M-117 (Michigan highway)
Encyclopedia
M-117 is a 14.479 miles (23.302 km) state trunkline highway
in the eastern Upper Peninsula
(UP) of the US state of Michigan
. The highway connects US Highway 2
(US 2) with M-28
west of Newberry
. The designation has been used twice in the UP, once in 1941 for a former section of US 2 between Rexton and Epoufette, and the second in 1949 for the current corridor. The second version included a section that ran north of Newberry along what is now M-123
, but it was truncated to its current routing in the 1960s. Since 1993, the trunkline has been dedicated to the 117th Quartermaster Battalion, a former National Guard unit from Kingsford
.
line before entering town. In Engadine, M-117 meets the western terminus of H-40 which runs on Hiawatha Trail. The trunkline passes a small pond in town and some farm fields north of Engadine. The terrain transitions to forest as the highway crosses into Chippewa County
. The route angles slightly to the northeast to avoid Kaks Lake south of M-28 near Newberry
. M-117 provides an important connection between two of the main highways in the UP. This connection is listed on the National Highway System
, a network of roadways important to the country's economy, defense, and mobility. Of the ten state trunklines that connect M-28 and US 2, M-117 is one of three that do not overlap either. The others are US 45
and Interstate 75
.
As part of the state's maintenance of M-117, the Michigan Department of Transportation
(MDOT) tracks the volume of traffic that uses the roadway. These volumes are expressed using a metric called annual average daily traffic
, which is a statistical calculation of the average daily number of vehicles on a segment of roadway. MDOT's surveys in 2010 showed that between 1,392 and 1,986 vehicles used the highway per day.
in 1949. The M-117 designation was transferred to a new routing between Engadine and Newberry at that time, and extended east concurrent
along M-28 and north through Newberry on Business M-28
(BUS M-28), replacing a section of M-48. North of town, M-117 extended past BUS M-28 to Four Mile Corner along the former M-48.
M-117 in Mackinac County was shifted to a new routing along Country Avenue in 1957. The previous routing was transferred to local control at the same time. M-117 was truncated to M-28 west of Newberry in late 1961 or early 1962. The section of highway north of M-28 through Newberry to Four Mile Corner was included in an extension of M-123 between Newberry and Paradise
. M-117 was dedicated in 1993 to the deactivated 117th Quartermaster Battalion based out of Kingsford
.
Michigan Highway System
The Michigan State Trunkline Highway System is made up of all the highways designated as Interstates, U.S. Highways and State Highways in the US state of Michigan. The system is maintained by the Michigan Department of Transportation and comprises of trunklines in all 83 counties of Michigan on...
in the eastern 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...
(UP) of the US state 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"....
. The highway connects 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) with 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...
west of Newberry
Newberry, Michigan
Newberry is a village in the U.S. state of Michigan and the county seat of Luce County. Located within McMillan Township at its very southern end, it shares some administrative responsibilities with the surrounding township. The population was 2,686 at the 2000 census.The village was named in...
. The designation has been used twice in the UP, once in 1941 for a former section of US 2 between Rexton and Epoufette, and the second in 1949 for the current corridor. The second version included a section that ran north of Newberry along what is now M-123
M-123 (Michigan highway)
M-123 is a state trunkline highway in the eastern Upper Peninsula of the U.S. state of Michigan. It is one of only a few highways in Michigan that curve around and form a U-shape. In fact, M-123 has three intersections with only two state trunklines. It meets M-28 twice as a result of its U-shaped...
, but it was truncated to its current routing in the 1960s. Since 1993, the trunkline has been dedicated to the 117th Quartermaster Battalion, a former National Guard unit from Kingsford
Kingsford, Michigan
Kingsford is a city in Dickinson County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 5,549 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Iron Mountain, MI–WI Micropolitan Statistical Area....
.
Route description
The highway begins at US 2, one mile (1.6 km) south of Engadine and crosses the Canadian National RailwayCanadian National Railway
The Canadian National Railway Company is a Canadian Class I railway headquartered in Montreal, Quebec. CN's slogan is "North America's Railroad"....
line before entering town. In Engadine, M-117 meets the western terminus of H-40 which runs on Hiawatha Trail. The trunkline passes a small pond in town and some farm fields north of Engadine. The terrain transitions to forest as the highway crosses into Chippewa County
Chippewa County, Michigan
-National protected areas:* Harbor Island National Wildlife Refuge* Hiawatha National Forest * Whitefish Point Unit of the Seney National Wildlife Refuge-Demographics:...
. The route angles slightly to the northeast to avoid Kaks Lake south of M-28 near Newberry
Newberry, Michigan
Newberry is a village in the U.S. state of Michigan and the county seat of Luce County. Located within McMillan Township at its very southern end, it shares some administrative responsibilities with the surrounding township. The population was 2,686 at the 2000 census.The village was named in...
. M-117 provides an important connection between two of the main highways in the UP. This connection is listed on the National Highway System
National Highway System (United States)
The National Highway System is a network of strategic highways within the United States, including the Interstate Highway System and other roads serving major airports, ports, rail or truck terminals, railway stations, pipeline terminals and other strategic transport facilities.Individual states...
, a network of roadways important to the country's economy, defense, and mobility. Of the ten state trunklines that connect M-28 and US 2, M-117 is one of three that do not overlap either. The others are US 45
U.S. Route 45 in Michigan
US Highway 45 is a part of the United States Numbered Highway System that runs from Mobile, Alabama, to the Upper Peninsula of the US state of Michigan. The highway forms a part of the state trunkline highway system that is maintained by the Michigan Department of Transportation . It enters the...
and Interstate 75
Interstate 75 in Michigan
Interstate 75 is a part of the Interstate Highway System and runs from Miami, Florida to Sault Ste. Marie in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. I-75 enters the state from Ohio in the south, just to the north of Toledo. It runs generally north through Detroit, Pontiac and Bay City, crossing the...
.
As part of the state's maintenance of M-117, 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) tracks the volume of traffic that uses the roadway. These volumes are expressed using a metric called annual average daily traffic
Annual average daily traffic
Average Annual daily traffic, abbreviated AADT, is a measure used primarily in transportation planning and transportation engineering. It is the total volume of vehicle traffic of a highway or road for a year divided by 365 days. AADT is a useful and simple measurement of how busy the road is...
, which is a statistical calculation of the average daily number of vehicles on a segment of roadway. MDOT's surveys in 2010 showed that between 1,392 and 1,986 vehicles used the highway per day.
History
US 2 was rerouted in 1941 between Gould City and Epoufette, with the previous routing between Epoufette and Rexton becoming a new M-117. The route of M-117 was replaced by a realigned M-48M-48 (Michigan highway)
M-48 is an east–west state trunkline highway in the Upper Peninsula of the US state of Michigan. It connects Rudyard with Pickford and continues to the far eastern end of the UP. The highway runs for through rural parts of Chippewa County, including along the county line with Mackinac County...
in 1949. The M-117 designation was transferred to a new routing between Engadine and Newberry at that time, and extended east concurrent
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...
along M-28 and north through Newberry on Business M-28
M-28 Business (Newberry, Michigan)
M-28 Business Route was a state trunkline highway in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. It served as a business route running for through the Newberry area. The business loop followed a U-shaped routing to connect downtown Newberry with M-28 south of town...
(BUS M-28), replacing a section of M-48. North of town, M-117 extended past BUS M-28 to Four Mile Corner along the former M-48.
M-117 in Mackinac County was shifted to a new routing along Country Avenue in 1957. The previous routing was transferred to local control at the same time. M-117 was truncated to M-28 west of Newberry in late 1961 or early 1962. The section of highway north of M-28 through Newberry to Four Mile Corner was included in an extension of M-123 between Newberry and Paradise
Paradise, Michigan
Paradise is an unincorporated community in Whitefish Township, Chippewa County in the U.S. state of Michigan.Paradise is on the northeastern portion of Michigan's Upper Peninsula, on the western side of Whitefish Bay, Lake Superior, about by road from Sault Ste. Marie and about north of the...
. M-117 was dedicated in 1993 to the deactivated 117th Quartermaster Battalion based out of Kingsford
Kingsford, Michigan
Kingsford is a city in Dickinson County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 5,549 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Iron Mountain, MI–WI Micropolitan Statistical Area....
.