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M-66 (Michigan highway)
Encyclopedia
M-66 is a north–south state trunkline highway
on the Lower Peninsula
(LP) 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 continuation of State Road 9 which provides access to the Indiana Toll Road
. The total length is 272.898 miles (439.186 km), which includes 3.374 miles (5.4 km) of freeway between Interstate 94
(I-94) and downtown Battle Creek
designated as I-194
. One section of the highway is an expressway
, a type of divided limited access highway, while the section along I-194 is a full freeway, otherwise M-66 is a two-lane rural highway. Two sections are listed on the National Highway System
.
The first usage of the M-66 designation dates back to around July 1, 1919 with the rest of the original state highway system. At the time, the highway only extended between Lowell
and Lakeview
, a route now covered by M-91
. The highway has been lengthened in a series of extensions north and south starting in 1925. A rerouting in 1944–45 removed M-66 from its original 1919 routing to replace another highway south of Six Lakes, the change that spawned M-91. The last big extension in 1965 resulted in the modern trans-peninsular highway route. The last modifications were shorter reroutings in the 1970s.
in western Michigan from the Indiana state line north to Lake Michigan
at Charlevoix
. Most of the highway is two-lane undivided rural highway. There is a section south of Battle Creek
that is a four-lane expressway
. Running north into the Cereal City, M-66 is concurrent
with I-194
, which is a full freeway. This section along I-194 is listed on the National Highway System
(NHS), a system of highways important to the nation's economy, defense, and mobility. Another section of M-66 is included on the NHS where it is concurrent with either M-72
or U.S. Highway 131 (US 131) in Kalkaska
or Antrim
counties.
(SR 9) at the Indiana state line in southern St. Joseph County
. The highway runs north to Sturgis
through farm land where it turns east through town running concurrently
with US 12
on Chicago Road. As it leaves Sturgis to the north it crosses a branch of the Michigan Southern Railroad
, and it becomes a two-lane surface highway along Nottawa Street. The highway runs near several small lakes and crosses the Nottawa Creek
before meeting M-86
. The two highways run north–south concurrently for about 1.9 miles (3.1 km) along the Nottawa
–Colon
township line. Farther north, M-66 crosses the St. Joseph River
and meets M-60
. M-60/M-66 run together to the east, turning northeasterly in Leonidas running parallel to Nottawa Creek
and crossing into the northwest corner of Branch County
. M-60 and M-66 separate west of Union City
, and M-66 turns north into Calhoun County
.
Running through woodland terrain in southern Calhoun County, M-66 passes through Athens
, along Graham Lake and continues to the outskirts of Battle Creek. The highway widens first to a four-lane, limited access expressway south of the Lakeview Square Mall before becoming a full freeway at the interchange
with I-94
. It is at the transiton to freeway that M-66 starts its concurrency with I-194
. I-194/M-66 is known as the Sojourner Truth Downtown Parkway, but the locals still use the former semi-official nickname, "The Penetrator". The southern section of the freeway has the highest traffic levels along M-66 as measured by average annual daily traffic (AADT) in the survey conducted in 2009. The Michigan Department of Transportation
(MDOT) calculates the AADT value as a tally of the average number of vehicles using a given stretch of roadway. I-194/M-66 carried 25,200 vehicles on the average day during the year; 980 trucks were included in that traffic. The freeway continues 3.374 miles (5.4 km) north into downtown Battle Creek along part of the Kalamazoo River
and crossing a branch of the Canadian National Railway
and Norfolk Southern Railway
before ending at the at-grade intersection
with Hamblin Avenue. I-194 ends, and M-66 continues northeast out of the Cereal City on Division Street and then northeast on Capital Avenue along the Battle Creek River
.
M-66 continues northward through Barry County
on Capital Avenue which becomes 9 Mile Road north of Baseline Road
. The highway passes through Assyria before meeting M-79, with which it has a short concurrency, in Nashville
. On the north side of the village, M-66 crosses the Thornapple River
and continues north through mixed rural forest land and farm fields. Near Woodland
, M-66 joins M-43
and the two run to the northeast and along the Barry–Eaton
county line. M-43/M-66 meets M-50
at a four-way intersection southwest of Lake Odessa
near Woodbury, and M-43 turns east leaving M-66 in favor of a concurrency with M-50. M-66 crosses a rail line of CSX Transportation
and the county line on State Road. It meets I-96
in a rural southern part of the Ionia County
south of Ionia
. On the south edge of town, the highway passes the county airport
and curves to the northeast becoming Dexter Street. While entering downtown Ionia, the trunkline crosses the Grand River
and the mainline of the Grand Rapids Eastern Railroad
near the county fairgrounds. M-66 turns west along M-21
(Lincoln Avenue) for two blocks before turning back to the north along State Street. The trunkline runs through the northern part of the county and meets M-44
's eastern terminus near Woodard Lake.
, M-66 intersects M-57
in a rural area south of Sheridan
before running north on Sheridan Road through Stanton
. The highway jogs west along Main Street in Stanton before returning to a northerly course on a discontinuous section of Sheridan Road. The roadway curves around the west end of Hemmingway Lake near Cannonsville Road. West of Edmore
, M-66 turns northwesterly along M-46
on Edmore – Howard City Road to Six Lakes. M-66 separates there and returns to its northerly journey along Six Lakes Road between Little Bass Lake and First Lake. The road crosses into Mecosta County
as 30th Avenue north of Six Lakes. The highway intersects M-20
at the intersection with 9 Mile Road in Remus. This area of rural Mecosta County is more heavily forested with rolling hills and sporadic farms. In Barryton
, the roadway crosses the Chippewa River
. M-66 continues north passing Merrill Lake before crossing into rural eastern Osceola County
at Mesceola Road.
The highway meets US 10
near Sears after crossing the Pere Marquette State Trail
. M-66 crosses the Muskegon River
near a separate 9 Mile Road in Osceola County. It meets both M-115
and M-61
(16 Mile Road) south of Marion
. The highway continues north and crosses the Great Lakes Central Railroad for the first time in Marion. The trunkline turns onto Burkett Road as crosses into Wexford County
and then turns westward on Stoney Corners Road into McBain
through farm land. In town it runs along Maple Street and then runs north toward Lake City
on Morey Road. South of the Lake City, M-55
runs concurrently with M-66 by Missaukee Golf Course and into town along the eastern shore of Lake Missaukee. North of town, M-55 splits off to the east on Houghton Lake Road, and M-66 continues north to an intersection with the eastern terminus of M-42
in a rural forest. M-66 leaves Morey Road and follows Pioneer Road to the county line.
At Smithville, the highway crosses into Kalkaska County and crosses the Manistee River
. M-66 runs through rolling hills in woodlands through the unincorporated farming community of Lodi
north to an intersection with M-72. The two highways travel west together over the Great Lakes Central Railroad before turning north and merging with US 131 on a route parallel to the rail line. US 131/M-66/M-72 follows and crosses a branch of the Boardman River
along Cedar Street through downtown Kalkaska
. North of the central business district, M-72 separates to the west and US 131/M-66 crosses through the Pere Marquette State Forest
on the way to Antrim and Mancelona
in Antrim County
. The highway follows Williams Street through the twin towns, meeting the southern terminus of M-88
and western terminus of C-38 at the intersection with State Street in Mancelona. M-66 separates from US 131 and follows Mancelona – East Jordan Road out of town.
The section of M-66 north of the US 131 split had the highway's lowest AADT levels in the 2009 survey. MDOT reported that only 1,500 vehicles use this stretch of road in 2009. Of these vehicles, only were 140 trucks that used the segment of highway in 2009. The highway meanders through more forest lands through the community of Green River to East Jordan
. M-66 follows Lake Street and turns to follow the western shore of the South Arm of Lake Charlevoix
. The roadway turns inland through Ironton before returning to the lakeshore the rest of the way to Charlevoix. M-66 ends at an intersection with US 31
south of downtown next to Lake Michigan.
lots located near Nashville, Woodland, Belding
, Sheridan, Sears and Marion. There are additional services provided to travelers in the form of roadside parks and rest areas. There are two roadside parks along the highway, one is between Woodland and Woodbury, and the second is in Sheridan. The roadway also provides access to the Ionia State Recreation Area
and a state harbor on Lake Charlevoix.
M-66 was first signed along a roadway by July 1, 1919 between M-16 (now M-21
) at Lowell
and M-46
near Lakeview
. The designation was extended in 1925 along M-46 to Six Lakes and then north to M-13
(now US 131
) in Lodi
. A further extension north from Lodi in 1929 or 1930 along M-131 to Mancelona
, a short segment of M-88
and north to US 31
in Charlevoix
. The southern end was extended to US 16 south of Lowell by 1931. A section of the northern extension was marked on maps through 1933 as "under construction". That section was cancelled in favor of another routing near Mancelona. A short bypass of Six Lakes added about a mile to the length of the roadway in 1936. The M-131 concurrency
was switched to a US 131 concurrency when the latter was extended in 1939. This concurrency was shortened just before World War II
when the Michigan State Highway Department (MSHD) rerouted US 131 along a new road between South Boardman and Kalkaska
.
The MSHD completed a major rerouting of M-66 around 1944–45. The M-14
designation of the time was decommissioned
and replaced with M-66. Starting at Six Lakes, M-66 turned west along M-46 instead of east and then turned south through Stanton
and Ionia
ending north of Battle Creek
. The highway between Lowell and Lakeview was redesignated as M-91
. A minor realignment in late 1950 removed two 90° curves near the Osceola–Missaukee county line and replaced them with a pair of sweeping curves.
The MSHD rerouted M-66 between Maple Grove and Nashville in mid-1953. In the changes, M-79 was extended along the new route of M-66 and then over M-214 to Hastings
. M-66 was shifted off Assyria Road which was turned back to local control. Another realignment in 1954 shifted M-66 to the modern routing between the M-43 concurrency termini, removing M-43/M-66 from a section of M-50 in the process. The final section gravel section of M-66, approximately 11 miles (17.7 km) in length, was paved near Nashville
in 1957. M-32
was extended along the northernmost section of M-66 in 1963.
M-66 was extended southerly from Assyria through Battle Creek to the Indiana state line replacing sections of M-78
in 1965. M-66 turned south and west along M-60
and new highway to Colon
. The segment of former M-78 not used by M-66 was transferred to local control. The final section of M-78's roadway given to M-66 extended it all the way to the state line, resulting in a north–south trans-peninsular highway from Lake Michigan
near Charlevoix to Indiana. M-66 is the only such highway to run the length of the Lower Peninsula. The next year, M-66 was rerouted through Battle Creek to use the completed I-194
freeway.
A 90° turn in Missaukee County was removed north of Lake City in 1972. In late 1973 or early 1974, M-66 and M-72
were shifted around the south side of Kalkaska
. Later in 1974, the M-32 concurrency was removed when M-32 was scaled back to its former terminus. A project in 1981 furthered the 1972 realignment in Missaukee County. About 4 miles (6.4 km) were shortened from the routing when the new alignment was built between Smithville and Phelps Road.
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...
on 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...
(LP) 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"....
. It 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 in the south to Charlevoix
Charlevoix, Michigan
Charlevoix is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2000 census, the city population was 2,994. It is the county seat of Charlevoix County....
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 continuation of State Road 9 which provides access to the Indiana Toll Road
Indiana Toll Road
The Indiana Toll Road, officially the Indiana East–West Toll Road, is a toll road that runs for east–west across northern Indiana from the Illinois state line to the Ohio state line...
. The total length is 272.898 miles (439.186 km), which includes 3.374 miles (5.4 km) of freeway between 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) and downtown 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...
designated as I-194
Interstate 194 (Michigan)
Interstate 194 is a three-mile long, north–south freeway between downtown Battle Creek and I-94 in the southern portion of the city. The Michigan Department of Transportation lists its length as long, while the Federal Highway Administration lists it at...
. One section of the highway is an expressway
Limited-access road
A limited-access road known by various terms worldwide, including limited-access highway, dual-carriageway and expressway, is a highway or arterial road for high-speed traffic which has many or most characteristics of a controlled-access highway , including limited or no access to adjacent...
, a type of divided limited access highway, while the section along I-194 is a full freeway, otherwise M-66 is a two-lane rural highway. Two sections are 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...
.
The first usage of the M-66 designation dates back to around July 1, 1919 with the rest of the original state highway system. At the time, the highway only extended between Lowell
Lowell, Michigan
Lowell is a city in Kent County of the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2000 census, the city population was 4,013. The city is in the northern portion of Lowell Township, but is politically independent...
and 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 :...
, a route now covered by M-91
M-91 (Michigan highway)
M-91 is a largely north–south state trunkline highway in the Lower Peninsula of the US state of Michigan. It runs from Belding to south of Lakeview. Its length exists entirely within Ionia and Montcalm counties. It is all undivided surface route...
. The highway has been lengthened in a series of extensions north and south starting in 1925. A rerouting in 1944–45 removed M-66 from its original 1919 routing to replace another highway south of Six Lakes, the change that spawned M-91. The last big extension in 1965 resulted in the modern trans-peninsular highway route. The last modifications were shorter reroutings in the 1970s.
Route description
M-66 runs for 266.399 miles (428.7 km) as an almost entirely a north–south undivided surface highwayDivided Highway
Divided Highway is a compilation album by American rock band The Doobie Brothers, released in 2003. . All tracks are taken from the albums Cycles and Brotherhood .-Track listing:...
in western Michigan from the Indiana state line north to 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...
at Charlevoix
Charlevoix, Michigan
Charlevoix is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2000 census, the city population was 2,994. It is the county seat of Charlevoix County....
. Most of the highway is two-lane undivided rural highway. There is a section south 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...
that is a four-lane expressway
Limited-access road
A limited-access road known by various terms worldwide, including limited-access highway, dual-carriageway and expressway, is a highway or arterial road for high-speed traffic which has many or most characteristics of a controlled-access highway , including limited or no access to adjacent...
. Running north into the Cereal City, M-66 is concurrent
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-194
Interstate 194 (Michigan)
Interstate 194 is a three-mile long, north–south freeway between downtown Battle Creek and I-94 in the southern portion of the city. The Michigan Department of Transportation lists its length as long, while the Federal Highway Administration lists it at...
, which is a full freeway. This section along I-194 is 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), a system of highways important to the nation's economy, defense, and mobility. Another section of M-66 is included on the NHS where it is concurrent with either 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...
or U.S. Highway 131 (US 131) in Kalkaska
Kalkaska County, Michigan
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 16,571 people, 6,428 households, and 4,634 families residing in the county. The population density was 30 people per square mile . There were 10,822 housing units at an average density of 19 per square mile...
or Antrim
Antrim County, Michigan
-History:Antrim County was formed in 1863. In 1950 its population was 10,721. The county seat was originally located in Elk Rapids, but was moved to Bellaire in 1904 after 25 years of litigation.-Demographics:...
counties.
Indiana to Ionia
M-66 is a four-lane highway that connects with State Road 9Indiana State Road 9
State Road 9 in the U.S. State of Indiana is a long north–south state highway in the eastern portion of Indiana. Its southern terminus is near Columbus at State Road 46, and the northern terminus is at the Michigan/Indiana border between Howe, Indiana, and Sturgis, Michigan, where it...
(SR 9) at the Indiana state line in southern St. Joseph County
St. Joseph County, Michigan
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 62,422 people, 23,381 households, and 16,600 families residing in the county. The population density was 124 people per square mile . There were 26,503 housing units at an average density of 53 per square mile...
. The highway runs north to Sturgis
Sturgis, Michigan
Sturgis, is a city in St. Joseph County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 10,994 at the 2010 census. The city is located at the northeast corner of Sturgis Township and at the intersection of US 12 and M-66....
through farm land where it turns east through town running 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 US 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...
on Chicago Road. As it leaves Sturgis to the north it crosses a branch of the Michigan Southern Railroad
Michigan Southern Railroad (1989)
The Michigan Southern Railroad , owned by Pioneer Railcorp, operates a portion of the former Michigan Southern Railroad between White Pigeon and Sturgis, Michigan, United States. At White Pigeon, it connects with the Grand Elk....
, and it becomes a two-lane surface highway along Nottawa Street. The highway runs near several small lakes and crosses the Nottawa Creek
Nottawa Creek
Nottawa Creek is a stream in the U.S. state of Michigan that flows into the St. Joseph River at , approximately three miles east of the village of Mendon....
before meeting M-86
M-86 (Michigan highway)
M-86 is a east–west state trunkline highway in the US state of Michigan in the southern portion of the Lower Peninsula. The highway starts at Business US Highway 131 and M-60 in Three Rivers and ends at US Highway 12 near Coldwater. In between, it crosses farm country and runs along a section of...
. The two highways run north–south concurrently for about 1.9 miles (3.1 km) along the Nottawa
Nottawa Township, St. Joseph County, Michigan
Nottawa Township is a civil township of St. Joseph County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 3,999 at the 2000 census. The township is named after the Nottawaseppi Huron Band of Potawatomi.-History:...
–Colon
Colon Township, Michigan
Colon Township is a civil township of St. Joseph County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 3,405 at the 2000 census. The village of Colon is located within the township.-Geography:...
township line. Farther north, M-66 crosses the St. Joseph River
St. Joseph River (Lake Michigan)
The St. Joseph River is a river, approximately long, in southern Michigan and northern Indiana in the United States. It drains a primarily rural farming area in the watershed of Lake Michigan...
and meets 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...
. M-60/M-66 run together to the east, turning northeasterly in Leonidas running parallel to Nottawa Creek
Nottawa Creek
Nottawa Creek is a stream in the U.S. state of Michigan that flows into the St. Joseph River at , approximately three miles east of the village of Mendon....
and crossing into the northwest corner of Branch County
Branch County, Michigan
-Demographics:As of the 2000 census, there were 45,787 people, 16,349 households, and 11,575 families residing in the county. The population density was 90 people per square mile . There were 19,822 housing units at an average density of 39 per square mile...
. M-60 and M-66 separate west of Union City
Union City, Michigan
Union City is a village in Branch and Calhoun counties in the U.S. state of Michigan. Located mostly within Union Township in Branch County, it sits at the junction of the Coldwater and St. Joseph rivers; the Calhoun County portion lies within that county's Burlington Township. It is part of the...
, and M-66 turns north into Calhoun County
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...
.
Running through woodland terrain in southern Calhoun County, M-66 passes through Athens
Athens, Michigan
Athens is a village in Calhoun County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 1,111 at the 2000 census. The village is located in southern Athens Township, and is part of the Battle Creek, Michigan Metropolitan Statistical Area. It was settled in 1831.-Geography:According to the United...
, along Graham Lake and continues to the outskirts of Battle Creek. The highway widens first to a four-lane, limited access expressway south of the Lakeview Square Mall before becoming a full freeway at the interchange
Interchange (road)
In the field of road transport, an interchange is a road junction that typically uses grade separation, and one or more ramps, to permit traffic on at least one highway to pass through the junction without directly crossing any other traffic stream. It differs from a standard intersection, at which...
with I-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...
. It is at the transiton to freeway that M-66 starts its concurrency with I-194
Interstate 194 (Michigan)
Interstate 194 is a three-mile long, north–south freeway between downtown Battle Creek and I-94 in the southern portion of the city. The Michigan Department of Transportation lists its length as long, while the Federal Highway Administration lists it at...
. I-194/M-66 is known as the Sojourner Truth Downtown Parkway, but the locals still use the former semi-official nickname, "The Penetrator". The southern section of the freeway has the highest traffic levels along M-66 as measured by average annual daily traffic (AADT) in the survey conducted in 2009. 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) calculates the AADT value as a tally of the average number of vehicles using a given stretch of roadway. I-194/M-66 carried 25,200 vehicles on the average day during the year; 980 trucks were included in that traffic. The freeway continues 3.374 miles (5.4 km) north into downtown Battle Creek along part of 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...
and crossing a branch of the Canadian National Railway
Canadian National Railway
The Canadian National Railway Company is a Canadian Class I railway headquartered in Montreal, Quebec. CN's slogan is "North America's Railroad"....
and Norfolk Southern Railway
Norfolk Southern Railway
The Norfolk Southern Railway is a Class I railroad in the United States, owned by the Norfolk Southern Corporation. With headquarters in Norfolk, Virginia, the company operates 21,500 route miles in 22 eastern states, the District of Columbia and the province of Ontario, Canada...
before ending at the at-grade intersection
At-grade intersection
An at-grade intersection is a junction at which two or more transport axes cross at the same level .-Traffic management:With areas of high or fast traffic, an at-grade intersection normally requires a traffic control device such as a stop sign, traffic light or railway signal to manage conflicting...
with Hamblin Avenue. I-194 ends, and M-66 continues northeast out of the Cereal City on Division Street and then northeast on Capital Avenue along the Battle Creek River
Battle Creek River
The Battle Creek River is a river in the U.S. state of Michigan. It is a tributary of the Kalamazoo River, joining it at Battle Creek, Michigan....
.
M-66 continues northward through 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...
on Capital Avenue which becomes 9 Mile Road north of Baseline 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 passes through Assyria before meeting M-79, with which it has a short concurrency, in Nashville
Nashville, Michigan
Nashville is a village in Barry County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 1,684 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....
. On the north side of the village, M-66 crosses 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 :...
and continues north through mixed rural forest land and farm fields. Near Woodland
Woodland, Michigan
Woodland is a village in Barry County of the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2000 census, the village population was 495. The village is located within Woodland Township.-Geography:...
, M-66 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...
and the two run to the northeast and along the Barry–Eaton
Eaton County, Michigan
Eaton County is a county in the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2010 census, the population was 107,759. The county seat is Charlotte. Eaton County was named for John Eaton, who was Secretary of War under U.S. President Andrew Jackson, making it one of Michigan's Cabinet counties...
county line. M-43/M-66 meets M-50
M-50 (Michigan highway)
M-50 is a state trunkline highway in the US state of Michigan. Although designated as an east–west highway, it is nearly a diagonal northwest-southeast route...
at a four-way intersection southwest of Lake Odessa
Lake Odessa, Michigan
-External links:...
near Woodbury, and M-43 turns east leaving M-66 in favor of a concurrency with M-50. M-66 crosses a rail line of CSX Transportation
CSX Transportation
CSX Transportation operates a Class I railroad in the United States known as the CSX Railroad. It is the main subsidiary of the CSX Corporation. The company is headquartered in Jacksonville, Florida, and owns approximately 21,000 route miles...
and the county line on State Road. It 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...
in a rural southern part of the Ionia County
Ionia County, Michigan
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 61,518 people, 20,606 households, and 15,145 families residing in the county. The population density was 107 people per square mile . There were 22,006 housing units at an average density of 38 per square mile...
south of Ionia
Ionia, Michigan
Ionia is the largest city in, and the county seat of, Ionia County, Michigan, United States. The population was 11,394 at the 2010 census. Every late July it hosts what may be the world's largest free-admission fair...
. On the south edge of town, the highway passes the county airport
Ionia County Airport
Ionia County Airport is a public airport located 3 mi south of Ionia, Michigan. Opened in 1937, the airport is currently owned by Ionia County....
and curves to the northeast becoming Dexter Street. While entering downtown Ionia, the trunkline crosses 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 the mainline of the Grand Rapids Eastern Railroad
Grand Rapids Eastern Railroad
The Grand Rapids Eastern Railroad is a railroad in western Michigan that runs east-west through Grand Rapids, Michigan, United States. Its of trackage ends at the Saint Mary's Siding, where it meets the Coopersville and Marne Railway. It interchanges with CSX Transportation at Grand Rapids and...
near the county fairgrounds. M-66 turns west along 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...
(Lincoln Avenue) for two blocks before turning back to the north along State Street. The trunkline runs through the northern part of the county and meets 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...
's eastern terminus near Woodard Lake.
Montcalm County and northward
In Montcalm CountyMontcalm 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...
, M-66 intersects 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...
in a rural area south of Sheridan
Sheridan, Michigan
Sheridan is a village in Montcalm County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 705 at the 2000 census. The village is located at the corners of four townships and incorporates land from each: Evergreen Township to the northeast, Bushnell Township to the southeast, Fairplain Township to...
before running north on Sheridan Road through Stanton
Stanton, Michigan
Stanton is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2000 census, the city population was 1,504. It is the county seat of Montcalm County...
. The highway jogs west along Main Street in Stanton before returning to a northerly course on a discontinuous section of Sheridan Road. The roadway curves around the west end of Hemmingway Lake near Cannonsville Road. West of 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...
, M-66 turns northwesterly along 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...
on Edmore – Howard City Road to Six Lakes. M-66 separates there and returns to its northerly journey along Six Lakes Road between Little Bass Lake and First Lake. The road crosses into Mecosta County
Mecosta County, Michigan
Mecosta County is a county in the U.S. state of Michigan. The county is named after Chief Mecosta, the leader of the Potawatomi Native American tribe that once traveled the local waterways in search of fish and game. Chief Mecosta was one of the signers the Treaty of Washington in 1836. The easily...
as 30th Avenue north of Six Lakes. The highway intersects 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...
at the intersection with 9 Mile Road in Remus. This area of rural Mecosta County is more heavily forested with rolling hills and sporadic farms. In Barryton
Barryton, Michigan
Barryton is a village in Mecosta County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 381 at the 2000 census. The village is located in Fork Township on M-66...
, the roadway crosses the Chippewa River
Chippewa River (Michigan)
The Chippewa River is a stream in the U.S. state of Michigan that runs through the central Lower Peninsula. The Chippewa is a tributary of the Tittabawassee River and is thus part of the Saginaw River drainage basin...
. M-66 continues north passing Merrill Lake before crossing into rural eastern Osceola County
Osceola County, Michigan
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 23,197 people, 8,861 households, and 6,415 families residing in the county. The population density was 41 people per square mile . There were 12,853 housing units at an average density of 23 per square mile...
at Mesceola Road.
The highway meets 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...
near Sears after crossing the Pere Marquette State Trail
Pere Marquette State Trail
The Pere Marquette State Trail is a bicycle and multi-use trail in west-central lower Michigan, running through Clare, Lake, and Osceola Counties. Intersecting with the White Pine Trail in Reed City, the trail is paved in areas, particularly between Reed City and the Village of Hersey, with a...
. M-66 crosses 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,...
near a separate 9 Mile Road in Osceola County. It meets both 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...
and M-61
M-61 (Michigan highway)
M-61 is a state trunkline highway in the US state of Michigan that runs between Marion and Standish. The highway runs along the boundary area between Northern Michigan and Central Michigan in the Lower Peninsula. M-61 runs through rural forestland connecting several smaller communities together as...
(16 Mile Road) south of Marion
Marion, Michigan
Marion is a village in Osceola County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 836 at the 2000 census. The village is located within Marion Township.-Geography:...
. The highway continues north and crosses the Great Lakes Central Railroad for the first time in Marion. The trunkline turns onto Burkett Road as crosses into 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:...
and then turns westward on Stoney Corners Road into McBain
McBain, Michigan
McBain is a city in Missaukee County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 656 at the 2010 census.- History :McBain began as a settlement around a sawmill in Riverside Township, founded by Gillis McBain and his brother John McBain in 1887...
through farm land. In town it runs along Maple Street and then runs north toward Lake City
Lake City, Michigan
Lake City is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 836. Known as the "Christmas Tree Capital", it is the county seat of Missaukee County.-Geography:...
on Morey Road. South of the Lake City, 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...
runs concurrently with M-66 by Missaukee Golf Course and into town along the eastern shore of Lake Missaukee. North of town, M-55 splits off to the east on Houghton Lake Road, and M-66 continues north to an intersection with the eastern terminus 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...
in a rural forest. M-66 leaves Morey Road and follows Pioneer Road to the county line.
At Smithville, the highway crosses into Kalkaska County and crosses 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...
. M-66 runs through rolling hills in woodlands through the unincorporated farming community of Lodi
Orange Township, Kalkaska County, Michigan
Orange Township is a civil township of Kalkaska County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 1,176 at the 2000 census.-Communities:...
north to an intersection with M-72. The two highways travel west together over the Great Lakes Central Railroad before turning north and merging with US 131 on a route parallel to the rail line. US 131/M-66/M-72 follows and crosses a branch of 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...
along Cedar Street through downtown Kalkaska
Kalkaska, Michigan
Kalkaska is a village in the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2000 census, the village population was 2,226. It is the county seat of Kalkaska County.-Geography:...
. North of the central business district, M-72 separates to the west and US 131/M-66 crosses through 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...
on the way to Antrim and Mancelona
Mancelona, Michigan
Mancelona is a village in Antrim County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 1,408 at the 2000 census. The village is located within Mancelona Township.-History:...
in Antrim County
Antrim County, Michigan
-History:Antrim County was formed in 1863. In 1950 its population was 10,721. The county seat was originally located in Elk Rapids, but was moved to Bellaire in 1904 after 25 years of litigation.-Demographics:...
. The highway follows Williams Street through the twin towns, meeting the southern terminus of M-88
M-88 (Michigan highway)
M-88 is a state trunkline highway in the U.S. state of Michigan. It runs between US Highway 31 and US 131/M-66 in the Lower Peninsula. Running from Mancelona to Eastport, M-88 also goes through the communities of Bellaire and Central Lake...
and western terminus of C-38 at the intersection with State Street in Mancelona. M-66 separates from US 131 and follows Mancelona – East Jordan Road out of town.
The section of M-66 north of the US 131 split had the highway's lowest AADT levels in the 2009 survey. MDOT reported that only 1,500 vehicles use this stretch of road in 2009. Of these vehicles, only were 140 trucks that used the segment of highway in 2009. The highway meanders through more forest lands through the community of Green River to East Jordan
East Jordan, Michigan
East Jordan is a city in Charlevoix County, in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 2,507 at the 2000 census.The city is at the end of the south arm of Lake Charlevoix, at the mouth of the Jordan River. M-66 connects with US 31 at Charlevoix about 12 miles to the northwest and with US...
. M-66 follows Lake Street and turns to follow the western shore of the South Arm of Lake Charlevoix
Lake Charlevoix
Lake Charlevoix is a lake in Charlevoix County in the U.S. state of Michigan. It is the third largest lake in the state with a surface area of over 17,200 acres and 56 miles of shoreline...
. The roadway turns inland through Ironton before returning to the lakeshore the rest of the way to Charlevoix. M-66 ends at an intersection 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...
south of downtown next to Lake Michigan.
Services
MDOT provides a number of different services to motorists traveling along the state trunkline highway system. Along M-66, there are six different carpoolCarpool
Carpooling , is the sharing of car journeys so that more than one person travels in a car....
lots located near Nashville, Woodland, Belding
Belding, Michigan
Belding is a city in Ionia County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 5,877 at the 2000 census. Belding is a small rural city surrounded almost entirely by farmland...
, Sheridan, Sears and Marion. There are additional services provided to travelers in the form of roadside parks and rest areas. There are two roadside parks along the highway, one is between Woodland and Woodbury, and the second is in Sheridan. The roadway also provides access to the Ionia State Recreation Area
Ionia State Recreation Area
Ionia State Recreation Area is a recreation area, located in Ionia County, Michigan.-Facilities:* Beach House* Boat Launch* Campground - 100 Modern Sites, 49 Rustic Sites, 2 Cabins* Dog Trial Area* Picnic Area* Picnic Shelter - Reservation optional...
and a state harbor on Lake Charlevoix.
History
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...
) at Lowell
Lowell, Michigan
Lowell is a city in Kent County of the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2000 census, the city population was 4,013. The city is in the northern portion of Lowell Township, but is politically independent...
and 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...
near 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 :...
. The designation was extended in 1925 along M-46 to Six Lakes and then north to M-13
M-13 (Michigan highway)
M-13 is a north–south state trunkline highway that runs through the Saginaw Bay region of the US state of Michigan. It runs from Interstate 69 south of Lennon to US Highway 23 near Standish. The southern section of the trunkline runs long a pair of county lines in a rural area dominated by farm...
(now US 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...
) in Lodi
Orange Township, Kalkaska County, Michigan
Orange Township is a civil township of Kalkaska County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 1,176 at the 2000 census.-Communities:...
. A further extension north from Lodi in 1929 or 1930 along M-131 to Mancelona
Mancelona, Michigan
Mancelona is a village in Antrim County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 1,408 at the 2000 census. The village is located within Mancelona Township.-History:...
, a short segment of M-88
M-88 (Michigan highway)
M-88 is a state trunkline highway in the U.S. state of Michigan. It runs between US Highway 31 and US 131/M-66 in the Lower Peninsula. Running from Mancelona to Eastport, M-88 also goes through the communities of Bellaire and Central Lake...
and north to 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...
in Charlevoix
Charlevoix, Michigan
Charlevoix is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2000 census, the city population was 2,994. It is the county seat of Charlevoix County....
. The southern end was extended to US 16 south of Lowell by 1931. A section of the northern extension was marked on maps through 1933 as "under construction". That section was cancelled in favor of another routing near Mancelona. A short bypass of Six Lakes added about a mile to the length of the roadway in 1936. The M-131 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...
was switched to a US 131 concurrency when the latter was extended in 1939. This concurrency was shortened just before World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
when the Michigan State Highway Department (MSHD) rerouted US 131 along a new road between South Boardman and Kalkaska
Kalkaska, Michigan
Kalkaska is a village in the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2000 census, the village population was 2,226. It is the county seat of Kalkaska County.-Geography:...
.
The MSHD completed a major rerouting of M-66 around 1944–45. The M-14
M-14 (Michigan highway)
M-14 is a east–west state trunkline highway in the southeastern portion of the US state of Michigan. Entirely freeway, it connects Ann Arbor with Detroit by way of connecting with I-96.-Route description:...
designation of the time was decommissioned
Decommissioned highway
A decommissioned highway is a highway that has been removed from service, shut down or has had its authorization as a federal or state highway removed. Decommissioning can include the complete or partial demolition or abandonment of an old highway structure because the old roadway has lost its...
and replaced with M-66. Starting at Six Lakes, M-66 turned west along M-46 instead of east and then turned south through Stanton
Stanton, Michigan
Stanton is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2000 census, the city population was 1,504. It is the county seat of Montcalm County...
and Ionia
Ionia, Michigan
Ionia is the largest city in, and the county seat of, Ionia County, Michigan, United States. The population was 11,394 at the 2010 census. Every late July it hosts what may be the world's largest free-admission fair...
ending north 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 highway between Lowell and Lakeview was redesignated as M-91
M-91 (Michigan highway)
M-91 is a largely north–south state trunkline highway in the Lower Peninsula of the US state of Michigan. It runs from Belding to south of Lakeview. Its length exists entirely within Ionia and Montcalm counties. It is all undivided surface route...
. A minor realignment in late 1950 removed two 90° curves near the Osceola–Missaukee county line and replaced them with a pair of sweeping curves.
The MSHD rerouted M-66 between Maple Grove and Nashville in mid-1953. In the changes, M-79 was extended along the new route of M-66 and then over M-214 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...
. M-66 was shifted off Assyria Road which was turned back to local control. Another realignment in 1954 shifted M-66 to the modern routing between the M-43 concurrency termini, removing M-43/M-66 from a section of M-50 in the process. The final section gravel section of M-66, approximately 11 miles (17.7 km) in length, was paved near Nashville
Nashville, Michigan
Nashville is a village in Barry County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 1,684 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....
in 1957. M-32
M-32 (Michigan highway)
M-32 is a state trunkline highway in the Lower Peninsula of the U.S. state of Michigan. It is an east–west route running from M-66 in East Jordan to US Highway 23 in Alpena. It runs via Gaylord and Atlanta through forested terrain...
was extended along the northernmost section of M-66 in 1963.
M-66 was extended southerly from Assyria through Battle Creek to the Indiana state line replacing sections of M-78
M-78 (Michigan highway)
M-78 is a state trunkline highway in the US state of Michigan. The western terminus is the intersection with M-66 north of Battle Creek in Pennfield Township. The roadway runs through rural farmland and the community of Bellevue as it approaches its eastern terminus at an interchange with...
in 1965. M-66 turned south and west along 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...
and new highway to Colon
Colon, Michigan
Colon is a village in St. Joseph County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 1,227 at the 2000 census. The village is located within Colon Township...
. The segment of former M-78 not used by M-66 was transferred to local control. The final section of M-78's roadway given to M-66 extended it all the way to the state line, resulting in a north–south trans-peninsular highway from 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...
near Charlevoix to Indiana. M-66 is the only such highway to run the length of the Lower Peninsula. The next year, M-66 was rerouted through Battle Creek to use the completed I-194
Interstate 194 (Michigan)
Interstate 194 is a three-mile long, north–south freeway between downtown Battle Creek and I-94 in the southern portion of the city. The Michigan Department of Transportation lists its length as long, while the Federal Highway Administration lists it at...
freeway.
A 90° turn in Missaukee County was removed north of Lake City in 1972. In late 1973 or early 1974, M-66 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...
were shifted around the south side of Kalkaska
Kalkaska, Michigan
Kalkaska is a village in the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2000 census, the village population was 2,226. It is the county seat of Kalkaska County.-Geography:...
. Later in 1974, the M-32 concurrency was removed when M-32 was scaled back to its former terminus. A project in 1981 furthered the 1972 realignment in Missaukee County. About 4 miles (6.4 km) were shortened from the routing when the new alignment was built between Smithville and Phelps Road.