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M-54 (Michigan highway)
Encyclopedia
M-54 is a state trunkline highway
approximately 27 miles (43 km) 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
. One portion (the north end of Dort Highway to Clio Road) is part of the historic Saginaw Trail
, and was also part of the old Dixie Highway
.
exit 109. Dort Highway ends when it intersects with Saginaw Road just north of Mount Morris, then M-54 runs along Saginaw Road. M-54 then becomes part of Clio Road at the Saginaw Road/Clio Road intersection. When it crosses the Saginaw county line it becomes known as Gera Road. At Birch Run Road it turns west and runs concurrently with M-83
. This highway technically ends at the so-called "Birch Run
spur" or Birch Run Road, ending at the I-75/US 23
junction. Gera Road continues on northward as M-83
.
and ran northerly along the current M-37
corridor to M-20
(later US 10
). This version of M-54 was replaced by an extension of M-37 by 1927. The second incarnation of M-54 was designated in Ironwood
along the former US 2
routing through downtown in 1938. This was replaced by the current BUS US 2 around 1945.
freeway, and the M-54 designation was applied to the Saginaw Road/Dort Highway routing of US 10 from I-75 in Grand Blanc
to M-83
in Clio
. At the same time, BUS US 10 became BUS M-54 through Flint. An extension of Dort Highway in 1987 relocated the southern end of M-54 in Grand Blanc to end at exit 109 on I-75.
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...
approximately 27 miles (43 km) long 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"....
that bypasses the city of 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...
. 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
General Motors
General Motors Company , commonly known as GM, formerly incorporated as General Motors Corporation, is an American multinational automotive corporation headquartered in Detroit, Michigan and the world's second-largest automaker in 2010...
founder William C. Durant
William C. Durant
William Crapo "Billy" Durant was a leading pioneer of the United States automobile industry, the founder of General Motors and Chevrolet who created the system of multi-brand holding companies with different lines of cars....
. One portion (the north end of Dort Highway to Clio Road) is part of the historic Saginaw Trail
Saginaw trail
Saginaw Trail is the collective name for a set of connected roads in Southeastern Michigan that runs from Detroit to Saginaw through Pontiac and Flint. It was originally a tribal foot trail. On December 7, 1818 the Michigan Territorial government authorized the building of a road from Detroit to...
, and was also part of the old Dixie Highway
Dixie Highway
The Dixie Highway was a United States automobile highway, first planned in 1914 to connect the US Midwest with the Southern United States. It was part of the National Auto Trail system, and grew out of an earlier Miami to Montreal highway. The final result is better understood as a small network of...
.
Route description
M-54 starts at I-75Interstate 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...
exit 109. Dort Highway ends when it intersects with Saginaw Road just north of Mount Morris, then M-54 runs along Saginaw Road. M-54 then becomes part of Clio Road at the Saginaw Road/Clio Road intersection. When it crosses the Saginaw county line it becomes known as Gera Road. At Birch Run Road it turns west and runs concurrently with M-83
M-83 (Michigan highway)
M-83 is a state trunkline in the Lower Peninsula of the US state of Michigan primarily serving as a link between I-75/US 23 and the Bavarian themed town of Frankenmuth known for Bronner's Christmas Wonderland, Zehnder's and the Bavarian Inn.-Route description:...
. This highway technically ends at the so-called "Birch Run
Birch Run, Michigan
Birch Run is a village in Saginaw County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 1,653 at the 2000 census. The 2009 Census Bureau estimate places the population at 1,642. The village is located within Birch Run Township....
spur" or Birch Run Road, ending at the 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...
junction. Gera Road continues on northward as M-83
M-83 (Michigan highway)
M-83 is a state trunkline in the Lower Peninsula of the US state of Michigan primarily serving as a link between I-75/US 23 and the Bavarian themed town of Frankenmuth known for Bronner's Christmas Wonderland, Zehnder's and the Bavarian Inn.-Route description:...
.
Previous designations
The first version of M-54 began at M-16 (later US 16) near Grand RapidsGrand 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 ran northerly along the current 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...
corridor to 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...
(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...
). This version of M-54 was replaced by an extension of M-37 by 1927. The second incarnation of M-54 was designated in Ironwood
Ironwood, Michigan
Ironwood is a city in Gogebic County in the U.S. state of Michigan, about south of Lake Superior. The population was 6,293 at the 2000 census. The city is on US 2 and is situated opposite the Montreal River from Hurley, Wisconsin. It is the westernmost city in Michigan, situated on the same line...
along the former US 2
U.S. Route 2 in Michigan
US Highway 2 is a component of the United States Numbered Highway System that connects Everett, Washington, to the Upper Peninsula of the US state of Michigan, with a separate segment that runs from Rouses Point, New York, to Houlton, Maine...
routing through downtown in 1938. This was replaced by the current BUS US 2 around 1945.
Current designation
The current M-54 was designated in 1962 for a former routing of US 10 through the Flint area. US 10 was moved after the completion of the I-75Interstate 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...
freeway, and the M-54 designation was applied to the Saginaw Road/Dort Highway routing of US 10 from I-75 in Grand Blanc
Grand Blanc, Michigan
Grand Blanc is a city in Genesee County in the U.S. state of Michigan and a suburb of Flint. The population was 8,242 at the 2000 census. The city is situated within Grand Blanc Charter Township, but is politically independent...
to M-83
M-83 (Michigan highway)
M-83 is a state trunkline in the Lower Peninsula of the US state of Michigan primarily serving as a link between I-75/US 23 and the Bavarian themed town of Frankenmuth known for Bronner's Christmas Wonderland, Zehnder's and the Bavarian Inn.-Route description:...
in Clio
Clio, Michigan
Clio is a city in Genesee County in the U.S. state of Michigan.As of the 2000 census, the city had a population of 2,483. Clio is home to Michigan's second tallest construction, the WEYI Tower...
. At the same time, BUS US 10 became BUS M-54 through Flint. An extension of Dort Highway in 1987 relocated the southern end of M-54 in Grand Blanc to end at exit 109 on I-75.