huron National Forest. M-18 curves to the northeast off the county line into the national forest territory where it meets F-97 for a second time. At this junction, F-97 merges with M-18 and the two roads run due north to a junction with M-72 west of Luzerne. At this intersection, F-97 continues north and M-18 terminates in rural Crawford County.
M-18 is maintained by the Michigan Department of Transportation
Michigan Department of Transportation
The Michigan Department of Transportation is a constitutional government agency in the US state of Michigan. The primary purpose of MDOT is to maintain the Michigan State Trunkline Highway System which includes all Interstate, US and state highways in Michigan with the exception of the Mackinac...
(MDOT) like all other state trunkline highways. As a part of these maintenance responsibilities, the department tracks the traffic volumes along the roads under its jurisdiction using a measurement called annual average daily traffic
Annual average daily traffic
Average Annual daily traffic, abbreviated AADT, is a measure used primarily in transportation planning and transportation engineering. It is the total volume of vehicle traffic of a highway or road for a year divided by 365 days. AADT is a useful and simple measurement of how busy the road is...
(AADT). This is a metric for the level of traffic along a roadway segment for any average day of the year. In 2009, MDOT calculated that 14,017 vehicles used the section of M-18 along the M-61 concurrency, the highest traffic levels along M-18. The lowest AADT was found along the highway in Crawford County in the 2009 surveys. Commercial traffic varied between the 50 trucks daily in Crawford County and the 214 trucks a day north of Gladwin. No section of M-18 has been listed on the National Highway System
National Highway System (United States)
The National Highway System is a network of strategic highways within the United States, including the Interstate Highway System and other roads serving major airports, ports, rail or truck terminals, railway stations, pipeline terminals and other strategic transport facilities.Individual states...
, a network of roads important to the country's economy, defense, and mobility.
History
By July 1, 1919, M-18 was first designated on a routing that ran between M-46M-46 (Michigan highway)
M-46 is an east–west state trunkline highway in the US state of Michigan between Muskegon and Port Sanilac, terminating near Lake Michigan and Lake Huron on each end. Except for the north–south segment that corresponds with the US Highway 131 freeway between Cedar Springs and Howard City, M-46 is...
west of Merrill
Merrill, Michigan
Merrill is a village located in Jonesfield Township in Saginaw County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 782 at the 2000 census...
through Edenville
Edenville, Michigan
Edenville is a small unincorporated community in Edenville Township, Midland County in the U.S. state of Michigan.The community is in the northeast corner of the township near the boundary with Gladwin County, but the settlement is mostly within Midland County...
to M-14
M-14 (Michigan highway)
M-14 is a east–west state trunkline highway in the southeastern portion of the US state of Michigan. Entirely freeway, it connects Ann Arbor with Detroit by way of connecting with I-96.-Route description:...
(later US 27) in Prudenville
Prudenville, Michigan
Prudenville is an unincorporated community in Denton Township, Roscommon County in the U.S. state of Michigan. It is a Census-designated place for statistical purposes...
. The highway south of Beaverton was realigned to run due south a new terminus at North Bradley along the new US 10 in late 1926. The former routing between Beaverton and M-30
M-30 (Michigan highway)
M-30 is a state trunkline highway in the U.S. state of Michigan that runs in a north–south direction from the Midland area to West Branch. The highway runs through rural parts of three counties in the Lower Peninsula. The southern end runs along the Michigan Meridian and parallel to the...
north of Edenville was redesignated M-80
M-80 (Michigan highway)
M-80 is a state trunkline highway in the Upper Peninsula of the US state of Michigan. It runs from Kinross to M-129 near Donaldson. The highway serves the site of the former Kincheloe Air Force Base and the current Chippewa County International Airport...
, and the highway from the M-30 junction south to M-46 became an extended M-30. At the same time, the north end was extended along US 27 to end at M-76
M-76 (Michigan highway)
M-76 is a former state trunkline highway designation in the Lower Peninsula of the US state of Michigan. The highway's designation was decommissioned when the last section of it was converted to freeway as a part of the present-day Interstate 75 . At that time, M-76 extended from US Highway 23 ...
in Roscommon. The northern extension was scaled back in 1941 to Prudenville.
When the new alignment for US 27 was opened in early 1949, M-18 was re-extended north from Prudenville to Roscommon, where it turned northwesterly with M-76 to end at US 27 south of Grayling
Grayling, Michigan
Grayling is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan and the county seat of Crawford County. The population was 1,952 at the 2000 census. Grayling takes its name from the Grayling fish that was once prevalent in its lakes and streams....
. The completion of two freeways in the state shifted the termini of M-18 slightly in 1961. The southern terminus was moved north about a mile (1.6 km) to the new US 10 freeway, and the northern terminus was also shifted north about a mile to the new I-75/US 27 freeway. The Michigan State Highway Department completed a freeway segment in 1970 in the Roscommon area for the modern I-75; in a temporary assignment they moved M-18/M-76 onto that freeway. When the remainder of the freeway for I-75 was completed between Roscommon and West Branch
West Branch, Michigan
West Branch is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2000 census, the city population was 1,926. It is the county seat of Ogemaw County. The city is located within West Branch Township, but is politically independent.-History:...
in 1973, M-18 was rerouted at Roscommon to run northeasterly over the routing of M-144. Part of the former M-18/M-76 routing on the northwestern side of Roscommon was used for BL I-75.