Michigan Highway System
Encyclopedia
The Michigan State Trunkline Highway System is made up of all the highway
s 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
(MDOT) and comprises 9716 miles (15,636 km) of trunklines in all 83 counties of Michigan on both the Upper
and Lower
peninsulas (UP, LP), linked by the Mackinac Bridge
. The system ranges in size from the unsigned Business Spur Interstate 375 (BS I-375) at 0.17 mile (0.2735878 km) and signed M-212
at 0.732 miles (1.178 km) to Interstate 75
(I-75) at 395.4 miles (636.33 km). Some trunklines in Michigan are maintained by MDOT but bear no signage along the route to indicate this. These unsigned trunklines are mostly segments of former highway designations that have been moved or had the designations decommissioned. These segments remain under state control until the appropriate city or county accepts jurisdiction of the roadway from the state.
1918–19, when Michigan's state trunklines were first signed along the roadways. The state highway route marker is a diamond with a block letter "M" at the top.
Although "M-nn" outside of Michigan could refer to other state, provincial, local, or national highways, local usage in those areas does not mimic the Michigan usage in most cases. In the United Kingdom, "M" refers to motorways, analogous to freeways in the United States, whereas "M-nn" designations in Michigan simply signify state trunklines in general and may exist on any type of highway. "M-nn" trunklines are designated along eight-lane freeways in urban areas, four-lane rural freeways and expressways, principal arterial highways, two-lane highways in far-flung rural areas, and even M-185
, a non-motorized road restricted to bicycles, horse-drawn carriages and pedestrians on Mackinac Island
.
The highest numbers used for highway designations include M-553
in the UP and I-696
running along the northern Detroit suburbs. The lowest numbers in use are M-1
along Woodward Avenue in Detroit and US 2 across the UP. Most M-numbered trunkline designations are lower than the low 200s, but some have been designated in the low 300s. MDOT has not assigned a designation outside the Interstate System in the 400s at this time. No discernible pattern is to be inferred in Michigan's numbering system, although most of the M-numbered routes lower than 15 tend to be located in or close to the major cities of Detroit and Grand Rapids.
as well as both US 8
and M-8
. Many of the state's U.S. Highways were assigned numbers duplicating those of state routes when the U.S. Highway system was created in 1926. The coming of the Interstate Highway System
in the late 1950s further complicated the situation: each mainline Interstate designation has a similar but unrelated "M-nn" numbered state trunkline counterpart elsewhere in the state.
Many U.S. Highways in Michigan have left an M-numbered highway with the same number as a relic of their existence. As an example, M-27
runs along a portion of former US 27. In addition, two occurrences of an original "M-numbered" state route which became U.S. Highways with the same route designation existed: all of M-16 became US 16 and most of M-10 from Detroit to Saginaw was assumed into the route of US 10
in 1926. In fact each iteration of M-10 has existed along a former or future alignment of US 10, at least in part.
There were also some examples of "M-numbered" state highways which once existed as extensions of US Highways. M-25
was originally an extension of US 25
before the latter was decommissioned in Michigan. M-24
was once an extension of US 24 before routing changes separated those two highways. M-131 was an extension of US 131
until US 131 was routed onto the former M-131. There was also once an M-112
that served as an alternate routing for US 112
(both have since been changed, to I-94 and US 12 respectively).
. The freeway between Flint and Standish carries both the I-75 and US 23 designations for around 75 miles (120.7 km) as just one example of the phenomenon.
and United States Numbered Highway System (U.S. Highways), and the regular state trunklines. In addition, special routes, which are variations of the other three types of highway, are distinguished by special plates placed above the route marker. The plates indicate the routes as business or connector routes. Business loops and spurs of the Interstate Highway System use a special green version of the standard Interstate marker which places the word "Business" at the top where "Interstate" appears normally. These business loops and spurs connect downtown districts to the main highways after realignments and bypasses have routed the main highway out of the downtown area. Other highways are the connector routes which as the name suggests, connect two highways together. Most of these connectors are unsigned. The highways names for special routes are formed by prefacing the parent highway with the type of special route. The full names are commonly abbreviated like other highways: Business Loop Interstate 196 (BL I-196), Business M-60 (BUS M-60) or Connector M-44 (CONN M-44).
The U.S. Forest Service maintains Federal Forest Highways providing access to the National Forests in the state, a handful of which exist in the state. In addition to these, Michigan participates in the Great Lakes Circle Tour
program, signing tours along the state-maintained highway closest to Michigan's Great Lakes
shorelines. There is also the Michigan Heritage Route
system created in 1993 to highlight trunklines with Historic, Recreational or Scenic qualities.
to Toledo
, Ohio. This trail connected with Braddock's Road which lead to the Atlantic Coast
.
The Michigan Territory was established in 1805, and the first roads districts were established by the territorial governor. Detroit created 120 feet (36.6 m) rights-of-way for the five Great Avenues in the city following a fire in the city. These roads were primarily built to serve the agricultural needs of the farming population of the area at the time.
Outside of Detroit, the situation was quite different. Maps of the territory where printed with the words "interminable swamp" across the interior until 1839. Reports of the first explorers and government surveyors crossing the future state only seemed to confirm the assessment that Michigan land was unsuitable for agriculture or other productive activities. The few roads in the area were impassable for half of the year. The poor quality of the early roads meant that most transportation in the state was by way of the lakes and rivers at first. Commerce was limited to trade to and from Canada. Before the War of 1812
, a barrel of flour cost $50 (equivalent to $ in ).
These roads proved inadequate to the needs of the military during the War of 1812
. Territorial Governor Lewis Cass
lobbied the federal government for road construction funding to bolster defensive needs as well as aid in settlement of the territory. Military roads debuted in 1816 with the construction of the Detroit–Fort Meigs Road to Toledo as a response to transportation needs. More roads were built with Congressional appropriations in the 1820s and 1830s connecting Detroit to Port Huron
, Saginaw
, Grand Rapids
and Chicago.
Townships were given authority to construct roads under the supervision of county commissioners in 1817. This supervision was difficult since in one case, one county covered all of the Upper Peninsula and several of today's counties in the Lower Peninsula. Direct supervision over construction was granted to the townships in 1827, and federal involvement in road building ended with the 1837 granting of statehood. Private construction companies built roads starting in 1844 to fill the void in long-distance road construction left by the departure of the federal government. The first roads were corduroy roads. To build these, logs of all sizes were placed across the road. The gaps between the logs were filled in with smaller logs or earth. In swampy or marshy areas, brush was laid down first for drainage. In time, the logs would rot, leaving large gaps to the roadway that would catch wagon wheels or draft animal feet. Later, roads were built with oak planks. The plank road companies had to be chartered by the state after passage of legislation in 1848. According the plank road law, these companies had to build their roads to a set of minimum specifications. These specifications included 2 rod in total width, a road surface 16 feet (4.9 m) wide with at least 8 feet (2.4 m) made of 3 inches (8 cm) planks. Later amendments to the law allowed the companies to substitute gravel for the planks.
The early plank roads were funded by tolls. These fares were collected at turnstiles every few miles along the roads, at rates of $0.02/mile for wagons pulled by two animals (equivalent to $ in ) As time passed, the planks would warp and rot. The tolls were insufficient to fund the maintenance necessary to keep the roads in good repair. Even Mark Twain
remarked, "The road could not have been bad if some unconscionable scoundrel had not now and then dropped a plank across it," after a trip to Grand Rapids. The planks were removed over time and replaced with gravel roads. The longest chartered road was a distance of 220 miles (354.1 km) from Zilwaukee
to Mackinaw City
by way of Traverse City
; the shortest was a mile (1.6 km) near Sault Ste. Marie
.
Townships continued to maintain and build local roads using the "statute labor system". Able-bodied men residing in a local road district were expected to pay his road taxes by performing 30 days of labor on the roads in his district. If he was unable to work off the tax, a rate of $0.625/day was assessed (equivalent to $ in ). This road was performed under the guidance of the township road overseer, a separate elected township official, according to the wishes of his constituents, often without any county-level planning or coordination. Often the "improved roads" were in worse condition than unimproved roads due to the amateur nature of the maintenance.
An early form of federal aid contributed to the road network in the state starting in 1850s. Congress granted certain forest and swamp lands to the state in 1850. A stipulation on the grant stated that the proceeds from the lands would be used to reclaim them for use. The Michigan Legislature
established several roads to be built by contractors, paid with the proceeds from the sale of the land adjoining the roads, or with land itself. Only 1179 miles (1,897.4 km) of the 5082 miles (8,178.7 km) of plank roads authorized by the state were ever built by 89 of the 202 chartered plank road companies.
The tax system was partially reformed in 1881, allowing for direct payment of road taxes instead of relying totally on the statute-labor system. The first road district larger than the township level was created in Bay County
in 1883 under Public Act 278. This roads district encompassed eight townships and provided for better coordination and planning of road construction. Other county systems were created in 1893 with passage of legislation which allowed other counties to follow the lead of Bay County. By 1900, the plank roads were generally abandoned. While a few were still in good repair, most consisted of rotting logs with intermittent patches of gravel. Toll houses were empty shacks, and the ditches were clogged with duck ponds. Only 23 of the original 202 plank roads chartered by the state were still in operation.
. The state's statute labor system was abolished in 1907. Instead a property tax system was instituted with the funding only for permanent improvements, not maintenance. The nation's first mile of concrete
roadway was laid along Woodward Avenue between Six Mile and Seven Mile roads in Detroit. This section of street was 17 in 8 in (5.38 m) wide.
Passage of the "State Trunkline Act" in 1913 provided for 3000 miles (4,828 km) of roadways in a state-financed system. Further legislation at the time allowed for special assessment taxing districts for road improvements, taxation of automobiles based on weight and horsepower and tree-planting along highway roadsides. The first centerline was painted on a state highway in 1917 along the Marquette-Negaunee Road which was designated Trunkline 15, now Marquette County Road 492 (The first centerline was invented in 1911 in Wayne County
by Edward N. Hines.) Winter maintenance started during World War I
to keep 590 miles (950 km) of strategic highways clear. In 1919, Michigan first signed the trunklines, becoming the second state after Wisconsin to do so. Alan Williams, Ionia County engineer, helped to design the diamond marker used to sign the highways; he is also known for placing a picnic table alongside US 16 (Grand River Avenue) in 1929 south of Saranac
, considered the first in the country.
While Michigan was the second jurisdiction to post route designations along its state trunkline highway system in 1919, Michigan actually began assigning internal trunkline route designations for internal inventory purposes as early as 1913. From 1918 to 1926, only the "M-numbered" route designations existed on state highways throughout Michigan, while the coming of the U.S. Highway System
in 1926 caused several existing designations to be either reassigned or retired altogether.
The 1932 McNitt act consolidated all of the township-controlled roads into 83 county road commissions.World War II
, the Willow Run Expressway, the Detroit Industrial Expressway
and the Davison Freeway
were built, ushering in the beginnings of the state's freeway system.
Act 51 of 1951 amended and clarified the current system of jurisdiction over roads in the state. The existing tri-level system was maintained, splitting road jurisdiction between the state, counties and cities, as well as subdivided each level into several classifications. Further legislation redefined the exact distribution, but Act 51 set up a system to distribute road funding from gas taxes from a single funding source, currently the Michigan Transportation Fund. Michigan was the first state to complete a border-to-border Interstate Highway in 1960 with the completion of Interstate 94 in Michigan
. The 1241 miles (1,997 km) Interstate Highway network in Michigan was completed in 1992 with the last 4 miles (6 km) of Interstate 69 in Michigan
.
Highway
A highway is any public road. In American English, the term is common and almost always designates major roads. In British English, the term designates any road open to the public. Any interconnected set of highways can be variously referred to as a "highway system", a "highway network", or a...
s designated as Interstates, U.S. Highways and State Highways 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"....
. The system is maintained by 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) and comprises 9716 miles (15,636 km) of trunklines in all 83 counties of Michigan on both the Upper
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...
and Lower
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...
peninsulas (UP, LP), linked by the Mackinac Bridge
Mackinac Bridge
The Mackinac Bridge is a suspension bridge spanning the Straits of Mackinac to connect the non-contiguous Upper and Lower peninsulas of the U.S. state of Michigan. Opened in 1957, the bridge is the third longest in total suspension in the world and the longest suspension bridge between anchorages...
. The system ranges in size from the unsigned Business Spur Interstate 375 (BS I-375) at 0.17 mile (0.2735878 km) and signed M-212
M-212 (Michigan highway)
M-212 is a state trunkline highway in the US state of Michigan. M-212 was designated in order to provide access from M-33 to both the small community of Aloha on the eastern shore of Mullett Lake, as well as to Aloha State Park, where the highway ends. M-212 is the shortest state highway in...
at 0.732 miles (1.178 km) to 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) at 395.4 miles (636.33 km). Some trunklines in Michigan are maintained by MDOT but bear no signage along the route to indicate this. These unsigned trunklines are mostly segments of former highway designations that have been moved or had the designations decommissioned. These segments remain under state control until the appropriate city or county accepts jurisdiction of the roadway from the state.
Usage
The M in the state highway numbers is an integral part of the designation and included on the reassurance marker shields posted along the side of the highway. Michigan highways are properly referred to using the M and never as "Route 28" or "Highway 28", but as M-28. Michigan is one of only two states that does this, the other one being Kansas. This usage dates from c.Circa
Circa , usually abbreviated c. or ca. , means "approximately" in the English language, usually referring to a date...
1918–19, when Michigan's state trunklines were first signed along the roadways. The state highway route marker is a diamond with a block letter "M" at the top.
Although "M-nn" outside of Michigan could refer to other state, provincial, local, or national highways, local usage in those areas does not mimic the Michigan usage in most cases. In the United Kingdom, "M" refers to motorways, analogous to freeways in the United States, whereas "M-nn" designations in Michigan simply signify state trunklines in general and may exist on any type of highway. "M-nn" trunklines are designated along eight-lane freeways in urban areas, four-lane rural freeways and expressways, principal arterial highways, two-lane highways in far-flung rural areas, and even M-185
M-185 (Michigan highway)
M-185 is a state trunkline highway in the U.S. state of Michigan that circles Mackinac Island, a popular tourist destination on the Lake Huron side of the Straits of Mackinac, along the island's shoreline. A narrow paved road of , it offers scenic views of the straits that divide the Upper and the...
, a non-motorized road restricted to bicycles, horse-drawn carriages and pedestrians on Mackinac Island
Mackinac Island
Mackinac Island is an island and resort area covering in land area, part of the U.S. state of Michigan. It is located in Lake Huron, at the eastern end of the Straits of Mackinac, between the state's Upper and Lower Peninsulas. The island was home to a Native American settlement before European...
.
The highest numbers used for highway designations include 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...
in the UP and I-696
Interstate 696
Interstate 696 is an intrastate Interstate Highway entirely within the US state of Michigan. I-696 is also known as the Walter P. Reuther Freeway, named for a prominent figure in early automobile factory labor union activity. I-696 is a spur route, partially circling the city of Detroit, but...
running along the northern Detroit suburbs. The lowest numbers in use are M-1
M-1 (Michigan highway)
M-1, commonly known as Woodward Avenue, named for Augustus B. Woodward, is a north–south state trunkline in the US state of Michigan. Until a few years ago, the northern terminus of M-1 was at BL I-75 and BUS US 24 in Bloomfield Township between the city limits of Bloomfield Hills and...
along Woodward Avenue in Detroit and US 2 across the UP. Most M-numbered trunkline designations are lower than the low 200s, but some have been designated in the low 300s. MDOT has not assigned a designation outside the Interstate System in the 400s at this time. No discernible pattern is to be inferred in Michigan's numbering system, although most of the M-numbered routes lower than 15 tend to be located in or close to the major cities of Detroit and Grand Rapids.
Numerical duplication
Unlike some other states, there are no formal rules prohibiting the usage of the same route number under different systems. Motorists driving Michigan's highways can encounter both I-75 and M-75M-75 (Michigan highway)
M-75 is a segment of state trunkline highway located in Charlevoix County in the U.S. state of Michigan. This highway serves as a loop off US Highway 131 , providing access to Boyne City. The highway happens to be geographically close to Interstate 75 , but they are not related.-Route...
as well as both US 8
U.S. Route 8
U.S. Highway 8 is a United States Highway that runs primarily east–west for , mostly within the state of Wisconsin. It runs from Interstate 35 in Forest Lake, Minnesota to US 2 at Norway in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan near the border with Wisconsin. Except for the short freeway...
and M-8
M-8 (Michigan highway)
M-8 is a state trunkline highway in the U.S. state of Michigan lying within the cities of Detroit and Highland Park. Much of it is the Davison Freeway, the nation's first urban depressed freeway, which became a connector between the Lodge and the Chrysler Freeways.Named for an English immigrant...
. Many of the state's U.S. Highways were assigned numbers duplicating those of state routes when the U.S. Highway system was created in 1926. The coming of the Interstate Highway System
Interstate Highway System
The Dwight D. Eisenhower National System of Interstate and Defense Highways, , is a network of limited-access roads including freeways, highways, and expressways forming part of the National Highway System of the United States of America...
in the late 1950s further complicated the situation: each mainline Interstate designation has a similar but unrelated "M-nn" numbered state trunkline counterpart elsewhere in the state.
Many U.S. Highways in Michigan have left an M-numbered highway with the same number as a relic of their existence. As an example, M-27
M-27 (Michigan highway)
M-27 is a north–south state trunkline highway in the extreme north of the Lower Peninsula of the US state of Michigan. The route runs between Interstate 75 just north of Indian River and Cheboygan, where it meets US Highway 23 near Lake Huron...
runs along a portion of former US 27. In addition, two occurrences of an original "M-numbered" state route which became U.S. Highways with the same route designation existed: all of M-16 became US 16 and most of M-10 from Detroit to Saginaw was assumed into the route of US 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...
in 1926. In fact each iteration of M-10 has existed along a former or future alignment of US 10, at least in part.
There were also some examples of "M-numbered" state highways which once existed as extensions of US Highways. M-25
M-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...
was originally an extension of US 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:...
before the latter was decommissioned in Michigan. M-24
M-24 (Michigan highway)
M-24 is a state trunkline highway in the U.S. state of Michigan that extends through Southeast Michigan, from northeast Auburn Hills to Unionville. It starts at an interchange with Interstate 75 and ends where it merges with M-25...
was once an extension of US 24 before routing changes separated those two highways. M-131 was an extension of US 131
U.S. Route 131
US Highway 131 is a north–south United States Highway, of which all but 0.67 miles of its 266.82 miles are within the state of Michigan. The highway starts in rural Indiana south of the state line as a state road connection to the Indiana Toll Road...
until US 131 was routed onto the former M-131. There was also once an M-112
M-112 (Michigan highway)
M-112 was the state trunkline highway designation given to segments of what is now Interstate 94 in the Metro Detroit area of the US state of Michigan.-Route description:...
that served as an alternate routing for US 112
U.S. Route 112
U.S. Route 112 was a largely east–west state trunkline highway across the southern portion of the US state of Michigan between New Buffalo and Detroit...
(both have since been changed, to I-94 and US 12 respectively).
Highway systems
There are four systems of highways maintained by MDOT as part of the overall state trunkline system. In addition there are systems of roads maintained by the federal government and counties. There is considerable overlap as designations from different systems share the same stretch of pavement in concurrenciesConcurrency (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...
. The freeway between Flint and Standish carries both the I-75 and US 23 designations for around 75 miles (120.7 km) as just one example of the phenomenon.
State Trunkline Highways
The State Trunkline Highway System comprises four types of highways: Michigan's portions of the Interstate Highway SystemInterstate Highway System
The Dwight D. Eisenhower National System of Interstate and Defense Highways, , is a network of limited-access roads including freeways, highways, and expressways forming part of the National Highway System of the United States of America...
and United States Numbered Highway System (U.S. Highways), and the regular state trunklines. In addition, special routes, which are variations of the other three types of highway, are distinguished by special plates placed above the route marker. The plates indicate the routes as business or connector routes. Business loops and spurs of the Interstate Highway System use a special green version of the standard Interstate marker which places the word "Business" at the top where "Interstate" appears normally. These business loops and spurs connect downtown districts to the main highways after realignments and bypasses have routed the main highway out of the downtown area. Other highways are the connector routes which as the name suggests, connect two highways together. Most of these connectors are unsigned. The highways names for special routes are formed by prefacing the parent highway with the type of special route. The full names are commonly abbreviated like other highways: Business Loop Interstate 196 (BL I-196), Business M-60 (BUS M-60) or Connector M-44 (CONN M-44).
County roads
There exists a parallel system of county-designated highways in Michigan with numbers assigned in a grid system by MDOT. These highways, while signed from connecting trunklines and shown on the official MDOT map, are maintained by the various counties. They were started in 1970 as a supplement to the main trunkline system. They carry a letter-number combination and use the national standard pentagon-shaped marker in blue and yellow. Other county systems are designated and maintained in each of the 83 counties and practices vary between using the pentagon marker to older square markers in black and white.Other systems
Great Lakes Circle Tour
The Great Lakes Circle Tour is a designated scenic road system connecting all of the Great Lakes and the St. Lawrence River. It consists of routes for circumnavigating the lakes, either individually or collectively.-Lake Superior Circle Tour:...
program, signing tours along the state-maintained highway closest to Michigan's Great Lakes
Great Lakes
The Great Lakes are a collection of freshwater lakes located in northeastern North America, on the Canada – United States border. Consisting of Lakes Superior, Michigan, Huron, Erie, and Ontario, they form the largest group of freshwater lakes on Earth by total surface, coming in second by volume...
shorelines. There is also the Michigan Heritage Route
Michigan Heritage Route
Michigan Heritage Route is a designation for roads in Michigan. The designation was created by the state legislature in 1993.The program emphasizes cooperation among local residents, government officials, landowners and interested groups to preserve unique scenic, historic or recreational...
system created in 1993 to highlight trunklines with Historic, Recreational or Scenic qualities.
Nineteenth century
The history of the highway system in Michigan dates back to the old Native-American trails that criss-crossed the state. These trails were pathways no wider than approximately 12 – permitting single-file traffic. Many of the modern highways in the state follow the path of these old trails, including the Great Trail from Fort Pitt to Fort Detroit which is now US 24 from DetroitDetroit, 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...
to Toledo
Toledo, Ohio
Toledo is the fourth most populous city in the U.S. state of Ohio and is the county seat of Lucas County. Toledo is in northwest Ohio, on the western end of Lake Erie, and borders the State of Michigan...
, Ohio. This trail connected with Braddock's Road which lead to the Atlantic Coast
Atlantic Ocean
The Atlantic Ocean is the second-largest of the world's oceanic divisions. With a total area of about , it covers approximately 20% of the Earth's surface and about 26% of its water surface area...
.
The Michigan Territory was established in 1805, and the first roads districts were established by the territorial governor. Detroit created 120 feet (36.6 m) rights-of-way for the five Great Avenues in the city following a fire in the city. These roads were primarily built to serve the agricultural needs of the farming population of the area at the time.
Outside of Detroit, the situation was quite different. Maps of the territory where printed with the words "interminable swamp" across the interior until 1839. Reports of the first explorers and government surveyors crossing the future state only seemed to confirm the assessment that Michigan land was unsuitable for agriculture or other productive activities. The few roads in the area were impassable for half of the year. The poor quality of the early roads meant that most transportation in the state was by way of the lakes and rivers at first. Commerce was limited to trade to and from Canada. Before the War of 1812
War of 1812
The War of 1812 was a military conflict fought between the forces of the United States of America and those of the British Empire. The Americans declared war in 1812 for several reasons, including trade restrictions because of Britain's ongoing war with France, impressment of American merchant...
, a barrel of flour cost $50 (equivalent to $ in ).
These roads proved inadequate to the needs of the military during the War of 1812
War of 1812
The War of 1812 was a military conflict fought between the forces of the United States of America and those of the British Empire. The Americans declared war in 1812 for several reasons, including trade restrictions because of Britain's ongoing war with France, impressment of American merchant...
. Territorial Governor Lewis Cass
Lewis Cass
Lewis Cass was an American military officer and politician. During his long political career, Cass served as a governor of the Michigan Territory, an American ambassador, a U.S. Senator representing Michigan, and co-founder as well as first Masonic Grand Master of the Grand Lodge of Michigan...
lobbied the federal government for road construction funding to bolster defensive needs as well as aid in settlement of the territory. Military roads debuted in 1816 with the construction of the Detroit–Fort Meigs Road to Toledo as a response to transportation needs. More roads were built with Congressional appropriations in the 1820s and 1830s connecting Detroit to Port Huron
Port Huron, Michigan
Port Huron is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan and the county seat of St. Clair County. The population was 30,184 at the 2010 census. The city is adjacent to Port Huron Township but is administratively autonomous. It is joined by the Blue Water Bridge over the St. Clair River to Sarnia,...
, 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...
, 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...
and Chicago.
Townships were given authority to construct roads under the supervision of county commissioners in 1817. This supervision was difficult since in one case, one county covered all of the Upper Peninsula and several of today's counties in the Lower Peninsula. Direct supervision over construction was granted to the townships in 1827, and federal involvement in road building ended with the 1837 granting of statehood. Private construction companies built roads starting in 1844 to fill the void in long-distance road construction left by the departure of the federal government. The first roads were corduroy roads. To build these, logs of all sizes were placed across the road. The gaps between the logs were filled in with smaller logs or earth. In swampy or marshy areas, brush was laid down first for drainage. In time, the logs would rot, leaving large gaps to the roadway that would catch wagon wheels or draft animal feet. Later, roads were built with oak planks. The plank road companies had to be chartered by the state after passage of legislation in 1848. According the plank road law, these companies had to build their roads to a set of minimum specifications. These specifications included 2 rod in total width, a road surface 16 feet (4.9 m) wide with at least 8 feet (2.4 m) made of 3 inches (8 cm) planks. Later amendments to the law allowed the companies to substitute gravel for the planks.
The early plank roads were funded by tolls. These fares were collected at turnstiles every few miles along the roads, at rates of $0.02/mile for wagons pulled by two animals (equivalent to $ in ) As time passed, the planks would warp and rot. The tolls were insufficient to fund the maintenance necessary to keep the roads in good repair. Even Mark Twain
Mark Twain
Samuel Langhorne Clemens , better known by his pen name Mark Twain, was an American author and humorist...
remarked, "The road could not have been bad if some unconscionable scoundrel had not now and then dropped a plank across it," after a trip to Grand Rapids. The planks were removed over time and replaced with gravel roads. The longest chartered road was a distance of 220 miles (354.1 km) from Zilwaukee
Zilwaukee, Michigan
Zilwaukee is a city in Saginaw County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 1,799 at the 2000 census. The 2009 Census Bureau estimate places the population at 1,640. The city is adjacent to and was created from Zilwaukee Township...
to Mackinaw City
Mackinaw City, Michigan
Mackinaw City is a village in Emmet and Cheboygan counties in the U.S. state of Michigan. At the 2000 census the population was 859. The name "Mackinaw City" is a bit of a misnomer as it is actually a village...
by way of Traverse City
Traverse City, Michigan
Traverse City is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan. It is the county seat of Grand Traverse County, although a small portion extends into Leelanau County. It is the largest city in the 21-county Northern Michigan region. The population was 14,674 at the 2010 census, with 143,372 in the Traverse...
; the shortest was a mile (1.6 km) near Sault Ste. Marie
Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan
Sault Ste. Marie is a city in and the county seat of Chippewa County in the U.S. state of Michigan. It is in the north-eastern end of Michigan's Upper Peninsula, on the Canadian border, separated from its twin city of Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario, by the St. Marys River...
.
Townships continued to maintain and build local roads using the "statute labor system". Able-bodied men residing in a local road district were expected to pay his road taxes by performing 30 days of labor on the roads in his district. If he was unable to work off the tax, a rate of $0.625/day was assessed (equivalent to $ in ). This road was performed under the guidance of the township road overseer, a separate elected township official, according to the wishes of his constituents, often without any county-level planning or coordination. Often the "improved roads" were in worse condition than unimproved roads due to the amateur nature of the maintenance.
An early form of federal aid contributed to the road network in the state starting in 1850s. Congress granted certain forest and swamp lands to the state in 1850. A stipulation on the grant stated that the proceeds from the lands would be used to reclaim them for use. The Michigan Legislature
Michigan Legislature
The Michigan Legislature is the legislative assembly of the U.S. state of Michigan. It is organized as a bicameral body consisting of the Senate, the upper house, and the House of Representatives, the lower house. Article IV of the state's Constitution, adopted in 1963, defines the role of the...
established several roads to be built by contractors, paid with the proceeds from the sale of the land adjoining the roads, or with land itself. Only 1179 miles (1,897.4 km) of the 5082 miles (8,178.7 km) of plank roads authorized by the state were ever built by 89 of the 202 chartered plank road companies.
The tax system was partially reformed in 1881, allowing for direct payment of road taxes instead of relying totally on the statute-labor system. The first road district larger than the township level was created in Bay County
Bay County, Michigan
-Demographics:As of the 2000 census, there were 110,157 people, 43,930 households, and 30,048 families residing in the county. The population density was 248 people per square mile . There were 46,423 housing units at an average density of 104 per square mile...
in 1883 under Public Act 278. This roads district encompassed eight townships and provided for better coordination and planning of road construction. Other county systems were created in 1893 with passage of legislation which allowed other counties to follow the lead of Bay County. By 1900, the plank roads were generally abandoned. While a few were still in good repair, most consisted of rotting logs with intermittent patches of gravel. Toll houses were empty shacks, and the ditches were clogged with duck ponds. Only 23 of the original 202 plank roads chartered by the state were still in operation.
Twentieth century and later
The first state road agency, the Michigan State Highway Department was created on July 1, 1905. At first the department administered rewards to the counties and townships for building roads to state minimum specifications. In 1905, there were 68000 miles (109,435.1 km) of roads in Michigan. Of these roads, only 7700 miles (12,391.9 km) were improved with gravel and 245 miles (394.3 km) were macadamMacadam
Macadam is a type of road construction pioneered by the Scotsman John Loudon McAdam in around 1820. The method simplified what had been considered state-of-the-art at that point...
. The state's statute labor system was abolished in 1907. Instead a property tax system was instituted with the funding only for permanent improvements, not maintenance. The nation's first mile of concrete
Concrete
Concrete is a composite construction material, composed of cement and other cementitious materials such as fly ash and slag cement, aggregate , water and chemical admixtures.The word concrete comes from the Latin word...
roadway was laid along Woodward Avenue between Six Mile and Seven Mile roads in Detroit. This section of street was 17 in 8 in (5.38 m) wide.
Passage of the "State Trunkline Act" in 1913 provided for 3000 miles (4,828 km) of roadways in a state-financed system. Further legislation at the time allowed for special assessment taxing districts for road improvements, taxation of automobiles based on weight and horsepower and tree-planting along highway roadsides. The first centerline was painted on a state highway in 1917 along the Marquette-Negaunee Road which was designated Trunkline 15, now Marquette County Road 492 (The first centerline was invented in 1911 in Wayne County
Wayne County, Michigan
-History:Wayne County was one of the first counties formed when the Northwest Territory was organized. It was named for the American general "Mad Anthony" Wayne. It originally encompassed the entire area of the Lower Peninsula of Michigan, as well as small sections that are now part of northern...
by Edward N. Hines.) Winter maintenance started during World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
to keep 590 miles (950 km) of strategic highways clear. In 1919, Michigan first signed the trunklines, becoming the second state after Wisconsin to do so. Alan Williams, Ionia County engineer, helped to design the diamond marker used to sign the highways; he is also known for placing a picnic table alongside US 16 (Grand River Avenue) in 1929 south of Saranac
Saranac, Michigan
Saranac is a village in Ionia County in the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2000 census, the village had a population of 1,326.Saranac is the birthplace of world-renowned geologist J...
, considered the first in the country.
While Michigan was the second jurisdiction to post route designations along its state trunkline highway system in 1919, Michigan actually began assigning internal trunkline route designations for internal inventory purposes as early as 1913. From 1918 to 1926, only the "M-numbered" route designations existed on state highways throughout Michigan, while the coming of the U.S. Highway System
United States Numbered Highways
The system of United States Numbered Highways is an integrated system of roads and highways in the United States numbered within a nationwide grid...
in 1926 caused several existing designations to be either reassigned or retired altogether.
The 1932 McNitt act consolidated all of the township-controlled roads into 83 county road commissions.World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, the Willow Run Expressway, the Detroit Industrial Expressway
Interstate 94 in Michigan
Interstate 94 is a part of the Interstate Highway System that runs from Billings, Montana, to the Lower Peninsula of the US state of Michigan. In Michigan, it is a state trunkline highway that enters the state south of New Buffalo...
and the Davison Freeway
M-8 (Michigan highway)
M-8 is a state trunkline highway in the U.S. state of Michigan lying within the cities of Detroit and Highland Park. Much of it is the Davison Freeway, the nation's first urban depressed freeway, which became a connector between the Lodge and the Chrysler Freeways.Named for an English immigrant...
were built, ushering in the beginnings of the state's freeway system.
Act 51 of 1951 amended and clarified the current system of jurisdiction over roads in the state. The existing tri-level system was maintained, splitting road jurisdiction between the state, counties and cities, as well as subdivided each level into several classifications. Further legislation redefined the exact distribution, but Act 51 set up a system to distribute road funding from gas taxes from a single funding source, currently the Michigan Transportation Fund. Michigan was the first state to complete a border-to-border Interstate Highway in 1960 with the completion of Interstate 94 in Michigan
Interstate 94 in Michigan
Interstate 94 is a part of the Interstate Highway System that runs from Billings, Montana, to the Lower Peninsula of the US state of Michigan. In Michigan, it is a state trunkline highway that enters the state south of New Buffalo...
. The 1241 miles (1,997 km) Interstate Highway network in Michigan was completed in 1992 with the last 4 miles (6 km) of Interstate 69 in Michigan
Interstate 69 in Michigan
Interstate 69 is a part of the Interstate Highway System that currently runs from Indianapolis, Indiana, to the US–Canadian border at Port Huron, Michigan. In Michigan, it is a state trunkline highway that enters the state south of Coldwater and passes through the cities of Lansing and Flint...
.