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M-37 (Michigan highway)
Encyclopedia
M-37 is a north–south state trunkline highway
in the US state of Michigan
. The southern terminus is near the border between Kalamazoo
and Calhoun
counties at exit 92 of Interstate 94
(I-94) southwest of Battle Creek
. The northern terminus is at the Mission Point Light on Old Mission Point in Grand Traverse County
. In between, the highway connects Battle Creek, Grand Rapids
and Traverse City
. Motorists will travel through agricultural land, forests, suburbs and large cities along the way. The section of M-37 on the Old Mission Peninsula was designated a Scenic Heritage Route
in 2008.
Originally named the Muskegon, Grand Traverse and Northport State Road, and later the Newaygo and Northport State Road, today's modern highway can be traced back to the 19th century and earlier. The southernmost section between Grand Rapids and Battle Creek parallels an early Indian
trail. The modern highway was formed by July 1, 1919 along this segment. By the 1940s, a second section of highway was designated M-37, creating a gap between it and the original section. This gap was eliminated in the 1950s, completing the M-37 corridor in the state. Additional changes to the routing were made through the Grand Rapids area into the 1970s.
(NHS), a network of roads important to the nation's economy, defense, and mobility. Through the Grand Rapids area, M-37 is on the NHS along Broadmoor and East Beltline avenues north of M-6
and the concurrency
with I-96
. The second segment on the NHS runs from M-115
in Mesick
to Traverse City. The road has also been designated a scenic heritage route through the Old Mission Peninsula. The trunkline is maintained by the Michigan Department of Transportation
(MDOT). As part of this responsibility, the department tracks the traffic volumes along M-37. MDOT uses a metric called average annual daily traffic, which is a calculation of the average traffic level for a segment of roadway on any average day of the year. Along M-37, the volume varies from the peak 49,173 vehicles on a section of I-96/M-37 in Grand Rapids to the 718 vehicles at the northern terminus by the Mission Point Light.
at exit 92 on I-94 southwest of Battle Creek. They follow Columbia Avenue to Skyline Drive where the highway passes the western side of the W. K. Kellogg Regional Airport. When the roadway meets M-96
, BL I-94/M-37 turns east, joining M-96 around the north end of the airport to Helmer Road. M-37 turns north along Helmer Road through suburban residential areas in Springfield
and across the Kalamazoo River
into Level Park-Oak Park
. There the highway intersects M-89
, passes through more residential areas and exits the Battle Creek metro area.
North of Bedford, M-37 meanders through rural Barry County
. The road passes through mixed agricultural and forest lands near several small lakes in the area. On its path to Hastings
, the trunkline runs through Dowling and meets the western terminus of M-79
. The highway follows Hanover Street through the south side of Hastings into downtown, where it turns west on Green Street and north on Broadway Street. At the intersection of Broadway and State streets, M-37 meets and joins M-43
. The two highways merge in a wrong-way concurrency. The westbound direction of State Street is simultaneously northbound M-37 and southbound M-43 as the two highways pass through the area. West of Hastings, M-43 separates and heads south toward Kalamazoo
while M-37 turns northwesterly and runs parallel to the Thornapple River
. The highway follows the river west and north to the community of Middleville
through mixed farms and forests.
In southern Kent County
, M-37 follows Cherry Valley Road through Caledonia
. As the highway transitions to Broadmoor Avenue, the landscape also transitions from rural to suburban. North of 76th Street, Broadmoor widens to a four-lane boulevard
which passes a campus of Davenport University
near the M-6 freeway
on the outskirts of the Grand Rapids area. This section is dominated by light industrial complexes west of the Gerald R. Ford International Airport
in the suburb of Kentwood
. These complexes change over to retail establishments north of 32nd Street. At 28th Street, Broadmoor Avenue ends, and East Beltline Avenue begins. This same intersection also marks the western terminus of M-44
, which starts concurrent with M-37 in Kentwood. These two highway designations follow East Beltline Avenue between the Woodland Mall
and the Centerpointe Mall
. North of the malls, M-37/M-44 passes through the campus of Calvin College
and along residential areas at the east end of Reeds Lake
. The intersection of East Beltine Avenue and Fulton Street is the western terminus for M-21
, a highway that runs east across the state to Flint
. North of this junction, M-37/M-44 meets I-96
.
M-37 parts East Beltline Avenue and turns west along I-96. The freeway runs west and then north around the edge of Grand Rapids. Near 3 Mile Road, I-96/M-37 runs west again, continuing across the Grand River
and meeting the US Highway 131
(US 131) freeway. The next interchange immediately west of US 131 is for Alpine Avenue, which M-37 follows north. This road runs through a commercial and retail corridor in the communities of Walker
and Comstock Park
. South of 6 Mile Road, Alpine Avenue widen into a four-lane divided highway. This highway splits from Alpine Avenue north of 8 Mile Road and turns to the northwest as the surroundings transition to rural farmland again. M-37 transitions back to a two-lane road south of Sparta
. The trunkline passes to the west of Kent City
and crosses into Muskegon County
at Casnovia
. Through this area, the highway parallels a line of the Marquette Rail that runs north from Grand Rapids.
West of the county line, M-37 meets and merges with M-46
along Apple Avenue. The two highways separate at a roundabout
junction where M-37 turns north on Newaygo Road. M-37 passes Half Moon Lake and through Bailey. In recent years the highway has served as the location of West Michigan’s Longest Yard Sale
which spans about 75 miles (120.7 km) of the route starting in the Bailey–Grant
area of Newaygo County
through northern Lake County
. Between |Grant and Newaygo
, the farms transition to forest. M-82
follows M-37 through downtown and across the Muskegon River
. The highway continues north along Evergreen Drive between Emerald, Sylvan and Twinwood lakes. This area is where M-37 crosses into the Manistee National Forest. M-20
follows M-37 through downtown White Cloud
and over the White River. Further north, the road passes through Brohman and Lilley in the northern end of the county.
, the highway crosses the Pere Marquette River
. US 10
follows M-37 through Baldwin
. The Marquette Rail line turns westward on the edge of town, and north of Baldwin, the highway forms the dividing line between the Manistee National Forest to the west and the Pere Marquette State Forest
to the east. The road crosses the Little Manistee River
near Peacock and the Pine River
in southwest Wexford County
. M-37 curves to the northeast along the edge of the Hodenpyl Dam Pond near Mesick
. M-37 turns east to follow M-115
through the community and then returns to a northward course into Sherman
and on to Buckley
. North of the latter community, the highway crosses into Grand Traverse County
. The area around Buckley transitions to agricultural use again. This landscape continues past the M-113
to the area known as Chums Corners. There, M-37 merges with US 31
, and the two run through a small unincorporated community that is host to Wuerfel Park
, home of the Traverse City Beach Bums
, a minor league baseball
team.
US 31/M-37 enters the south side of Traverse City near the intersection with South Airport Road and the Grand Traverse Mall
. As the highway heads towards Grand Traverse Bay
and downtown, it passes several car dealerships, an outlet mall and other retailers. After the city limits, the roadway is also given the name Division Street. North of 14th Street, US 31/M-37 passes the former Traverse City State Hospital
, a Kirkbride Plan
former mental asylum. This section of town is mostly residential except for the old state hospital and Munson Medical Center
. North of Front Street, Division Street meets Grandview Parkway. This roadway runs along the bay from the northwest carrying M-22
/M-72
. When the two streets meet, M-22 ends, and US 31/M-37 and M-72 merge into a triple concurrency along the bay north of downtown Traverse City. Grandview Parkway passes the Open Space park, the marina, the former Clinch Park Zoo and runs along a narrow piece of land between the Boardman River
and the bay. Grandview Parkway ends east of the mouth of the river, and the highway continues along Front Street past the Great Lakes Maritime Academy
and the home berth of the TS State of Michigan
to Garfield Avenue near the campus of Northwestern Michigan College
. M-37 turns north along Garfield Avenue to Peninsula Drive, leaving US 31/M-72.
M-37 follows Center Road up the middle of the Old Mission Peninsula. This landform divides Grand Traverse Bay into its east and west arms. The highway runs along a ridge at the center of the peninsula offering views of each arm of the bay. This area contains the greatest concentration of cherry trees in the US. These trees are said to "explode in a filigree of creamy pink blossoms in May" by the editors of Reader's Digest
magazine. The area is also famous for its vineyards and wineries. The peninsula's seven wineries produce award-winning Rieslings, pinot grigios and chardonnays. The first grapes were introduced to the region in 1983. In the fall, the area is renowned for its colors in addition to the harvest. Besides cherries and grapes, apples are also grown in the area, contributing to the bounty each year. At the tip of the peninsula is the Mission Point Light, a lighthouse that dates back to 1870. M-37 ends at a cul-de-sac in front of the building which is located near the 45th Parallel, halfway between the North Pole
and the Equator
.
trail that connected the St. Joseph Trail near Kalamazoo
and Battle Creek to the Grand River Trail near present-day Alto
. These tails "were narrow and permitted only single-file travel." In the Grand Rapids area, Alpine Avenue was originally constructed as a plank road
. These roads were at least 8 feet (2.4 m) wide covered with wood planks 3 inches (7.6 cm) thick.
A portion of M-37 follows the route of the Muskegon, Grand Traverse and Northport State Road, which was later renamed the Newaygo and Northport State Road. The road was authorized by the state legislature in 1857, and it was intended to connect the settlements in Muskegon
and Newaygo
counties, which at the time were "most northerly on the south side of the 'Big Woods'", with the growing settlements around the Grand Traverse Bay
. Construction progressed slowly and was only opened through Wexford County
in 1863. and the bridge over the Manistee River
in 1864 at what is now Sherman
.
The Custer Trail, named for General George Armstrong Custer
, was created in 1917 along a series of roads between Grand Rapids and Ft. Wayne, Indiana that included the modern M-37. Custer commanded the Michigan Cavalry Bridge during the Civil War
, and he was wildly popular in the state after the war. The road that bears his name never achieved that level of popularity. By 1930, the name had already fallen out of use.
, replacing the contemporary M-54
in the process. A group of local leaders formed an organization to lobby for the completion of the highway in 1928 when state efforts to do stalled. The Grand Rapids – Leelanau Association named their roadway the Paradise Trail and promoted it as an alternative to both US 31 and US 131. They convinced local land owners to donate land to build the road. Backers named the road for the "divine scenic and recreational delights" in the area.
An unnumbered section of gravel highway was opened in 1937 west of Cadillac
; the roadway extended south from M-55 to the Wexford–Lake county line. Later, in 1940, the MSHD renumbered the north–south leg of M-42
from Mesick north to Traverse City and Old Mission. As a result, M-37 was then a discontinuous highway with a gap between M-63
in Peacock to M-115 at Mesick. The spur in Wexford County is shown after 1941 as an "earthen" highway, before disappearing from state maps completely in 1945. A section of M-37 through Newaygo County was renamed in 1945 for Stevens T. Mason
, the first governor of the State of Michigan. At the time, Consumers Power Company
recommended that all north–south roads in the county bear the name of a state governor as part of a plan to rename the major roads in the county. The company wanted to simplify directions for their employees looking for customers' homes in the area. In the middle of 1948, M-37 was extended to M-55 on a gravel highway that followed the previously unnumbered highway in Wexford County and a new roadway in Lake County. As a result, M-37 still had a gap, but only between M-55 and M-115.
M-37 through the south side of the Grand Rapids area was realigned in late 1949 or early 1950. After the change, the highway follows Broadmoor Avenue to 28th Street and 28th Street west to its former routing along Kalamazoo Avenue. In 1953, this routing was shifted further when M-37 was rerouted to run north on East Beltline Avenue concurrent with US 131 and M-21
to Cascade Road. There it turned west along Cascade Road and Fulton Street into downtown back to its existing alignment. During that same time frame, the gap in the routing between M-55 and Mesick was eliminated. The highway was moved to bypass Sparta, Kent City and Casnovia to the southwest in the 1962. Another change around the same time frame shifted M-37's routing through Grand Rapids again. This time, M-37 was rerouted to follow M-11/M-21 along 28th Street to the US 131 freeway north to I-96 and back to Alpine Avenue. The final Grand Rapids routing change was made in 1969 when M-37 was moved to its current course along East Beltline Avenue and I-96. This change resulted in a concurrency with the southernmost end of M-44 that was later removed in 1977 when M-44 was truncated northward. A proposed new routing near Comstock Park
in the 1970s would have removed M-37 from Alpine Avenue. The new highway, if built, would have run southeastward from the Alpine Avenue split to US 131 near 6 Mile Road. In 2008, the northernmost 18 miles (29 km) on the Old Mission Peninsula were designated a scenic heritage route by MDOT.
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 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 southern terminus is near the border between Kalamazoo
Kalamazoo County, Michigan
-Air Service:*The Kalamazoo & Battle Creek Metro Area is served by Kalamazoo/Battle Creek International Airport.-Interstates:* I-94* I-94 Business Loop-US highways:* US-131* BUS US 131-Michigan State Trunklines:* M-43* M-89* M-96...
and Calhoun
Calhoun County, Michigan
-Interstates:* I-69* I-94* I-194* I-94 Business Loop serves the city of Albion.* I-94 Business Loop serves the city of Battle Creek.* I-94 Business Loop serves the city of Marshall.-Michigan State Trunklines:* M-37* M-60* M-66* M-78* M-89* M-96* M-99...
counties at exit 92 of Interstate 94
Interstate 94 in Michigan
Interstate 94 is a part of the Interstate Highway System that runs from Billings, Montana, to the Lower Peninsula of the US state of Michigan. In Michigan, it is a state trunkline highway that enters the state south of New Buffalo...
(I-94) southwest of Battle Creek
Battle Creek, Michigan
Battle Creek is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan, in northwest Calhoun County, at the confluence of the Kalamazoo and Battle Creek Rivers. It is the principal city of the Battle Creek, Michigan Metropolitan Statistical Area , which encompasses all of Calhoun county...
. The northern terminus is at the Mission Point Light on Old Mission Point in Grand Traverse County
Grand Traverse County, Michigan
-Air service:*Grand Traverse County is served by Cherry Capital Airport, which is located near Traverse City.-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 77,654 people, 30,396 households, and 20,730 families residing in the county. The population density was 167 people per square mile . ...
. In between, the highway connects Battle Creek, Grand Rapids
Grand Rapids, Michigan
Grand Rapids is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan. The city is located on the Grand River about 40 miles east of Lake Michigan. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 188,040. In 2010, the Grand Rapids metropolitan area had a population of 774,160 and a combined statistical area, Grand...
and Traverse City
Traverse City, Michigan
Traverse City is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan. It is the county seat of Grand Traverse County, although a small portion extends into Leelanau County. It is the largest city in the 21-county Northern Michigan region. The population was 14,674 at the 2010 census, with 143,372 in the Traverse...
. Motorists will travel through agricultural land, forests, suburbs and large cities along the way. The section of M-37 on the Old Mission Peninsula was designated a Scenic Heritage Route
Michigan Heritage Route
Michigan Heritage Route is a designation for roads in Michigan. The designation was created by the state legislature in 1993.The program emphasizes cooperation among local residents, government officials, landowners and interested groups to preserve unique scenic, historic or recreational...
in 2008.
Originally named the Muskegon, Grand Traverse and Northport State Road, and later the Newaygo and Northport State Road, today's modern highway can be traced back to the 19th century and earlier. The southernmost section between Grand Rapids and Battle Creek parallels an early Indian
Indigenous peoples of the Americas
The indigenous peoples of the Americas are the pre-Columbian inhabitants of North and South America, their descendants and other ethnic groups who are identified with those peoples. Indigenous peoples are known in Canada as Aboriginal peoples, and in the United States as Native Americans...
trail. The modern highway was formed by July 1, 1919 along this segment. By the 1940s, a second section of highway was designated M-37, creating a gap between it and the original section. This gap was eliminated in the 1950s, completing the M-37 corridor in the state. Additional changes to the routing were made through the Grand Rapids area into the 1970s.
Route description
M-37 runs for 221.27 miles (356.1 km) through the western side of the Lower Peninsula of Michigan connecting Battle Creek, Grand Rapids and Traverse City. Segments of it have been listed on the National Highway SystemNational 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...
(NHS), a network of roads important to the nation's economy, defense, and mobility. Through the Grand Rapids area, M-37 is on the NHS along Broadmoor and East Beltline avenues north of M-6
M-6 (Michigan highway)
M-6, or the Paul B. Henry Freeway, is a freeway and state trunkline highway in the United States that serves portions of southern Kent and eastern Ottawa counties south of Grand Rapids, Michigan. Although the freeway is named for Paul B. Henry, local residents and the press continue to use the...
and the 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...
with I-96
Interstate 96
Interstate 96 is an intrastate Interstate Highway that is entirely within the US state of Michigan. Its western terminus is at an interchange with US Highway 31 and Business US Highway 31 , on the western boundary of Norton Shores southeast of Muskegon. Its eastern terminus is at I-75 near the...
. The second segment on the NHS runs from M-115
M-115 (Michigan highway)
M-115 is a state trunkline highway in the northwestern part of the Lower Peninsula of the US state of Michigan. The highway takes a generally southeast-to-northwest direction between Clare and Frankfort on Lake Michigan...
in Mesick
Mesick, Michigan
Mesick is a village in Springville Township, Wexford County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 447 at the 2000 census.-Geography:According to the United States Census Bureau, the village has a total area of , all land.-Demographics:...
to Traverse City. The road has also been designated a scenic heritage route through the Old Mission Peninsula. The trunkline is maintained by 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). As part of this responsibility, the department tracks the traffic volumes along M-37. MDOT uses a metric called average annual daily traffic, which is a calculation of the average traffic level for a segment of roadway on any average day of the year. Along M-37, the volume varies from the peak 49,173 vehicles on a section of I-96/M-37 in Grand Rapids to the 718 vehicles at the northern terminus by the Mission Point Light.
West Michigan
M-37 starts joined with Business Loop I-94 (BL I-94) as the two highway designations run concurrentlyConcurrency (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...
at exit 92 on I-94 southwest of Battle Creek. They follow Columbia Avenue to Skyline Drive where the highway passes the western side of the W. K. Kellogg Regional Airport. When the roadway meets M-96
M-96 (Michigan highway)
M-96 is a state trunkline highway in the US state of Michigan that runs between Kalamazoo and Marshall. Its termini are both on business loops of Interstate 94 ; the eastern one coincides with an intersection with I-69...
, BL I-94/M-37 turns east, joining M-96 around the north end of the airport to Helmer Road. M-37 turns north along Helmer Road through suburban residential areas in Springfield
Springfield, Michigan
Springfield is a city in Calhoun County in the U.S. state of Michigan. It is part of the Battle Creek, Michigan Metropolitan Statistical Area. As of the 2000 census, the city population was 5,189...
and across the Kalamazoo River
Kalamazoo River
The Kalamazoo River is a river in the U.S. state of Michigan. The river is long from the junction of its North and South branches to its mouth at Lake Michigan, with a total length extending to when one includes the South Branch...
into Level Park-Oak Park
Level Park-Oak Park, Michigan
Level Park-Oak Park is a census-designated place for statistical purposes in Calhoun County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The CDP population was 3,605 at the 2000 census...
. There the highway intersects M-89
M-89 (Michigan highway)
M-89 is an east–west state highway in the US state of Michigan. It runs from near Ganges Township to Battle Creek. M-89 passes through Allegan County, Kalamazoo County, Michigan, and Calhoun County. It also briefly crosses the southwest corner of Barry County.-Route description:M-89 begins...
, passes through more residential areas and exits the Battle Creek metro area.
North of Bedford, M-37 meanders through rural Barry County
Barry County, Michigan
-Highways:* M-37* M-43* M-50* M-66* M-78* M-79* M-89* M-179-Demographics:As of the 2000 census, there were 56,755 people, 21,035 households, and 15,986 families residing in the county. The population density was 102 people per square mile . There were 23,876 housing units at an average density of...
. The road passes through mixed agricultural and forest lands near several small lakes in the area. On its path to Hastings
Hastings, Michigan
Hastings is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan, the county seat of Barry County as well as the county's only city. The population was 7,095 at the 2000 census. The city borders Hastings Charter Township on the north, east, and south, and Rutland Charter Township on the west...
, the trunkline runs through Dowling and meets the western terminus of M-79
M-79 (Michigan highway)
M-79 is an east–west state trunkline highway in the central portion of Lower Peninsula of the U.S. state of Michigan. The western terminus is about three miles southeast of Hastings at the junction with M-37 and the eastern terminus is in downtown Charlotte at the junction with M-50 and...
. The highway follows Hanover Street through the south side of Hastings into downtown, where it turns west on Green Street and north on Broadway Street. At the intersection of Broadway and State streets, M-37 meets and joins M-43
M-43 (Michigan highway)
M-43 is a state trunkline highway in southwestern and central parts of the US state of Michigan. The highway runs from South Haven to Webberville along an indirect path through both rural areas and larger cities...
. The two highways merge in a wrong-way concurrency. The westbound direction of State Street is simultaneously northbound M-37 and southbound M-43 as the two highways pass through the area. West of Hastings, M-43 separates and heads south toward Kalamazoo
Kalamazoo, Michigan
The area on which the modern city stands was once home to Native Americans of the Hopewell culture, who migrated into the area sometime before the first millennium. Evidence of their early residency remains in the form of a small mound in downtown's Bronson Park. The Hopewell civilization began to...
while M-37 turns northwesterly and runs parallel to the Thornapple River
Thornapple River
The Thornapple River is an tributary of Michigan's longest river, the Grand River. The Thornapple is located in western Michigan. It joins the Grand in Ada, Michigan.- Description :...
. The highway follows the river west and north to the community of Middleville
Middleville, Michigan
Middleville is a village in Thornapple Township, Barry County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 2,721 at the 2000 census.- History :...
through mixed farms and forests.
In southern Kent County
Kent County, Michigan
-Air Service:*Commercial air service to Grand Rapids is provided by Gerald R. Ford International Airport . Previously named Kent County International Airport, it holds Grand Rapids' mark in modern history with the United States' first regularly scheduled airline service, beginning July 31, 1926,...
, M-37 follows Cherry Valley Road through Caledonia
Caledonia, Michigan
Caledonia is a village in Kent County of the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2000 census, the village population was 1,102. The village lies entirely within Caledonia Township.-Geography:...
. As the highway transitions to Broadmoor Avenue, the landscape also transitions from rural to suburban. North of 76th Street, Broadmoor widens to a four-lane boulevard
Boulevard
A Boulevard is type of road, usually a wide, multi-lane arterial thoroughfare, divided with a median down the centre, and roadways along each side designed as slow travel and parking lanes and for bicycle and pedestrian usage, often with an above-average quality of landscaping and scenery...
which passes a campus of Davenport University
Davenport University
Davenport University is a private, non-profit, multi-location university located at 14 campuses throughout Michigan and online. It was founded in 1866 by Conrad Swensburg and currently offers Master's Degrees, Bachelor's Degrees, Associate's Degrees, diplomas, and post-grad certification programs...
near the M-6 freeway
M-6 (Michigan highway)
M-6, or the Paul B. Henry Freeway, is a freeway and state trunkline highway in the United States that serves portions of southern Kent and eastern Ottawa counties south of Grand Rapids, Michigan. Although the freeway is named for Paul B. Henry, local residents and the press continue to use the...
on the outskirts of the Grand Rapids area. This section is dominated by light industrial complexes west of the Gerald R. Ford International Airport
Gerald R. Ford International Airport
Gerald R. Ford International Airport is a commercial airport located approximately southeast of Grand Rapids, Michigan in Cascade Township. Originally called Kent County Airport and later Kent County International Airport; in December 1999 the airport was renamed for former resident Gerald R....
in the suburb of Kentwood
Kentwood, Michigan
Kentwood is a city in Kent County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 48,707 at the 2010 census, making it the second most populous suburb of Grand Rapids and the 25th most populous city in Michigan.-History:...
. These complexes change over to retail establishments north of 32nd Street. At 28th Street, Broadmoor Avenue ends, and East Beltline Avenue begins. This same intersection also marks the western terminus of M-44
M-44 (Michigan highway)
M-44 is a state trunkline highway in the western region of the US state of Michigan. It runs northward from the intersection of M-11 and M-37 toward the Rockford area. The highway then turns eastward to Belding, and it ends six miles north of Ionia at M-66...
, which starts concurrent with M-37 in Kentwood. These two highway designations follow East Beltline Avenue between the Woodland Mall
Woodland Mall
Woodland Mall is an enclosed super-regional shopping mall located just outside the city of Grand Rapids, Michigan, United States. It comprises over 100 tenants in of retail space, with four anchor stores and a movie theater...
and the Centerpointe Mall
Centerpointe Mall
Centerpointe Mall is an enclosed shopping mall located in Grand Rapids, Michigan, United States. It opened in 1967 as Eastbrook Mall, a year before the larger Woodland Mall opened across the street...
. North of the malls, M-37/M-44 passes through the campus of Calvin College
Calvin College
Calvin College is a comprehensive liberal arts college located in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Founded in 1876, Calvin College is an educational institution of the Christian Reformed Church and stands in the Reformed tradition of Protestantism...
and along residential areas at the east end of Reeds Lake
Reeds Lake
Reeds Lake is a fresh-water lake in the city of East Grand Rapids, Michigan, United States.A good way to enjoy Reeds Lake is from one of the many benches located along the shoreline at John Collins Park. Named for John A...
. The intersection of East Beltine Avenue and Fulton Street is the western terminus for M-21
M-21 (Michigan highway)
M-21 is an east–west state trunkline highway in the US state of Michigan connecting the cities of Grand Rapids and Flint. The highway passes through rural farming country and several small towns along its course through the Lower Peninsula...
, a highway that runs east across the state to Flint
Flint, Michigan
Flint is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan and is located along the Flint River, northwest of Detroit. The U.S. Census Bureau reports the 2010 population to be placed at 102,434, making Flint the seventh largest city in Michigan. It is the county seat of Genesee County which lies in the...
. North of this junction, M-37/M-44 meets I-96
Interstate 96
Interstate 96 is an intrastate Interstate Highway that is entirely within the US state of Michigan. Its western terminus is at an interchange with US Highway 31 and Business US Highway 31 , on the western boundary of Norton Shores southeast of Muskegon. Its eastern terminus is at I-75 near the...
.
M-37 parts East Beltline Avenue and turns west along I-96. The freeway runs west and then north around the edge of Grand Rapids. Near 3 Mile Road, I-96/M-37 runs west again, continuing across the Grand River
Grand River (Michigan)
The Grand River is the longest river in the U.S. state of Michigan. It runs through the cities of Jackson, Eaton Rapids, Lansing, Grand Rapids, and Grand Haven.-Description:...
and meeting the US Highway 131
U.S. Route 131
US Highway 131 is a north–south United States Highway, of which all but 0.67 miles of its 266.82 miles are within the state of Michigan. The highway starts in rural Indiana south of the state line as a state road connection to the Indiana Toll Road...
(US 131) freeway. The next interchange immediately west of US 131 is for Alpine Avenue, which M-37 follows north. This road runs through a commercial and retail corridor in the communities of Walker
Walker, Michigan
Walker is a city in Kent County in the U.S. state of Michigan and a suburb of Grand Rapids. The population was 23,537 at the 2010 census. Before incorporating as a city, it was known as Walker Township...
and Comstock Park
Comstock Park, Michigan
Comstock Park is a prosperous suburban community in the northern part of Metropolitan Grand Rapids, Michigan, United States, that comprises parts of three neighboring townships:* Plainfield Township* Alpine Township* Algoma Township...
. South of 6 Mile Road, Alpine Avenue widen into a four-lane divided highway. This highway splits from Alpine Avenue north of 8 Mile Road and turns to the northwest as the surroundings transition to rural farmland again. M-37 transitions back to a two-lane road south of Sparta
Sparta, Michigan
Sparta is a village in Kent County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 4,159 at the 2000 census. The village resides in Sparta Township.-History:...
. The trunkline passes to the west of Kent City
Kent City, Michigan
Kent City is a village in Kent County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 1,061 at the 2000 census.The village was named for New York jurist and legal scholar, James Kent, as was Kent County.-Geography:...
and crosses into Muskegon County
Muskegon County, Michigan
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 170,200 people, 63,330 households, and 44,267 families residing in the county. The population density was 334 people per square mile . There were 68,556 housing units at an average density of 135 per square mile...
at Casnovia
Casnovia, Michigan
Casnovia is a village in the U.S. state of Michigan. It is situated on the boundary between Muskegon County and Kent County and lies partially within both. As of the 2000 census, the village population was 315. The village is located partially within the Casnovia Township, Michigan.Casnovia is...
. Through this area, the highway parallels a line of the Marquette Rail that runs north from Grand Rapids.
West of the county line, M-37 meets and merges with M-46
M-46 (Michigan highway)
M-46 is an east–west state trunkline highway in the US state of Michigan between Muskegon and Port Sanilac, terminating near Lake Michigan and Lake Huron on each end. Except for the north–south segment that corresponds with the US Highway 131 freeway between Cedar Springs and Howard City, M-46 is...
along Apple Avenue. The two highways separate at a roundabout
Roundabout
A roundabout is the name for a road junction in which traffic moves in one direction around a central island. The word dates from the early 20th century. Roundabouts are common in many countries around the world...
junction where M-37 turns north on Newaygo Road. M-37 passes Half Moon Lake and through Bailey. In recent years the highway has served as the location of West Michigan’s Longest Yard Sale
West Michigan’s Longest Yard Sale
The West Michigan Longest Yard Sale is an annual event in Lake and Newaygo counties in Michigan. The four day event usually takes place during the last weekend of June. The event stretches along M-37 starting in the Bailey–Grant area of Newaygo County through Lake County. The corridor spans over ....
which spans about 75 miles (120.7 km) of the route starting in the Bailey–Grant
Grant, Michigan
Grant is a city in Newaygo County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 894 at the 2010 census. The city is on the boundary between Grant Township and Ashland Township, but is politically independent of both...
area of Newaygo County
Newaygo County, Michigan
Newaygo County is a county in the U.S. state of Michigan. It is part of the Grand Rapids–Wyoming, MI, Metropolitan Statistical Area. As of the 2010 census, the population was 48,460. The county seat is White Cloud. Newaygo County was either named for an Ojibwe leader who signed the Saginaw...
through northern Lake County
Lake County, Michigan
-Highways:* US 10* M-37-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 11,333 people, 4,704 households, and 3,052 families residing in the county. The population density was 20 people per square mile . There were 13,498 housing units at an average density of 24 per square mile...
. Between |Grant and Newaygo
Newaygo, Michigan
Newaygo is a city in Newaygo County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 1,976 at the 2010 census. The character of the town is quite rural.-Geography:...
, the farms transition to forest. M-82
M-82 (Michigan highway)
M-82 is a state trunkline in the Lower Peninsula in the US state of Michigan that travels between Fremont and Howard City. The section between Newaygo and Howard City travels through Fremont and along the southern edge of Manistee National Forest. The current version of M-82 is actually the second...
follows M-37 through downtown and across the Muskegon River
Muskegon River
The Muskegon River is a river in the western portion of the lower peninsula of the U.S. state of Michigan. The river has its headwaters in Houghton Lake in Roscommon County, flowing out of the North Bay into neighboring Missaukee County. From there it flows mostly southwest to Muskegon, Michigan,...
. The highway continues north along Evergreen Drive between Emerald, Sylvan and Twinwood lakes. This area is where M-37 crosses into the Manistee National Forest. M-20
M-20 (Michigan highway)
M-20 is a state trunkline highway in the US state of Michigan that runs from New Era to Midland. It crosses through rural Lower Peninsula forest land between the two ends. The highway serves the college towns of Big Rapids and Mt...
follows M-37 through downtown White Cloud
White Cloud, Michigan
White Cloud is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 1,408. It is the county seat of Newaygo County.-Geography:...
and over the White River. Further north, the road passes through Brohman and Lilley in the northern end of the county.
Northern Michigan
As M-37 crosses into Lake CountyLake County, Michigan
-Highways:* US 10* M-37-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 11,333 people, 4,704 households, and 3,052 families residing in the county. The population density was 20 people per square mile . There were 13,498 housing units at an average density of 24 per square mile...
, the highway crosses the Pere Marquette River
Pere Marquette River
The Pere Marquette River is a river in the State of Michigan. The main stream of this river is about long, running from Lake County, Michigan just west of Reed City into the Pere Marquette Lake, and from there into Lake Michigan....
. US 10
U.S. Route 10 in Michigan
US Highway 10 is a part of the United States Numbered Highway System that runs from West Fargo, North Dakota, to the Lower Peninsula of the US state of Michigan. The highway enters the state on the SS Badger crossing Lake Michigan at Ludington and ends at Bay City.US 10 was created as part of...
follows M-37 through Baldwin
Baldwin, Michigan
Baldwin is a village in the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2000 census, the village population was 1,107. It is the county seat of Lake County...
. The Marquette Rail line turns westward on the edge of town, and north of Baldwin, the highway forms the dividing line between the Manistee National Forest to the west and the Pere Marquette State Forest
Pere Marquette State Forest
The Pere Marquette State Forest encompasses lands in Michigan’s northern Lower Peninsula, on the western side of the state. Counties within the Pere Marquette are: Leelanau, Benzie, Grand Traverse, Kalkaska, Manistee, Wexford, Missaukee, Mason, Lake, Osceola, Oceana, Newaygo and Mecosta.There are...
to the east. The road crosses the Little Manistee River
Little Manistee River
-References:*...
near Peacock and the Pine River
Pine River (Manistee River)
The Pine River, formerly known as the South Branch Manistee River, rises in southeast Wexford County, Michigan, flows southwest across northwest Osceola County, then west and north through the northeast corner of Lake County and back into southwest Wexford County, emptying into the Tippy Dam Pond...
in southwest Wexford County
Wexford County, Michigan
-Tourism:There are many attractions and hot spots in Wexford county to check out. The Manistee National Forest is a great recreation site. The Manistee River is great for fisherman, kayakers and canoers, and other outdoor lovers.-Demographics:...
. M-37 curves to the northeast along the edge of the Hodenpyl Dam Pond near Mesick
Mesick, Michigan
Mesick is a village in Springville Township, Wexford County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 447 at the 2000 census.-Geography:According to the United States Census Bureau, the village has a total area of , all land.-Demographics:...
. M-37 turns east to follow M-115
M-115 (Michigan highway)
M-115 is a state trunkline highway in the northwestern part of the Lower Peninsula of the US state of Michigan. The highway takes a generally southeast-to-northwest direction between Clare and Frankfort on Lake Michigan...
through the community and then returns to a northward course into Sherman
Sherman, Michigan
Sherman is a small unincorporated community in Wexford County in the U.S. state of Michigan. It was one of the earliest permanent settlements in Wexford County and was the first county seat....
and on to Buckley
Buckley, Michigan
Buckley is a village in Wexford County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 550 at the 2000 census. The village is located in the northwest part of Hanover Township on M-37...
. North of the latter community, the highway crosses into Grand Traverse County
Grand Traverse County, Michigan
-Air service:*Grand Traverse County is served by Cherry Capital Airport, which is located near Traverse City.-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 77,654 people, 30,396 households, and 20,730 families residing in the county. The population density was 167 people per square mile . ...
. The area around Buckley transitions to agricultural use again. This landscape continues past the M-113
M-113 (Michigan highway)
M-113 is a state trunkline highway in the US state of Michigan that runs from US Highway 131 in Walton Junction to M-37 near Kingsley. It was designated on November 21, 1927. The stretch of M-113 from Walton Junction to M-186 was originally part of US 131.-Route description:M-113 starts west...
to the area known as Chums Corners. There, M-37 merges with US 31
U.S. Route 31 in Michigan
US Highway 31 is a part of the United States Numbered Highway System that runs from Alabama, to the Upper Peninsula of the US state of Michigan. In Michigan, it is a state trunkline highway that runs from the Indiana–Michigan state line at Bertrand Township to its terminus at Interstate 75 south...
, and the two run through a small unincorporated community that is host to Wuerfel Park
Wuerfel Park
Wuerfel Park is a 3,518-seat baseball-only stadium in Blair Township, Michigan, USA, that hosted its first regular season baseball game on May 24, 2006, as the tenants of the facility, the Traverse City Beach Bums, took on the Kalamazoo Kings. It was built as a new home of the Beach Bums baseball...
, home of the Traverse City Beach Bums
Traverse City Beach Bums
The Traverse City Beach Bums are a professional baseball team based in the Traverse City, Michigan, suburb of Blair Township, in the United States. The Beach Bums are a member of the East Division of the Frontier League, which is not affiliated with Major League Baseball...
, a minor league baseball
Minor league baseball
Minor league baseball is a hierarchy of professional baseball leagues in the Americas that compete at levels below Major League Baseball and provide opportunities for player development. All of the minor leagues are operated as independent businesses...
team.
Grand Traverse Mall
Grand Traverse Mall is an enclosed shopping mall serving Traverse City, Michigan, located in Garfield Township. Opened in 1992, the mall features four anchor stores: J.C. Penney, Target, TJ Maxx and Macy's. It is managed by General Growth Properties.-History:...
. As the highway heads towards Grand Traverse Bay
Grand Traverse Bay
Grand Traverse Bay is a bay of Lake Michigan formed by part of Northern Michigan. The bay is long, 10 miles wide, and up to deep in spots. It is divided into two arms by the Old Mission Peninsula...
and downtown, it passes several car dealerships, an outlet mall and other retailers. After the city limits, the roadway is also given the name Division Street. North of 14th Street, US 31/M-37 passes the former Traverse City State Hospital
Traverse City State Hospital
The Traverse City State Hospital of Traverse City, Michigan has been variously known as the Northern Michigan Asylum and the Traverse City Regional Psychiatric Hospital...
, a Kirkbride Plan
Kirkbride Plan
The Kirkbride Plan refers to a system of mental asylum design advocated by Philadelphia psychiatrist Thomas Story Kirkbride in the mid-19th century.-History:The establishment of state mental hospitals in the U.S...
former mental asylum. This section of town is mostly residential except for the old state hospital and Munson Medical Center
Munson Medical Center
Munson Medical Center is a regional medical referral center located in Traverse City, Michigan, serving patients from 32 counties in Northern Michigan and in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. It has 391 inpatient beds, and nearly 400 physicians representing 41 specialties...
. North of Front Street, Division Street meets Grandview Parkway. This roadway runs along the bay from the northwest carrying M-22
M-22 (Michigan highway)
M-22 is a state trunkline highway in the US state of Michigan. It is long and follows the Lake Michigan shoreline of the Leelanau Peninsula, making up a portion of the Lake Michigan Circle Tour. It also passes through the Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore...
/M-72
M-72 (Michigan highway)
M-72 is a state trunkline highway in the US state of Michigan, running from Lake Huron to Lake Michigan across the northern part of the Lower Peninsula. The highway connects M-22 in Empire with US Highway 23 in Harrisville. It is one of only three Michigan state trunklines that cross the Lower...
. When the two streets meet, M-22 ends, and US 31/M-37 and M-72 merge into a triple concurrency along the bay north of downtown Traverse City. Grandview Parkway passes the Open Space park, the marina, the former Clinch Park Zoo and runs along a narrow piece of land between the Boardman River
Boardman River
The Boardman River flows into the west arm of Grand Traverse Bay in Traverse City, Michigan. The Boardman's upper tributaries rise near Kalkaska, Michigan, and its watershed drains an area of through of river and tributaries. The Boardman River is considered one of the top ten trout streams in...
and the bay. Grandview Parkway ends east of the mouth of the river, and the highway continues along Front Street past the Great Lakes Maritime Academy
Great Lakes Maritime Academy
The Great Lakes Maritime Academy at Northwestern Michigan College is located on West Grand Traverse Bay in Traverse City, Michigan. The academy was established in 1969 to train men and women to be licensed mariners on ships of unlimited tonnage or horsepower; including research vessels, cruise...
and the home berth of the TS State of Michigan
USNS Persistent (T-AGOS-6)
USNS Persistent was a Stalwart class Modified Tactical Auxiliary General Ocean Surveillance Ship of the United States Navy.Stalwart class ships were originally designed to collect underwater acoustical data in support of Cold war anti-submarine warfare operations in the 1980s. ex-USNS Persistent...
to Garfield Avenue near the campus of Northwestern Michigan College
Northwestern Michigan College
Founded in 1951, Northwestern Michigan College, known as NMC to local residents, is a community college in Traverse City, Grand Traverse County, Michigan. Its annual enrollment is around 5,100 students...
. M-37 turns north along Garfield Avenue to Peninsula Drive, leaving US 31/M-72.
M-37 follows Center Road up the middle of the Old Mission Peninsula. This landform divides Grand Traverse Bay into its east and west arms. The highway runs along a ridge at the center of the peninsula offering views of each arm of the bay. This area contains the greatest concentration of cherry trees in the US. These trees are said to "explode in a filigree of creamy pink blossoms in May" by the editors of Reader's Digest
Reader's Digest
Reader's Digest is a general interest family magazine, published ten times annually. Formerly based in Chappaqua, New York, its headquarters is now in New York City. It was founded in 1922, by DeWitt Wallace and Lila Bell Wallace...
magazine. The area is also famous for its vineyards and wineries. The peninsula's seven wineries produce award-winning Rieslings, pinot grigios and chardonnays. The first grapes were introduced to the region in 1983. In the fall, the area is renowned for its colors in addition to the harvest. Besides cherries and grapes, apples are also grown in the area, contributing to the bounty each year. At the tip of the peninsula is the Mission Point Light, a lighthouse that dates back to 1870. M-37 ends at a cul-de-sac in front of the building which is located near the 45th Parallel, halfway between the North Pole
North Pole
The North Pole, also known as the Geographic North Pole or Terrestrial North Pole, is, subject to the caveats explained below, defined as the point in the northern hemisphere where the Earth's axis of rotation meets its surface...
and the Equator
Equator
An equator is the intersection of a sphere's surface with the plane perpendicular to the sphere's axis of rotation and containing the sphere's center of mass....
.
Early history
The southern section of M-37 follows the path of an early IndianIndigenous peoples of the Americas
The indigenous peoples of the Americas are the pre-Columbian inhabitants of North and South America, their descendants and other ethnic groups who are identified with those peoples. Indigenous peoples are known in Canada as Aboriginal peoples, and in the United States as Native Americans...
trail that connected the St. Joseph Trail near Kalamazoo
Kalamazoo, Michigan
The area on which the modern city stands was once home to Native Americans of the Hopewell culture, who migrated into the area sometime before the first millennium. Evidence of their early residency remains in the form of a small mound in downtown's Bronson Park. The Hopewell civilization began to...
and Battle Creek to the Grand River Trail near present-day Alto
Alto, Michigan
Alto is an unincorporated community in Bowne Township, Kent County in the U.S. state of Michigan. It is situated on Platt Lake Creek, at the intersection of Bancroft Avenue and 60th Street, just west of M-50 about two miles south of exit 52 off I-96. Alto was founded in 1845 by Daniel Skidmore. A...
. These tails "were narrow and permitted only single-file travel." In the Grand Rapids area, Alpine Avenue was originally constructed as a plank road
Plank road
A plank road or puncheon is a dirt path or road covered with a series of planks, similar to the wooden sidewalks one would see in a Western movie. Plank roads were very popular in Ontario, the U.S. Northeast and U.S. Midwest in the first half of the 19th century...
. These roads were at least 8 feet (2.4 m) wide covered with wood planks 3 inches (7.6 cm) thick.
A portion of M-37 follows the route of the Muskegon, Grand Traverse and Northport State Road, which was later renamed the Newaygo and Northport State Road. The road was authorized by the state legislature in 1857, and it was intended to connect the settlements in Muskegon
Muskegon County, Michigan
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 170,200 people, 63,330 households, and 44,267 families residing in the county. The population density was 334 people per square mile . There were 68,556 housing units at an average density of 135 per square mile...
and Newaygo
Newaygo County, Michigan
Newaygo County is a county in the U.S. state of Michigan. It is part of the Grand Rapids–Wyoming, MI, Metropolitan Statistical Area. As of the 2010 census, the population was 48,460. The county seat is White Cloud. Newaygo County was either named for an Ojibwe leader who signed the Saginaw...
counties, which at the time were "most northerly on the south side of the 'Big Woods'", with the growing settlements around the Grand Traverse Bay
Grand Traverse Bay
Grand Traverse Bay is a bay of Lake Michigan formed by part of Northern Michigan. The bay is long, 10 miles wide, and up to deep in spots. It is divided into two arms by the Old Mission Peninsula...
. Construction progressed slowly and was only opened through Wexford County
Wexford County, Michigan
-Tourism:There are many attractions and hot spots in Wexford county to check out. The Manistee National Forest is a great recreation site. The Manistee River is great for fisherman, kayakers and canoers, and other outdoor lovers.-Demographics:...
in 1863. and the bridge over the Manistee River
Manistee River
The Manistee River in the U.S. state of Michigan, runs approximately 232 miles through the northern Lower Peninsula, through the villages of Sharon, Smithville, Mesick, and enters Lake Michigan at Manistee. It is considered, like the nearby Au Sable River, to be one of the best trout fisheries east...
in 1864 at what is now Sherman
Sherman, Michigan
Sherman is a small unincorporated community in Wexford County in the U.S. state of Michigan. It was one of the earliest permanent settlements in Wexford County and was the first county seat....
.
The Custer Trail, named for General George Armstrong Custer
George Armstrong Custer
George Armstrong Custer was a United States Army officer and cavalry commander in the American Civil War and the Indian Wars. Raised in Michigan and Ohio, Custer was admitted to West Point in 1858, where he graduated last in his class...
, was created in 1917 along a series of roads between Grand Rapids and Ft. Wayne, Indiana that included the modern M-37. Custer commanded the Michigan Cavalry Bridge during the Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
, and he was wildly popular in the state after the war. The road that bears his name never achieved that level of popularity. By 1930, the name had already fallen out of use.
State highway era
The Michigan State Highway Department (MSHD) signed M-37 initially as part of the state trunkline highway system by July 1, 1919. This section of highway ran from Battle Creek to Grand Rapids, roughly along the modern routing. By 1929, the highway was extended north to Peacock in Lake CountyLake County, Michigan
-Highways:* US 10* M-37-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 11,333 people, 4,704 households, and 3,052 families residing in the county. The population density was 20 people per square mile . There were 13,498 housing units at an average density of 24 per square mile...
, replacing the contemporary M-54
M-54 (Michigan highway)
M-54 is a state trunkline highway approximately long in the US state of Michigan that bypasses the city of Flint. It is named "Dort Highway" in much of its length, in honor of Flint carriage and automobile pioneer Josiah Dallas Dort, the business partner of General Motors founder William C. Durant...
in the process. A group of local leaders formed an organization to lobby for the completion of the highway in 1928 when state efforts to do stalled. The Grand Rapids – Leelanau Association named their roadway the Paradise Trail and promoted it as an alternative to both US 31 and US 131. They convinced local land owners to donate land to build the road. Backers named the road for the "divine scenic and recreational delights" in the area.
An unnumbered section of gravel highway was opened in 1937 west of Cadillac
Cadillac, Michigan
Cadillac is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan and is the county seat of Wexford County. As of the 2000 census, the city population was 10,000. The city is situated at the junction of US 131, M-55 and M-115...
; the roadway extended south from M-55 to the Wexford–Lake county line. Later, in 1940, the MSHD renumbered the north–south leg of M-42
M-42 (Michigan highway)
M-42 is a rural state trunkline highway in the U.S. state of Michigan. It is located in the northwestern Lower Peninsula of the state. Along its route, M-42 begins in Manton and ends north of Lake City, some apart. The highway used to run much farther...
from Mesick north to Traverse City and Old Mission. As a result, M-37 was then a discontinuous highway with a gap between M-63
M-63 (Michigan highway)
M-63 is a state trunkline highway in the US state of Michigan that runs from M-139 at Scottdale through the cities of Benton Harbor and St. Joseph to Interstate 196/US Highway 31 at exit 7 just outside Hagar Shores. The trunkline runs through residential areas south of St. Joseph and through...
in Peacock to M-115 at Mesick. The spur in Wexford County is shown after 1941 as an "earthen" highway, before disappearing from state maps completely in 1945. A section of M-37 through Newaygo County was renamed in 1945 for Stevens T. Mason
Stevens T. Mason
Stevens Thomson Mason , also known as Stevens T. Mason, Tom Mason, The Boy Governor, and lesser known nicknames Young Hotspur and The Stripling, was the territorial governor of the Michigan Territory, and later the first Governor of the state of Michigan. Mason guided the Michigan Territory into...
, the first governor of the State of Michigan. At the time, Consumers Power Company
Consumers Energy
Consumers Energy is a public utility that provides natural gas and electricity to more than 6 million of Michigan's 10 million residents. It serves customers in all 68 of the state’s Lower Peninsula counties. It is a division of CMS Energy. Its headquarters is in Jackson.-History:The company was...
recommended that all north–south roads in the county bear the name of a state governor as part of a plan to rename the major roads in the county. The company wanted to simplify directions for their employees looking for customers' homes in the area. In the middle of 1948, M-37 was extended to M-55 on a gravel highway that followed the previously unnumbered highway in Wexford County and a new roadway in Lake County. As a result, M-37 still had a gap, but only between M-55 and M-115.
M-37 through the south side of the Grand Rapids area was realigned in late 1949 or early 1950. After the change, the highway follows Broadmoor Avenue to 28th Street and 28th Street west to its former routing along Kalamazoo Avenue. In 1953, this routing was shifted further when M-37 was rerouted to run north on East Beltline Avenue concurrent with US 131 and M-21
M-21 (Michigan highway)
M-21 is an east–west state trunkline highway in the US state of Michigan connecting the cities of Grand Rapids and Flint. The highway passes through rural farming country and several small towns along its course through the Lower Peninsula...
to Cascade Road. There it turned west along Cascade Road and Fulton Street into downtown back to its existing alignment. During that same time frame, the gap in the routing between M-55 and Mesick was eliminated. The highway was moved to bypass Sparta, Kent City and Casnovia to the southwest in the 1962. Another change around the same time frame shifted M-37's routing through Grand Rapids again. This time, M-37 was rerouted to follow M-11/M-21 along 28th Street to the US 131 freeway north to I-96 and back to Alpine Avenue. The final Grand Rapids routing change was made in 1969 when M-37 was moved to its current course along East Beltline Avenue and I-96. This change resulted in a concurrency with the southernmost end of M-44 that was later removed in 1977 when M-44 was truncated northward. A proposed new routing near Comstock Park
Comstock Park, Michigan
Comstock Park is a prosperous suburban community in the northern part of Metropolitan Grand Rapids, Michigan, United States, that comprises parts of three neighboring townships:* Plainfield Township* Alpine Township* Algoma Township...
in the 1970s would have removed M-37 from Alpine Avenue. The new highway, if built, would have run southeastward from the Alpine Avenue split to US 131 near 6 Mile Road. In 2008, the northernmost 18 miles (29 km) on the Old Mission Peninsula were designated a scenic heritage route by MDOT.