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M-94 (Michigan highway)
Encyclopedia
M-94 is a state trunkline
in the Upper Peninsula
of the US state of Michigan
. It runs for 86.983 miles (139.985 km) from K. I. Sawyer
to Manistique
. The highway is part of the Lake Superior Circle Tour during a concurrency
with M-28
. M-94 crosses the Siphon Bridge in Manistique, unique for the fact that the bridge roadway is below water level.
M-94 has been realigned several times. It has had its own roadway between the M-28 junctions in Munising
and Shingleton. Other changes have flip-flopped M-94 with M-28 between Harvey
and Munising and extended it across the former K.I. Sawyer Air Force Base.
M-94 begins at an intersection with M-553
and crosses the former K. I. Sawyer AFB. Then it overlaps US 41
for a little over a mile near Skandia. East of Skandia, M-94 runs through forest lands and serves the communities of Sundell and Rumely before entering Eben Junction. There M-94 intersects the southern section of H-01. Further east is Chatham
where there are junctions with the northern section of H-01 and M-67
. M-94 turns southerly briefly before returning to an east–west direction to head to the community of Forest Lake and ultimately Munising
. There M-94 joins a concurrency with M-28 and the Lake Superior Circle Tour from Munising to Shingleton. Until the turn at Shingleton, the route is more decidedly east–west than north–south. Between Shingleton and Manistique, M-94 is more north–south.
South of Shingleton, M-94 runs through forest lands as a part of the Great Manistique Swamp. Along the way are national forest campgrounds located near Steuben. South of Crooked Lake, M-94 curves to the east before turning almost due south to the Manistique area. In Manistique, M-94 enters town on North 5th St before turning to follow Deer Street and River Street. On River Street, the trunkline uses the Siphon Bridge to cross the Manistique River
and then uses Elk and Maple streets before terminating at US 2
at Lakeshore Drive.
on the "Siphon Bridge". Built as a part of a raceway flume on the river, the water level is actually higher than the road surface. This produces a siphon effect, giving the bridge its nickname. The Manistique Pulp and Paper Company was organized in 1916 and needed a dam on the Manistique River to supply their mill. This dam would need to flood a large section of the city. The shallow river banks meant difficulties in any bridge construction. Instead of expensive dikes, a concrete tank was built lengthwise in the river bed. The sides of this tank provided man-made banks higher than the natural banks. The Michigan Works Progress Administration
described the bridge as having, "concrete bulkheads, formed by the side spans of the bridge, [that] allow the mill to maintain the water level several feet above the roadbed." The Manistique Tourism Council stated: "At one time, the bridge itself was partially supported by the water that was atmospherically forced under it," and that the Bridge has been featured in Ripley's Believe It or Not!
west to Munising and further along its current routing to Manistique. In 1928 or 1929, M-94 was rerouted to run along Munising-Van Meer-Shingleton Road (now H-58
and H-15) and southerly to Shingleton. This routing was abandoned on November 7, 1963.
It was later extended westward to Harvey
in 1939. In 1941, the portion of M-94 west from Munising to Harvey was made a part of M-28, and M-94 was extended along its current routing from Munising to US 41. M-94 was extended for the last time in 1998 over US 41 and through the old K. I. Sawyer Air Force Base
to end at a newly designated M-553
.
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 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...
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"....
. It runs for 86.983 miles (139.985 km) from K. I. Sawyer
K. I. Sawyer Air Force Base
K. I. Sawyer Air Force Base is a decommissioned U.S. Air Force base in Marquette County, Michigan, south of the city of Marquette. The base, near the center of Michigan's Upper Peninsula, closed in 1995. The county airport, Sawyer International, now occupies a portion of the base and has scheduled...
to Manistique
Manistique, Michigan
Manistique is a city in the Upper Peninsula of the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2000 census, the city population was 3,583. It is the county seat of Schoolcraft County and the only incorporated community in the county. The city lies on the north shore of Lake Michigan, at the southwest corner...
. The highway is part of the Lake Superior Circle Tour during a concurrency
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-28
M-28 (Michigan highway)
M-28 is an east–west state trunkline highway that almost completely traverses the Upper Peninsula in the U.S. state of Michigan, from Wakefield to near Sault Ste. Marie in Bruce Township...
. M-94 crosses the Siphon Bridge in Manistique, unique for the fact that the bridge roadway is below water level.
M-94 has been realigned several times. It has had its own roadway between the M-28 junctions in Munising
Munising, Michigan
Munising is a city on the southern shore of Lake Superior on the Upper Peninsula of the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2000 census, the city population was 2,539. It is the county seat of Alger County...
and Shingleton. Other changes have flip-flopped M-94 with M-28 between Harvey
Harvey, Michigan
Harvey is an unincorporated community, known in the early years as "Harvey Location", in Chocolay Township, Marquette County in the U.S. state of Michigan. It is a census-designated place for statistical purposes and has no legal status as an incorporated municipality...
and Munising and extended it across the former K.I. Sawyer Air Force Base.
Route description
M-553 (Michigan highway)
M-553 is a north–south state trunkline highway in the Upper Peninsula of the US state of Michigan. The trunkline was originally Marquette County Road 553. It is the main highway connection between the US 41/M-28 corridor and both the Sawyer International Airport and Gwinn.M-553 was given its...
and crosses the former K. I. Sawyer AFB. Then it overlaps US 41
U.S. Route 41 in Michigan
US Highway 41 is a part of the United States Numbered Highway System that runs from Miami, Florida, to the Upper Peninsula of the US state of Michigan. In Michigan, it is a state trunkline highway that enters the state via the Interstate Bridge between Marinette, Wisconsin, and Menominee,...
for a little over a mile near Skandia. East of Skandia, M-94 runs through forest lands and serves the communities of Sundell and Rumely before entering Eben Junction. There M-94 intersects the southern section of H-01. Further east is Chatham
Chatham, Michigan
Chatham is a village in Rock River Township of Alger County in the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2000 census, the village population was 231...
where there are junctions with the northern section of H-01 and M-67
M-67 (Michigan highway)
M-67 is a north–south state trunkline highway in the Upper Peninsula of the U.S. state of Michigan. It connects with US Highway 41 and M-94 between Trenary and Chatham...
. M-94 turns southerly briefly before returning to an east–west direction to head to the community of Forest Lake and ultimately Munising
Munising, Michigan
Munising is a city on the southern shore of Lake Superior on the Upper Peninsula of the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2000 census, the city population was 2,539. It is the county seat of Alger County...
. There M-94 joins a concurrency with M-28 and the Lake Superior Circle Tour from Munising to Shingleton. Until the turn at Shingleton, the route is more decidedly east–west than north–south. Between Shingleton and Manistique, M-94 is more north–south.
South of Shingleton, M-94 runs through forest lands as a part of the Great Manistique Swamp. Along the way are national forest campgrounds located near Steuben. South of Crooked Lake, M-94 curves to the east before turning almost due south to the Manistique area. In Manistique, M-94 enters town on North 5th St before turning to follow Deer Street and River Street. On River Street, the trunkline uses the Siphon Bridge to cross the Manistique River
Manistique River
The Manistique River is a 67-mile-long river in the U.S. state of Michigan that winds southward through the central Upper Peninsula from its headwaters near Lake Superior to its mouth in Lake Michigan. It drains approximately of the Upper Peninsula, including most of Schoolcraft County and small...
and then uses Elk and Maple streets before terminating at 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...
at Lakeshore Drive.
Siphon Bridge
In Manistique, M-94 crosses the Manistique RiverManistique River
The Manistique River is a 67-mile-long river in the U.S. state of Michigan that winds southward through the central Upper Peninsula from its headwaters near Lake Superior to its mouth in Lake Michigan. It drains approximately of the Upper Peninsula, including most of Schoolcraft County and small...
on the "Siphon Bridge". Built as a part of a raceway flume on the river, the water level is actually higher than the road surface. This produces a siphon effect, giving the bridge its nickname. The Manistique Pulp and Paper Company was organized in 1916 and needed a dam on the Manistique River to supply their mill. This dam would need to flood a large section of the city. The shallow river banks meant difficulties in any bridge construction. Instead of expensive dikes, a concrete tank was built lengthwise in the river bed. The sides of this tank provided man-made banks higher than the natural banks. The Michigan Works Progress Administration
Works Progress Administration
The Works Progress Administration was the largest and most ambitious New Deal agency, employing millions of unskilled workers to carry out public works projects, including the construction of public buildings and roads, and operated large arts, drama, media, and literacy projects...
described the bridge as having, "concrete bulkheads, formed by the side spans of the bridge, [that] allow the mill to maintain the water level several feet above the roadbed." The Manistique Tourism Council stated: "At one time, the bridge itself was partially supported by the water that was atmospherically forced under it," and that the Bridge has been featured in Ripley's Believe It or Not!
Ripley's Believe It or Not!
Ripley's Believe It or Not! is a franchise, founded by Robert Ripley, which deals in bizarre events and items so strange and unusual that readers might question the claims...
History
The December 1927 Michigan State Highway Department Official Highway Service Map shows M-94 routed from Au TrainAu Train, Michigan
Au Train is an unincorporated community located in Au Train Township of Alger County in the U.S. state of Michigan. It is in the north of the western section of the Hiawatha National Forest. Au Train is at . The ZIP code is 49806 and the FIPS place code is 04440.The community sits at the foot of...
west to Munising and further along its current routing to Manistique. In 1928 or 1929, M-94 was rerouted to run along Munising-Van Meer-Shingleton Road (now H-58
H-58 (Michigan county highway)
County Designated Highway H-58 is a road that runs east–west in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. H-58 is routed through Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore. Along H-58, there are the towns of Melstrand, Van Meer, and Myren. The length is .The western terminus is at M-28 in downtown Munising,...
and H-15) and southerly to Shingleton. This routing was abandoned on November 7, 1963.
It was later extended westward to Harvey
Harvey, Michigan
Harvey is an unincorporated community, known in the early years as "Harvey Location", in Chocolay Township, Marquette County in the U.S. state of Michigan. It is a census-designated place for statistical purposes and has no legal status as an incorporated municipality...
in 1939. In 1941, the portion of M-94 west from Munising to Harvey was made a part of M-28, and M-94 was extended along its current routing from Munising to US 41. M-94 was extended for the last time in 1998 over US 41 and through the old K. I. Sawyer Air Force Base
K. I. Sawyer Air Force Base
K. I. Sawyer Air Force Base is a decommissioned U.S. Air Force base in Marquette County, Michigan, south of the city of Marquette. The base, near the center of Michigan's Upper Peninsula, closed in 1995. The county airport, Sawyer International, now occupies a portion of the base and has scheduled...
to end at a newly designated M-553
M-553 (Michigan highway)
M-553 is a north–south state trunkline highway in the Upper Peninsula of the US state of Michigan. The trunkline was originally Marquette County Road 553. It is the main highway connection between the US 41/M-28 corridor and both the Sawyer International Airport and Gwinn.M-553 was given its...
.