Business routes of U.S. Route 31 in Michigan

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Business plate.svg

Business US Highway 31 marker

Business US Highway 31

Map
Business routes of US 31 highlighted
Location
CountryUnited States
StateMichigan
Highway system
← US 31→ M-31

There have been seven business routes of US Highway 31 in the state of

business loops. The two former routes, for Niles and Holland
were a business spur and loop, respectively.

Niles

Business plate.svg

Business US Highway 31 marker

Business US Highway 31

LocationNiles
Length3.587 mi[1] (5.773 km)
Existed1987[2][3]–2010[4][5]

Business US Highway 31 (Bus. US 31) was a

Bus. US 12 at the corner of Front and Main streets. At the time it was decommissioned, Bus. US 31 was only designated along the north–south segment between Walton Road and Main Street.[6][7]

It was commissioned in 1987 as a loop connecting to US 31 on both ends, running along

Bus. US 12. Bus. US 31 followed Front Street northward back to the mainline US 31 at Walton Road northwest of downtown.[2][3] The business loop was extended along Walton Road in 1992 when the next segment of the US 31 freeway opened in Berrien County.[8][9] The highway was truncated to a spur route in 1998 when M-51 was extended southward.[10][11] The northernmost remaining portion along Walton Road was turned over to the Berrien County Road Commission on October 23, 2007,[12][13] and the remaining portion was replaced by an extended M-139 in April 2010.[4][5]

Major intersections
The entire highway was in Berrien County. [1]

Location[1]mi[1]kmDestinationsNotes
Bus. US 12
Niles Township
1.8622.997
 M-140 north – Watervliet		Southern terminus of M-140
3.5875.773Walton Road
Old US 31		Roadway continued as Old US 31
1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi

South Haven

Business plate 1948.svg

Business US Highway 31 marker

Business US Highway 31

LocationSouth Haven
Length3.992 mi[1] (6.425 km)
Existedc. 1942[14][15]–1963[16][17]

Business US Highway 31 (Bus. US 31) was a

South Haven Township south of town and ran along LaGrange Road, Phillips Street and Broadway Street into downtown. On the north side, Bus. US 31 crossed the Black River and then followed North Shore Drive back to US 31.[16]

The business loop was created during World War II when the state moved US 31 to bypass downtown South Haven; the former routing was designated as the business loop.

BL I-196.[16][17]

Major intersections

CountyLocationmi[1]kmDestinationsNotes
South Haven Township
0.0000.000 US 31 (Blue Star Highway) – Benton Harbor, Holland

 M-140 south		Roadway continues southward as M-140
South Haven0.9361.506
 M-43 east – Kalamazoo		Western terminus of M-43
AlleganCasco Township3.9926.425 US 31 (Blue Star Highway) – South Haven, Holland
1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi

Holland

Lake Michigan Circle Tour

Business US Highway 31 (Bus. US 31) was a 4.1-mile-long (6.6 km)

Business Loop Interstate 196 (BL I-196), US 31 and A-2 all converged near West Michigan Regional Airport. BL I-196 turned northward off the US 31 freeway and ran concurrently with Bus. US 31 along Washington Avenue through a residential area on the southern side of Holland in Allegan County. At the intersection with 32nd Street, BL I-196/Bus. US 31 crossed into Ottawa County and turned northeasterly on Michigan Avenue. Michigan Avenue ends at an intersection with State Street and 19th Street, and the business loop turned due north on River Street into downtown. The business loop split along the one-way pairing of 7th and 9th streets in downtown. The northbound direction ran eastward on 9th Street while the southbound direction was routed two blocks north on 7th street. On the eastern side of downtown at Lincoln Street, southbound traffic was routed on 8th Street., and one block further east, both directions followed 8th Street. At Chicago Drive, BL I-196/Bus. US 31 turned northeasterly to follow that street out downtown. Bus. US 31 ended at an interchange with US 31 in Holland Township while BL I-196 continued northeasterly on Chicago Drive.[20][22]

The initial bypass of Holland, rerouting US 31 out of downtown opened in 1954. The former routing through downtown was redesignated as Bus. US 31 at this time.[18][19] The first segment of I-196/US 31 freeway in the Holland area opened in 1963, adding an interchange to the southern terminus of Bus. US 31.[23][24] In 1974, the I-196 bypass around Holland was completed, and Chicago Drive east of US 31 becomes a business route for I-196.[25][26] By 1976, this business route was extended along Bus. US 31 through downtown as well.[27] In 2004, all of Bus US 31 was decommissioned and BL I-196 was rerouted to follow US 31 around downtown.[20][21]

Major intersections

CountyLocation[1]mi[1]kmDestinationsNotes
LMCT south

 A-2
south (Blue Star Highway)		Southern end of BL I-196/LMCT concurrency; northern terminus of A-2
BL I-196
(Chicago Drive)		Northern end of BL I-196/LMCT concurrency
1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi

Muskegon alternate route

US Highway 31A marker

US Highway 31A

LocationMuskegon
Length4.763 mi[1] (7.665 km)
Existed1932[28][29]–1941[30][31]

US Highway 31A (US 31A) was an alternate route through Muskegon. The designation was first commissioned in 1932 for a highway that bypassed downtown Muskegon to the east.[28][29] In 1940, the alternate route and the mainline highway were flipped through the area, rerouting US 31A to run through downtown. At the same time, US 16 was rerouted to run into Muskegon, partially following US 31A. This last version of US 31A ran northwesterly along Airline Highway and Peck Street into downtown, where US 16 turned westward along M-46. US 31A continued northeasterly along Muskegon Avenue back to US 31 at Marquette Avenue.[32][33] A year later, the alternate route was redesignated as business loop instead, removing the US 31A designation from the state highway system.[30][31]

Major intersections
The entire highway is in Muskegon County. [1]

Location[1]mi[1]kmDestinationsNotes
Muskegon Heights0.0000.000
 US 16 east – Grand Rapids
US 31 – Ludington, Holland		Southern end of US 16 concurrency
Muskegon3.7696.066
 US 16 west / M-46		Northern end of US 16 concurrency
4.7637.665 US 31 – Ludington, Holland
1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi

Muskegon business loop

Business plate.svg

Business US Highway 31 marker

Business US Highway 31

LocationMuskegon
Length9.870 mi[1] (15.884 km)
Existed1941[30][31]–present
Tourist
routes

Business US Highway 31 (Bus. US 31) is a 9.87-mile-long (15.88 km)

expressway with Michigan left turns near the Muskegon County Airport. The business loop runs along the southern edge of Muskegon Heights and then turns northward near the Roosevelt Park city line. This north–south segment forms the boundary between commercial properties to the west and residential neighborhoods to the east as far north as the intersection with Broadway Avenue. North of Sherman Avenue, the business loop crosses into the city of Muskegon and runs through commercial properties on Seaway Drive. As it approaches Muskegon Lake, Bus. US 31 turns northeasterly along Shoreline Drive, running around the northern edge of downtown. On the northeastern corner of downtown, the business loop turns sharply northeasterly along Moses J. Jones Parkway. Along this parkway segment, Bus. US 31 meets the southern terminus of M-120 and turns easterly along a freeway segment in Muskegon Township to terminate at US 31.[34][35]

The first bypass of Muskegon opened to traffic in 1932 to the east of downtown; it was designated

BS I-96;[41][42] Bus. US 31 remains in place through both changes.[40][42]

The northern end of the business loop near downtown was rerouted onto the one-way pairing of Muskegon and Webster avenues in 1965.[43][44] In 1984, the BS I-96 designated into Muskegon was decommissioned.[45][46] The northern section of Bus. US 31 near downtown was rerouted again, this time to follow Shoreline Drive, in 2007.[47][48] In 2016, all of the business loop was designated as a part of the West Michigan Pike Pure Michigan Byway.[49]

Major intersections
The entire highway is in Muskegon County. [1]

Location[1]mi[1]kmDestinationsNotes
LMCT – Ludington, Holland

 I-96 east – Grand Rapids
Southern end of LMCT concurrency; eastern terminus of I-96; exit 1 on I-96; exit 110 on US 31
0.9051.456Western end of freeway
Muskegon5.613–
5.767		9.033–
9.281		Muskegon Avenue, Webster AvenueNorthbound exit to Muskegon Avenue and southbound entrance from Webster Avenue; former routing of Bus. US 31
8.172–
8.381		13.152–
13.488
 M-120 north – North Muskegon		Southern terminus of M-120
Muskegon–Muskegon Township line8.68713.980Western end of freeway
LMCT – Ludington, Holland
Northern end of LMCT concurrency; exit 116 on US 31
1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi

Whitehall–Montague

Business plate.svg

Business US Highway 31 marker

Business US Highway 31

LocationWhitehall–Montague
Length4.680 mi[1] (7.532 km)
Existed1964[50][51]–present
Tourist
routes

Business US Highway 31 (Bus. US 31) is a

B-15 (Fruitvale Road) in Montague Township. The business loop turns eastward and runs concurrently with the county highway for a short distance to an interchange with US 31 that marks the northern terminus of the business loop.[52][53]

A freeway bypass of Whitehall and Montague opened in 1964, and the former routing of US 31 through the downtowns of the two cities was redesignated Bus. US 31. At the northern end, the routing split to follow two connections with the new freeway, running east on Fruitvale Road and running north on Whitehall Road.[50][51] B-15 was designated in 1970, overlapping the business loop at the northern end.[54][55] The bifurcated northern connection to the freeway was removed in 1975 when the next segment of US 31 opened heading north into Oceana County.[26][27] In 2016, all of the business loop was designated as a part of the West Michigan Pike Pure Michigan Byway.[49]

Major intersections
The entire highway is in Muskegon County. [1]

Location[1]mi[1]kmDestinationsNotes
LMCT south – Ludington, Muskegon
Southern end of LMCT concurrency; exit 128 on US 31
B-15 north (Fruitvale Road) – Pentwater
Western end of B-15 concurrency
4.6807.532
B-86
east (Fruitvale Road)		Northern end of LMCT concurrency; eastern end of B-15 concurrency; western terminus of B-86; exit 131 on US 31
1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi

Hart

Business plate.svg

Business US Highway 31 marker

Business US Highway 31

LocationHart
Length2.138 mi[1] (3.441 km)
Existed1987[2][3]–present

Business US Highway 31 (Bus. US 31) is a 2.1-mile-long (3.4 km)

business spur running into the Hart downtown area. It starts at exit 149 on US 31 in Hart Township and runs eastward along Polk Road into the southern part of the city. The business spur passes some commercial properties along Polk Road before turning northward on State Street next to the Oceana County Fairgrounds. Bus. US 31 passes more businesses before entering a residential area. The business spur terminates at the intersection with Johnson Street in Hart.[52][56]

A segment of US 31 freeway opened from the Polk Road interchange northward to Monroe Road southeast of Pentwater in 1978. At that time, US 31 was rerouted out of Hart.[57][58] The former routing along Polk Road and State Street was designated as Bus. US 31 in 1987.[2][3]

Major intersections
The entire highway is in Oceana County. [1]

Location[1]mi[1]kmDestinationsNotes
LMCT – Ludington, Muskegon
Exit 149 on US 31
Hart2.1383.441Johnson Street
State Street		Roadway continues northward as State Street
1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi

Pentwater

Business plate.svg

Business US Highway 31 marker

Business US Highway 31

LocationPentwater
Length7.151 mi[1] (11.508 km)
Existed1955[59][60]–May 4, 2023[61]
Tourist
routes

Business US Highway 31 (Bus. US 31) was a 7.2-mile-long (11.6 km)

Charles Mears State Park. Bus. US 31 meandered through rural woodlands north of Pentwater as it approached the Oceana–Mason county line near Bass Lake. The business loop turned eastward, briefly following the county line before turning southeasterly to an interchange with US 31 on the Pentwater–Weare township line.[52][62]

US 31 was rerouted to run further east of Pentwater in 1955, and the former route through the village was redesignated as Bus. US 31 at that time.[59][60] In 1978, a section of US 31 freeway opened between Hart and Pentwater. Bus. US 31 was slightly truncated on its southern end to terminate at the new freeway interchange, and part of Monroe Road was redesignated as the mainline of US 31 between the end of the freeway and the former routing of US 31.[57][58] The next freeway segment opened in 1980, and Bus. US 31 was slightly lengthened to connect to the new freeway interchange with Oceana Road.[63][64] resulting in the current configuration.[52] In 2016, all of the business loop was dedicated as a part of the West Michigan Pike Pure Michigan Byway.[49] The segment of highway within the village of Pentwater was transferred to the control of the village on May 4, 2023, and the remainder of the highway was to have its signage removed, remaining an unsigned state trunkline highway.[61] The remainder was transferred to county control on May 18, 2023, and reclassified as primary county roads.[65]

Major intersections

CountyLocation[1]mi[1]kmDestinationsNotes
LMCT – Ludington, Muskegon
Southern end of LMCT concurrency; exit 154 on US 31
B-15
south		Northern terminus of B-15
Oceana–Mason county line
 No major junctions
LMCT – Ludington, Muskegon
Northern end of LMCT concurrency; exit 158 on US 31
1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi

Ludington

Business plate.svg

Business US Highway 31 marker

Business US Highway 31

LocationLudington
Length3.172 mi[1] (5.105 km)
Existed2005[21][66]–present
Tourist
routes

Business US Highway 31 (Bus. US 31) is a 3.2-mile-long (5.1 km)

Pere Marquette Township. The business spur terminates at an intersection with US 10 east of downtown.[52][67]

Ludington was bypassed in 1989 with the extension of the US 31 freeway in Mason County.[68][69] The former route of US 31 along Pere Marquette Highway north of the freeway was retained as an unsigned highway.[70] In 2005, it was designated as Bus. US 31.[21][66] In 2016, the business route was dedicated as a part of the West Michigan Pike Pure Michigan Byway.[49]

Major intersections
The entire highway is in

Pere Marquette Township, Mason County. [1]

mi[1]kmDestinationsNotes
0.0000.000
LMCT – Ludington, Muskegon
3.1725.105
 US 10 to US 31 – Ludington, Manistee, Reed City		Northern terminus of Bus. US 31
1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi

See also

  •  
    Michigan Highways portal

References

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External links

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