AARoads Forum

Regional Boards => Great Lakes and Ohio Valley => Topic started by: bessertc on January 14, 2013, 04:31:11 AM

Title: MichiganHighways.org Updates
Post by: bessertc on January 14, 2013, 04:31:11 AM
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 (http://www.michiganhighways.org/whats_new.html).

However, a few of the more interesting items include:
That's it for now...

Chris
Title: Re: MichiganHighways.org Updates
Post by: JREwing78 on January 14, 2013, 11:57:19 PM
Glad to see you're back at it. :)
Title: Re: MichiganHighways.org Updates
Post by: A.J. Bertin on January 15, 2013, 12:01:08 PM
Those new maps look great, Chris. Welcome back!
Title: Re: MichiganHighways.org Updates
Post by: bugo on January 15, 2013, 12:04:20 PM
Why does US 12 end where it does?  What's the history behind that one?  What about M-1, M-85, and Bus 96?
Title: Re: MichiganHighways.org Updates
Post by: bessertc on January 19, 2013, 11:21:30 AM
Quote from: bugo on January 15, 2013, 12:04:20 PM
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 (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.
Title: Re: MichiganHighways.org Updates
Post by: DaBigE on January 21, 2013, 01:47:37 PM
Quote from: JREwing78 on January 14, 2013, 11:57:19 PM
Glad to see you're back at it. :)

Ditto. :clap:
Are any updates to wisconsinhighways.org slated for the future?
Title: Re: MichiganHighways.org Updates
Post by: bessertc on February 26, 2023, 03:27:07 AM
Hey all, I've been hacking away at MichiganHighways.org (http://www.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:
So, if any of this is interesting, keep an eye on the What's New! (http://www.michiganhighways.org/whats_new.html) 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!
Title: Re: MichiganHighways.org Updates
Post by: usends on February 26, 2023, 08:00:11 AM
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.
Title: Re: MichiganHighways.org Updates
Post by: bessertc on February 26, 2023, 10:14:40 AM
Quote from: usends on February 26, 2023, 08:00:11 AM
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...  :thumbsup:
Title: Re: MichiganHighways.org Updates
Post by: triplemultiplex on February 27, 2023, 12:32:27 PM
Quote from: bessertc on February 26, 2023, 03:27:07 AM
I-96/I-69/I-496/US-27 Interchange (http://www.michiganhighways.org/maps/I-96-496-69-int.html) 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.