Forest Highway 16
Encyclopedia
Federal Forest Highway 16 (FFH 16) is a forest highway
in the western Upper Peninsula
of Michigan
, United States
. This road is erroneously marked as H-16 on the Michigan Department of Transportation
(MDOT) map. It runs through the Ottawa National Forest
and is designated by the National Forest Service. Although the MDOT maps would suggest that it is a part of the County-Designated Highway System (CDH system), it is not. The three counties in question do not participate in the system, and the roadway falls in the middle of the G zone for numbering purposes.
's Stambaugh Township
. The roadway runs north from this location east of Smokey Lake through forest lands that are part of the Ottawa National Forest
. Near Golden Lake and the Golden Lake National Forest Campground, FFH 16 and US Highway 2
(US 2) intersect. FFH 16 continues north and curves to the northwest around the end of James Lake. The routing of the road provides access to several more lakes in rural Iron County such as Paint Lake, Silk Lake and Hehe Lake before crossing into southern Houghton County
.
In Houghton County, FFH 16 and M-28
meet in the Duncan Township
community of Kenton. The former turns east and runs along the latter in a concurrency
for approximately a quarter mile (0.4 km) before turning northward again, leaving town near the cemetery. The roadway tracks due north until coming near Bob Lake. There the roadway meanders through the area near another National Forest campground and crosses into eastern Ontonagon County
. FFH 16 crosses back into Houghton County one last time and immediately terminates at M-23
west of the community of Nisula
.
; the system was created by the Federal Aid Highway Act of 1921
. The highway has never been included in the CDH system as Iron, Houghton and Ontonagon counties don't participate in the system, and the Upper Peninsula east of US 41
is the G zone, not the H zone.
Forest Highway
Forest Highways or Forest Routes are a category of roads within United States National Forests. They are built to connect the national forests to the existing state highway systems, and to provide improved access to recreational and logging areas....
in the western Upper Peninsula
Upper Peninsula of Michigan
The Upper Peninsula of Michigan is the northern of the two major land masses that make up the U.S. state of Michigan. It is commonly referred to as the Upper Peninsula, the U.P., or Upper Michigan. It is also known as the land "above the Bridge" linking the two peninsulas. The peninsula is bounded...
of Michigan
Michigan
Michigan is a U.S. state located in the Great Lakes Region of the United States of America. The name Michigan is the French form of the Ojibwa word mishigamaa, meaning "large water" or "large lake"....
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. This road is erroneously marked as H-16 on the Michigan Department of Transportation
Michigan Department of Transportation
The Michigan Department of Transportation is a constitutional government agency in the US state of Michigan. The primary purpose of MDOT is to maintain the Michigan State Trunkline Highway System which includes all Interstate, US and state highways in Michigan with the exception of the Mackinac...
(MDOT) map. It runs through the Ottawa National Forest
Ottawa National Forest
The Ottawa National Forest is a 1.0 million acre national forest in the Upper Peninsula of the U.S. state of Michigan. It includes much of Gogebic and Ontonagon counties, as well as slices of Iron, Houghton, Baraga, and Marquette counties. The forest is under the jurisdiction of the U.S...
and is designated by the National Forest Service. Although the MDOT maps would suggest that it is a part of the County-Designated Highway System (CDH system), it is not. The three counties in question do not participate in the system, and the roadway falls in the middle of the G zone for numbering purposes.
Route description
FFH 16 starts at an intersection with County Road 436 (CR 436, Smokey Lake Road) near Horseshoe Lake in rural Iron CountyIron County, Michigan
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 13,138 people, 5,748 households, and 3,615 families residing in the county. The population density was 11 people per square mile . There were 8,772 housing units at an average density of 8 per square mile...
's Stambaugh Township
Stambaugh Township, Michigan
Stambaugh Township is a civil township of Iron County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 1,248 at the 2000 census.- Communities :* Stambaugh was a city adjacent to the township that merged into the city of Iron River effective July 1, 2000...
. The roadway runs north from this location east of Smokey Lake through forest lands that are part of the Ottawa National Forest
Ottawa National Forest
The Ottawa National Forest is a 1.0 million acre national forest in the Upper Peninsula of the U.S. state of Michigan. It includes much of Gogebic and Ontonagon counties, as well as slices of Iron, Houghton, Baraga, and Marquette counties. The forest is under the jurisdiction of the U.S...
. Near Golden Lake and the Golden Lake National Forest Campground, FFH 16 and US Highway 2
U.S. Route 2 in Michigan
US Highway 2 is a component of the United States Numbered Highway System that connects Everett, Washington, to the Upper Peninsula of the US state of Michigan, with a separate segment that runs from Rouses Point, New York, to Houlton, Maine...
(US 2) intersect. FFH 16 continues north and curves to the northwest around the end of James Lake. The routing of the road provides access to several more lakes in rural Iron County such as Paint Lake, Silk Lake and Hehe Lake before crossing into southern Houghton County
Houghton County, Michigan
-National protected areas:* Keweenaw National Historical Park * Ottawa National Forest -Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 36,016 people, 13,793 households, and 8,137 families residing in the county. The population density was 36 people per square mile . There were 17,748 housing...
.
In Houghton County, FFH 16 and M-28
M-28 (Michigan highway)
M-28 is an east–west state trunkline highway that almost completely traverses the Upper Peninsula in the U.S. state of Michigan, from Wakefield to near Sault Ste. Marie in Bruce Township...
meet in the Duncan Township
Duncan Township, Michigan
Duncan Township is a civil township of Houghton County in the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2000 census, the township population was 280.- Communities :...
community of Kenton. The former turns east and runs along the latter in a concurrency
Concurrency (road)
A concurrency, overlap, or coincidence in a road network is an instance of one physical road bearing two or more different highway, motorway, or other route numbers...
for approximately a quarter mile (0.4 km) before turning northward again, leaving town near the cemetery. The roadway tracks due north until coming near Bob Lake. There the roadway meanders through the area near another National Forest campground and crosses into eastern Ontonagon County
Ontonagon County, Michigan
-National protected areas:* Keweenaw National Historical Park * Ottawa National Forest -Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 7,818 people, 3,456 households, and 2,225 families residing in the county. The population density was 6 people per square mile . There were 5,404 housing units...
. FFH 16 crosses back into Houghton County one last time and immediately terminates at M-23
M-23 (Michigan highway)
M-23 was an early designation for the east–west state trunkline highway in the southern part of the US state of Michigan that became US 112 when the US Highway system came into existence in the mid-1920s. It extended from the Michigan/Indiana state line just north of Elkhart, Indiana, going...
west of the community of Nisula
Nisula, Michigan
Nisula is an unincorporated community in Houghton County, Michigan, United States. Nisula is located in Laird Township along M-38, west of Baraga. Nisula has a post office with ZIP code 49952.- History :...
.
History
A new county-designated highway appeared on maps for the first time in 1983, H-16. It was marked as running between US 2 and M-28 only. This designation was removed in the 1985 edition of the map. The H-16 label reappeared in 1992. This time it was shown continuing south toward the Wisconsin state line and north to M-38, along the routing of FFH-16. The roadway is part of the Forest Highway System that is funded and administered by the National Forest Service and the Federal Highway AdministrationFederal Highway Administration
The Federal Highway Administration is a division of the United States Department of Transportation that specializes in highway transportation. The agency's major activities are grouped into two "programs," the Federal-aid Highway Program and the Federal Lands Highway Program...
; the system was created by the Federal Aid Highway Act of 1921
Federal Aid Highway Act of 1921 (Phipps Act)
The Federal Aid Highway Act of 1921, November 9, 1921, ,sponsored by Sen. Lawrence C. Phipps of Colorado, defined the Federal Aid Road program to develop an immense national highway system. The plan was crafted by the head of the National Highway Commission, Thomas MacDonald and was the first...
. The highway has never been included in the CDH system as Iron, Houghton and Ontonagon counties don't participate in the system, and the Upper Peninsula east of US 41
U.S. Route 41 in Michigan
US Highway 41 is a part of the United States Numbered Highway System that runs from Miami, Florida, to the Upper Peninsula of the US state of Michigan. In Michigan, it is a state trunkline highway that enters the state via the Interstate Bridge between Marinette, Wisconsin, and Menominee,...
is the G zone, not the H zone.