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M-47 (Michigan highway)
Encyclopedia
M-47 is a north–south state trunkline highway
in the US state of Michigan
. It runs near Saginaw
and Midland
in the Tri-Cities
area of the Lower Peninsula
. The highway runs through suburban and agricultural areas to connect the two cities with the airport in the area. The northernmost section of M-47 runs along a freeway to the terminus at US Highway 10
(US 10). M-47 runs for 14.328 miles (23.1 km), all of which has been listed as a part of the National Highway System
.
First designated by July 1, 1919 along a different routing, M-47 was extended several times in both directions through the 1920s and 1930s. Two of these extensions replaced sections of M-111 in the Bay City
area. At the apex of its length in the 1950s, M-47 stretched from Webberville
in the south to Bay City State Park in the north. Since Interstate 75
(I-75) opened in the Tri-Cities area, the northern section of M-47 was rerouted and truncated as a result of related changes to other highways. The southern end was moved after I-96
opened in the Lansing
area. Further changes into the 1970s shortened M-47 more, producing the routing in use today.
(Gratiot Road) east of Shields
next to the Oakwood Cemetery. M-47 is known as Midland Road as it runs slightly northwest to intersect with M-58
(State Road) in Saginaw Charter Township running parallel to the Tittabawassee River
. This area is the western edge of Saginaw's suburbs. Along the road towards Freeland
, there are periodic small farms in between small residential subdivisions. In the community of Freeland, M-47 runs near the MBS International Airport
off Freeland Road. North of town, M-47 leaves Midland Road and becomes a freeway near Tittabawassee Park. The freeway section of M-47 runs through rural farm land. There is a diamond interchange
with Salzburg Road before the terminal interchange at US 10.
As part of its maintenance duties, the Michigan Department of Transportation
(MDOT) tracks the volume of traffic on the highways it maintains. This number is expressed in terms of annual average daily traffic
(AADT), a calculation of the average traffic for a segment of roadway on any average day of the year. In 2009, the department measured a peak of 19,719 vehicles daily on the stretch north of Tittabawasee Road. The section south of the US 10 interchange had the lowest traffic level at 9,315 vehicles AADT. Additionally, entire route of M-47 has been listed on the National Highway System, a network of roads important to the country's economy, defense, and mobility.
–Ingham
county line north to St. Charles
and then east along M-46 into Saginaw. A southern extension into Ingham County to end at M-16 in Williamston
was transferred and completed in 1924. A northern extension to Bay City replaced a section of M-111 in 1929, and extended farther to Bay City State Park in 1933. M-47 replaced the remainder of M-111 and extended southward from the park to Bay City in 1938, creating a "U-turn" in the routing. The southern terminus was moved again in late 1951 or early 1952 to Webberville, although still ending on US 16.
At its greatest extent in the 1950s, the highway extended north from Webberville through Owosso
and St. Charles to a junction with M-46 between Hemlock
and Shields. M-47 turned east along M-46, running concurrently
with that highway to Saginaw Township. There M-47 turned north independently to a junction with US 10, and then ran concurrently with US 10 into Saginaw. Once in the city, M-47 turned north along Bay Street out of town toward Bay City. M-47 joined US 23
and followed it north of town. M-47 then ran separately to the state park before turning south and back into downtown Bay City, ending at the US 23 business loop.
Major changes to the routing of M-47 started in December 1960 when the I-75/US 10/US 23 freeway opened between Saginaw and Bay City. US 10 was rerouted east of Midland to Bay City along the M-20
freeway. M-47 was rerouted along the former US 10 from Saginaw to east of Midland using a connector expressway
from Freeland north to the US 10 freeway. M-81
was extended over State Street in Saginaw, and the former routing of M-47 between Saginaw and Bay City was redesignated as M-84
. M-13
also replaced the former US 23/M-47 when US 23 was moved to freeways as well. The southern end of M-47 was changed in 1962 with the completion of I-96 in the Lansing area. US 16 was replaced by M-43
, and the southern terminus of M-47 was moved to exit 122 along I-96. This segment of M-47 south of M-46 became an extension of M-52
in 1969, truncating M-47 to Hemlock. The interchange at Salzburg Road north of Freeland opened in 1970, and the expressway segment was upgraded to a full freeway. At the same time, M-47 was truncated to its current routing, resulting in the elimination of the M-46/M-47 concurrency near Shields. In the end, only about a mile and a half (2.4 km) of roadway still bears the M-47 from before the changes made starting in 1960, along a section of road that was not originally part of the highway in 1919.
(later signed as US 23 for a time) north of Bay City
to Bay City State Park on Saginaw Bay
. The original route consisted of what is today Euclid Avenue. In the early 1930s, a return leg towards Bay City was added to the east of the original route along what is now State Park Road, giving the route an upside-down-U shape.In 1933, the western leg along Euclid Avenue from Midland Road to Beaver Road was designated as M-47. In 1938, all of M-111 was re-designated as M-47—thus making M-47 double back to Bay City.
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 runs near Saginaw
Saginaw, Michigan
Saginaw is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan and the seat of Saginaw County. The city of Saginaw was once a thriving lumber town and manufacturing center. Saginaw and Saginaw County lie in the Flint/Tri-Cities region of Michigan...
and Midland
Midland, Michigan
Midland is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan in the Tri-Cities region of the state. It is the county seat of Midland County. The city's population was 41,863 as of the 2010 census. It is the principal city of the Midland Micropolitan Statistical Area....
in the Tri-Cities
Tri-Cities (Michigan)
The name Tri-Cities refers to two regions in the U.S. state of Michigan. Both are located in the Lower Peninsula.-The Greater Tri-Cities Region:The larger and more well known Tri-Cities is the region surrounding the cities of Saginaw, Bay City, and Midland...
area of 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...
. The highway runs through suburban and agricultural areas to connect the two cities with the airport in the area. The northernmost section of M-47 runs along a freeway to the terminus at 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). M-47 runs for 14.328 miles (23.1 km), all of which has been listed as a part of 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...
.
First designated by July 1, 1919 along a different routing, M-47 was extended several times in both directions through the 1920s and 1930s. Two of these extensions replaced sections of M-111 in the Bay City
Bay City, Michigan
Bay City is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan located near the base of the Saginaw Bay on Lake Huron. As of the 2010 census, the city's population was 34,932, and is the principal city of the Bay City Metropolitan Statistical Area, which is included in the Saginaw-Bay City-Saginaw Township North...
area. At the apex of its length in the 1950s, M-47 stretched from Webberville
Webberville, Michigan
Webberville is a village in Leroy Township, Ingham County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 1,272 at the 2010 census.The village is just northeast of the junction of M-43 and M-52 with I-96...
in the south to Bay City State Park in the north. Since 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) opened in the Tri-Cities area, the northern section of M-47 was rerouted and truncated as a result of related changes to other highways. The southern end was moved after 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...
opened in the Lansing
Lansing, Michigan
Lansing is the capital of the U.S. state of Michigan. It is located mostly in Ingham County, although small portions of the city extend into Eaton County. The 2010 Census places the city's population at 114,297, making it the fifth largest city in Michigan...
area. Further changes into the 1970s shortened M-47 more, producing the routing in use today.
Route description
M-47 starts at 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...
(Gratiot Road) east of Shields
Shields, Michigan
Shields is an unincorporated community in Thomas Township, Saginaw County in the U.S state of Michigan. It is also a census-designated place for statistical purposes, but with no legal status as an incorporated municipality. The population of the CDP was 6,590 at the 2000 census.The community of...
next to the Oakwood Cemetery. M-47 is known as Midland Road as it runs slightly northwest to intersect with M-58
M-58 (Michigan highway)
M-58 is a east–west state trunkline highway in the US state of Michigan that runs from M-47 in Saginaw Township east to exit 3 of I-675 near the north part of downtown Saginaw. The trunkline follows State Street through the Saginaw area, and east of Lathrop Avenue, M-58 is split along two...
(State Road) in Saginaw Charter Township running parallel to the Tittabawassee River
Tittabawassee River
The Tittabawassee River is a stream which flows in a generally southeasterly direction through the Lower Peninsula of the U.S. state of Michigan. The river begins at Secord Lake in Clement Township, at the confluence of the East Branch and the Middle Branch...
. This area is the western edge of Saginaw's suburbs. Along the road towards Freeland
Freeland, Michigan
Freeland is an unincorporated community in Tittabawassee Township, Saginaw County of the U.S. state of Michigan. It is also a census-designated place for statistical purposes and without any legal status as an incorporated municipality. As of the 2000 census, the CDP population was 5,147. The...
, there are periodic small farms in between small residential subdivisions. In the community of Freeland, M-47 runs near the MBS International Airport
MBS International Airport
MBS International Airport is located in Freeland, Michigan, serving the nearby cities of Midland, Bay City, and Saginaw. It was formerly named Tri City Airport or Freeland Tri-City Airport...
off Freeland Road. North of town, M-47 leaves Midland Road and becomes a freeway near Tittabawassee Park. The freeway section of M-47 runs through rural farm land. There is a diamond interchange
Diamond interchange
A diamond interchange is a common type of road junction, used where a freeway crosses a minor road. The freeway itself is grade-separated from the minor road, one crossing the other over a bridge...
with Salzburg Road before the terminal interchange at US 10.
As part of its maintenance duties, 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) tracks the volume of traffic on the highways it maintains. This number is expressed in terms of 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), a calculation of the average traffic for a segment of roadway on any average day of the year. In 2009, the department measured a peak of 19,719 vehicles daily on the stretch north of Tittabawasee Road. The section south of the US 10 interchange had the lowest traffic level at 9,315 vehicles AADT. Additionally, entire route of M-47 has been listed on the National Highway System, a network of roads important to the country's economy, defense, and mobility.
History
The original designation of M-47 was routed from the ShiawasseeShiawassee County, Michigan
-Transportation:-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 71,687 people, 26,896 households, and 19,849 families residing in the county. The population density was 133 people per square mile . There were 29,087 housing units at an average density of 54 per square mile...
–Ingham
Ingham County, Michigan
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 279,320 people, 108,593 households, and 63,744 families residing in the county. The population density was 500 people per square mile . There were 115,056 housing units at an average density of 206 per square mile...
county line north to St. Charles
St. Charles, Michigan
St. Charles is a village in Saginaw County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The village is located in the northwest corner of St. Charles Township with portions of the village located within Brant Township and Swan Creek Township...
and then east along M-46 into Saginaw. A southern extension into Ingham County to end at M-16 in Williamston
Williamston, Michigan
Williamston is a city in Ingham County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The city is at the southeast corner of Williamstown Township, but is politically independent. A portion of Williamston was annexed from adjacent Wheatfield Township. Downtown Williamston is located at the intersection of Grand...
was transferred and completed in 1924. A northern extension to Bay City replaced a section of M-111 in 1929, and extended farther to Bay City State Park in 1933. M-47 replaced the remainder of M-111 and extended southward from the park to Bay City in 1938, creating a "U-turn" in the routing. The southern terminus was moved again in late 1951 or early 1952 to Webberville, although still ending on US 16.
At its greatest extent in the 1950s, the highway extended north from Webberville through Owosso
Owosso, Michigan
Owosso is a city in Shiawassee County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 15,713 at the 2000 census. The city is located on the eastern side of Owosso Township, but is politically independent...
and St. Charles to a junction with M-46 between Hemlock
Hemlock, Michigan
Hemlock is an unincorporated community in Richland Township, Saginaw County in the U.S. state of Michigan. It is also a census-designated place for statistical purposes, but without any legal status as an incorporated municipality. The population of the CDP was 1,585 at the 2000 census. The area...
and Shields. M-47 turned east along M-46, running 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 that highway to Saginaw Township. There M-47 turned north independently to a junction with US 10, and then ran concurrently with US 10 into Saginaw. Once in the city, M-47 turned north along Bay Street out of town toward Bay City. M-47 joined US 23
U.S. Route 23 in Michigan
US Highway 23 is a United States Numbered Highway that runs from Jacksonville, Florida to Mackinaw City, Michigan. In the US state of Michigan, it is a major north–south state trunkline highway that runs through the Lower Peninsula...
and followed it north of town. M-47 then ran separately to the state park before turning south and back into downtown Bay City, ending at the US 23 business loop.
Major changes to the routing of M-47 started in December 1960 when the I-75/US 10/US 23 freeway opened between Saginaw and Bay City. US 10 was rerouted east of Midland to Bay City along the M-20
M-20 (Michigan highway)
M-20 is a state trunkline highway in the US state of Michigan that runs from New Era to Midland. It crosses through rural Lower Peninsula forest land between the two ends. The highway serves the college towns of Big Rapids and Mt...
freeway. M-47 was rerouted along the former US 10 from Saginaw to east of Midland using a connector expressway
Limited-access road
A limited-access road known by various terms worldwide, including limited-access highway, dual-carriageway and expressway, is a highway or arterial road for high-speed traffic which has many or most characteristics of a controlled-access highway , including limited or no access to adjacent...
from Freeland north to the US 10 freeway. M-81
M-81 (Michigan highway)
M-81 is a state trunkline in the Lower Peninsula of the US state of Michigan that travels from the city of Saginaw at the junction with M-13 and ends at the junction with M-53 east of Cass City over the county line in Greenleaf Township in northwestern Sanilac County.-Route description:M-81 starts...
was extended over State Street in Saginaw, and the former routing of M-47 between Saginaw and Bay City was redesignated as M-84
M-84 (Michigan highway)
M-84 is a state trunkline highway in the Lower Peninsula of the US state of Michigan. It was originally part of M-47 until that road was relocated onto what was formerly US 10 from Saginaw Township to east of Midland...
. M-13
M-13 (Michigan highway)
M-13 is a north–south state trunkline highway that runs through the Saginaw Bay region of the US state of Michigan. It runs from Interstate 69 south of Lennon to US Highway 23 near Standish. The southern section of the trunkline runs long a pair of county lines in a rural area dominated by farm...
also replaced the former US 23/M-47 when US 23 was moved to freeways as well. The southern end of M-47 was changed in 1962 with the completion of I-96 in the Lansing area. US 16 was replaced by 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...
, and the southern terminus of M-47 was moved to exit 122 along I-96. This segment of M-47 south of M-46 became an extension of M-52
M-52 (Michigan highway)
M-52 is a north–south state trunkline highway in the US state of Michigan. The southern terminus is on the Ohio border, where it continues as State Route 109 . The highway passes through communities like Adrian, where it intersects US Highway 223 , Chelsea and Webberville along its course...
in 1969, truncating M-47 to Hemlock. The interchange at Salzburg Road north of Freeland opened in 1970, and the expressway segment was upgraded to a full freeway. At the same time, M-47 was truncated to its current routing, resulting in the elimination of the M-46/M-47 concurrency near Shields. In the end, only about a mile and a half (2.4 km) of roadway still bears the M-47 from before the changes made starting in 1960, along a section of road that was not originally part of the highway in 1919.
M-111
In 1928, M-111 was assigned to a route connecting M-13M-13 (Michigan highway)
M-13 is a north–south state trunkline highway that runs through the Saginaw Bay region of the US state of Michigan. It runs from Interstate 69 south of Lennon to US Highway 23 near Standish. The southern section of the trunkline runs long a pair of county lines in a rural area dominated by farm...
(later signed as US 23 for a time) north of Bay City
Bay City, Michigan
Bay City is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan located near the base of the Saginaw Bay on Lake Huron. As of the 2010 census, the city's population was 34,932, and is the principal city of the Bay City Metropolitan Statistical Area, which is included in the Saginaw-Bay City-Saginaw Township North...
to Bay City State Park on Saginaw Bay
Saginaw Bay
Saginaw Bay is a bay within Lake Huron located on the eastern side of the U.S. state of Michigan. It forms the space between Michigan's Thumb region and the rest of the Lower Peninsula of Michigan. Saginaw Bay is in area...
. The original route consisted of what is today Euclid Avenue. In the early 1930s, a return leg towards Bay City was added to the east of the original route along what is now State Park Road, giving the route an upside-down-U shape.In 1933, the western leg along Euclid Avenue from Midland Road to Beaver Road was designated as M-47. In 1938, all of M-111 was re-designated as M-47—thus making M-47 double back to Bay City.