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M-40 (Michigan highway)
Encyclopedia
M-40 is a north–south state trunkline highway
in the Lower Peninsula
of the US state of Michigan
. The highway runs from US Highway 12
(US 12) near the Indiana
state line in Porter Township
north through Paw Paw
and Allegan
to end in the outskirts of Holland
. The current northern end is near Interstate 196
(I-196) at an intersection with US 31
/Business Loop I-196 (BL 196). In between, M-40 runs through mixed agricultural and forest lands and along lakes and rivers through Southwest Michigan.
The trunkline was designated by July 1, 1919 along with the rest of the original state highway system along a route that is different that of today. South of Paw Paw, the original M-40 reached Niles
and even the Indiana state line for a time. The northern end was extended in stages to Holland. The southern end was shifted in the 1970s, resulting in the current routing.
. Running north through farm fields, the highway rounds Bar Lake and into the community of Jones. The area around Jones has a few more lakes in a wooded setting. As the trunkline continues north, it passes back into farm lands. The road curves around to the northwest as it passes between Bogart Lake and Streeters Mill Pond near Dutch Settlement Road. M-40 follows Centre Street into Marcellus
. When the highway meets the western end of M-216
in town, M-40 turns west along Main Street and runs out of town. The roadway returns to a northerly course, and later it curves northwesterly again near Cedar Lake near the Van Buren County
line.
Continuing north, the trunkline passes through mixed agricultural and wood lands into the community of Lawton
. M-40 follows Main Street through town and exits on a northwestern track towards the village of Paw Paw. M-40 crosses over I-94
and turns north into town running along Maple Lake. The highway crosses the narrow isthmus between the larger Maple Lake and the smaller Ackley Lake, passing through some small residential subdivisions as it leaves Paw Paw. Small farms dot the landscape as M-40 crosses M-43
in a rural area of the county on the way to Gobles
. It is in this small city that the road crosses the Kal-Haven Trail State Park
, a linear park that follows the former Kalamazoo and South Haven Railroad
line. The rail line was converted into a rail trail
and allows users to bike, hike or snowmobile between Kalamazoo
and South Haven
.
M-40 crosses into Allegan County
near Base Line Lake
. The highway follows Jenner Street along some curves near the banks of the Kalamazoo River
as the trunkline enters the south side of Allegan. M-40 meets M-89
, and the two highways run concurrently
into downtown together on Cedar Street. At the intersection with Cutler Street, M-40/M-89 meets the western end of M-222
and M-40/M-89 turns west onto Cutler Street. The street name changes to Western Avenue as M-40/M-89 curves north and northwest, crossing the Kalamazoo River and leaving town. North of Lake Allegan, M-89 separates and runs west toward Fennville
, and M-40 extends to Hamilton, crossing the Rabbit River
. The highway runs through more farms and approaches the outskirts of Holland. The trunkline crosses over I-196 and follows Lincoln Road through an industrial area on the southeast side of town. At 48th Street, the highway turns west until meeting Lincoln Avenue. There, M-40 turns north for several blocks before ending at the intersection with BL I-196/US 31.
and Decatur
roughly along the current path of M-51
. Then it traveled to the northeast where it entered Paw Paw and continued north to Allegan. By 1921, M-40 is shown on maps extending south of Niles to the Indiana
state line, but not extending to Allegan. The segment from Niles south was used for the routing of US 31 in 1926. A section of the highway was realigned in the same time period near Paw Paw. After the change, M-40 followed the contemporary US 12 instead of Paw Paw Road. A rerouting of M-89 in 1927 shifted it to run from Allegan southeast to Plainwell
instead of east to Martin
; M-40 replaced M-89 on the Allegan–Martin roadway. In 1929, the routing from Allegan to Martin was removed and renumbered M-118, and M-40 was extended to the north out of Allegan along M-89 and its modern routing to a new terminus in Holland
ending at US 31. The last segment of unpaved highway was paved in late 1945 or early 1946. This segment was near Dunningville in central Allegan County.
In late 1960 or early 1961, when the I-94 freeway was completed in Van Buren County, M-40 moved to the new freeway for four miles (6.4 km), between present day exits 56 and 60, and the former route along old US 12 was returned to local control. In 1971, all of M-40 south of I-94 was reassigned the designation M-51
while M-40 was shifted to the east to take over the routing of the contemporary M-119
between Paw Paw and its intersection with US 12 in Porter Township
near Mottville; the M-40 designation on the section of I-94 was dropped. In 1994, the northern terminus was scaled back from the US 31 business loop to its present terminus at US 31 on the southeast side of Holland.
Local officials in Allegan have proposed creation of a truck route around the town. Concerned about the traffic and noise, residents have formed the Citizens for a Safer Community. They cite reports that show that the accident rates in town are higher than the statewide average. The group and local officials are proposing using 24th Street, 118th Avenue and Babylon Road for truck traffic. MDOT would require permits to erect the signs needed for the truck route. The department has indicated that the bypass would not be a state highway. MDOT will not take ownership of the roads needed for the truck route, but overall the department is supportive of the city's efforts to make the downtown area more pedestrian friendly.
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"....
. The highway runs from US Highway 12
U.S. Route 12 in Michigan
US Highway 12 is a US Highway that runs from Aberdeen, Washington to Detroit, Michigan. In the US state of Michigan it runs for . Previous to the creation of Interstate Highways in Michigan, US 12 ran along Michigan Avenue between Kalamazoo and Detroit, a highway corridor now served by I-94...
(US 12) near the Indiana
Indiana
Indiana is a US state, admitted to the United States as the 19th on December 11, 1816. It is located in the Midwestern United States and Great Lakes Region. With 6,483,802 residents, the state is ranked 15th in population and 16th in population density. Indiana is ranked 38th in land area and is...
state line in Porter Township
Porter Township, Cass County, Michigan
Porter Township is a civil township of Cass County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 3,794 at the 2000 census.-Communities:* Union is an unincorporated community in the southeast part of the township on US 12.-Geography:...
north through Paw Paw
Paw Paw, Michigan
Paw Paw is a village in the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2000 census, the village population was 3,363. It is the county seat of Van Buren County.-Overview:...
and Allegan
Allegan, Michigan
Allegan is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2000 census, the city population was 4,838. It is the county seat of Allegan County. The city lies within Allegan Township, but is administratively autonomous....
to end in the outskirts of Holland
Holland, Michigan
Holland is a city in the western region of the Lower Peninsula of the U.S. state of Michigan. It is situated near the eastern shore of Lake Michigan on Lake Macatawa, which is fed by the Macatawa River ....
. The current northern end is near Interstate 196
Interstate 196
Interstate 196 is a long freeway spur route in the US state of Michigan linking Grand Rapids, Holland, South Haven, and Benton Harbor. I-196 is known as the Gerald R. Ford Freeway, or simply the Ford Freeway, in Kent, Ottawa, and Allegan Counties, after the 38th President of the United States,...
(I-196) at an intersection with US 31
U.S. Route 31 in Michigan
US Highway 31 is a part of the United States Numbered Highway System that runs from Alabama, to the Upper Peninsula of the US state of Michigan. In Michigan, it is a state trunkline highway that runs from the Indiana–Michigan state line at Bertrand Township to its terminus at Interstate 75 south...
/Business Loop I-196 (BL 196). In between, M-40 runs through mixed agricultural and forest lands and along lakes and rivers through Southwest Michigan.
The trunkline was designated by July 1, 1919 along with the rest of the original state highway system along a route that is different that of today. South of Paw Paw, the original M-40 reached Niles
Niles, Michigan
Niles is a city in Berrien and Cass counties in the U.S. state of Michigan, near South Bend, Indiana. The population was 11,600 at the 2010 census. It is the greater populated of two principal cities of and included in the Niles-Benton Harbor, Michigan Metropolitan Statistical Area, which has a...
and even the Indiana state line for a time. The northern end was extended in stages to Holland. The southern end was shifted in the 1970s, resulting in the current routing.
Route description
M-40 starts at an intersection with US 12 in rural Cass CountyCass County, Michigan
Cass County is a county in the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2000 census, the population was 51,104. It is part of the South Bend–Mishawaka, IN-MI, Metropolitan Statistical Area which has a total population of 316,663 and is sometimes considered part of Greater Michiana...
. Running north through farm fields, the highway rounds Bar Lake and into the community of Jones. The area around Jones has a few more lakes in a wooded setting. As the trunkline continues north, it passes back into farm lands. The road curves around to the northwest as it passes between Bogart Lake and Streeters Mill Pond near Dutch Settlement Road. M-40 follows Centre Street into Marcellus
Marcellus, Michigan
Marcellus is a village in Cass County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 1,162 at the 2000 census. The village is located within Marcellus Township...
. When the highway meets the western end of M-216
M-216 (Michigan highway)
M-216 is a state trunkline highway in the US state of Michigan that serves as a connector route between M-40 at Marcellus and US Highway 131 . The highway runs through a rural area of the southwestern part of the state. It has been a part of the highway system since 1935; the current form of...
in town, M-40 turns west along Main Street and runs out of town. The roadway returns to a northerly course, and later it curves northwesterly again near Cedar Lake near the Van Buren County
Van Buren County, Michigan
-Parks, preserves, natural areas:* Dunes Parkway, an 84 acre preserve of dunes in Covert Township* Jeptha Lake Fen Preserve, a 49 acre preserve in Columbia Township...
line.
Continuing north, the trunkline passes through mixed agricultural and wood lands into the community of Lawton
Lawton, Michigan
Lawton is a village in Van Buren County of the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2000 census, the village population was 1,859.-Geography:According to the United States Census Bureau, the village has a total area of , all land.-Demographics:...
. M-40 follows Main Street through town and exits on a northwestern track towards the village of Paw Paw. M-40 crosses over I-94
Interstate 94 in Michigan
Interstate 94 is a part of the Interstate Highway System that runs from Billings, Montana, to the Lower Peninsula of the US state of Michigan. In Michigan, it is a state trunkline highway that enters the state south of New Buffalo...
and turns north into town running along Maple Lake. The highway crosses the narrow isthmus between the larger Maple Lake and the smaller Ackley Lake, passing through some small residential subdivisions as it leaves Paw Paw. Small farms dot the landscape as M-40 crosses M-43
M-43 (Michigan highway)
M-43 is a state trunkline highway in southwestern and central parts of the US state of Michigan. The highway runs from South Haven to Webberville along an indirect path through both rural areas and larger cities...
in a rural area of the county on the way to Gobles
Gobles, Michigan
Gobles is a city in Van Buren County of the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 829. It was originally called Gobleville, after its founders, the Goble family.-History:...
. It is in this small city that the road crosses the Kal-Haven Trail State Park
Kal-Haven Trail
The Kal-Haven Trail, formally known as the Kal-Haven Trail Sesquicentennial State Park, is a rail trail that originally ran 33.5 miles between South Haven, Michigan, to a point just west of the city of Kalamazoo, Michigan, where there is a trailhead...
, a linear park that follows the former Kalamazoo and South Haven Railroad
Kalamazoo and South Haven Railroad
The Kalamazoo and South Haven Railroad is a defunct railroad which operated in southern Michigan during the late 19th and early 20th centuries....
line. The rail line was converted into a rail trail
Rail trail
A rail trail is the conversion of a disused railway easement into a multi-use path, typically for walking, cycling and sometimes horse riding. The characteristics of former tracks—flat, long, frequently running through historical areas—are appealing for various development. The term sometimes also...
and allows users to bike, hike or snowmobile between Kalamazoo
Kalamazoo, Michigan
The area on which the modern city stands was once home to Native Americans of the Hopewell culture, who migrated into the area sometime before the first millennium. Evidence of their early residency remains in the form of a small mound in downtown's Bronson Park. The Hopewell civilization began to...
and South Haven
South Haven, Michigan
South Haven is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan. Most of the city is in Van Buren County, although a small portion extends into Allegan County. The population was 5,021 at the 2000 census....
.
M-40 crosses into Allegan County
Allegan County, Michigan
-Interstates:* I-196* I-196 Business Loop serves the city of Holland.-US highways:* US-31* US-131-Michigan State Trunklines:* M-40* M-89* M-179* M-222-Allegan County Intercounty Highways:* A-2* A-37* A-42* A-45-Demographics:...
near Base Line Lake
Michigan Meridian
The Michigan Meridian is the meridian used as a reference in the Michigan Survey, the survey of the U.S. state of Michigan in the early 19th century. It is located at 84 degrees, 22 minutes and 24 seconds west longitude at its northern terminus at Sault Ste...
. The highway follows Jenner Street along some curves near the banks of the Kalamazoo River
Kalamazoo River
The Kalamazoo River is a river in the U.S. state of Michigan. The river is long from the junction of its North and South branches to its mouth at Lake Michigan, with a total length extending to when one includes the South Branch...
as the trunkline enters the south side of Allegan. M-40 meets M-89
M-89 (Michigan highway)
M-89 is an east–west state highway in the US state of Michigan. It runs from near Ganges Township to Battle Creek. M-89 passes through Allegan County, Kalamazoo County, Michigan, and Calhoun County. It also briefly crosses the southwest corner of Barry County.-Route description:M-89 begins...
, and the two highways run 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...
into downtown together on Cedar Street. At the intersection with Cutler Street, M-40/M-89 meets the western end of M-222
M-222 (Michigan highway)
M-222 is the current designation of a state trunkline route in the US state of Michigan. The route was formerly signed as M-118 and connects the city of Allegan with the US 131 freeway near Martin.-Route description:...
and M-40/M-89 turns west onto Cutler Street. The street name changes to Western Avenue as M-40/M-89 curves north and northwest, crossing the Kalamazoo River and leaving town. North of Lake Allegan, M-89 separates and runs west toward Fennville
Fennville, Michigan
Fennville is a city in Allegan County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 1,459 at the 2000 census.The city is situated on M-89 on the boundary between Manlius Township on the north and Clyde Township on the south...
, and M-40 extends to Hamilton, crossing the Rabbit River
Rabbit River
The Rabbit River is a tributary of the Kalamazoo River within Allegan County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The river's watershed covers of land and drains most of north-central and northeast Allegan County as well as small portions of Barry, Kent and Ottawa counties.The river rises in farmland...
. The highway runs through more farms and approaches the outskirts of Holland. The trunkline crosses over I-196 and follows Lincoln Road through an industrial area on the southeast side of town. At 48th Street, the highway turns west until meeting Lincoln Avenue. There, M-40 turns north for several blocks before ending at the intersection with BL I-196/US 31.
History
When M-40 was created around by July 1, 1919, it originally ran from Niles to DowagiacDowagiac, Michigan
Dowagiac is a city in Cass County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 6,147 at the 2000 census. It is part of the South Bend–Mishawaka, IN-MI, Metropolitan Statistical Area....
and Decatur
Decatur, Michigan
Decatur is a village in Van Buren County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 1,838 at the 2000 census. The village is located within Decatur Township...
roughly along the current path of M-51
M-51 (Michigan highway)
M-51, is a north–south state trunkline highway in the southwestern portion of the US state of Michigan. The northern terminus is on I-94 west of Paw Paw, where it continues north for less than a mile to W Red Arrow Highway as Van Buren CR 671, and the southern terminus is at the Indiana state...
. Then it traveled to the northeast where it entered Paw Paw and continued north to Allegan. By 1921, M-40 is shown on maps extending south of Niles to the Indiana
Indiana
Indiana is a US state, admitted to the United States as the 19th on December 11, 1816. It is located in the Midwestern United States and Great Lakes Region. With 6,483,802 residents, the state is ranked 15th in population and 16th in population density. Indiana is ranked 38th in land area and is...
state line, but not extending to Allegan. The segment from Niles south was used for the routing of US 31 in 1926. A section of the highway was realigned in the same time period near Paw Paw. After the change, M-40 followed the contemporary US 12 instead of Paw Paw Road. A rerouting of M-89 in 1927 shifted it to run from Allegan southeast to Plainwell
Plainwell, Michigan
Plainwell is a city in Allegan County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 3,933 at the 2000 census.Plainwell is located on M-89 just east of its junction with U.S. 131. The city of Otsego is about three miles to the west. Kalamazoo is about ten miles to the south and Grand Rapids...
instead of east to Martin
Martin, Michigan
Martin is a village in Allegan County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 435 at the 2000 census.-Geography:According to the United States Census Bureau, the village has a total area of , all land.-Demographics:...
; M-40 replaced M-89 on the Allegan–Martin roadway. In 1929, the routing from Allegan to Martin was removed and renumbered M-118, and M-40 was extended to the north out of Allegan along M-89 and its modern routing to a new terminus in Holland
Holland, Michigan
Holland is a city in the western region of the Lower Peninsula of the U.S. state of Michigan. It is situated near the eastern shore of Lake Michigan on Lake Macatawa, which is fed by the Macatawa River ....
ending at US 31. The last segment of unpaved highway was paved in late 1945 or early 1946. This segment was near Dunningville in central Allegan County.
In late 1960 or early 1961, when the I-94 freeway was completed in Van Buren County, M-40 moved to the new freeway for four miles (6.4 km), between present day exits 56 and 60, and the former route along old US 12 was returned to local control. In 1971, all of M-40 south of I-94 was reassigned the designation M-51
M-51 (Michigan highway)
M-51, is a north–south state trunkline highway in the southwestern portion of the US state of Michigan. The northern terminus is on I-94 west of Paw Paw, where it continues north for less than a mile to W Red Arrow Highway as Van Buren CR 671, and the southern terminus is at the Indiana state...
while M-40 was shifted to the east to take over the routing of the contemporary M-119
M-119 (Michigan highway)
The current highway was designated in 1979, replacing the former route of M-131; the routing has remained unchanged since. This section of highway had been part of M-13 on July 1, 1919, when the state trunkline highway system debuted...
between Paw Paw and its intersection with US 12 in Porter Township
Porter Township, Cass County, Michigan
Porter Township is a civil township of Cass County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 3,794 at the 2000 census.-Communities:* Union is an unincorporated community in the southeast part of the township on US 12.-Geography:...
near Mottville; the M-40 designation on the section of I-94 was dropped. In 1994, the northern terminus was scaled back from the US 31 business loop to its present terminus at US 31 on the southeast side of Holland.
Local officials in Allegan have proposed creation of a truck route around the town. Concerned about the traffic and noise, residents have formed the Citizens for a Safer Community. They cite reports that show that the accident rates in town are higher than the statewide average. The group and local officials are proposing using 24th Street, 118th Avenue and Babylon Road for truck traffic. MDOT would require permits to erect the signs needed for the truck route. The department has indicated that the bypass would not be a state highway. MDOT will not take ownership of the roads needed for the truck route, but overall the department is supportive of the city's efforts to make the downtown area more pedestrian friendly.