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[ftballfan]

If the Badger ceases operation, does US-10 in Michigan get renumbered? Here are several possible scenarios.

1. US-10 not renumbered

2. US-10 truncated to Manitowoc, M-116 extended to US-31, and US-10 in MI east of Scottville becomes a 3dus (either US-531 or US-323)
 
3. US-10 truncated to Manitowoc and M-116 extended all the way to I-75/US-23

4. US-10 truncated to Manitowoc, M-116 extended to US-31, and M-10 designated between Scottville and Bay City (with an implied multiplex on I-75 and US-24 connecting to M-10 in Southfield, which would also result in the NW Highway becoming M-4 again)

5. US-10 truncated to Manitowoc, M-116 extended to Clare, and M-115 taking over US-10 from Farwell to Bay City (even though this would result in a "bump", a good portion of traffic on the US-10 freeway west of Clare exit onto M-115 toward Cadillac, Traverse City, etc.)

[rawmustard]

I don't envision MDOT doing a wholesale renumbering simply because the Badger stops running. If they absolutely thought they had to, though, I would think an M-25 extension is much more likely than M-116. The 3dus option would be a violation of the AASHTO rule of a 3dus less than 300 miles in a single state. (US 10 is only 140.68 miles in Michigan.)

[A.J. Bertin]

If the Badger ceases operation, does US-10 in Michigan get renumbered?

It's very doubtful. I can think of at least one other example of a U.S. highway (U.S. 2) with two completely separate routes that don't connect, and they are separated by Canada!

[texaskdog]

Yes, no confusion really happens over a "break".  Unlikely anyone will drive into the ocean.

Except us road purist who would wish it had 2 different numbers. 

[bulldog1979]

Well, considering that US 10 wasn't truncated when the SS Badger and her sister ship the SS Spartan stopped running before, I don't think they'd have to truncate it this time. The Chessie System ended in 1983, and those two ferries were idled. The Badger wasn't put back into service until 1989. Oh, and in further support for "no change", the Wisconsin port during the Chessie system wasn't Manitowoc, it was Kewaunee. US 10 wasn't routed any differently at the time, which tells me that ferry service isn't strictly necessary. (The two sister ships were designed for ice-breaking capabilities, but Lake Michigan Car Ferry doesn't run the Badger during the winter.)

That said, given the National Register of Historic Places designations the ship carries (she's the only, or one of the only entries listed for two states) and her designations as a National Mechanical Engineering Landmark, we don't know what will happen. There is a group fighting to make her a National Historic Landmark, which could stop the EPA's regulations. A bill in Congress, and an application by LMCF could result in an extension of any deadlines to make changes.

[Steve]

I'd prefer US 10 remain as is. My favorite alternative is to re-extend M-10 all the way back over its old route. (That will not happen.) My guess is that should the ferry cease and MDOT decides to renumber, US 10 would become an available low number - preferably one of the single digits still available.

[ftballfan]

I don't envision MDOT doing a wholesale renumbering simply because the Badger stops running. If they absolutely thought they had to, though, I would think an M-25 extension is much more likely than M-116. The 3dus option would be a violation of the AASHTO rule of a 3dus less than 300 miles in a single state. (US 10 is only 140.68 miles in Michigan.)

If US-10 was scaled back to Manitowoc, M-116 would likely be extended to at least US-31 east of Ludington, while another number could pick up at Scottville. MDOT just put up nice new signs with exit numbers on the freeway portion of US-10 from Farwell to Bay City.
Side topic: is M-25 signed E-W from Bay City to Port Austin?

[A.J. Bertin]

Side topic: is M-25 signed E-W from Bay City to Port Austin?

Yes it is.