M-65 (Michigan highway)
Route information | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Maintained by MDOT | ||||
Length | 103.176 mi[1] (166.046 km) | |||
Existed | 1930[2][3]–present | |||
Tourist routes | River Road National Scenic Byway | |||
Major junctions | ||||
South end | US 23 near Omer | |||
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North end | US 23 near Rogers City | |||
Location | ||||
Country | United States | |||
State | Michigan | |||
Counties | Arenac, Iosco, Alcona, Alpena, Presque Isle | |||
Highway system | ||||
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M-65 is a 103.176-mile-long (166.046 km)
The original M-65 was created by 1919 on a discontinuous series of roads between the Ohio state line and Flint; the two sections were later joined together before the highway was replaced by US 23 in 1926. The current M-65 was created in 1930 in Iosco County. When US 23 near Omer was moved in 1932, M-65 was extended southward to encompass a roadway formerly part of US 23. A second segment in Alpena County was added to M-65 later in the 1930s. A second extension at the end of that decade added another former US 23 segment to the highway. The two sections of M-65 were connected in the late 1940s, and the highway was completely paved by the early 1960s. The National Forest Scenic Byway and National Scenic Byway designations were added in 1988 and 2005 respectively.
Route description
M-65 begins at an intersection with US 23 (Huron Road) near the town of Omer. The highway runs north along Hale Road through a mixed forest and agricultural area inland of the Saginaw Bay in Arenac County. As the road passes through the community of Twining,[4][5] it crosses a branch of the Lake State Railway.[6] South of Whittemore, the trunkline crosses a tributary of the Au Gres River. M-65 follows Bullock Street through Whittemore, running near the Whittemore Speedway in town. North of town, the highway crosses the main channel of the Au Gres River before it intersects M-55 in a rural area of Iosco County about 15 miles (24 km) west of Tawas City. From there, the road continues due north through fields until reaching the edge of Huron National Forest in the northern part of the county.[4][5]
Just north of the community of
North of Glennie, the highway passes Clear Lake as it continues through rural Alcona County. Near the West Branch of the Pine River, M-65 merges with
M-65 is maintained by the
History
Previous routing
On July 1, 1919, the M-65 designation was used on two, discontinuous roads in the southern part of the Lower Peninsula. The southern segment ran from the Ohio state line north to the Dundee area in Monroe County; the northern section ran between Ann Arbor and Flint by way of Brighton and Fenton.[11] The gap between the two segments was eliminated by the middle of 1926.[12] When the United States Numbered Highway System was created on November 11, 1926, the original M-65 was redesignated as part of US 23.[13]
Current routing
In 1930, the first segment of the current routing of M-65 was designated. At the time, the road ran from an intersection with US 23 and M-55 near Whittemore and ran north to Hale.
In 1947 or early 1948, the
On December 20, 1988, the
Beginning in 1999, MDOT spent substantial sums of money over a five-year program to upgrade M-65 and US 23 by refurbishing and replacing bridges and adding more passing lanes.[28][29] During the same timeframe, the community of Hale embarked on a project to beautify the length of M-65 in town. The project cost $877,929 and installed park benches, new lighting, sidewalks and plantings along the highway. Funding for the venture came from the federal government and MDOT.[30]
In particular, MDOT restored the old truss bridge over the Au Sable River in Iosco County, and then built a new parallel and upgraded bridge next to it. The latter straightened and leveled the roadway, so that it no longer dips deep into the river valley. This change improved the safety of the highway in the area. The new bridge was opened to traffic on October 13, 2004, and the original bridge was left in place for recreational uses.[31] The original structure is a Parker truss bridge with two 120-foot (37 m) spans that was built in 1930. Its total length of 320 feet (98 m) makes it one of the longest of its type in Michigan.[32]
Major intersections
County | Location | mi[1] | km | Destinations | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
LHCT – Standish, Tawas City | Roadway continues from the south as Hale Road | ||||
Iosco | Reno Township | 15.870 | 25.540 | M-55 – West Branch, Tawas City | |
Plainfield Township | 29.537 | 47.535 | River Road National Scenic Byway east Rollways Road | Western terminus of River Road National Scenic Byway at western end of concurrency | |
Oscoda Township | 33.854 | 54.483 | River Road National Scenic Byway east – Oscoda | Eastern end of River Road National Scenic Byway concurrency | |
Greenbush | Western terminus of F-30 | ||||
Millen Township | 49.674 | 79.943 | M-72 east – Harrisville | Southern end of M-72 concurrency | |
F-32 west (Aspen Alley Road) – McKinley | Eastern terminus of F-32 | ||||
56.681 | 91.219 | M-72 west – Mio, Grayling | Northern end of M-72 concurrency | ||
Alpena | Green Township | 82.215 | 132.312 | M-32 west – Atlanta, Gaylord | Western end of M-32 concurrency |
83.826 | 134.905 | M-32 east – Alpena | Eastern end of M-32 concurrency | ||
1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi
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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.
- ^ .
- ^ .
- ^ .
- ^ a b c d Google (April 6, 2011). "Overview Map of M-65" (Map). Google Maps. Google. Retrieved April 6, 2011.
- ^ Michigan Department of Transportation (April 2009). Michigan's Railroad System (PDF) (Map). Scale not given. Lansing: Michigan Department of Transportation. Retrieved September 14, 2010.
- ^ ISBN 0-528-93981-5.
- ^ Bureau of Transportation Planning (2008). "Traffic Monitoring Information System". Michigan Department of Transportation. Retrieved April 6, 2011.
- ^ Michigan Department of Transportation (April 23, 2006). National Highway System, Michigan (PDF) (Map). Scale not give. 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 (September 1, 1926). Official Highway Condition Map (Map). [c. 1:823,680]. Lansing: Michigan State Highway Department.
- .
- OCLC 12701053.
- OCLC 12701053.
- OCLC 12701143.
- OCLC 12701143. Retrieved October 17, 2019 – via Michigan History Center.
- OCLC 12701143.
- OCLC 554645076.
- .
- ^ OCLC 12701120.
- OCLC 12701120.
- OCLC 12701120.
- OCLC 12701120. Retrieved October 17, 2019 – via Michigan History Center.
- . Retrieved October 17, 2019 – via Michigan History Center. (Includes all changes through July 1, 1961)
- . Retrieved October 17, 2019 – via Michigan History Center.
- ^ Staff (n.d.). "River Road Scenic Byway: Official Designations". America's Byways. Federal Highway Administration. Archived from the original on June 21, 2013. Retrieved April 6, 2011.
- ^ Naeyaert, Gary G. (February 23, 1999). "MDOT Announces Plans For US 23 & M-65 Corridors in Northeast Michigan" (Press release). Michigan Department of Transportation. Archived from the original on December 11, 2008. Retrieved December 15, 2007.
- ^ Shreck, Bill (April 12, 2001). "$230 Million in Road And Bridge Work Headed to Northern Michigan over Next Five Years" (Press release). Michigan Department of Transportation. Archived from the original on December 12, 2008. Retrieved December 15, 2007.
- ^ Morris, John (October 20, 2004). "Hale Beautification Project Dedicated". Iosco County News-Herald. East Tawas, MI. Archived from the original on January 15, 2005. Retrieved April 6, 2011.
- ^ Dunn, Jim (October 20, 2004). "New M-65 Bridge Opens with Ribbon-Cutting Ceremony". Oscoda Times. Archived from the original on December 17, 2004. Retrieved April 6, 2011.
- Archive.org.
External links
- M-65 at Michigan Highways
- M-65–AuSable River Bridge at MDOT's Historic Bridges listing
- M-65 truss bridge at Historic Bridges