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M-85 (Michigan highway)
Encyclopedia
M-85, also known as Fort Street or Fort Road for its entire length, is a state highway route in the U.S. state of Michigan
.
In Detroit proper, M-85 consists of West Fort street (from Woodward Avenue downtown to the River Rouge
) and South Fort street (from the River Rouge southward). The distinction is not trivial, since the address numbers on West Fort that start from Woodward, and proceed beyond 10000, are reset to zero when crossing the Rouge River onto South Fort.
M-85 was designated to service Downriver communities southwest of Detroit
bordering the Detroit River
as the Detroit-Toledo Expressway
(originally ALT U.S. 24
, later I-75
) was being completed further inland. Its southern terminus is with I-75 at the south end of Woodhaven
, and its northern terminus is at Griswold Street in downtown Detroit.
From its southern terminus at I-75 Exit 28 to I-75 Exit 43 in southwest Detroit, M-85 is part of the Lake Erie Circle Tour.
, Wyandotte
, Southgate
, Riverview
, Trenton
, Gibraltar
and Brownstown
M-85's northern terminus is at the corner of Fort St & Griswold St, one block west of Woodward Avenue in Downtown Detroit. The southern terminus is at I-75
near Flat Rock and Gibraltar.
(now M-66
) in Stanton
to M-66 (now M-91
) just south of Langston.
M-85 was extended beyond its previous terminus at I-75/Schaefer Road to replace M-3's
designation along Fort Street from Clark Street to Griswold, when a number of jurisdiction changes relating to the Campus Martius Park
development resulted in downtown portions of M-3 being shifted to local control in 2001. Portions of Fort Street that had not been part of the trunkline system since U.S. 25
was removed from Michigan were added to M-85.
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"....
.
In Detroit proper, M-85 consists of West Fort street (from Woodward Avenue downtown to the River Rouge
River Rouge (Michigan)
The River Rouge, also known as the Rouge River, is a river in the Metro Detroit area of southeastern Michigan. It flows into the Detroit River at Zug Island, which is the boundary between the cities of River Rouge and Detroit....
) and South Fort street (from the River Rouge southward). The distinction is not trivial, since the address numbers on West Fort that start from Woodward, and proceed beyond 10000, are reset to zero when crossing the Rouge River onto South Fort.
M-85 was designated to service Downriver communities southwest 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...
bordering the Detroit River
Detroit River
The Detroit River is a strait in the Great Lakes system. The name comes from the French Rivière du Détroit, which translates literally as "River of the Strait". The Detroit River has served an important role in the history of Detroit and is one of the busiest waterways in the world. The river...
as the Detroit-Toledo Expressway
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...
(originally ALT U.S. 24
U.S. Route 24
U.S. Route 24 is one of the original United States highways of 1926. It originally ran from Pontiac, Michigan, in the east to Kansas City, Missouri, in the west. Today, the highway's eastern terminus is west of Clarkston, Michigan, at an intersection with I-75 and its western terminus is near...
, later I-75
Interstate 75
Interstate 75 is a major north–south Interstate Highway in the Great Lakes and Southeastern regions of the United States. It travels from State Road 826 and State Road 924 in Hialeah, Florida to Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan, at the Ontario, Canada, border...
) was being completed further inland. Its southern terminus is with I-75 at the south end of Woodhaven
Woodhaven, Michigan
Woodhaven is a city in Wayne County in the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 12,875. It is part of a collection of 18 suburban communities known as Downriver.-History:...
, and its northern terminus is at Griswold Street in downtown Detroit.
From its southern terminus at I-75 Exit 28 to I-75 Exit 43 in southwest Detroit, M-85 is part of the Lake Erie Circle Tour.
Route description
M-85 serves the communities of Detroit, Lincoln ParkLincoln Park, Michigan
Lincoln Park is a city in Wayne County in the U.S. state of Michigan. It lies in an area of cities and communities known as Downriver. The population was 38,144 at the 2010 census . The settlement was organized as a village in 1921, and reorganized as a city in 1925. The area was originally home to...
, Wyandotte
Wyandotte, Michigan
Wyandotte is a city in Wayne County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 25,883 at the 2010 census, a decrease of 7.6% from 2000. Wyandotte is located in southeastern Michigan, approximately south of Detroit on the Detroit River, and is part of the collection of communities known as...
, Southgate
Southgate, Michigan
Southgate is a city in Wayne County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 30,047 at the 2010 census.Southgate was the last city to incorporate from the former Ecorse Township, gaining city status in October 1958...
, Riverview
Riverview, Michigan
Riverview is a city in Wayne County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 12,486 at the time of the 2010 census.The city is a suburb in the Metro Detroit area, located along the shore of the Detroit River. Riverview incorporated as a village in 1922 and as a city in 1959...
, Trenton
Trenton, Michigan
Trenton is a small city in Wayne County in the southeast portion of the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 18,853...
, Gibraltar
Gibraltar, Michigan
Gibraltar is a city in Wayne County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 4,656 at the 2010 census. It is located on the Detroit River directly south of, and adjacent to, Trenton.-Geography:...
and Brownstown
Brownstown Township, Michigan
Brownstown Charter Township is a charter township of Wayne County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 30,627 at the 2010 census. It is part of the collection of communities known as Downriver. Brownstown's three separate segments are due to the incorporation of the cities of Flat...
M-85's northern terminus is at the corner of Fort St & Griswold St, one block west of Woodward Avenue in Downtown Detroit. The southern terminus is at I-75
Interstate 75
Interstate 75 is a major north–south Interstate Highway in the Great Lakes and Southeastern regions of the United States. It travels from State Road 826 and State Road 924 in Hialeah, Florida to Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan, at the Ontario, Canada, border...
near Flat Rock and Gibraltar.
History
In the 1920s, M-85 ran from M-14M-14 (Michigan highway)
M-14 is a east–west state trunkline highway in the southeastern portion of the US state of Michigan. Entirely freeway, it connects Ann Arbor with Detroit by way of connecting with I-96.-Route description:...
(now M-66
M-66 (Michigan highway)
M-66 is a north–south state trunkline highway on the Lower Peninsula of the US state of Michigan. It runs from the Indiana state line in the south to Charlevoix in the north. M-66 is the only state highway to traverse almost the entire north–south distance of the LP. It starts as a...
) in Stanton
Stanton, Michigan
Stanton is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2000 census, the city population was 1,504. It is the county seat of Montcalm County...
to M-66 (now M-91
M-91 (Michigan highway)
M-91 is a largely north–south state trunkline highway in the Lower Peninsula of the US state of Michigan. It runs from Belding to south of Lakeview. Its length exists entirely within Ionia and Montcalm counties. It is all undivided surface route...
) just south of Langston.
M-85 was extended beyond its previous terminus at I-75/Schaefer Road to replace M-3's
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...
designation along Fort Street from Clark Street to Griswold, when a number of jurisdiction changes relating to the Campus Martius Park
Campus Martius Park
Campus Martius Park is a re-established park in downtown Detroit, Michigan. After the fire of 1805, Campus Martius was the focal point of judge Augustus Woodward's plans to rebuild the city. It is where the "point of origin" of Detroit's coordinate system is located...
development resulted in downtown portions of M-3 being shifted to local control in 2001. Portions of Fort Street that had not been part of the trunkline system since U.S. 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:...
was removed from Michigan were added to M-85.