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M-46 (Michigan highway)
Encyclopedia
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
(US 131) freeway between Cedar Springs
and Howard City
, M-46 is practically a due east–west surface highway. The road runs through rural sections of the Lower Peninsula
connecting several freeways including US 31
, US 131, US 127
and I-75
.
The highway was formed by July 1, 1919 along two discontinuous sections of its current corridor. The gap was filled in by 1927, but a second break in the routing was created in the 1930s. This second interruption in the corridor was eliminated within a year. The various paths that M-46 has followed have been straightened over the intervening years, producing the modern corridor by the 1970s. Other changes have been made to the location of the western terminus in Muskegon, but it has remained fixed in its current location since 1984.
in Muskegon and running almost to Lake Huron
in Port Sanilac. The other two highways that do this are M-55
(Manistee
– Tawas City
) and M-72
(Empire
–Harrisville
). The highway is maintained by the Michigan Department of Transportation
(MDOT) like all other state trunkline highways in the state. The department tracks the traffic volumes along all state highway highways as a part of its maintenance responsibilities using a metric called average annual daily traffic (AADT). This measurement is a calculation of the traffic level along a segment of roadway for any average day of the year. In 2009, MDOT figured that lowest traffic levels were the 1,855 vehicles used the highway daily near the eastern terminus. The peak traffic volumes were the 30,505 vehicles AADT along the section of M-46 immediately east of the US 31 freeway near Muskegon. The trunkline has been listed on the National Highway System
(NHS) between the western terminus and US 31, and between Cedar Springs
and the M-53
junction in Sanilac County
. The NHS is a network of roadways important to the nation's economy, defense, and mobility.
. Along the way, the road passes the Hall Drain, an artificial reservoir. At Casnovia
, M-37
merges in from the north at a roundabout
intersection, and the two highways run concurrently
across the county line into Kent County
, turning to the southeast. A few miles later in Kent City
, M-46 turns due east again and leaves M-37 to run independently along 17 Mile Road. The highway runs through more mixed agricultural land to Cedar Springs
, where M-46 turns north along the US 131 freeway.
US 131/M-46 runs northwards through the northern Kent and western Montcalm
counties for about 16 miles (25.7 km) near Sand Lake
and Pierson
. Near Howard City
. M-46 leaves the freeway and turns eastward independently along Howard City – Edmore Road. The highway runs through the north side of Montcalm County connecting the communities of Lakeview
and Edmore
. Between Six Lakes and Edmore, M-66
runs along M-46, a distance of around 3.5 miles (5.6 km). The trunkline passes several small lakes and crosses the Maple River
near Vestaburg before crossing into Gratiot County
. The highway, now called Monroe Road crosses more farm fields as it approaches Alma
. North of downtown, M-46 intersects the north–south leg of the Alma business loop before meeting the US 127 freeway. East of this freeway interchange, M-46 picks up the east–west leg of the US 127 business loop for St. Louis
. Although similar, the separate business loop follows M-46 along Monroe Road over the Pine River
to Main Street, where it turns south through downtown. M-46 continues eastward from town through farm fields to Breckenridge
. At Merdian Road
, the highway follows Gratiot Road into Saginaw County
east through Merrill
and Hemlock
to the Saginaw
area. East of Hemlock, M-46 meets the northern terminus of M-52
and then the southern terminus of M-47
in Saginaw Charter Township
near its crossing of the Tittabawassee River
.
. M-46 follows Stephens Street southeasterly and Rust Avenue eastward to cross the river. The highway continues along Rust Avenue to Warren Avenue where it turns north. The highway then follows Holland Avenue, which is the continuation of Gratiot Avenue on the east side of the river. M-46 passes through an interchange with I-75/US 23
and leaves the Saginaw area. The highway continues eastward through rural Saginaw County into the region of the Lower Peninsula known as The Thumb
. In Tuscola County
, M-46 passes through the Vassar State Game Area and crosses the Cass River
north of Vassar
.
The area near the river east to the M-24
junction is forested. As M-46 approaches Kingston
, farms dominate the landscape again. M-46 crosses into Sanilac County
just west of the M-53
junction at Van Dyke Road. Between Elmer and Sandusky, M-19
follows M-46 for about 5 miles (8 km). The highway crosses the Black River
near Carsonville
. The eastern end of M-46 is in Port Sanilac, just blocks west of the city's marian on Lake Huron at an intersection with M-25.
to Newaygo
. From there, it followed M-37 south to Casnovia. A new road was opened in early 1937 between Vestaburg and Alma, which was designated as part of M-46 by the end of the year. The western terminus was extended farther west through Muskegon to the outlet of Muskegon Lake on Lake Michigan as well. The M-82 concurrency was removed in 1938, and a more direct routing between Six Lakes and Edmore opened at the same time.
By the end of the 1950s, the routing through Muskegon was altered. Instead of terminating in the park at the outlet of Muskegon Lake into Lake Michigan, M-46 was routed to follow US 16 to the car ferry docks. The last section of gravel highway was also paved in Newaygo County near the Montcalm County line. The routing of M-46 between Casnovia and Howard City was altered in 1973 when the US 131 freeway was opened north of Cedar Springs by then-Congressman Gerald R. Ford. M-46 was restored to the Kent City – Cedar Springs roadway it used in the 1930s and routed concurrently along US 131 again.
In the process, M-47 replaced a section of M-57
that had been designated along the 17 Mile Road in late 1948 or early 1949. The last change to M-46's routing was made in the early 1980s. The extension through Muskegon to the car ferry docks was reversed, truncating the highway to its current terminus at then-BUS US 31 in 1984. The business loop was shifted away from this location in 2007, leaving M-46 to terminate at a junction with a city street instead of another state highway.
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"....
between Muskegon
Muskegon, Michigan
Muskegon is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 38,401. The city is the county seat of Muskegon County...
and Port Sanilac
Port Sanilac, Michigan
Port Sanilac is a village in Sanilac Township, Sanilac County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 658 at the 2000 census.-History:...
, terminating near Lake Michigan
Lake Michigan
Lake Michigan is one of the five Great Lakes of North America and the only one located entirely within the United States. It is the second largest of the Great Lakes by volume and the third largest by surface area, after Lake Superior and Lake Huron...
and Lake Huron
Lake Huron
Lake Huron is one of the five Great Lakes of North America. Hydrologically, it comprises the larger portion of Lake Michigan-Huron. It is bounded on the east by the Canadian province of Ontario and on the west by the state of Michigan in the United States...
on each end. Except for the north–south segment that corresponds with 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 between Cedar Springs
Cedar Springs, Michigan
Cedar Springs is a city in Kent County in the U.S. state of Michigan, 20 minutes north of Grand Rapids. Known as "Red Flannel Town", the city is home to an annual Red Flannel Festival...
and Howard City
Howard City, Michigan
Howard City is a village in Montcalm County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 1,585 at the 2000 census. The village is within Reynolds Township.-History:...
, M-46 is practically a due east–west surface highway. The road runs through rural sections of the 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...
connecting several freeways including 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...
, US 131, US 127
U.S. Route 127 in Michigan
US Highway 127 is a part of the United States Numbered Highway System that runs from Chattanooga, Tennessee, to the Lower Peninsula of the US state of Michigan. In Michigan, it is a state trunkline highway that runs for , entering from Ohio south of Hudson and ending at a partial interchange with...
and 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...
.
The highway was formed by July 1, 1919 along two discontinuous sections of its current corridor. The gap was filled in by 1927, but a second break in the routing was created in the 1930s. This second interruption in the corridor was eliminated within a year. The various paths that M-46 has followed have been straightened over the intervening years, producing the modern corridor by the 1970s. Other changes have been made to the location of the western terminus in Muskegon, but it has remained fixed in its current location since 1984.
Route description
M-46 is one of three trans-peninsular highways in the Lower Peninsula, starting blocks away from Lake MichiganLake Michigan
Lake Michigan is one of the five Great Lakes of North America and the only one located entirely within the United States. It is the second largest of the Great Lakes by volume and the third largest by surface area, after Lake Superior and Lake Huron...
in Muskegon and running almost to Lake Huron
Lake Huron
Lake Huron is one of the five Great Lakes of North America. Hydrologically, it comprises the larger portion of Lake Michigan-Huron. It is bounded on the east by the Canadian province of Ontario and on the west by the state of Michigan in the United States...
in Port Sanilac. The other two highways that do this are M-55
M-55 (Michigan highway)
M-55 is a state trunkline highway in the northern part of the US state of Michigan. M-55 is one of only three state highways that extend across the Lower Peninsula from Lake Huron to Lake Michigan; the others are M-46 and M-72. The highway crosses through rural forest and farmlands to connect...
(Manistee
Manistee, Michigan
Manistee is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2000 census, the city population was 6,586. It is the county seat of Manistee County. The name "Manistee" is from an Ojibwe word first applied to the principal river of the county. The derivation is not certain, but it may be from...
– Tawas City
Tawas City, Michigan
Tawas City is a city along Lake Huron in the Lower Peninsula of the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2000 census, the city population was 2,005. It is the county seat of Iosco County...
) and 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...
(Empire
Empire, Michigan
Empire is a village in Leelanau County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 378 at the 2000 census. The village is located within Empire Township.-Description:...
–Harrisville
Harrisville, Michigan
Harrisville is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan and the county seat of Alcona County. The population was 493 at the 2010 census. The city is surrounded by Harrisville Township, but is administratively autonomous...
). The highway 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) like all other state trunkline highways in the state. The department tracks the traffic volumes along all state highway highways as a part of its maintenance responsibilities using a metric called average annual daily traffic (AADT). This measurement is a calculation of the traffic level along a segment of roadway for any average day of the year. In 2009, MDOT figured that lowest traffic levels were the 1,855 vehicles used the highway daily near the eastern terminus. The peak traffic volumes were the 30,505 vehicles AADT along the section of M-46 immediately east of the US 31 freeway near Muskegon. The trunkline has been 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...
(NHS) between the western terminus and US 31, and between Cedar Springs
Cedar Springs, Michigan
Cedar Springs is a city in Kent County in the U.S. state of Michigan, 20 minutes north of Grand Rapids. Known as "Red Flannel Town", the city is home to an annual Red Flannel Festival...
and the M-53
M-53 (Michigan highway)
M-53 is a gateway route to The Thumb region of the US state of Michigan, carrying vacationers to the many cottages and resorts located on Saginaw Bay and Lake Huron in the vicinity of Caseville and Port Austin. This highway is also used to transport agricultural and manufactured products from the...
junction in Sanilac County
Sanilac County, Michigan
-Highways:* M-19* M-25* M-46* M-53* M-81* M-90-History:Sanilac County was probably named for a Wyandot chief named Sanilac. See List of Michigan county name etymologies....
. The NHS is a network of roadways important to the nation's economy, defense, and mobility.
Muskegon to Saginaw
M-46 starts at an intersection between Muskegon and Apple avenues near the downtown Muskegon business district. The highway follows Apple Avenue eastward through the edge of the district and through a residential area in Muskegon to an interchange with the US 31 freeway. On the other side of the freeway, Apple Avenue runs farther east, leaving the Muskegon area and passing through the rural woodlands of Muskegon CountyMuskegon 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...
. Along the way, the road passes the Hall Drain, an artificial reservoir. 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...
, M-37
M-37 (Michigan highway)
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 southwest of Battle Creek. The northern terminus is at the Mission Point Light on Old Mission Point in Grand...
merges in from the north 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...
intersection, and the two highways run concurrently
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...
across the county line into 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,...
, turning to the southeast. A few miles later in 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:...
, M-46 turns due east again and leaves M-37 to run independently along 17 Mile Road. The highway runs through more mixed agricultural land to Cedar Springs
Cedar Springs, Michigan
Cedar Springs is a city in Kent County in the U.S. state of Michigan, 20 minutes north of Grand Rapids. Known as "Red Flannel Town", the city is home to an annual Red Flannel Festival...
, where M-46 turns north along the US 131 freeway.
US 131/M-46 runs northwards through the northern Kent and western Montcalm
Montcalm County, Michigan
-Michigan State Highways:* M-46* M-57* M-66* M-82* M-91-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 61,266 people, 22,079 households, and 16,183 families residing in the county. The population density was 86 people per square mile . There were 25,900 housing units at an average density...
counties for about 16 miles (25.7 km) near Sand Lake
Sand Lake, Michigan
Sand Lake is a village in Kent County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 492 at the 2000 census.-Geography:According to the United States Census Bureau, the village has a total area of , of which, of it is land and of it is water....
and Pierson
Pierson, Michigan
Pierson is a village in Montcalm County of the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2000 census, the village population was 185. The village is within Pierson Township....
. Near Howard City
Howard City, Michigan
Howard City is a village in Montcalm County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 1,585 at the 2000 census. The village is within Reynolds Township.-History:...
. M-46 leaves the freeway and turns eastward independently along Howard City – Edmore Road. The highway runs through the north side of Montcalm County connecting the communities of Lakeview
Lakeview, Michigan
Lakeview is a village in Cato Township in Montcalm County of the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 1,112 at the 2000 census. The village is within Cato Township.- History :...
and Edmore
Edmore, Michigan
Edmore is a village in Montcalm County of the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2000 census, the village population was 1,244.Edmore was founded and platted by Edwin B. Moore, a real estate man, in 1878, and named with a contraction of his name. A post office was established on July 22, 1878 with...
. Between Six Lakes and Edmore, M-66
M-66 (Michigan highway)
M-66 is a north–south state trunkline highway on the Lower Peninsula of the US state of Michigan. It runs from the Indiana state line in the south to Charlevoix in the north. M-66 is the only state highway to traverse almost the entire north–south distance of the LP. It starts as a...
runs along M-46, a distance of around 3.5 miles (5.6 km). The trunkline passes several small lakes and crosses the Maple River
Maple River (Michigan)
The Maple River is the name of three rivers in the U.S. state of Michigan:* Maple River , rises in Pleasant View Township, Emmet County, and flows into Burt Lake in Cheboygan County...
near Vestaburg before crossing into Gratiot County
Gratiot County, Michigan
-US Highways:* US-127 routes north to I-75 and south to Lansing.* BUS US-127 is a loop route through downtown Alma.* BUS US-127 is a loop route through downtown Ithaca.* BUS US-127 is a loop route through downtown St. Louis....
. The highway, now called Monroe Road crosses more farm fields as it approaches Alma
Alma, Michigan
Alma is the largest city in Gratiot County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 9,275 at the 2000 census. It was incorporated as the Village of Alma in 1872 and became a city in 1905....
. North of downtown, M-46 intersects the north–south leg of the Alma business loop before meeting the US 127 freeway. East of this freeway interchange, M-46 picks up the east–west leg of the US 127 business loop for St. Louis
St. Louis, Michigan
St. Louis is a city in Gratiot County in the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2000 census, the city population was 4,494. The 2010 census estimate places the population at 7,482.-Geography:...
. Although similar, the separate business loop follows M-46 along Monroe Road over the Pine River
Pine River (Chippewa River)
The Pine River is a river in the Lower Peninsula of the U.S. state of Michigan. The Pine River is a tributary of the Chippewa River and is thus part of the Saginaw River drainage basin....
to Main Street, where it turns south through downtown. M-46 continues eastward from town through farm fields to Breckenridge
Breckenridge, Michigan
Breckenridge is a village in Gratiot County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 1,339 at the 2000 census. The village is located in Wheeler Township.-Geography:...
. At Merdian Road
Michigan Meridian
The Michigan Meridian is the meridian used as a reference in the Michigan Survey, the survey of the U.S. state of Michigan in the early 19th century. It is located at 84 degrees, 22 minutes and 24 seconds west longitude at its northern terminus at Sault Ste...
, the highway follows Gratiot Road into Saginaw County
Saginaw County, Michigan
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 210,039 people, 80,430 households, and 55,818 families residing in the county. The population density was 260 people per square mile . There were 85,505 housing units at an average density of 106 per square mile...
east through Merrill
Merrill, Michigan
Merrill is a village located in Jonesfield Township in Saginaw County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 782 at the 2000 census...
and Hemlock
Hemlock, Michigan
Hemlock is an unincorporated community in Richland Township, Saginaw County in the U.S. state of Michigan. It is also a census-designated place for statistical purposes, but without any legal status as an incorporated municipality. The population of the CDP was 1,585 at the 2000 census. The area...
to the Saginaw
Saginaw, Michigan
Saginaw is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan and the seat of Saginaw County. The city of Saginaw was once a thriving lumber town and manufacturing center. Saginaw and Saginaw County lie in the Flint/Tri-Cities region of Michigan...
area. East of Hemlock, M-46 meets the northern terminus of M-52
M-52 (Michigan highway)
M-52 is a north–south state trunkline highway in the US state of Michigan. The southern terminus is on the Ohio border, where it continues as State Route 109 . The highway passes through communities like Adrian, where it intersects US Highway 223 , Chelsea and Webberville along its course...
and then the southern terminus of M-47
M-47 (Michigan highway)
M-47 is a north–south state trunkline highway in the US state of Michigan. It runs near Saginaw and Midland in the Tri-Cities area of the Lower Peninsula. The highway runs through suburban and agricultural areas to connect the two cities with the airport in the area. The northernmost section of...
in Saginaw Charter Township
Saginaw Charter Township, Michigan
Saginaw Charter Township is a charter township of Saginaw County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 40,840 at the 2010 census. The city of Saginaw is adjacent to the township to the southeast, but is administratively autonomous....
near its crossing of the Tittabawassee River
Tittabawassee River
The Tittabawassee River is a stream which flows in a generally southeasterly direction through the Lower Peninsula of the U.S. state of Michigan. The river begins at Secord Lake in Clement Township, at the confluence of the East Branch and the Middle Branch...
.
Saginaw to Port Sanilac
As M-46 enters Saginaw proper, it follows Gratiot Avenue past the Saginaw County Club. The area around the club is filled with residential subdivisions as the roadway approaches the Saginaw RiverSaginaw River
The Saginaw River is a river in the U.S. state of Michigan. It is formed by the confluence of the Tittabawassee and Shiawassee rivers southwest of Saginaw. It flows northward into the Saginaw Bay of Lake Huron just northeast of Bay City. The watershed area is .The river is an important shipping...
. M-46 follows Stephens Street southeasterly and Rust Avenue eastward to cross the river. The highway continues along Rust Avenue to Warren Avenue where it turns north. The highway then follows Holland Avenue, which is the continuation of Gratiot Avenue on the east side of the river. M-46 passes through an interchange with I-75/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...
and leaves the Saginaw area. The highway continues eastward through rural Saginaw County into the region of the Lower Peninsula known as The Thumb
The Thumb
The Thumb is a region and a peninsula of Michigan, so named because the Lower Peninsula is shaped like a mitten; thus the Thumb is the area that looks like the thumb of the mitten. The Thumb is generally considered to be in the Mid-Michigan area of the state, located east of Flint/Tri-Cities...
. In Tuscola County
Tuscola County, Michigan
-Highways:* M-15* M-24* M-25* M-46* M-81* M-138-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 58,266 people, 21,454 households, and 15,983 families residing in the county. The population density was 72 people per square mile . There were 23,378 housing units at an average density of 29 per...
, M-46 passes through the Vassar State Game Area and crosses the Cass River
Cass River
The Cass River is a river in the Thumb region of the U.S. state of Michigan. It drains large portions of Sanilac and Tuscola counties and smaller portions of Genesee, Huron, Lapeer, and Saginaw counties....
north of Vassar
Vassar, Michigan
Vassar is a city in Tuscola County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The small town was founded March 1, 1849. The population was 2,697 at the 2010 census and 2,823 at the 2000 census...
.
The area near the river east to the M-24
M-24 (Michigan highway)
M-24 is a state trunkline highway in the U.S. state of Michigan that extends through Southeast Michigan, from northeast Auburn Hills to Unionville. It starts at an interchange with Interstate 75 and ends where it merges with M-25...
junction is forested. As M-46 approaches Kingston
Kingston, Michigan
Kingston is a village in Tuscola County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 450 at the 2000 census. The village is located at the southern edge of Kingston Township and is partially within Koylton Township.-Geography:...
, farms dominate the landscape again. M-46 crosses into Sanilac County
Sanilac County, Michigan
-Highways:* M-19* M-25* M-46* M-53* M-81* M-90-History:Sanilac County was probably named for a Wyandot chief named Sanilac. See List of Michigan county name etymologies....
just west of the M-53
M-53 (Michigan highway)
M-53 is a gateway route to The Thumb region of the US state of Michigan, carrying vacationers to the many cottages and resorts located on Saginaw Bay and Lake Huron in the vicinity of Caseville and Port Austin. This highway is also used to transport agricultural and manufactured products from the...
junction at Van Dyke Road. Between Elmer and Sandusky, 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:...
follows M-46 for about 5 miles (8 km). The highway crosses the Black River
Black River (St. Clair County)
Black River is an river in the U.S. state of Michigan, flowing into the St. Clair River at in the city of Port Huron. The Black River Canal in northern Port Huron extends east into Lake Huron near Krafft Road....
near Carsonville
Carsonville, Michigan
Carsonville is a village in Sanilac County of the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2000 census, the village population was 502. The village is situated at on the boundary between Bridgehampton Township and Washington Township, with about half the village in each.The village began with a store...
. The eastern end of M-46 is in Port Sanilac, just blocks west of the city's marian on Lake Huron at an intersection with M-25.
History
M-46 was designated by July 1, 1919 on a discontinuous route that ran between Howard City and Saginaw and between rural Tuscola County and Port Sanilac. The highway followed a different routing in place than it does today. The western terminus was in downtown Howard City, rather than north of town. The road ran farther south in Gratiot County so that it went into downtown Alma. By the end of 1927, the Michigan State Highway Department (MSHD) filled in the gap between Saginaw and Tuscola County, and the department extended the western end to Muskegon. M-46 followed the contemporary US 131 between Cedar Springs and Howard City and the modern routing west to Muskegon ending at US 31 downtown. In the middle of the 1930s, the section north of Howard City was straightened, removing the angled route between Amble and Howard City in favor of a more direct connection to US 131. The US 131 and M-37 concurrencies were removed, however, when the section between Kent City and Cedar Springs was removed from the highway system. That gap was eliminated in late 1936 when M-46 was routed down US 131 to Howard City and along M-82M-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...
to 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:...
. From there, it followed M-37 south to Casnovia. A new road was opened in early 1937 between Vestaburg and Alma, which was designated as part of M-46 by the end of the year. The western terminus was extended farther west through Muskegon to the outlet of Muskegon Lake on Lake Michigan as well. The M-82 concurrency was removed in 1938, and a more direct routing between Six Lakes and Edmore opened at the same time.
By the end of the 1950s, the routing through Muskegon was altered. Instead of terminating in the park at the outlet of Muskegon Lake into Lake Michigan, M-46 was routed to follow US 16 to the car ferry docks. The last section of gravel highway was also paved in Newaygo County near the Montcalm County line. The routing of M-46 between Casnovia and Howard City was altered in 1973 when the US 131 freeway was opened north of Cedar Springs by then-Congressman Gerald R. Ford. M-46 was restored to the Kent City – Cedar Springs roadway it used in the 1930s and routed concurrently along US 131 again.
In the process, M-47 replaced a section of M-57
M-57 (Michigan highway)
M-57 is an east–west state trunkline highway in the US state of Michigan. The highway connects US Highway 131 near Rockford on the west end to M-15 near Otisville in the Lower Peninsula. In between, the mostly rural highway passes through farmland and connects several highways and smaller towns...
that had been designated along the 17 Mile Road in late 1948 or early 1949. The last change to M-46's routing was made in the early 1980s. The extension through Muskegon to the car ferry docks was reversed, truncating the highway to its current terminus at then-BUS US 31 in 1984. The business loop was shifted away from this location in 2007, leaving M-46 to terminate at a junction with a city street instead of another state highway.