MichiganHighways.org Updates

[bessertc]

Just uploaded several new updates to the Michigan Highways website which, as always, are fully documented on the What's New? page at http://www.michiganhighways.org/whats_new.html.

However, a few of the more interesting items include:

• A brand-new Capitol Loop Route Map: http://www.michiganhighways.org/maps/CapitolLoop_map.pdf
• An overhauled the Downtown Detroit Trunklines map: http://www.michiganhighways.org/maps/DetroitDowntownTrunklines.pdf
• A new historical photo of the US-2 interchange at the northern end of the Mackinac Bridge approach roadway: http://www.michiganhighways.org/photos/mackinacbridge/index.html#postcard

That's it for now...

Chris

[JREwing78]

Glad to see you're back at it.

[A.J. Bertin]

Those new maps look great, Chris. Welcome back!

[bugo]

Why does US 12 end where it does?  What's the history behind that one?  What about M-1, M-85, and Bus 96?

[bessertc]

Why does US 12 end where it does?  What's the history behind that one?  What about M-1, M-85, and Bus 96?

Basically, the whole "severed trunkline" issue in downtown Detroit started in the late-1970s when the five blocks of Woodward Ave (M-1) from Michigan Ave/Cadillac Square to Adams St was all but closed to traffic (buses were still allowed). Some maps, like the downtown Detroit inset in the Rand McNally Road Atlases of the 1980s, showed M-1 as using a variety of one-way streets to the east of Woodward (Randolph, Gratiot, Brush-Beaubien, and Adams-Elizabeth), some of which no longer exist today due to the Comerica Park and Ford Field developments. However, I've never seen any "official" sources using these streets as part of M-1 and they were never transferred to state control. So, for many years, M-1 had a gap in it for those five blocks.

Then, in conjunction with Compuware building its new headquarters downtown and the reintroduction of the Campus Martius (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Campus_Martius_Park), which had been obliterated in the early 1900s, the City wanted control over the various state-maintained streets in the center of the downtown area and MDOT was happy to oblige. As to why each particular terminus was chosen–M-85 ending at Griswold St one block from Woodward versus US-12 terminating at Cass four blocks from Woodward, for example–isn't entirely clear. I'm sure the City and MDOT discussed the matter and came to the agreement logically. I know a now-retired planner at MDOT was advocating for the State to take control of Cass Ave to connect the end of OLD BS I-96, US-12 and M-85 together with a somewhat more logical routing, but nothing came of it.

[DaBigE]

Glad to see you're back at it.

Ditto.
Are any updates to wisconsinhighways.org slated for the future?

[bessertc]

Hey all, I've been hacking away at MichiganHighways.org lately and made some updates and additions that some may either be interested in or may even provoke some discussion. Here are some of the recent highlights:

• The Ogemaw Routes highlights a unique set of Intercounty routes almost completely disavowed by MDOT! This was a quarter-century task on my "to-do" list. Includes a separate maps page, too.
• Added or enhanced route listings for the Intercounty Routes noted in the above article as well–F-18, F-19, F-24 and F-28. (Linked from the above page.)
• OLD-27 and OLD-76 now have their own route listings as "Intercounty-related routes." I'm sure some might disagree with my adding them as such, but my reasoning is stated on the listings... and I've been giving it a lot of thought over the past 25 years... (Includes route maps and photos.)
• Intercounty Highway route listings have had all their route lengths updated and extended out to the thousandth of a mile, matching the lengths of the state trunkline routes elsewhere on the site.
• Projected 1980 Michigan Freeway System, 1961 map was added to the maps section, as noted in a different discussion here earlier in the month.
• Who Maintains the Highways? has been added to show which counties are MDOT direct-maintenance counties and which counties are contract maintenance counties, complete with map.
• I-96/I-69/I-496/US-27 Interchange map has been updated/improved using more precise data from MDOT.
• Two new route listings for historic trunkline routes: Former M-41 and Former M-130, both with route maps and complete history sections (that even disagree with what's on Wikipedia!) 
• Plus eleven new route maps to add to the 80+ route maps added in the last half of 2022. And I'm making more route maps now as we speak!

So, if any of this is interesting, keep an eye on the What's New! page for any and all updates and changes on the site. Let me know if you have any questions or comments–anything constructive is always welcome!

[usends]

Thanks for your decades of work on this project!  Your website is a top-notch resource, and it's always my go-to when I have a question about Michigan roads.

[bessertc]

Thanks for your decades of work on this project!  Your website is a top-notch resource, and it's always my go-to when I have a question about Michigan roads.

Of course your website is particularly evil... I go to look up one thing and six days later I realize I haven't eaten or been to work or picked up the kids from school for almost a week... 

[triplemultiplex]

I-96/I-69/I-496/US-27 Interchange map has been updated/improved using more precise data from MDOT.

Woah I need to re-read your page on I-69 in Michigan.  I did not have it in my head that the idea was ever to have 69 come to this junction.  That explains why this interchange uses up so much real estate.  I'd always wondered about that.  I'm also a little embarrassed to admit I never noticed the ghosted loop ramp.  Very interesting.

Great work, Chris.  I must also commend your cartography on the individual route maps.  It looks really sharp.