M-55 (Michigan highway)
Route information | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Maintained by MDOT | ||||
Length | 150.944 mi[1] (242.921 km) | |||
Existed | c. July 1, 1919–present | |||
Major junctions | ||||
West end | US 31 near Manistee | |||
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East end | US 23 in Tawas City | |||
Location | ||||
Country | United States | |||
State | Michigan | |||
Counties | Manistee, Wexford, Missaukee, Roscommon, Ogemaw, Iosco | |||
Highway system | ||||
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M-55 is a
The highway was first designated by July 1, 1919 along a portion of the current roadway. In a series of extensions, M-55 was lengthened to connect its current endpoints by the early 1930s. The trunkline has been rerouted in sections since that time resulting in the modern roadway alignment. One set of changes produced a
Route description
M-55 starts at a three-way intersection with
On the east side of town, M-55 leaves the freeway and turns east again running through the Pere Marquette State Forest along Watergate Road. When the highway meets M-66, M-55 joins M-66 and runs north through farmland. As the two highways approach Lake City, they run along the shore of Lake Missaukee and through downtown. M-55 turns east again along Houghton Lake Road, separating from M-66 north of the central business district. This section of trunkline passes through mixed farm and wood lands that transitions to mostly forests near Merritt. The road crosses the Muskegon River and follows Lake City Road into the outskirts of Houghton Lake. M-55 passes over the US 127 freeway and enters Houghton Lake Heights. There the highway runs southeasterly along the shores of Houghton Lake into downtown Houghton Lake. M-18 briefly joins M-55 through Prudenville on the east side of the lake, and M-55 follows West Branch Road as it continues east toward Interstate 75 (I-75).[2][3]
M-55 follows I-75 between exits 227 and 215, a distance of about 12 miles (19 km).
History
M-55 had its beginning by July 1, 1919 when it was designated from Cadillac to Merritt.[6] In 1926, M-55 was extended eastward to Houghton Lake over a section of the former M-14 that was not used for the then-new US 27. At the same time, another segment of the highway was designated between M-76 at West Branch and US 23 at Whittemore.[7] The next year, M-55 was routed along sections of US 27 and M-76 between the two communities.[8] A western extension was added from Cadillac to US 31 near Manistee in 1932 while the eastern end was shifted from Whittemore to Tawas City when US 23 was rerouted through the area.[9][10]
Segments of M-55 have been relocated in the years since the basic routing was completed in the early 1930s. A more direct route from West Branch eastward was created in 1938.
The last gravel segments were paved in Iosco County between late 1958 and early 1960.[20][21] Another segment east of Cadillac to M-66 south of Lake City was realigned in 1973. At the same time, M-55 was co-signed with a portion of the newly opened stretch of I-75 between M-157 and West Branch.[22][23] The last routing change was made in November 2000 when the southern segment of the Cadillac bypass was opened. M-55 was moved out of downtown Cadillac and along the freeway and M-115.[24] US 131 joined M-55 on the bypass the next October when the northern half of the bypass was completed in 2001.[25]
Major intersections
County | Location | mi[1] | km | Exit | Destinations | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
LMCT – Traverse City, Manistee | Western terminus of M-55 | |||||
Wexford | South Branch Township | 25.803 | 41.526 | M-37 – Traverse City, Grand Rapids | ||
Cadillac | 43.814 | 70.512 | M-115 west – Frankfort | Western end of M-115 concurrency | ||
44.276 | 71.255 | Sunnyside Drive | Former routing of M-55 | |||
Clam Lake Township | 46.773 | 75.274 | 176 | US 131 south – Grand Rapids M-115 east – Clare | Eastern end of M-115 concurrency; M-55 joins US 131 concurrency, exit numbers correspond to US 131 mileage | |
48.039 | 77.311 | 177 | Bus. US 131 north – Cadillac | |||
Clam Lake–Haring township line | 50.898 | 81.912 | 180 | US 131 north – Petoskey | Northern end of US 131 concurrency | |
Missaukee | Lake–Reeder township line | 58.732 | 94.520 | M-66 south – McBain | Western end of M-66 concurrency | |
Lake City | 63.796 | 102.670 | M-66 north – Kalkaska | Eastern end of M-66 concurrency | ||
Roscommon | Lake–Roscommon township line | 84.004– 84.022 | 135.191– 135.220 | US 127 – Clare, Grayling | Exit 194 on US 127 | |
Denton Township | 92.851 | 149.429 | M-18 south – Gladwin | Western end of M-18 concurrency | ||
93.644 | 150.705 | M-18 north – Roscommon | Eastern end of M-18 concurrency | |||
Backus Township | 95.021 | 152.921 | M-157 north – Roscommon | Southern terminus of M-157 | ||
99.937 | 160.833 | Old 55 (West Branch Road) to F-97 | Former routing of M-55 | |||
100.773 | 162.178 | 227 | I-75 north – Grayling, Mackinac Bridge | Western end of I-75 concurrency; exit numbers follow I-75 numbering | ||
M-76 | ||||||
BL I-75 south – West Branch | Eastern end of I-75 concurrency; western end of BL I-75 concurrency; northern terminus of BL I-75 | |||||
West Branch | 114.197 | 183.782 | M-30 south – Gladwin | Northern terminus of M-30 | ||
115.295 | 185.549 | BL I-75 south | Eastern end of BL I-75 concurrency | |||
Churchill Township | 120.197 | 193.438 | M-33 – Cheboygan, Standish | |||
Iosco | Reno Township | 136.183 | 219.165 | M-65 – Hale, Whittemore | ||
Eastern terminus of M-55 | ||||||
1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi
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Business loop
Location | Houghton Lake Heights |
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Length | 2.898 mi[1] (4.664 km) |
Existed | Early 1950[16][17]–Late 1961[18][19] |
Business M-55 (Bus. M-55) was a
See also
- Michigan Highways portal
References
- ^ a b c Michigan Department of Transportation (2021). Next Generation PR Finder (Map). Michigan Department of Transportation. Retrieved October 11, 2021.
- ^ .
- ^ a b c Google (January 19, 2011). "Overview Map of M-55" (Map). Google Maps. Google. Retrieved January 19, 2011.
- ^ 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.
- ^ 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 15607244. Retrieved October 17, 2019 – via Michigan History Center.
- ^ Michigan State Highway Department (December 1, 1926). Official Highway Condition Map (Map). [c. 1:823,680]. Lansing: Michigan State Highway Department.
- .
- OCLC 12701053.
- OCLC 12701053.
- OCLC 12701143. Retrieved October 17, 2019 – via Michigan History Center.
- OCLC 12701143. Retrieved October 17, 2019 – via Michigan History Center.
- ^ Iosco County Road Commission (1940). 1940 Iosco County Map (Map). Scale not given. Tawas City, MI: Iosco County Road Commission.
- ^ Mobil & Rand McNally (1934). Mobilgas Map of Michigan: North Eastern Michigan, Zone 5 (Map). Mobil. Reverse side. § O10–O11.
- ^ OCLC 12701120. Retrieved October 17, 2019 – via Michigan History Center.
- ^ OCLC 12701120.
- ^ OCLC 12701120.
- ^ . Retrieved October 17, 2019 – via Michigan History Center. (Includes all changes through July 1, 1961)
- ^ . Retrieved October 17, 2019 – via Michigan History Center.
- . Retrieved October 17, 2019 – via Michigan History Center. (Includes all changes through July 1, 1958)
- . Retrieved October 17, 2019 – via Michigan History Center. (Includes all changes through July 1, 1960)
- . Retrieved October 17, 2019 – via Michigan History Center.
- . Retrieved October 17, 2019 – via Michigan History Center.
- ^ Bauza, Margarita (November 15, 2000). "Cadillac Hears Sounds of Silence Thanks to Bypass". Grand Rapids Press. p. D1.
- ^ Bornheimer, Hank (October 27, 2001). "Temporary Recreation Trail Ready for Traffic—You Can Walk, Run, Skate or Bike the Cadillac Bypass—until Tuesday". Grand Rapids Press. p. A1.
External links
- M-55 at Michigan Highways
- M-55 at Michigan Highway Ends
- M-55–Pine River Bridge at Michigan's Historical Bridges (MDOT)