Questions about old US 2 alignments in Upper Michigan

[Route66Fan]

When looking for old alignments of US 2 in Upper Michigan, I found, not only an old alignment between Gulliver, MI & Manistee, MI (Duck Inn Rd.), what appears to be a really old alignment of US 2 (Willy Mac Rd.). I would like to know where I could find information about when these alignments were bypassed. According to HistoricAerials.com, Willy Mac Rd. was indeed the original alignment of US 2 ca. 1931, however I can't find when it was bypassed by the Duck Inn Rd. alignment. Does Michigan have any "Project Highway History" maps that would show when these roads were constructed?

[mhh]

Not a map, but verbal descriptions of changes in alignment. http://www.michiganhighways.org/listings/US-002.html

[The Ghostbuster]

US 2 also had some realignments along its route between St. Ignace (which it originally didn't serve) and Sault Ste. Marie prior to the construction of Interstate 75. US 2's last pre-75 alignment was along Mackinac Trail (now County Highway H-63).

[Flint1979]

I think you mean Manistique. Manistee is in the Lower Peninsula north of Ludington. But anyway I believe all the allignments done in the area were done in the 1930's. I don't think Willy Mac was part of US-2 but I could be wrong, Willy Mac is a dirt road Duck Inn Road was indeed part of US-2. Another area just to the east of there would have US-2 following Pawley Road in a stair step fashion. The allignments basically straightened out the curves and made it safer.

[TheHighwayMan3561]

While it's not directly related to the topic, this site has some pretty good references to some old Minnesota US route alignments in the presentation the OP is asking for (61 is the focus and likely the closest to authoritative on the subject, but also has 8, 16, 52, and 65 well documented, though unfortunately it appears he has been inactive on the site for several years)

https://deadpioneer.com/

[Mapmikey]

I think you mean Manistique. Manistee is in the Lower Peninsula north of Ludington. But anyway I believe all the allignments done in the area were done in the 1930's. I don't think Willy Mac was part of US-2 but I could be wrong, Willy Mac is a dirt road Duck Inn Road was indeed part of US-2. Another area just to the east of there would have US-2 following Pawley Road in a stair step fashion. The allignments basically straightened out the curves and made it safer.

This map appears to show US 2 on Willy Mac
https://www.historicmapworks.com/Map/US/1574098/Schoolcraft+County++Seney++Manistique++Doyle++Mooreville++Hiawatha++Inwood++Thompson++Doyles++Steuben++Delta++Cooks/Michigan+State+Atlas+1930c/Michigan/

[JREwing78]

Topographical maps will also help out:
https://www.usgs.gov/faqs/how-do-i-find-download-or-order-topographic-maps

MDOT also has a set of Right-of-Way maps that has details about when various lands were purchased for highway Right-of-way.
https://mdotjboss.state.mi.us/BITMIX/rowMapFilesHome.htm

[Flint1979]

I think you mean Manistique. Manistee is in the Lower Peninsula north of Ludington. But anyway I believe all the allignments done in the area were done in the 1930's. I don't think Willy Mac was part of US-2 but I could be wrong, Willy Mac is a dirt road Duck Inn Road was indeed part of US-2. Another area just to the east of there would have US-2 following Pawley Road in a stair step fashion. The allignments basically straightened out the curves and made it safer.

This map appears to show US 2 on Willy Mac
https://www.historicmapworks.com/Map/US/1574098/Schoolcraft+County++Seney++Manistique++Doyle++Mooreville++Hiawatha++Inwood++Thompson++Doyles++Steuben++Delta++Cooks/Michigan+State+Atlas+1930c/Michigan/

I don't see how you can tell from looking at that map that US-2 followed Willy Mac.

[TheHighwayMan3561]

I think you mean Manistique. Manistee is in the Lower Peninsula north of Ludington. But anyway I believe all the allignments done in the area were done in the 1930's. I don't think Willy Mac was part of US-2 but I could be wrong, Willy Mac is a dirt road Duck Inn Road was indeed part of US-2. Another area just to the east of there would have US-2 following Pawley Road in a stair step fashion. The allignments basically straightened out the curves and made it safer.

This map appears to show US 2 on Willy Mac
https://www.historicmapworks.com/Map/US/1574098/Schoolcraft+County++Seney++Manistique++Doyle++Mooreville++Hiawatha++Inwood++Thompson++Doyles++Steuben++Delta++Cooks/Michigan+State+Atlas+1930c/Michigan/

I don't see how you can tell from looking at that map that US-2 followed Willy Mac.

In the early, early days US routes may not have been all paved at signing (especially in a place like the rural UP), or may have been reverted to aggregate at a later date long after the designation was rerouted.

[Flint1979]

US 2 also had some realignments along its route between St. Ignace (which it originally didn't serve) and Sault Ste. Marie prior to the construction of Interstate 75. US 2's last pre-75 alignment was along Mackinac Trail (now County Highway H-63).

I know that US-2 at one time followed the current route of M-129 and M-134 through my U.P. hometown of Cedarville before being re-routed onto Mackinac Trail in the 1930's. US-2 followed Worth Road to Moran, then took a southeast turn on current M-123 to US-31 which is where the MDOT parking lot is next to I-75 currently. Also you can see the roads that used to come in and form a Y at that MDOT parking lot.

[Flint1979]

I think you mean Manistique. Manistee is in the Lower Peninsula north of Ludington. But anyway I believe all the allignments done in the area were done in the 1930's. I don't think Willy Mac was part of US-2 but I could be wrong, Willy Mac is a dirt road Duck Inn Road was indeed part of US-2. Another area just to the east of there would have US-2 following Pawley Road in a stair step fashion. The allignments basically straightened out the curves and made it safer.

This map appears to show US 2 on Willy Mac
https://www.historicmapworks.com/Map/US/1574098/Schoolcraft+County++Seney++Manistique++Doyle++Mooreville++Hiawatha++Inwood++Thompson++Doyles++Steuben++Delta++Cooks/Michigan+State+Atlas+1930c/Michigan/

I don't see how you can tell from looking at that map that US-2 followed Willy Mac.

In the early, early days US routes may not have been all paved at signing (especially in a place like the rural UP), or may have been reverted to aggregate at a later date long after the designation was rerouted.

I see your point but I still don't see how you can tell from that map that it followed Willy Mac. It does make sense that it did if it truly did and I believe that it did. I've done a lot of research on US-2's routing in the U.P. it's by far my favorite US highway in Michigan.

[Flint1979]

Since we're talking about this area I was toying around on Google Maps and came upon this routing, who in the hell would follow this route?

https://www.google.com/maps/dir/St+Ignace,+Michigan+49781/Manistique/@46.1163953,-85.992046,8.96z/data=!4m14!4m13!1m5!1m1!1s0x4d35f61a4f9ef2d5:0x764d3e7b305b4020!2m2!1d-84.7322959!2d45.8755685!1m5!1m1!1s0x4d4c01604bed92ab:0xa649548fd1b7fa07!2m2!1d-86.2462523!2d45.9577506!5i2

[Mapmikey]

I think you mean Manistique. Manistee is in the Lower Peninsula north of Ludington. But anyway I believe all the allignments done in the area were done in the 1930's. I don't think Willy Mac was part of US-2 but I could be wrong, Willy Mac is a dirt road Duck Inn Road was indeed part of US-2. Another area just to the east of there would have US-2 following Pawley Road in a stair step fashion. The allignments basically straightened out the curves and made it safer.

This map appears to show US 2 on Willy Mac
https://www.historicmapworks.com/Map/US/1574098/Schoolcraft+County++Seney++Manistique++Doyle++Mooreville++Hiawatha++Inwood++Thompson++Doyles++Steuben++Delta++Cooks/Michigan+State+Atlas+1930c/Michigan/

I don't see how you can tell from looking at that map that US-2 followed Willy Mac.

In the early, early days US routes may not have been all paved at signing (especially in a place like the rural UP), or may have been reverted to aggregate at a later date long after the designation was rerouted.

I see your point but I still don't see how you can tell from that map that it followed Willy Mac. It does make sense that it did if it truly did and I believe that it did. I've done a lot of research on US-2's routing in the U.P. it's by far my favorite US highway in Michigan.

look at Marblehead...where US 2 stops going straight down it goes west a tick before angling SW

I believe this map also shows it
https://www.worthpoint.com/worthopedia/1929-official-michigan-state-highway-1895345541

There appear to be 4 horizontal steps between Manistique and Gulliver.  If you bypass Willy Mac that removes one of the horizontal steps to the 3 covered by Old US 2;Pawley/Gardapee Rd; Duck Inn Rd at its south end.

That ROW dating site is neat but only covers the modern US 2 movement with most ROW acquired in 1940.  It does show the old route with a 66-ft ROW and GMSV shows Willy Mac with quite a bit less than that.  Searching the biannual highway reports didn't turn up anything.

[Flint1979]

I think you mean Manistique. Manistee is in the Lower Peninsula north of Ludington. But anyway I believe all the allignments done in the area were done in the 1930's. I don't think Willy Mac was part of US-2 but I could be wrong, Willy Mac is a dirt road Duck Inn Road was indeed part of US-2. Another area just to the east of there would have US-2 following Pawley Road in a stair step fashion. The allignments basically straightened out the curves and made it safer.

This map appears to show US 2 on Willy Mac
https://www.historicmapworks.com/Map/US/1574098/Schoolcraft+County++Seney++Manistique++Doyle++Mooreville++Hiawatha++Inwood++Thompson++Doyles++Steuben++Delta++Cooks/Michigan+State+Atlas+1930c/Michigan/

I don't see how you can tell from looking at that map that US-2 followed Willy Mac.

In the early, early days US routes may not have been all paved at signing (especially in a place like the rural UP), or may have been reverted to aggregate at a later date long after the designation was rerouted.

I see your point but I still don't see how you can tell from that map that it followed Willy Mac. It does make sense that it did if it truly did and I believe that it did. I've done a lot of research on US-2's routing in the U.P. it's by far my favorite US highway in Michigan.

look at Marblehead...where US 2 stops going straight down it goes west a tick before angling SW

I believe this map also shows it
https://www.worthpoint.com/worthopedia/1929-official-michigan-state-highway-1895345541

There appear to be 4 horizontal steps between Manistique and Gulliver.  If you bypass Willy Mac that removes one of the horizontal steps to the 3 covered by Old US 2;Pawley/Gardapee Rd; Duck Inn Rd at its south end.

That ROW dating site is neat but only covers the modern US 2 movement with most ROW acquired in 1940.  It does show the old route with a 66-ft ROW and GMSV shows Willy Mac with quite a bit less than that.  Searching the biannual highway reports didn't turn up anything.

I see it but I couldn't tell if it was Willy Mac or not. I mentioned the stair steps along Pawley Road in a previous post. Duck Inn Road must have had a gap or something at one time between the ends of Willy Mac and the gap was filled in to bypass Willy Mac. That's what it seems like to me anyway.

[JREwing78]

Most of the current US-2 corridor ROW through there appears to have been purchased in the late 1930's and early 1940s, from the MDOT ROW maps. That would mean any bypass of Willy Mac by Duck Inn Road had to have happened prior to that, somewhere between the late 1910s and mid-1930s.

ROW was purchased in 1932 for a straightening of the stair step at which is now Pawley Rd, but that was never built and was replaced with a different realignment by 1940, with Pawley Rd reverting to the county at the end of 1938. 

[Flint1979]

Most of the current US-2 corridor ROW through there appears to have been purchased in the late 1930's and early 1940s, from the MDOT ROW maps. That would mean any bypass of Willy Mac by Duck Inn Road had to have happened prior to that, somewhere between the late 1910s and mid-1930s.

ROW was purchased in 1932 for a straightening of the stair step at which is now Pawley Rd, but that was never built and was replaced with a different realignment by 1940, with Pawley Rd reverting to the county at the end of 1938.

It wouldn't have been in the late 1910's because the US highway system wasn't around until 1926. Before US-2 it was M-12.

[hotdogPi]

Since we're talking about this area I was toying around on Google Maps and came upon this routing, who in the hell would follow this route?

https://www.google.com/maps/dir/St+Ignace,+Michigan+49781/Manistique/@46.1163953,-85.992046,8.96z/data=!4m14!4m13!1m5!1m1!1s0x4d35f61a4f9ef2d5:0x764d3e7b305b4020!2m2!1d-84.7322959!2d45.8755685!1m5!1m1!1s0x4d4c01604bed92ab:0xa649548fd1b7fa07!2m2!1d-86.2462523!2d45.9577506!5i2

If you look on the left, the 3-hour one is for transit, not driving.

[Route66Fan]

I think you mean Manistique. Manistee is in the Lower Peninsula north of Ludington. But anyway I believe all the allignments done in the area were done in the 1930's. I don't think Willy Mac was part of US-2 but I could be wrong, Willy Mac is a dirt road Duck Inn Road was indeed part of US-2. Another area just to the east of there would have US-2 following Pawley Road in a stair step fashion. The allignments basically straightened out the curves and made it safer.

Yeah, I meant Manistique.

[Flint1979]

Since we're talking about this area I was toying around on Google Maps and came upon this routing, who in the hell would follow this route?

https://www.google.com/maps/dir/St+Ignace,+Michigan+49781/Manistique/@46.1163953,-85.992046,8.96z/data=!4m14!4m13!1m5!1m1!1s0x4d35f61a4f9ef2d5:0x764d3e7b305b4020!2m2!1d-84.7322959!2d45.8755685!1m5!1m1!1s0x4d4c01604bed92ab:0xa649548fd1b7fa07!2m2!1d-86.2462523!2d45.9577506!5i2

If you look on the left, the 3-hour one is for transit, not driving.

Geez I'm surprised that they would have transit directions up there.

[The Ghostbuster]

It's hard to believe that a freeway was once proposed to parallel existing US 2 from Escanaba to St. Ignace. That would have been a perfect place to put the Interstate 98 designation.

[Flint1979]

It's hard to believe that a freeway was once proposed to parallel existing US 2 from Escanaba to St. Ignace. That would have been a perfect place to put the Interstate 98 designation.

Glad that never happened.

[zzcarp]

It's hard to believe that a freeway was once proposed to parallel existing US 2 from Escanaba to St. Ignace. That would have been a perfect place to put the Interstate 98 designation.

Glad that never happened.

In some ways it's too bad it didn't. It would be nice to fly through on a modern freeway, though US 2 with passing lanes and a 65 mph speed limit does the trick. It could have also encouraged Ontario to four-lane Highway 17 from Ottawa faster instead of at its current glacial pace, and possibly connected well into the current US 41 expressway in Wisconsin to reach Green Bay/Milwaukee/Chicago and/or the Twin Cities. But these are fictional dreams of what could have been.

[Flint1979]

It's hard to believe that a freeway was once proposed to parallel existing US 2 from Escanaba to St. Ignace. That would have been a perfect place to put the Interstate 98 designation.

Glad that never happened.

In some ways it's too bad it didn't. It would be nice to fly through on a modern freeway, though US 2 with passing lanes and a 65 mph speed limit does the trick. It could have also encouraged Ontario to four-lane Highway 17 from Ottawa faster instead of at its current glacial pace, and possibly connected well into the current US 41 expressway in Wisconsin to reach Green Bay/Milwaukee/Chicago and/or the Twin Cities. But these are fictional dreams of what could have been.

There's never been a need for it. The traffic on US-2 moves fine and there are 12 passing lanes between St. Ignace and Escanaba

[mgk920]

And between US 41 at Powers, MI and US 53 just southeast of Superior, WI, US 2 also suffers from a distinct lack of traffic.  OTOH, US 2 does get busier the closer that it gets to I-75 and is likely close to warranting upgrading to four lanes near its east end.

Mike

[Flint1979]

And between US 41 at Powers, MI and US 53 just southeast of Superior, WI, US 2 also suffers from a distinct lack of traffic.  OTOH, US 2 does get busier the closer that it gets to I-75 and is likely close to warranting upgrading to four lanes near its east end.

Mike

It's at it's busiest in Michigan in the Escanaba area.