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M-45 (Michigan highway)
Encyclopedia
M-45 is a state trunkline highway
in the US state of Michigan
that is also called Lake Michigan Drive. The highway runs from Agnew
near Lake Michigan
to the west side of Grand Rapids
in the western Lower Peninsula
. Lake Michigan Drive continues in each direction from M-45's termini, extending west of US Highway 31
(US 31) and east of Interstate 196
(I-196). In between, the road runs through rural and suburban areas of Ottawa
and Kent
counties, including the main campus of Grand Valley State University
in Allendale
. Lake Michigan Drive was originally part of M-50
until the mid-1960s. Previously in the 1920s and 30s, the M-45 number was designated along a highway in the Upper Peninsula
(UP).
. At 24th Avenue, the highway loses its median and gains a central turn lane. The landscape becomes more suburban as the highway crosses into Kent County near the M-11
intersection in Walker
. From here east to the terminus in Grand Rapids, the road is lined with residential subdivisions and commercial properties. At Bridge Street, Lake Michigan Drive turns to the southeast and approaches John Ball Park. M-45 ends at the interchange with I-196. Lake Michigan Drive continues east to its end where it becomes Pearl Street near the Grand River downtown.
The Michigan Department of Transportation
(MDOT) maintains M-45 like all other parts of the state trunkline highway system. As part of these responsibilities, the department tracks the volume of the traffic using its roadways which is expressed using a metric called average annual daily traffic (AADT). This is a calculation of the traffic levels for a segment of roadway for any average day of the year. In 2009, 4,910 vehicles used the section of M-45 near the western terminus daily. Near the interchange with I-196, 32,376 vehicles were observed along Lake Michigan Drive each day. No segment of the highway is listed on the National Highway System
, a network of roads important to the country's economy, defense, and mobility.
by July 1, 1919. The highway ran between M-12
in Sagola and M-15
in Humboldt Township
. When the United States Numbered Highway System was created on November 11, 1926, US 2
replaced most of M-12 through the UP. M-45 was extended south of Sagola to the north side of Iron Mountain
. Along with this change, M-69
replaced another previous section of M-12 and all of M-90
. M-69 ran concurrently
with M-45 between Sagola and Randville to connect these two highway segments. By 1933, M-45 was extended concurrently along US 2/US 141
into Iron Mountain and then as an independent routing through Kingsford to the Wisconsin
state line. Before the next year, the M-95
replaced M-45 in the UP.
was truncated to end near Lowell
at I-96
. The remainder of M-50 on Cascade Road, Fulton Street and Lake Michigan Drive was redesignated as M-45. The eastern section from Business US 131 (Division Avenue) to I-96 was turned over to local control in 1972, shortening the route. The east end would be shortened again by 1995, removing the M-45 designation east of I-196. Jurisdiction was only transferred to the City of Grand Rapids on the portion from Division Avenue west to the Grand River
, leaving part of West Fulton Street under state maintenance as an unsigned trunkline. M-45 was upgraded to a four-lane divided highway in 2001–02 between Walker and the Grand Valley State campus in Allendale
. The new alignment bypassed a section of road between 24th and 40th avenues. That section was renamed River Hill Drive, but retained as an unsigned state trunkline (Old M-45).
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"....
that is also called Lake Michigan Drive. The highway runs from Agnew
Agnew, Michigan
Agnew, Michigan is a tiny unincorporated hamlet located at at the intersection of US 31 and M-45 in Grand Haven Charter Township of Ottawa County in the U.S. state of Michigan....
near Lake Michigan
Lake Michigan
Lake Michigan is one of the five Great Lakes of North America and the only one located entirely within the United States. It is the second largest of the Great Lakes by volume and the third largest by surface area, after Lake Superior and Lake Huron...
to the west side of Grand Rapids
Grand Rapids, Michigan
Grand Rapids is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan. The city is located on the Grand River about 40 miles east of Lake Michigan. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 188,040. In 2010, the Grand Rapids metropolitan area had a population of 774,160 and a combined statistical area, Grand...
in the western 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...
. Lake Michigan Drive continues in each direction from M-45's termini, extending west of US Highway 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...
(US 31) and east of 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). In between, the road runs through rural and suburban areas of Ottawa
Ottawa County, Michigan
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 238,314 people, 81,662 households, and 61,328 families residing in the county. The population density was 421 people per square mile . There were 86,856 housing units at an average density of 154 per square mile...
and Kent
Kent County, Michigan
-Air Service:*Commercial air service to Grand Rapids is provided by Gerald R. Ford International Airport . Previously named Kent County International Airport, it holds Grand Rapids' mark in modern history with the United States' first regularly scheduled airline service, beginning July 31, 1926,...
counties, including the main campus of Grand Valley State University
Grand Valley State University
Grand Valley State University is a public liberal arts university located in Allendale, Michigan, United States. The university was established in 1960, and its main campus is situated on approximately west of Grand Rapids...
in Allendale
Allendale Charter Township, Michigan
Allendale Charter Township is a charter township of Ottawa County in the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2010 census, the township population was 20,708...
. Lake Michigan Drive was originally part of M-50
M-50 (Michigan highway)
M-50 is a state trunkline highway in the US state of Michigan. Although designated as an east–west highway, it is nearly a diagonal northwest-southeast route...
until the mid-1960s. Previously in the 1920s and 30s, the M-45 number was designated along a highway in the Upper Peninsula
Upper Peninsula of Michigan
The Upper Peninsula of Michigan is the northern of the two major land masses that make up the U.S. state of Michigan. It is commonly referred to as the Upper Peninsula, the U.P., or Upper Michigan. It is also known as the land "above the Bridge" linking the two peninsulas. The peninsula is bounded...
(UP).
Route description
Lake Michigan Drive starts near Lake Michigan at an intersection with Lakeshore Drive near the Grand Rapids water filtration plant. The road runs east to an intersection with US 31 in Agnew, where the M-45 designation begins. The area is marked by a mix of woodland and agricultural properties. The road runs through rural Ottawa County to Allendale. Through town, Lake Michigan Drive widens to a four-lane divided boulevard with a median. East of the main part of town, M-45 passes the main campus of Grand Valley State University before crossing the Grand RiverGrand River (Michigan)
The Grand River is the longest river in the U.S. state of Michigan. It runs through the cities of Jackson, Eaton Rapids, Lansing, Grand Rapids, and Grand Haven.-Description:...
. At 24th Avenue, the highway loses its median and gains a central turn lane. The landscape becomes more suburban as the highway crosses into Kent County near the M-11
M-11 (Michigan highway)
M-11 is a state trunkline highway in the US state of Michigan in the Grand Rapids metropolitan area. The highway runs through the western and southern sides of the metro area, starting over the border in Ottawa County at an interchange with Interstate 96...
intersection in Walker
Walker, Michigan
Walker is a city in Kent County in the U.S. state of Michigan and a suburb of Grand Rapids. The population was 23,537 at the 2010 census. Before incorporating as a city, it was known as Walker Township...
. From here east to the terminus in Grand Rapids, the road is lined with residential subdivisions and commercial properties. At Bridge Street, Lake Michigan Drive turns to the southeast and approaches John Ball Park. M-45 ends at the interchange with I-196. Lake Michigan Drive continues east to its end where it becomes Pearl Street near the Grand River downtown.
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) maintains M-45 like all other parts of the state trunkline highway system. As part of these responsibilities, the department tracks the volume of the traffic using its roadways which is expressed using a metric called average annual daily traffic (AADT). This is a calculation of the traffic levels for a segment of roadway for any average day of the year. In 2009, 4,910 vehicles used the section of M-45 near the western terminus daily. Near the interchange with I-196, 32,376 vehicles were observed along Lake Michigan Drive each day. No segment of the highway is 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.
Previous designation
M-45 was originally designated in the UP on what is now M-95M-95 (Michigan highway)
M-95, designated as the Leif Erickson Memorial Highway, is a state trunkline highway in the Upper Peninsula of the US state of Michigan. Running from Kingsford to near Champion in Humboldt Township, it is the main connection between Iron Mountain and Marquette along with US 41.M-95 was previously...
by July 1, 1919. The highway ran between M-12
M-12 (Michigan highway)
M-12 is a former state highway in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. It was replaced in 1926 by:*U.S. Route 2 in Michigan between the state line at Ironwood and Crystal Falls*M-69 between Crystal Falls and Sagola...
in Sagola and M-15
M-15 (Michigan highway)
M-15 is a north–south state trunkline highway in the US state of Michigan. The southern terminus is a junction with US Highway 24 just south of Clarkston on the northwestern edge of the Detroit metropolitan area. The trunkline is a recreational route running north and northwest to the...
in Humboldt Township
Humboldt Township, Michigan
Humboldt Township is a civil township of Marquette County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 469 at the 2000 census.-Geography:...
. When the United States Numbered Highway System was created on November 11, 1926, US 2
U.S. Route 2 in Michigan
US Highway 2 is a component of the United States Numbered Highway System that connects Everett, Washington, to the Upper Peninsula of the US state of Michigan, with a separate segment that runs from Rouses Point, New York, to Houlton, Maine...
replaced most of M-12 through the UP. M-45 was extended south of Sagola to the north side of Iron Mountain
Iron Mountain, Michigan
Iron Mountain is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2000 census, the city population was 8,154. It is the county seat of Dickinson County, in the state's Upper Peninsula....
. Along with this change, M-69
M-69 (Michigan highway)
M-69 is an east–west state trunkline highway in the Upper Peninsula of the U.S. state of Michigan. It connects with US Highway 2 on both ends in Crystal Falls and near Bark River. In between, the highway runs for in rural UP forest lands.Before the creation of the U.S. Highway System, the...
replaced another previous section of M-12 and all of M-90
M-90 (Michigan highway)
M-90 is a state trunkline highway in The Thumb region of the US state of Michigan. It runs from near North Branch eastward to Lexington situated on Lake Huron. The highway is a lightly traveled roadway that runs through rural farmlands. The trunkline runs mostly east–west with two short north–south...
. M-69 ran 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...
with M-45 between Sagola and Randville to connect these two highway segments. By 1933, M-45 was extended concurrently along US 2/US 141
U.S. Route 141
U.S. Route 141 is a north–south highway in the U.S. states of Michigan and Wisconsin. US 41 is its parent route. Its northern terminus, on US 41, is near Covington, Michigan; its southern terminus, with I-43 near Bellevue, Wisconsin; it remains in existence in Green Bay, Wisconsin as a...
into Iron Mountain and then as an independent routing through Kingsford to the Wisconsin
Wisconsin
Wisconsin is a U.S. state located in the north-central United States and is part of the Midwest. It is bordered by Minnesota to the west, Iowa to the southwest, Illinois to the south, Lake Michigan to the east, Michigan to the northeast, and Lake Superior to the north. Wisconsin's capital is...
state line. Before the next year, the M-95
M-95 (Michigan highway)
M-95, designated as the Leif Erickson Memorial Highway, is a state trunkline highway in the Upper Peninsula of the US state of Michigan. Running from Kingsford to near Champion in Humboldt Township, it is the main connection between Iron Mountain and Marquette along with US 41.M-95 was previously...
replaced M-45 in the UP.
Current designation
The current designation of M-45 dates back to 1964. M-50M-50 (Michigan highway)
M-50 is a state trunkline highway in the US state of Michigan. Although designated as an east–west highway, it is nearly a diagonal northwest-southeast route...
was truncated to end near Lowell
Lowell, Michigan
Lowell is a city in Kent County of the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2000 census, the city population was 4,013. The city is in the northern portion of Lowell Township, but is politically independent...
at I-96
Interstate 96
Interstate 96 is an intrastate Interstate Highway that is entirely within the US state of Michigan. Its western terminus is at an interchange with US Highway 31 and Business US Highway 31 , on the western boundary of Norton Shores southeast of Muskegon. Its eastern terminus is at I-75 near the...
. The remainder of M-50 on Cascade Road, Fulton Street and Lake Michigan Drive was redesignated as M-45. The eastern section from Business US 131 (Division Avenue) to I-96 was turned over to local control in 1972, shortening the route. The east end would be shortened again by 1995, removing the M-45 designation east of I-196. Jurisdiction was only transferred to the City of Grand Rapids on the portion from Division Avenue west to the Grand River
Grand River (Michigan)
The Grand River is the longest river in the U.S. state of Michigan. It runs through the cities of Jackson, Eaton Rapids, Lansing, Grand Rapids, and Grand Haven.-Description:...
, leaving part of West Fulton Street under state maintenance as an unsigned trunkline. M-45 was upgraded to a four-lane divided highway in 2001–02 between Walker and the Grand Valley State campus in Allendale
Allendale, Michigan
Allendale is an unincorporated community in Ottawa County in the U.S. state of Michigan. It is also a census-designated place for statistical purposes. The population was 17,579 at the 2010 census...
. The new alignment bypassed a section of road between 24th and 40th avenues. That section was renamed River Hill Drive, but retained as an unsigned state trunkline (Old M-45).