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M-82 (Michigan highway)
Encyclopedia
M-82 is a state trunkline in the Lower Peninsula
in the US state of Michigan
that travels between Fremont
and Howard City
. The section between Newaygo
and Howard City travels through Fremont
and along the southern edge of Manistee National Forest. The current version of M-82 is actually the second in the state; the first usage appeared in the Upper Peninsula
by 1919. The Lower Peninsula routing has been in use since the 1920s. Various extensions and truncations have shifted the terminus as far west as New Era
or Hesperia
in the past. The current route was finalized in the late 1970s
and B-96 east of Fremont. This junction is at a tripoint of county lines. M-120 forms the north–south Newaygo
–Oceana
and Newaygo–Muskegon
county lines. B-96, which forms the east–west Oceana–Muskegon county line runs due west of the intersection. M-82 exits the intersection to the east. The highway runs along 48th Street through rural farms into the community of Fremont. The road, now called Main Street, passes through the downtown area and M-82 turns south along Stewart Avenue out of town. The highway rounds a curve and transitions to 72nd Street running eastward through more farm land. As the trunkline approaches Newaygo, the terrain becomes more wooded near the Muskegon River
. M-82 follows Fremont Street east to a junction with M-37
. The two highways merge and run concurrently
over the river and into downtown on State Street. South of downtown, M-82 turns east again, independent of M-37, and runs along 82nd Street on the southern edge of the Manistee National Forest. The east end of M-82 is at exit 118 on US 131/M-46 west of Howard City.
The Michigan Department of Transportation
(MDOT), as a part of its maintenance responsibilities, tracks the volume of traffic using its roadways. These levels are expressed in terms of a metric called average annual daily traffic (AADT), which is a calculation of the traffic along a segment of road for any average day of the year. In 2009, the department's measurements indicated that a segment of M-82 west of Fremont had the peak volume for the highway at 16,532 vehicles daily. The traffic nadir was 4,018 vehicles east of Newaygo. In addition, MDOT has not had any section of the highway listed on the National Highway System
, a network of roads important to the country's economy, defense, and mobility.
and ran north of Newberry
to the vicinity of Eight Mile Corner. It was later replaced by M-48
in 1926.
in Hart
to the northern junction of US 131 and M-46 in Howard City. The highway was routed through Ferry, Hesperia and Fremont, replacing M-41
. In late 1936, M-46 was extended along the section between Newaygo and Howard City, forming a M-46/M-82 concurrency to fill a gap in the M-46 routing. This concurrent section became just M-46 in 1938, shortening M-82 back to the northern M-37 junction in Newaygo. The highway was moved to a new alignment west of Ferry in late 1947 or early 1948. Instead of heading northwesterly to Hart, it was continued west to end in Shelby
.
Two realignments in 1963 and 1964 rerouted the western end of the highway again. This time it was realigned to run from Hesperia to New Era, bypassing Ferry. A larger change around 1969 reconfigured the highway designations in Oceana County. M-20
replaced M-82 west of Hesperia, to end at New Era instead of Muskegon
. The new M-120
designation replaced M-20 south of Hesperia. M-82 now ran from Hesperia to Newaygo only. The length of the highway was increased in 1973 when the eastern end was moved back to Howard City. M-46 was rerouted to follow the US 131 freeway south of Howard City to Cedar Springs
, and replaced M-57
between Cedar Springs and Casnovia
. This freed up the Newaygo to Howard City highway for a return to the M-82 designation. The last change came in 1978 when the concurrency with M-120 was eliminated in favor of M-120. The M-82 designation was truncated at this time to the junction west of Fremont, resulting in the current highway routing.
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...
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 travels between Fremont
Fremont, Michigan
Fremont is a city in Newaygo County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 4,081 at the 2010 census.- History :The first inhabitants of the Fremont area were native Americans. A group of settlers led by Daniel Weaver first settled in the area in 1855. The Weaver homestead served as the...
and Howard City
Howard City, Michigan
Howard City is a village in Montcalm County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 1,585 at the 2000 census. The village is within Reynolds Township.-History:...
. The section between Newaygo
Newaygo, Michigan
Newaygo is a city in Newaygo County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 1,976 at the 2010 census. The character of the town is quite rural.-Geography:...
and Howard City travels through Fremont
Fremont, Michigan
Fremont is a city in Newaygo County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 4,081 at the 2010 census.- History :The first inhabitants of the Fremont area were native Americans. A group of settlers led by Daniel Weaver first settled in the area in 1855. The Weaver homestead served as the...
and along the southern edge of Manistee National Forest. The current version of M-82 is actually the second in the state; the first usage appeared 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...
by 1919. The Lower Peninsula routing has been in use since the 1920s. Various extensions and truncations have shifted the terminus as far west as New Era
New Era, Michigan
New Era is a village in Shelby Township, Oceana County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 461 at the 2000 census.New Era is the birthplace of Caldecott Medal-winning children's author Verna Aardema...
or Hesperia
Hesperia, Michigan
Hesperia is a village in Newaygo and Oceana counties in the U.S. state of Michigan. About half of the village lies in Newfield Township in Oceana County and half in Denver Township in Newaygo County...
in the past. The current route was finalized in the late 1970s
Route description
M-82 begins at a junction with M-120M-120 (Michigan highway)
M-120 is a state trunkline highway in the US state of Michigan in the southwest Lower Peninsula. The highway runs northeast from Muskegon to Hesperia. In between, the road passes through suburban Muskegon, forests and farmland...
and B-96 east of Fremont. This junction is at a tripoint of county lines. M-120 forms the north–south Newaygo
Newaygo County, Michigan
Newaygo County is a county in the U.S. state of Michigan. It is part of the Grand Rapids–Wyoming, MI, Metropolitan Statistical Area. As of the 2010 census, the population was 48,460. The county seat is White Cloud. Newaygo County was either named for an Ojibwe leader who signed the Saginaw...
–Oceana
Oceana County, Michigan
-US highways:* US-31* US 31 Business Route is a spur serving downtown Hart.* US 31 Business Route loops through downtown Pentwater, returning to mainline US-31 at both ends.-Michigan State Trunklines:* M-20* M-120-Intercounty Highways:*B-15...
and Newaygo–Muskegon
Muskegon County, Michigan
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 170,200 people, 63,330 households, and 44,267 families residing in the county. The population density was 334 people per square mile . There were 68,556 housing units at an average density of 135 per square mile...
county lines. B-96, which forms the east–west Oceana–Muskegon county line runs due west of the intersection. M-82 exits the intersection to the east. The highway runs along 48th Street through rural farms into the community of Fremont. The road, now called Main Street, passes through the downtown area and M-82 turns south along Stewart Avenue out of town. The highway rounds a curve and transitions to 72nd Street running eastward through more farm land. As the trunkline approaches Newaygo, the terrain becomes more wooded near the Muskegon River
Muskegon River
The Muskegon River is a river in the western portion of the lower peninsula of the U.S. state of Michigan. The river has its headwaters in Houghton Lake in Roscommon County, flowing out of the North Bay into neighboring Missaukee County. From there it flows mostly southwest to Muskegon, Michigan,...
. M-82 follows Fremont Street east to a junction with M-37
M-37 (Michigan highway)
M-37 is a north–south state trunkline highway in the US state of Michigan. The southern terminus is near the border between Kalamazoo and Calhoun counties at exit 92 of Interstate 94 southwest of Battle Creek. The northern terminus is at the Mission Point Light on Old Mission Point in Grand...
. The two highways merge and 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...
over the river and into downtown on State Street. South of downtown, M-82 turns east again, independent of M-37, and runs along 82nd Street on the southern edge of the Manistee National Forest. The east end of M-82 is at exit 118 on US 131/M-46 west of Howard City.
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), as a part of its maintenance responsibilities, tracks the volume of traffic using its roadways. These levels are expressed in terms of a metric called average annual daily traffic (AADT), which is a calculation of the traffic along a segment of road for any average day of the year. In 2009, the department's measurements indicated that a segment of M-82 west of Fremont had the peak volume for the highway at 16,532 vehicles daily. The traffic nadir was 4,018 vehicles east of Newaygo. In addition, MDOT has not had any section of the highway 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
The first usage of M-82 was in the Upper Peninsula by July 1, 1919. The trunkline started at M-25M-25 (Michigan highway)
M-25 is a state trunkline highway in the US state of Michigan. The route follows an arc-like shape closely along the Lake Huron shore of the Thumb in the eastern Lower Peninsula between Port Huron and Bay City. It serves the lakeshore resorts along Lake Huron and Saginaw Bay and generally lies...
and ran north of Newberry
Newberry, Michigan
Newberry is a village in the U.S. state of Michigan and the county seat of Luce County. Located within McMillan Township at its very southern end, it shares some administrative responsibilities with the surrounding township. The population was 2,686 at the 2000 census.The village was named in...
to the vicinity of Eight Mile Corner. It was later replaced by M-48
M-48 (Michigan highway)
M-48 is an east–west state trunkline highway in the Upper Peninsula of the US state of Michigan. It connects Rudyard with Pickford and continues to the far eastern end of the UP. The highway runs for through rural parts of Chippewa County, including along the county line with Mackinac County...
in 1926.
Current designation
The current M-82 dates back to 1926. It ran from US 31U.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...
in Hart
Hart, Michigan
Hart is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2000 census, the city population was 1,950. It is the county seat of Oceana County. The city is located within Hart Township, but is politically independent....
to the northern junction of US 131 and M-46 in Howard City. The highway was routed through Ferry, Hesperia and Fremont, replacing M-41
M-41 (Michigan highway)
M-41 was the designation of a former state trunkline highway in the Lower Peninsula of the US state of Michigan that began near Holton and ran north- and northwest-ward, ending at Hart. The highway was created by 1919 and lasted until 1926. The designation has not been reused since.-Route...
. In late 1936, M-46 was extended along the section between Newaygo and Howard City, forming a M-46/M-82 concurrency to fill a gap in the M-46 routing. This concurrent section became just M-46 in 1938, shortening M-82 back to the northern M-37 junction in Newaygo. The highway was moved to a new alignment west of Ferry in late 1947 or early 1948. Instead of heading northwesterly to Hart, it was continued west to end in Shelby
Shelby, Oceana County, Michigan
Shelby is a village in Oceana County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 1,914 at the 2000 census. The village is located within Shelby Township.-Schools: operate within the Village boundaries...
.
Two realignments in 1963 and 1964 rerouted the western end of the highway again. This time it was realigned to run from Hesperia to New Era, bypassing Ferry. A larger change around 1969 reconfigured the highway designations in Oceana County. 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...
replaced M-82 west of Hesperia, to end at New Era instead of Muskegon
Muskegon, Michigan
Muskegon is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 38,401. The city is the county seat of Muskegon County...
. The new M-120
M-120 (Michigan highway)
M-120 is a state trunkline highway in the US state of Michigan in the southwest Lower Peninsula. The highway runs northeast from Muskegon to Hesperia. In between, the road passes through suburban Muskegon, forests and farmland...
designation replaced M-20 south of Hesperia. M-82 now ran from Hesperia to Newaygo only. The length of the highway was increased in 1973 when the eastern end was moved back to Howard City. M-46 was rerouted to follow the US 131 freeway south of Howard City to Cedar Springs
Cedar Springs, Michigan
Cedar Springs is a city in Kent County in the U.S. state of Michigan, 20 minutes north of Grand Rapids. Known as "Red Flannel Town", the city is home to an annual Red Flannel Festival...
, and replaced M-57
M-57 (Michigan highway)
M-57 is an east–west state trunkline highway in the US state of Michigan. The highway connects US Highway 131 near Rockford on the west end to M-15 near Otisville in the Lower Peninsula. In between, the mostly rural highway passes through farmland and connects several highways and smaller towns...
between Cedar Springs and Casnovia
Casnovia, Michigan
Casnovia is a village in the U.S. state of Michigan. It is situated on the boundary between Muskegon County and Kent County and lies partially within both. As of the 2000 census, the village population was 315. The village is located partially within the Casnovia Township, Michigan.Casnovia is...
. This freed up the Newaygo to Howard City highway for a return to the M-82 designation. The last change came in 1978 when the concurrency with M-120 was eliminated in favor of M-120. The M-82 designation was truncated at this time to the junction west of Fremont, resulting in the current highway routing.