Interstate 475 (Michigan)
UAW Freeway David Dunbar Buick Freeway | ||||
Route information | ||||
Auxiliary route of I-75 | ||||
Maintained by MDOT | ||||
Length | 16.866 mi[1] (27.143 km) | |||
Existed | November 9, 1973[2]–present | |||
NHS | Entire route | |||
Major junctions | ||||
South end | I-75 near Grand Blanc | |||
North end | I-75 / US 23 near Mount Morris | |||
Location | ||||
Country | United States | |||
State | Michigan | |||
Counties | Genesee | |||
Highway system | ||||
|
Interstate 475 (I-475) is a north–south
This component freeway of the
Route description
I-475 starts at a partial interchange with I-75 in Grand Blanc Township, southwest of Grand Blanc. From this start at exit 111, the freeway proceeds northward through a suburban residential area next to a baseball field complex. As I-475 continues northward, it has an interchange with Hill Road near the Crestwood Memorial Gardens cemetery and several commercial properties. North of the Maple Avenue underpass, the freeway crosses into the suburb of Burton where it runs for about 1+1⁄2 miles (2.4 km) before crossing into the city of Flint. The freeway then curves around to the northeast near Thread Lake, crossing over Saginaw Street. I-475 follows the western shore of the lake as it turns northward to run into downtown Flint.[3][4]
South of the four-level stack interchange with I-69,[3] I-475 crosses over a line of the Canadian National Railway.[5] North of this interchange, the freeway runs more northwesterly as it skirts the eastern edge of downtown Flint. Near the campus of the University of Michigan–Flint, I-475 curves to run parallel to the Flint River before crossing it next to an industrial area. There is an interchange complex on the northwest side of the river that provides access to Stewart Avenue and M-54 (Dort Highway). I-475 then runs north and northwesterly[3][4] parallel to a rail line operated by Lake State Railway.[6] North of Carpenter Road, the freeway exits the city of Flint and enters Genesee Township. The Interstate turns to the west to cross into Mount Morris Township before meeting an interchange for Saginaw Street. There is one more interchange for Clio Road before I-475 terminates at a full interchange at exit 125 on I-75 and US Highway 23 (US 23).[3][4]
I-475 is maintained by the Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT) like other state highways in Michigan. According to the department's surveys in 2010, the highest traffic levels along I-475 were the 57,400 vehicles on average daily north of the I-69 interchange in Flint; the lowest counts were the 18,637 vehicles per day west of the Clio Road interchange.[7] As an Interstate Highway, I-475 has been listed on the National Highway System, a network of roads important to the country's economy, defense, and mobility.[8]
History
A freeway along the I-475 corridor was proposed in the 1950s. The 1955
I-475 was first opened to traffic in the early 1970s. The first section was built between
Memorial highway designations
I-475 has carried two different memorial highway designations in its history, the Buick Freeway and the UAW Freeway.
The
A local politician wanted to honor not just the automotive pioneers in Flint but the workers that worked in the plants. Since the UAW came to maturity in Flint as a result of the strikes, it was the appropriate location for a memorial highway designation. In 1980, the Michigan Legislature passed House Concurrent Resolution 583, renaming Flint's east–west freeway (I-69) the "Chevrolet–Buick Freeway" and I-475 the "UAW Freeway". I-475 was dedicated with its new name on Labor Day 1981.[17]
Public Act 142 of 2001 consolidated the memorial highway designations of the state. In passing this act, the Michigan Legislature expanded the Chevrolet–Buick Freeway to encompass all of I-69 in Genesee County; the act also restored Buick's name to I-475.[2]
Future
The Genesee County Board of Commissioners has proposed to MDOT that I-475 should be connected to US 23 in the southern part of Genesee County. The board approved a study to investigate the economic impact of such an extension. The study will also examine how such an extension will impact an existing intermodal transportation hub at Bishop International Airport and a rail terminal being built at the former Buick City complex.[18] Proposals for the freeway connection have been around since the late 1990s,[19] but they were indefinitely postponed in 2011.[20]
Exit list
The entire highway is in Genesee County.
Location | mi[1] | km | Exit | Destinations | Notes[4] |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Detroit | Southbound exit and northbound entrance; exit 111 on I-75 | ||||
1.726 | 2.778 | 2 | Hill Road | Access to northbound I-75 | |
Burton | 3.814 | 6.138 | 4 | Bristol Road, Hemphill Road | |
Flint | 4.823 | 7.762 | 5 | Atherton Road | Southbound exit and northbound entrance only |
6.458– 6.501 | 10.393– 10.462 | 6 | I-69 – Port Huron, Lansing | Exit 137 on I-69 | |
6.829 | 10.990 | 7 | M-21 west (Court Street) – Downtown | ||
7.580 | 12.199 | 8A | Robert T. Longway Boulevard | ||
8.262 | 13.296 | 8B | Davison Road, Hamilton Avenue | Davison Road becomes Hamilton Avenue west of interchange; also access to Broadway Boulevard | |
9.662– 9.899 | 15.549– 15.931 | 9 | M-54 (Dort Highway) Stewart Avenue | ||
10.211 | 16.433 | 10 | Pierson Road | Indirect access via Selby Street and Horton Avenue | |
11.310 | 18.202 | 11 | Carpenter Road | ||
Mount Morris Township | 13.115 | 21.107 | 13 | Saginaw Street – Mount Morris | |
15.151 | 24.383 | 15 | Clio Road | ||
16.402– 16.866 | 26.396– 27.143 | — | Detroit | Exit 125 on I-75/US 23 | |
1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi |
See also
- Michigan Highways portal
References
- ^ a b Michigan Department of Transportation (2021). Next Generation PR Finder (Map). Michigan Department of Transportation. Retrieved October 11, 2021.
- ^ OCLC 57425393.
- ^ .
- ^ a b c d Google (May 11, 2012). "Overview Map of I-475" (Map). Google Maps. Google. Retrieved May 11, 2012.
- ^ Michigan Department of Transportation (January 2011). Michigan's Railroad System (PDF) (Map). Lansing: Michigan Department of Transportation. Archived from the original (PDF) on April 9, 2011. Retrieved February 1, 2011.
- ^ "Lake State Railway to Lease 53 Miles of CSX Track in Michigan". Trains. February 26, 2019. Archived from the original on June 3, 2020. Retrieved July 7, 2020.
- ^ Bureau of Transportation Planning (2008). "Traffic Monitoring Information System". Michigan Department of Transportation. Retrieved April 26, 2012.
- ^ Natzke, Stefan; Neathery, Mike & Adderly, Kevin (June 20, 2012). "What is the National Highway System?". National Highway System. Federal Highway Administration. Retrieved July 1, 2012.
- .
- OCLC 47914009. Retrieved January 4, 2010.
- . Retrieved October 17, 2019 – via Michigan History Center.
- . Retrieved October 17, 2019 – via Michigan History Center.
- . Retrieved October 17, 2019 – via Michigan History Center.
- . Retrieved October 17, 2019 – via Michigan History Center.
- on August 27, 2019. Retrieved August 26, 2019 – via Archives of Michigan.
- ^ Baulch, Vivian & Zacharias, Patricia (June 23, 1997). "The Historic 1936–37 Flint Auto Plant Strikes". The Detroit News. Archived from the original on July 16, 2012. Retrieved January 25, 2010.
- ^ Barnett (2004), p. 215.
- OCLC 9974225. Retrieved September 25, 2009.
- OCLC 9974225.
- OCLC 9974225.
External links
- I-475 at Michigan Highways
- I-475 Michigan at Kurumi
- I-475 Michigan at the Interstate Guide on AARoads
- Michigan - Interstate 475 North - Mile Marker 0 to 10 at YouTube
- Michigan - Interstate 475 North - Mile Marker 10 to 17 at YouTube