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M-62 (Michigan highway)
Encyclopedia
M-62 is an arc-shaped state trunkline highway
in the southwestern part of the US state of Michigan
. The route runs from the Indiana
state line north and west to M-140
in Eau Claire
. In between, it serves the western Cass County
communities of Dowagiac
and Cassopolis
. The highway was formed in the 1920s, originally as a north–south route. It was later extended, taking the current arc-shaped routing. A short truncation in the 1950s produced the current routing, which has remained unchanged since. In total, M-62 runs 28.29 miles (45.53 km) in the two counties.
state line south of Edwardsburg
in Cass County
's Ontwa Township
north of Granger, Indiana
. The trunkline connects with State Road 23 and runs north through farmland to Edwardsburg, intersecting US Highway 12
(US 12) in town. M-62 turns northeasterly running out of town parallel to a rail line up to Cassopolis
. The trunkline crosses the rail line and runs concurrently
with M-60
through Cassopolis. The two highways pass Stone Lake on the way into downtown. M-62 continues north after leaving town and M-60, continuing through more farmland to La Grange. There is crosses the Dowagiac River
at the mouth of La Grange Lake. It crosses the river a second time on the way northwest to Dowagiac
.
The Michigan Department of Transportation
(MDOT) tracks the traffic volumes along the roads it maintains. This is measured using a metric called average annual daily traffic, which is the number of vehicle per day that use a roadway segment for any average day of the year. In 2009, MDOT's survey calculated that 2,246 vehicles used the section of M-62 between Cassopolis, La Grange and Dowagiac. This was the lowest traffic count along the whole highway.
The third crossing of the Dowagiac is at the mouth of Mill Pond in eastern Dowagiac, where M-62 follows Division Street through downtown. This section of the highway had the highest traffic count with 9,088 vehicles in 2009. At Front Street, M-51
merges with M-62, and the two run concurrently to the west through town. M-62 continues westerly after M-51 separates and turns southwesterly near the Dowagiac Municipal Airport. The highway crosses into Berrien County
south of Indian Lake and continues west through more scattered farms and woodland to a junction with M-140
. At this intersection, M-140 turns west along the roadway, and M-62 ends. No section of M-62 has been listed on the National Highway System
, a system of roads considered important to the country's defense, economy or mobility.
(now M-51) in Dowagiac. The southern section was moved by the end of 1925 to follow a more direct routing between Edwardsburg and the state line. An extension in 1930 moved the northern terminus west into Berrien County, ending in Eau Claire. The final few miles of highway were transferred back in local control around 1957. Before the transfer, M-62 ran concurrently with M-140 west and continued into Eau Claire. After the transfer, M-62 ended at the eastern M-140 junction and the concurrency was removed.
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 southwestern part of the US state of Michigan
Michigan
Michigan is a U.S. state located in the Great Lakes Region of the United States of America. The name Michigan is the French form of the Ojibwa word mishigamaa, meaning "large water" or "large lake"....
. The route runs from the Indiana
Indiana
Indiana is a US state, admitted to the United States as the 19th on December 11, 1816. It is located in the Midwestern United States and Great Lakes Region. With 6,483,802 residents, the state is ranked 15th in population and 16th in population density. Indiana is ranked 38th in land area and is...
state line north and west to M-140
M-140 (Michigan highway)
M-140 is a short state trunkline highway in the US state of Michigan. the route is entirely within Berrien and Van Buren counties. Although it runs near M-40, it was not designated as a spur from M-40. M-140 originally only existed north of Watervliet, as a designation to replace a rerouted U.S...
in Eau Claire
Eau Claire, Michigan
Eau Claire is a village located in east central Berrien County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 656 at the 2000 census.The village lies partially within Pipestone Township and partially within Berrien Charter Township.-Geography:...
. In between, it serves the western Cass County
Cass County, Michigan
Cass County is a county in the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2000 census, the population was 51,104. It is part of the South Bend–Mishawaka, IN-MI, Metropolitan Statistical Area which has a total population of 316,663 and is sometimes considered part of Greater Michiana...
communities of Dowagiac
Dowagiac, Michigan
Dowagiac is a city in Cass County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 6,147 at the 2000 census. It is part of the South Bend–Mishawaka, IN-MI, Metropolitan Statistical Area....
and Cassopolis
Cassopolis, Michigan
Cassopolis is a village in the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2010 census, the village population was 14,275. It is the county seat of Cass County. The village and county are named after statesman Lewis Cass, a New Hampshire native and a prominent U.S...
. The highway was formed in the 1920s, originally as a north–south route. It was later extended, taking the current arc-shaped routing. A short truncation in the 1950s produced the current routing, which has remained unchanged since. In total, M-62 runs 28.29 miles (45.53 km) in the two counties.
Route description
M-62 follows a roughly "question mark"-shaped routing in southwestern Michigan. It starts at the IndianaIndiana
Indiana is a US state, admitted to the United States as the 19th on December 11, 1816. It is located in the Midwestern United States and Great Lakes Region. With 6,483,802 residents, the state is ranked 15th in population and 16th in population density. Indiana is ranked 38th in land area and is...
state line south of Edwardsburg
Edwardsburg, Michigan
Edwardsburg is a village in Cass County in the U.S. state of Michigan, northeast of South Bend. The population was 1,147 at the 2000 census. It is part of the South Bend–Mishawaka, IN-MI, Metropolitan Statistical Area.-Geography:...
in Cass County
Cass County, Michigan
Cass County is a county in the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2000 census, the population was 51,104. It is part of the South Bend–Mishawaka, IN-MI, Metropolitan Statistical Area which has a total population of 316,663 and is sometimes considered part of Greater Michiana...
's Ontwa Township
Ontwa Township, Michigan
Ontwa Township is a civil township of Cass County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 5,865 at the 2000 census.-Geography:According to the United States Census Bureau, the township has a total area of , of which, of it is land and of it is water.-Demographics:As of the census of...
north of Granger, Indiana
Granger, Indiana
Granger is a census-designated place in St. Joseph County, Indiana, United States, located in Clay and Harris Townships. The population was 30,465 at the 2010 census. Penn-Harris-Madison School Corporation and the South Bend Community School Corporation maintain the public schools in the area...
. The trunkline connects with State Road 23 and runs north through farmland to Edwardsburg, intersecting US Highway 12
U.S. Route 12 in Michigan
US Highway 12 is a US Highway that runs from Aberdeen, Washington to Detroit, Michigan. In the US state of Michigan it runs for . Previous to the creation of Interstate Highways in Michigan, US 12 ran along Michigan Avenue between Kalamazoo and Detroit, a highway corridor now served by I-94...
(US 12) in town. M-62 turns northeasterly running out of town parallel to a rail line up to Cassopolis
Cassopolis, Michigan
Cassopolis is a village in the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2010 census, the village population was 14,275. It is the county seat of Cass County. The village and county are named after statesman Lewis Cass, a New Hampshire native and a prominent U.S...
. The trunkline crosses the rail line and runs 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...
with M-60
M-60 (Michigan highway)
M-60 is an east–west state trunkline highway in the US state of Michigan. It runs from the Niles area at a junction with US Highway 12 to the Jackson area where it ends at Interstate 94 . The trunkline passes through a mix of farm fields and woodlands, crosses or runs along several rivers and...
through Cassopolis. The two highways pass Stone Lake on the way into downtown. M-62 continues north after leaving town and M-60, continuing through more farmland to La Grange. There is crosses the Dowagiac River
Dowagiac River
The Dowagiac River is a stream in the Lower Peninsula of the U.S. state of Michigan.The stream rises as the "Dowagiac Drain" a few miles east of Decatur in central Decatur Township in southern Van Buren County, Michigan...
at the mouth of La Grange Lake. It crosses the river a second time on the way northwest to Dowagiac
Dowagiac, Michigan
Dowagiac is a city in Cass County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 6,147 at the 2000 census. It is part of the South Bend–Mishawaka, IN-MI, Metropolitan Statistical Area....
.
The Michigan Department of Transportation
Michigan Department of Transportation
The Michigan Department of Transportation is a constitutional government agency in the US state of Michigan. The primary purpose of MDOT is to maintain the Michigan State Trunkline Highway System which includes all Interstate, US and state highways in Michigan with the exception of the Mackinac...
(MDOT) tracks the traffic volumes along the roads it maintains. This is measured using a metric called average annual daily traffic, which is the number of vehicle per day that use a roadway segment for any average day of the year. In 2009, MDOT's survey calculated that 2,246 vehicles used the section of M-62 between Cassopolis, La Grange and Dowagiac. This was the lowest traffic count along the whole highway.
The third crossing of the Dowagiac is at the mouth of Mill Pond in eastern Dowagiac, where M-62 follows Division Street through downtown. This section of the highway had the highest traffic count with 9,088 vehicles in 2009. At Front Street, M-51
M-51 (Michigan highway)
M-51, is a north–south state trunkline highway in the southwestern portion of the US state of Michigan. The northern terminus is on I-94 west of Paw Paw, where it continues north for less than a mile to W Red Arrow Highway as Van Buren CR 671, and the southern terminus is at the Indiana state...
merges with M-62, and the two run concurrently to the west through town. M-62 continues westerly after M-51 separates and turns southwesterly near the Dowagiac Municipal Airport. The highway crosses into Berrien County
Berrien County, Michigan
Berrien County is a county located in the extreme southwest of the U.S. state of Michigan. It is included in the Niles-Benton Harbor, Michigan Metropolitan Statistical Area. As of the 2010 census, the population was 156,813. The county seat is St. Joseph....
south of Indian Lake and continues west through more scattered farms and woodland to a junction with M-140
M-140 (Michigan highway)
M-140 is a short state trunkline highway in the US state of Michigan. the route is entirely within Berrien and Van Buren counties. Although it runs near M-40, it was not designated as a spur from M-40. M-140 originally only existed north of Watervliet, as a designation to replace a rerouted U.S...
. At this intersection, M-140 turns west along the roadway, and M-62 ends. No section of M-62 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...
, a system of roads considered important to the country's defense, economy or mobility.
History
M-62 was formed before 1924 along a portion of its current routing. The trunkline started at the Indiana state line and ran north through Edwardsburg and Cassopolis. The northern terminus was at M-40M-40 (Michigan highway)
M-40 is a north–south state trunkline highway in the Lower Peninsula of the US state of Michigan. The highway runs from US Highway 12 near the Indiana state line in Porter Township north through Paw Paw and Allegan to end in the outskirts of Holland...
(now M-51) in Dowagiac. The southern section was moved by the end of 1925 to follow a more direct routing between Edwardsburg and the state line. An extension in 1930 moved the northern terminus west into Berrien County, ending in Eau Claire. The final few miles of highway were transferred back in local control around 1957. Before the transfer, M-62 ran concurrently with M-140 west and continued into Eau Claire. After the transfer, M-62 ended at the eastern M-140 junction and the concurrency was removed.