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M-19 (Michigan highway)
Encyclopedia
M-19 is a state trunkline highway
in the US state of Michigan
. It begins northeast of Detroit
at a junction with I-94
and runs northward to a junction with M-142
just east of Bad Axe in the thumb
.
at exit 247. From there it runs parallel to I-94 until passing through the city of Richmond
where it turns northward. Continuing north, beyond Richmond, M-19 travels through mostly rural areas and agricultural fields and continues as such, through the community of Memphis
until its junction with I-69
, at exit 184, about 15 miles (24.1 km) west of Port Huron
.
From here the route continues north, passing through small, rural communities such as Emmett
and Brockway where it has a junction with M-136
. North of Brockway the road jogs to the west passing east of the Yale Airport
, a small grass landing strip just southeast of the city of Yale
. The road jogs to the west again as it passes through Yale where it serves as Main Street in the small community.
After passing through Yale, the surroundings open up into agricultural fields once again as the road continues its trek northward, again passing through small rural communities such as Peck
and Speaker. About 26 miles (41.8 km) north of Yale, the road approaches the city of Sandusky, the county seat of Sanilac County
. Near the center of town the route meets up with M-46
, and turns west, to form a concurrency that lasts for about five miles (8 km).
After the two routes go their separate ways, M-19 heads back to the north as it enters rural and agricultural areas again. The road heads due north for the next 30 miles (48.3 km) passing through small communities such as Elmer, Argyle and Ubly
, before reaching its northern terminus at M-142
just east of the city of Bad Axe, the county seat of Huron County
and the largest city on the route since Richmond.
and traveled all the way to Port Huron
via Gratiot Road, a portion of which is designated M-3
today. The road then traveled to the west via Lapeer and Brandon Roads, part of what used to be M-21
just north of I-69, before turning north on a road similar to its present day alignment. It continued on this road through Yale, Sandusky and Ubly to a junction with M-31
, what is now M-142. The route then ran west through town and north along present day M-53
where it terminated in Port Austin
at a junction with what was then M-27 (which would later become US 25 and then M-25).
After 1926, when the U.S. Highway System was implemented, a large portion of the southern section of the route - the entire length of Gratiot - was converted into U.S. Route 25
; M-19 was then realigned to run straighter to the south through Emmett and Memphis before terminating at the newly designated U.S. Route 25 near Richmond. The portion between Port Huron and Goodells was decommissioned while it retained the M-21 designation. Portions that were bypassed with the new alignment through Emmett and Memphis were turned back to local control. The northern terminus of the route was truncated back to its present day location. In 1963, the southern terminus was extended along former U.S. Route 25 to New Haven (returning the M-19 designation to a portion of Gratiot after 37 years), and then southeasterly along New Haven Road to connect with the newly completed I-94 freeway.
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 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 begins northeast of Detroit
Detroit, Michigan
Detroit is the major city among the primary cultural, financial, and transportation centers in the Metro Detroit area, a region of 5.2 million people. As the seat of Wayne County, the city of Detroit is the largest city in the U.S. state of Michigan and serves as a major port on the Detroit River...
at a junction with I-94
Interstate 94
Interstate 94 is the northernmost east–west Interstate Highway, connecting the Great Lakes and Intermountain regions of the United States. I-94's western terminus is in Billings, Montana at a junction with Interstate 90; its eastern terminus is the U.S...
and runs northward to a junction with M-142
M-142 (Michigan highway)
M-142 is a state trunkline highway in the Thumb region of the US state of Michigan. It is a "trans-peninsular" route in that it travels from Bay Port on Saginaw Bay to Harbor Beach on Lake Huron, thereby crossing the thumb peninsula.-Route description:...
just east of Bad Axe in the thumb
The Thumb
The Thumb is a region and a peninsula of Michigan, so named because the Lower Peninsula is shaped like a mitten; thus the Thumb is the area that looks like the thumb of the mitten. The Thumb is generally considered to be in the Mid-Michigan area of the state, located east of Flint/Tri-Cities...
.
Route description
M-19 begins at a junction with I-94 north of DetroitDetroit, Michigan
Detroit is the major city among the primary cultural, financial, and transportation centers in the Metro Detroit area, a region of 5.2 million people. As the seat of Wayne County, the city of Detroit is the largest city in the U.S. state of Michigan and serves as a major port on the Detroit River...
at exit 247. From there it runs parallel to I-94 until passing through the city of Richmond
Richmond, Michigan
Richmond is a city on the border between Macomb and St. Clair counties in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 4,897 at the 2000 census. The 2008 Census Bureau Estimate places the population at 5,606. Most of the city is located in Macomb County, though there is a small portion in St....
where it turns northward. Continuing north, beyond Richmond, M-19 travels through mostly rural areas and agricultural fields and continues as such, through the community of Memphis
Memphis, Michigan
Memphis is a city on the line between Macomb and St. Clair counties in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 1,129 at the 2000 census.-Geography:...
until its junction with I-69
Interstate 69
Interstate 69 is an Interstate Highway in the United States. It exists in two parts: a completed highway from Indianapolis, Indiana, northeast to the Canadian border in Port Huron, Michigan, and a mostly proposed extension southwest to the Mexican border in Texas...
, at exit 184, about 15 miles (24.1 km) west of Port Huron
Port Huron, Michigan
Port Huron is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan and the county seat of St. Clair County. The population was 30,184 at the 2010 census. The city is adjacent to Port Huron Township but is administratively autonomous. It is joined by the Blue Water Bridge over the St. Clair River to Sarnia,...
.
From here the route continues north, passing through small, rural communities such as Emmett
Emmett, Michigan
Emmett is a village in St. Clair County of the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 251 at the 2000 census. The village is located within Emmett Township.-Geography:...
and Brockway where it has a junction with M-136
M-136 (Michigan highway)
M-136 is a state highway in the US state of Michigan that runs from Brockway to north of Port Huron in the lower Thumb area of the Lower Peninsula. The route serves as a connector between M-19 and the coastal route, M-25.-Route description:...
. North of Brockway the road jogs to the west passing east of the Yale Airport
Yale Airport
Yale Airport is a public-use airport located one nautical mile southeast of the central business district of Yale, a city in St. Clair County, Michigan, United States.- Facilities and aircraft :...
, a small grass landing strip just southeast of the city of Yale
Yale, Michigan
Yale is a city in St. Clair County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 2,063 at the 2000 census. Yale is considered unofficially as the Bologna Capital of the world, in part due to its . Yale bologna is sold in grocery stores throughout the area. Yale is also home to the Yale...
. The road jogs to the west again as it passes through Yale where it serves as Main Street in the small community.
After passing through Yale, the surroundings open up into agricultural fields once again as the road continues its trek northward, again passing through small rural communities such as Peck
Peck, Michigan
Peck is a village in Sanilac County of the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2000 census, the village population was 599. The village is in Elk Township.-Geography:According to the United States Census Bureau, the village has a total area of , all land....
and Speaker. About 26 miles (41.8 km) north of Yale, the road approaches the city of Sandusky, the county seat of Sanilac County
Sanilac County, Michigan
-Highways:* M-19* M-25* M-46* M-53* M-81* M-90-History:Sanilac County was probably named for a Wyandot chief named Sanilac. See List of Michigan county name etymologies....
. Near the center of town the route meets up with M-46
M-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...
, and turns west, to form a concurrency that lasts for about five miles (8 km).
After the two routes go their separate ways, M-19 heads back to the north as it enters rural and agricultural areas again. The road heads due north for the next 30 miles (48.3 km) passing through small communities such as Elmer, Argyle and Ubly
Ubly, Michigan
Ubly is a village in Huron County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 873 at the 2000 census. The village is within Bingham Township.On February 25, 2004, a wolverine was spotted in Michigan for the first time in over 200 years near Ubly....
, before reaching its northern terminus at M-142
M-142 (Michigan highway)
M-142 is a state trunkline highway in the Thumb region of the US state of Michigan. It is a "trans-peninsular" route in that it travels from Bay Port on Saginaw Bay to Harbor Beach on Lake Huron, thereby crossing the thumb peninsula.-Route description:...
just east of the city of Bad Axe, the county seat of Huron County
Huron County, Michigan
-Highways:* M-19* M-25* M-53* M-142-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 36,079 people, 14,597 households, and 10,144 families residing in the county. The population density was 43 people per square mile . There were 20,430 housing units at an average density of 24 per square mile...
and the largest city on the route since Richmond.
History
Prior to its current alignment, M-19 existed in a much longer format. Prior to the implementation of the U.S. Highway System in 1926, M-19 began in downtown DetroitDetroit, Michigan
Detroit is the major city among the primary cultural, financial, and transportation centers in the Metro Detroit area, a region of 5.2 million people. As the seat of Wayne County, the city of Detroit is the largest city in the U.S. state of Michigan and serves as a major port on the Detroit River...
and traveled all the way to Port Huron
Port Huron, Michigan
Port Huron is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan and the county seat of St. Clair County. The population was 30,184 at the 2010 census. The city is adjacent to Port Huron Township but is administratively autonomous. It is joined by the Blue Water Bridge over the St. Clair River to Sarnia,...
via Gratiot Road, a portion of which is designated M-3
M-3 (Michigan highway)
M-3 is a north–south state highway in the US state of Michigan in the Detroit metropolitan area. For most of its length, M-3 is known as Gratiot Avenue...
today. The road then traveled to the west via Lapeer and Brandon Roads, part of what used to be M-21
M-21 (Michigan highway)
M-21 is an east–west state trunkline highway in the US state of Michigan connecting the cities of Grand Rapids and Flint. The highway passes through rural farming country and several small towns along its course through the Lower Peninsula...
just north of I-69, before turning north on a road similar to its present day alignment. It continued on this road through Yale, Sandusky and Ubly to a junction with M-31
M-31 (Michigan highway)
M-31 was a state trunkline highway in the Lower Peninsula in the US state of Michigan. It served as a connecting route between Saginaw, The Thumb communities, and Port Huron.-Route description:...
, what is now M-142. The route then ran west through town and north along present day M-53
M-53 (Michigan highway)
M-53 is a gateway route to The Thumb region of the US state of Michigan, carrying vacationers to the many cottages and resorts located on Saginaw Bay and Lake Huron in the vicinity of Caseville and Port Austin. This highway is also used to transport agricultural and manufactured products from the...
where it terminated in Port Austin
Port Austin, Michigan
Port Austin is a village in Huron County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 737 at the 2000 census. The village is within Port Austin Township.-Geography:...
at a junction with what was then M-27 (which would later become US 25 and then M-25).
After 1926, when the U.S. Highway System was implemented, a large portion of the southern section of the route - the entire length of Gratiot - was converted into U.S. Route 25
U.S. Route 25
U.S. Route 25 is a north–south United States highway that runs for from Brunswick, Georgia to the Ohio state line in Covington, Kentucky.-Georgia:...
; M-19 was then realigned to run straighter to the south through Emmett and Memphis before terminating at the newly designated U.S. Route 25 near Richmond. The portion between Port Huron and Goodells was decommissioned while it retained the M-21 designation. Portions that were bypassed with the new alignment through Emmett and Memphis were turned back to local control. The northern terminus of the route was truncated back to its present day location. In 1963, the southern terminus was extended along former U.S. Route 25 to New Haven (returning the M-19 designation to a portion of Gratiot after 37 years), and then southeasterly along New Haven Road to connect with the newly completed I-94 freeway.