M-46 (Michigan highway)

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M-46 marker

M-46

Map
M-46 highlighted in red
Route information
Maintained by MDOT
Length199.190 mi[1] (320.565 km)
Existedc. July 1, 1919[2]–present
Major junctions
West endMuskegon Avenue in Muskegon
Major intersections
East end M-25 in Port Sanilac
Location
CountryUnited States
StateMichigan
CountiesMuskegon, Kent, Montcalm, Gratiot, Saginaw, Tuscola, Sanilac
Highway system
← M-45→ M-47

M-46 is an east–west

state trunkline highway in the US state of Michigan between Muskegon and Port Sanilac, terminating near Lake Michigan and Lake Huron on each end. Except for the north–south segment that corresponds with the US Highway 131 (US 131) freeway between Cedar Springs and Howard City, M-46 is practically a due east–west surface highway. The road runs through rural sections of the Lower Peninsula connecting several freeways including US 31, US 131, US 127 and Interstate 75
(I-75).

The highway was formed by July 1, 1919, along two discontinuous sections of its current corridor. The gap was filled in by 1927, but a second break in the routing was created in the 1930s. This second interruption in the corridor was eliminated within a year. The various paths that M-46 has followed have been straightened over the intervening years, producing the modern corridor by the 1970s. Other changes have been made to the location of the western terminus in Muskegon, but it has remained fixed in its current location since 1984.

Route description

M-46 is one of three trans-peninsular highways in the Lower Peninsula, starting blocks away from

average annual daily traffic (AADT). This measurement is a calculation of the traffic level along a segment of roadway for any average day of the year. In 2009, MDOT figured that lowest traffic levels were the 1,855 vehicles used the highway daily near the eastern terminus. The peak traffic volumes were the 30,505 vehicles AADT along the section of M-46 immediately east of the US 31 freeway near Muskegon.[4] The trunkline has been listed on the National Highway System (NHS) between the western terminus and US 31,[5] and between Cedar Springs and the M-53 junction in Sanilac County.[6] The NHS is a network of roadways important to the nation's economy, defense, and mobility.[7]

Muskegon to Saginaw

M-46 starts at an intersection between Muskegon and Apple avenues near the downtown Muskegon business district. The highway follows Apple Avenue eastward through the edge of the district and through a residential area in Muskegon to an interchange with the US 31 freeway. On the other side of the freeway, Apple Avenue runs farther east, leaving the Muskegon area and passing through the rural woodlands of Muskegon County. Along the way, the road passes the Hall Drain, an artificial reservoir. At Casnovia, M-37 merges in from the north at a roundabout intersection, and the two highways run concurrently across the county line into Kent County, turning to the southeast. A few miles later in Kent City, M-46 turns due east again and leaves M-37 to run independently along 17 Mile Road. The highway runs through more mixed agricultural land to Cedar Springs, where M-46 turns north along the US 131 freeway.[3][8]

The concurrency of US 131 and M-46 as seen in Reynolds Township, Montcalm County

US 131/M-46 runs northwards through the northern Kent and western

Meridian Road, the highway follows Gratiot Road into Saginaw County east through Merrill and Hemlock to the Saginaw area. East of Hemlock, M-46 meets the northern terminus of M-52 and then the southern terminus of M-47 in Saginaw Charter Township near its crossing of the Tittabawassee River.[3][8]

The junction of M-46 and M-66 in the community of Six Lakes

Saginaw to Port Sanilac

As M-46 enters Saginaw proper, it follows Gratiot Avenue past the Saginaw Country Club. The area around the club is filled with residential subdivisions as the roadway approaches the

Vassar State Game Area and crosses the Cass River north of Vassar.[3][8]

The area near the river east to the

Elmer and Sandusky, M-19 follows M-46 for about 5 miles (8.0 km). The highway crosses the Black River near Carsonville. The eastern end of M-46 is in Port Sanilac, just blocks west of the city's marina on Lake Huron at an intersection with M-25.[3][8]

History

M-46 was designated by July 1, 1919, on a discontinuous route that ran between Howard City and Saginaw and between rural Tuscola County and Port Sanilac. The highway followed a different routing in place than it does today. The western terminus was in downtown Howard City, rather than north of town. The road ran farther south in Gratiot County so that it went into downtown Alma.

Six Lakes and Edmore opened at the same time.[15][16]

By the end of the 1950s, the routing through Muskegon was altered. Instead of terminating in the park at the outlet of Muskegon Lake into Lake Michigan,

Gerald R. Ford.[21] M-46 was restored to the Kent City–Cedar Springs roadway it used in the 1930s and routed concurrently along US 131 again.[22]
Bus. US 31 in 1984.[26][27] The business loop was shifted away from this location in 2007, leaving M-46 to terminate at a junction with a city street instead of another state highway.[28][29]

Major intersections

CountyLocationmi[1]kmExitDestinationsNotes
MuskegonMuskegon0.0000.000Muskegon AvenueFormer route of Bus. US 31
Muskegon Township2.211–
2.225		3.558–
3.581		 US 31 – Ludington, Grand Haven, HollandExit 114 on US 31
Brunswick, Nunica
B-35 (Ravenna Road) – Fremont, Ravenna
Casnovia Township22.10435.573
 M-37 north – Grant, Newaygo		Western end of M-37 concurrency; roundabout intersection
KentKent City24.56339.530
 M-37 south – Sparta, Grand Rapids		Eastern end of M-37 concurrency
Cedar Springs34.167–
34.190		54.986–
55.023		104
 US 131 south – Grand Rapids, Cedar Springs		Southern end of US 131 concurrency
Nelson Township39.80564.060110Sand Lake
MontcalmPierson Township43.4369.89114Pierson
Howard City47.49076.428118 M-82 – Howard City, NewaygoEastern terminus of M-82
Reynolds Township49.70279.988120
 US 131 north – Big Rapids, Cadillac		Northern end of US 131 concurrency
Lakeview61.17998.458
 M-91 south – Greenville		Northern terminus of M-91
Belvidere Township66.977107.789
 M-66 north – Lake City		Western end of M-66 concurrency
Belvidere–Home township line70.626113.662
 M-66 south – Ionia		Eastern end of M-66 concurrency
Bus. US 127 – Downtown Alma
91.988–
92.019		148.040–
148.090
Bus. US 127
south		Exit 127 on US 127; western end of Bus. US 127 (St. Louis) concurrency
Bus. US 127
(Main Street)		Northern end of Bus. US 127; eastern end of Bus. US 127 (St. Louis) concurrency
Gratiot–Saginaw
county line		Wheeler–Jonesfield township line105.749170.187
 M-30 north (Meridian Road) – Midland		Southern terminus of M-30
SaginawThomas Township117.708189.433
 M-52 south – St. Charles, Owosso		Northern terminus of M-52
Saginaw Township
122.351196.905
 M-47 north (Midland Road) – Midland		Southern terminus of M-47
Saginaw126.670203.856 M-13 (Washington Avenue) – Bay City, Lansing
Buena Vista Township
130.148–
130.160		209.453–
209.472		 I-75 / US 23 – Flint, Mackinac BridgeExit 149 on I-75
Blumfield Township137.989222.072 M-83 – Frankenmuth, Bay City
Richville
141.281227.370 M-15 – Bay City, Vassar
Indianfields–Fremont township line155.815250.760 M-24 – Caro, Mayville
SanilacLamotte–Marlette township line170.751274.797 M-53 – Bad Axe, Marlette
Moore–Elmer township line178.731287.640
 M-19 north – Bad Axe		Western end of M-19 concurrency
Sandusky183.702295.640
 M-19 south – Peck, Yale		Eastern end of M-19 concurrency
LHCT – Harbor Beach, Lexington, Port Huron
Eastern terminus of M-46
1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi

See also

  •  
    Michigan Highways portal

References

  1. ^ a b Michigan Department of Transportation (2021). Next Generation PR Finder (Map). Michigan Department of Transportation. Retrieved July 18, 2023.
  2. ^
    OCLC 15607244
    . Retrieved October 17, 2019 – via Michigan History Center.
  3. ^
    OCLC 42778335, 639960603
    .
  4. ^ Bureau of Transportation Planning (2008). "Traffic Monitoring Information System". Michigan Department of Transportation. Retrieved February 26, 2011.
  5. ^ Michigan Department of Transportation (2005). National Highway System: Muskegon Urbanized Area (PDF) (Map). Lansing: Michigan Department of Transportation. Retrieved January 1, 2011.
  6. ^ Michigan Department of Transportation (April 23, 2006). National Highway System, Michigan (PDF) (Map). Lansing: Michigan Department of Transportation. Archived from the original (PDF) on October 4, 2012. Retrieved October 7, 2008.
  7. ^ 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.
  8. ^ a b c d Google (February 26, 2011). "Overview Map of M-46" (Map). Google Maps. Google. Retrieved February 26, 2011.
  9. OCLC 12701195, 79754957
    .
  10. OCLC 12701143
    .
  11. OCLC 12701143
    .
  12. OCLC 12701143, 317396365
    . Retrieved October 17, 2019 – via Michigan History Center.
  13. ^
    OCLC 12701143
    . Retrieved October 17, 2019 – via Michigan History Center.
  14. OCLC 12701143
    . Retrieved October 17, 2019 – via Michigan History Center.
  15. OCLC 12701143
    . Retrieved October 17, 2019 – via Michigan History Center.
  16. OCLC 12701143
    . Retrieved October 17, 2019 – via Michigan History Center.
  17. OCLC 12701120, 51856742
    . Retrieved October 17, 2019 – via Michigan History Center. (Includes all changes through July 1, 1958)
  18. OCLC 12701120, 81552576
    . Retrieved October 17, 2019 – via Michigan History Center. (Includes all changes through July 1, 1960)
  19. OCLC 12701120, 51856742
    . Retrieved October 17, 2019 – via Michigan History Center. (Includes all changes through July 1, 1958)
  20. OCLC 12701120, 81552576
    . Retrieved October 17, 2019 – via Michigan History Center. (Includes all changes through July 1, 1960)
  21. The Argus-Press. Owosso, MI. Associated Press
    . September 21, 1973. p. 2. Retrieved February 26, 2011.
  22. OCLC 12701120, 81679137
    . Retrieved October 17, 2019 – via Michigan History Center.
  23. OCLC 12701177, 83138602
    . Retrieved October 17, 2019 – via Michigan History Center.
  24. OCLC 12701120
    . Retrieved October 17, 2019 – via Michigan History Center.
  25. OCLC 12701120
    . Retrieved October 17, 2019 – via Michigan History Center.
  26. OCLC 12701177
    . Retrieved October 17, 2019 – via Michigan History Center.
  27. OCLC 12701177
    . Retrieved October 17, 2019 – via Michigan History Center.
  28. OCLC 42778335. Archived from the original
    on August 27, 2019. Retrieved August 26, 2019 – via Archives of Michigan.
  29. OCLC 42778335
    .

External links

KML file (edit • help)
Template:Attached KML/M-46 (Michigan highway)
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  • M-46 at Michigan Highways
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=M-46_(Michigan_highway)&oldid=1175627604"