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M-38 (Michigan highway)
Encyclopedia
M-38 is an east–west state trunkline highway
in the Upper Peninsula
(UP) of the U.S. state of Michigan
. Its west end starts in Ontonagon
and runs east to Baraga
, some 42.225 miles (67.954 km) apart. The highway crosses streams and rivers in forest lands and provides access to a casino. The east end is located by the Keweenaw Bay
of Lake Superior
in the Keweenaw Bay Indian Community
.
There have been two highways in the state to carry the designation. The first was located in the southeastern Lower Peninsula
. The current version of M-38 was created from a section of M-35
in the 1960s. This section was orphaned from the rest of M-35 when the highway was cancelled through the Huron Mountains
.
(US 45) runs north–south through this intersection while M-64
runs west and M-38 runs east on Steel Street. This intersection is both the eastern terminus of M-64 and the western terminus of M-38. From here, M-38 forms a segment of the Lake Superior Circle Tour along Ontonagon–Greenland Road to a junction with M-26
near Greenland. The roadway runs through forest land and crosses several small streams while traveling southeasterly. Outside of Greenland, M-38 curves to the north around town after intersecting Plank Road. On the east side of town, M-26 and M-38 meet and join in a concurrency
after Ontonagon–Greenland Road meets Plank Road a second time. The two highways run together for just over a mile to the unincorporated community of Lake Mine. There, M-38 turns south through the community while M-26 turns off to the northeast.
The highway crosses a set of railroad tracks before turning east. At Post Office Road, M-38 meets a road named Old M-35 Road, a vestige of a highway straightening project during the time the highway was M-35. M-38 crosses the West Branch of the Firesteel River in hilly terrain through this area. The highway continues east and provides access to the Courtney Lake National Forest Campground west of the Houghton County
line. East of Federal Forest Highway 16 (FFH-16) near Nisula
, M-38 crosses the West Branch of the Otter River. It is along this section of roadway in Houghton County that the lowest annual average daily traffic
(AADT) counts were measured by the Michigan Department of Transportation
(MDOT) in 2007. An average of 680 vehicles traveled on the roadway, according to MDOT surveys. Of those vehicles, only 40 trucks on average were included in the traffic counts. East of Nisula, the roadway runs parallel to Mill Creek. Mill Creek flows into the West Branch of the Sturgeon River near the Baraga County
line.
East of the county line is the crossing over the Sturgeon River south of Pelkie
, home of the Baraga County Fairgrounds. The trunkline crosses more hilly terrain while veering to the northeast. Continuing to the east, M-38 had its highest traffic usage in 2007. The AADT for the Baraga County segment of the highway was measured at 3,000 vehicles a day. The roadway continues east through Baraga County and runs downhill approaching Baraga and the Keweenaw Bay Indian Community
, home of the first Native American
casino in the United States. After passing through downtown Baraga on Michigan Avenue, M-38 ends at an intersection with US 41; on the western shore of Keweenaw Bay
.
. It was located on Junction Road from M-10
(later US 10
/US 23
) southeast of Bridgeport
to Frankenmuth
, and then ran east to M-19
in the Peck
area in 1919. The highway was transferred to county jurisdiction in late 1961 when the I-75
/US 10/US 23 freeway was completed in the area.
redesignated the western section of M-35
as M-38. M-35 was originally planned to start in Menominee
and run north to Big Bay, turn west through the Huron Mountains
in northern Marquette County
and run west from Baraga to Ontonagon. The Huron Mountains portion of M-35 was never built due to opposition from Henry Ford
and the Huron Mountain Club
. This left M-35 discontinuous. It was later routed along US 41 from Negaunee to Baraga, connecting the two sections until the western section was given the M-38 designation.
The original routing of M-38 in the Upper Peninsula ran from M-26 at Greenland to Baraga. US 45 was rerouted in 1971 along M-26 from Rockland to Greenland and Ontonagon–Greenland Road between those two towns. M-26 was shortened to end at the new US 45 in Greenland. This change to US 45 was reversed in 1973. M-26 was reextended to Rockland, and M-38 was extended along M-26 to Ontonagon–Greenland Road to meet US 45 in Ontonagon.
On October 11, 2006, the western terminus of M-38 was relocated about 0.25 mile (0.402335 km) south to end at a junction with US 45
and the newly realigned M-64
.
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 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 U.S. 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"....
. Its west end starts in Ontonagon
Ontonagon, Michigan
Ontonagon is a village in the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2000 census, the village had a total population of 1,769. It is the county seat of Ontonagon County....
and runs east to Baraga
Baraga, Michigan
Baraga is a village in Baraga County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 1,285 at the 2000 census. The village is named after Bishop Frederic Baraga....
, some 42.225 miles (67.954 km) apart. The highway crosses streams and rivers in forest lands and provides access to a casino. The east end is located by the Keweenaw Bay
Keweenaw Bay
Keweenaw Bay is an arm of Lake Superior in North America. It is located adjacent to the Upper Peninsula of the U.S. state of Michigan, to the southeast of the Keweenaw Peninsula. It is also the name of a small community near the bay....
of Lake Superior
Lake Superior
Lake Superior is the largest of the five traditionally-demarcated Great Lakes of North America. It is bounded to the north by the Canadian province of Ontario and the U.S. state of Minnesota, and to the south by the U.S. states of Wisconsin and Michigan. It is the largest freshwater lake in the...
in the Keweenaw Bay Indian Community
L'Anse Indian Reservation
The L'Anse Indian Reservation is the land base of the Keweenaw Bay Indian Community of the Lake Superior Bands of Chippewa Indians . It is located primarily in two non-contiguous sections on either side of the Keweenaw Bay in Baraga County in the Upper Peninsula of the U.S. state of Michigan...
.
There have been two highways in the state to carry the designation. The first was located in the southeastern Lower Peninsula
Lower Peninsula of Michigan
The Lower Peninsula of Michigan is the southern of the two major landmasses of the U.S. state of Michigan. It is surrounded by water on all sides except its southern border, which it shares with Ohio and Indiana. Geographically, the Lower Peninsula has a recognizable shape that many people...
. The current version of M-38 was created from a section of M-35
M-35 (Michigan highway)
M-35 is a state trunkline highway in the Upper Peninsula of the US state of Michigan. Running for in a general north–south direction, it connects the cities of Menominee, Escanaba and Negaunee. The southern section of M-35 in Menominee and Delta counties carries two additional designations...
in the 1960s. This section was orphaned from the rest of M-35 when the highway was cancelled through the Huron Mountains
Huron Mountains
The Huron Mountains are located in the Upper Peninsula of the U.S. state of Michigan, mostly in Marquette and Baraga counties, overlooking Lake Superior. Their highest peak is Mount Arvon which, at above sea level, is the highest point in the state of Michigan. Nearby Mt...
.
Route description
M-38 begins at a four-way intersection in Ontonagon. US Highway 45U.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...
(US 45) runs north–south through this intersection while M-64
M-64 (Michigan highway)
M-64 is a north–south state trunkline highway in the Upper Peninsula of the US state of Michigan. It runs for through the western part of the state in land that is part of the Ottawa National Forest. The highway connects with County Trunk Highway B at the state line near Presque Isle, Wisconsin....
runs west and M-38 runs east on Steel Street. This intersection is both the eastern terminus of M-64 and the western terminus of M-38. From here, M-38 forms a segment of the Lake Superior Circle Tour along Ontonagon–Greenland Road to a junction with M-26
M-26 (Michigan highway)
M-26 is a state trunkline highway in the U.S. state of Michigan, running from two miles east of Rockland to its junction with US Highway 41 in Copper Harbor. It generally runs southwest-to-northeast in the western half or Michigan's Upper Peninsula...
near Greenland. The roadway runs through forest land and crosses several small streams while traveling southeasterly. Outside of Greenland, M-38 curves to the north around town after intersecting Plank Road. On the east side of town, M-26 and M-38 meet and join 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...
after Ontonagon–Greenland Road meets Plank Road a second time. The two highways run together for just over a mile to the unincorporated community of Lake Mine. There, M-38 turns south through the community while M-26 turns off to the northeast.
The highway crosses a set of railroad tracks before turning east. At Post Office Road, M-38 meets a road named Old M-35 Road, a vestige of a highway straightening project during the time the highway was M-35. M-38 crosses the West Branch of the Firesteel River in hilly terrain through this area. The highway continues east and provides access to the Courtney Lake National Forest Campground west of the 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...
line. East of Federal Forest Highway 16 (FFH-16) near 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 :...
, M-38 crosses the West Branch of the Otter River. It is along this section of roadway in Houghton County that the lowest 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...
(AADT) counts were measured 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) in 2007. An average of 680 vehicles traveled on the roadway, according to MDOT surveys. Of those vehicles, only 40 trucks on average were included in the traffic counts. East of Nisula, the roadway runs parallel to Mill Creek. Mill Creek flows into the West Branch of the Sturgeon River near the Baraga County
Baraga County, Michigan
-National protected areas:* Keweenaw National Historical Park * Ottawa National Forest -Demographics:As of the 2000 census, there were 8,746 people, 3,353 households, and 2,223 families residing in the county. The population density was 10 people per square mile . There were 4,631 housing units...
line.
East of the county line is the crossing over the Sturgeon River south of Pelkie
Pelkie, Michigan
Pelkie is an unincorporated community in Baraga County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The community is on the Sturgeon River in the northeast part of Baraga Township at ....
, home of the Baraga County Fairgrounds. The trunkline crosses more hilly terrain while veering to the northeast. Continuing to the east, M-38 had its highest traffic usage in 2007. The AADT for the Baraga County segment of the highway was measured at 3,000 vehicles a day. The roadway continues east through Baraga County and runs downhill approaching Baraga and the Keweenaw Bay Indian Community
L'Anse Indian Reservation
The L'Anse Indian Reservation is the land base of the Keweenaw Bay Indian Community of the Lake Superior Bands of Chippewa Indians . It is located primarily in two non-contiguous sections on either side of the Keweenaw Bay in Baraga County in the Upper Peninsula of the U.S. state of Michigan...
, home of the first Native American
Native Americans in the United States
Native Americans in the United States are the indigenous peoples in North America within the boundaries of the present-day continental United States, parts of Alaska, and the island state of Hawaii. They are composed of numerous, distinct tribes, states, and ethnic groups, many of which survive as...
casino in the United States. After passing through downtown Baraga on Michigan Avenue, M-38 ends at an intersection with US 41; on the western shore of Keweenaw Bay
Keweenaw Bay
Keweenaw Bay is an arm of Lake Superior in North America. It is located adjacent to the Upper Peninsula of the U.S. state of Michigan, to the southeast of the Keweenaw Peninsula. It is also the name of a small community near the bay....
.
Previous designation
The first version of M-38 was designated in 1919 in the Lower PeninsulaLower Peninsula of Michigan
The Lower Peninsula of Michigan is the southern of the two major landmasses of the U.S. state of Michigan. It is surrounded by water on all sides except its southern border, which it shares with Ohio and Indiana. Geographically, the Lower Peninsula has a recognizable shape that many people...
. It was located on Junction Road from M-10
M-10 (Michigan highway)
M-10, is a state trunkline route in the US state of Michigan. The southernmost portion follows Jefferson Avenue in downtown Detroit, and the southern terminus is at the intersection of Jefferson and Randolph Street leading to the entrance to the Detroit–Windsor Tunnel...
(later 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...
/US 23
U.S. Route 23 in Michigan
US Highway 23 is a United States Numbered Highway that runs from Jacksonville, Florida to Mackinaw City, Michigan. In the US state of Michigan, it is a major north–south state trunkline highway that runs through the Lower Peninsula...
) southeast of Bridgeport
Bridgeport, Michigan
Bridgeport is an unincorporated community in Bridgeport Charter Township, Saginaw County in the U.S. state of Michigan. It is also a census-designated place for statistical purposes. The population was 7,849 at the 2000 census. Bridgeport is also the name of a post office with ZIP code 48722...
to Frankenmuth
Frankenmuth, Michigan
Frankenmuth is a city in Saginaw County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 4,838 at the 2000 census. The 2009 census estimate places the population at 4,619. The city is located within Frankenmuth Township, but is politically independent. Bronner's CHRISTmas Wonderland, which bills...
, and then ran east to M-19
M-19 (Michigan highway)
M-19 is a state trunkline highway in the US state of Michigan. It begins northeast of Detroit at a junction with I-94 and runs northward to a junction with M-142 just east of Bad Axe in the thumb.-Route description:...
in the Peck
Peck, Michigan
Peck is a village in Sanilac County of the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2000 census, the village population was 599. The village is in Elk Township.-Geography:According to the United States Census Bureau, the village has a total area of , all land....
area in 1919. The highway was transferred to county jurisdiction in late 1961 when the I-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...
/US 10/US 23 freeway was completed in the area.
Current designation
In 1968, the Michigan Department of TransportationMichigan 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...
redesignated the western section of M-35
M-35 (Michigan highway)
M-35 is a state trunkline highway in the Upper Peninsula of the US state of Michigan. Running for in a general north–south direction, it connects the cities of Menominee, Escanaba and Negaunee. The southern section of M-35 in Menominee and Delta counties carries two additional designations...
as M-38. M-35 was originally planned to start in Menominee
Menominee, Michigan
Menominee is a city in the Upper Peninsula of the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2000 census, the city population was 9,131. It is the county seat of Menominee County. Menominee is the fourth-largest city in the Upper Peninsula, behind Marquette, Sault Ste. Marie, and Escanaba...
and run north to Big Bay, turn west through the Huron Mountains
Huron Mountains
The Huron Mountains are located in the Upper Peninsula of the U.S. state of Michigan, mostly in Marquette and Baraga counties, overlooking Lake Superior. Their highest peak is Mount Arvon which, at above sea level, is the highest point in the state of Michigan. Nearby Mt...
in northern Marquette County
Marquette County, Michigan
-National protected areas:* Hiawatha National Forest * Huron National Wildlife Refuge* Ottawa National Forest -University:Northern Michigan University is a four-year university, established in 1899, located in Marquette, Michigan, on Michigan's Upper Peninsula...
and run west from Baraga to Ontonagon. The Huron Mountains portion of M-35 was never built due to opposition from Henry Ford
Henry Ford
Henry Ford was an American industrialist, the founder of the Ford Motor Company, and sponsor of the development of the assembly line technique of mass production. His introduction of the Model T automobile revolutionized transportation and American industry...
and the Huron Mountain Club
Huron Mountain Club
The Huron Mountain Club is a private club whose land holdings, located in Marquette County, in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, constitute one of the largest tracts of primeval forest in the Great Lakes region. Formed circa 1890, the club consists of 50 dwellings clustered inside about of private...
. This left M-35 discontinuous. It was later routed along US 41 from Negaunee to Baraga, connecting the two sections until the western section was given the M-38 designation.
The original routing of M-38 in the Upper Peninsula ran from M-26 at Greenland to Baraga. US 45 was rerouted in 1971 along M-26 from Rockland to Greenland and Ontonagon–Greenland Road between those two towns. M-26 was shortened to end at the new US 45 in Greenland. This change to US 45 was reversed in 1973. M-26 was reextended to Rockland, and M-38 was extended along M-26 to Ontonagon–Greenland Road to meet US 45 in Ontonagon.
On October 11, 2006, the western terminus of M-38 was relocated about 0.25 mile (0.402335 km) south to end at a junction with US 45
U.S. Route 45
U.S. Route 45 is a north–south United States highway. US 45 is a border-to-border route, from Lake Superior to the Gulf of Mexico. A sign at the highway's northern terminus notes the total distance as ....
and the newly realigned M-64
M-64 (Michigan highway)
M-64 is a north–south state trunkline highway in the Upper Peninsula of the US state of Michigan. It runs for through the western part of the state in land that is part of the Ottawa National Forest. The highway connects with County Trunk Highway B at the state line near Presque Isle, Wisconsin....
.