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M-91 (Michigan highway)
Encyclopedia
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 24 miles (38.6 km) length exists entirely within Ionia and Montcalm counties. It is all undivided surface route. Aside from the two Michigan state highways that are its termini, it has only one other interstection with any Michigan state highway, and that is with M-57
in Greenville
.
M-91 was formed when M-66
was rerouted in the 1940s. At the time, the highway continued south to Lowell
, but subsequent transfers or roadway sections have truncated the route to its present form. For a time period in the 1980s, M-91 was even a discontinuous highway when a section in the middle was transferred to county control before the southernmost section was transferred.
west of Belding in Otisco Township
. The road runs north along Storey Road and past the Candlestone Golf Course and farmlands. At Bricker Road, M-91 crosses out of Ionia County
into Montcalm County
. The trunkline runs along Greenville Road and passes the Greenville Municipal Airport. As it continues north, the highway curves to the northeast running between the Flat River
and Baldwin, Como and Manoka lakes. As it enters the south side of Greenville, M-91 runs along on Lafayette Street. In the center of Greenville, M-91 meets M-57 on Washington Street. North of downtown, M-91 crosses a bend in the Flat River and continues to parallel the river on the east out of town. In rural Montcalm County, M-91 is once again named Greenville Road and it curves to the west of Turk Lake and continues due north to the community of Langston. North of Langston are Tacoma, West and Spring lakes. Further north, M-91 curves to the northwest around Farnsworth Lake, resuming its due-north course a mile (1.6 km) to the west . Running through farmlands again, M-91 terminates at an intersection with M-46 in Lakeview, just south of Tamarack Lake.
and Cedar River in the Upper Peninsula. This routing was designated by July 1, 1919. The designation remained until sometime before December 1927 when it was replaced by M-35
.
In 1927, all of the current M-91 was originally part of M-66
. A second usage of M-91 was designated from Rogers City
towards Cheboygan County
along the Lake Huron
shore by 1930. It became part of US 23
by the end of 1940.
running northeast along Alden Nash Avenue into Lowell and Lincoln Lake Road north of town. The highway followed Lincoln Lake Road to M-44 east of Belding and turned to run concurrently
along M-44 to the Belding area. From there it ran north to Greenville and on to Lakeview along the present route. The last section of gravel roadway was paved in Ionia County
in 1954.
The highway designation was extended south to the then-new US 16 freeway (now Interstate 96
) around 1958. It was later truncated back to M-21 in Lowell in 1968. By 1980, the section of M-91 in Ionia County south of M-44 to the Kent County
line was turned back to local control. The highway section in Kent County remained marked as M-91, resulting in a discontinuous highway. The southern section between Lowell and the county line was turned back by 1985, resulting in the modern routing of M-91.
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 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...
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 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...
to south 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 :...
. Its 24 miles (38.6 km) length exists entirely within Ionia and Montcalm counties. It is all undivided surface route. Aside from the two Michigan state highways that are its termini, it has only one other interstection with any Michigan state highway, and that is with 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 Greenville
Greenville, Michigan
Greenville is a city in Montcalm County of the U.S. state of Michigan. Portions of the county are associated with the Western region while others are more closely associated with the Central Michigan region. The population was 8,481 at the 2010 census...
.
M-91 was formed when 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...
was rerouted in the 1940s. At the time, the highway continued south to 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...
, but subsequent transfers or roadway sections have truncated the route to its present form. For a time period in the 1980s, M-91 was even a discontinuous highway when a section in the middle was transferred to county control before the southernmost section was transferred.
Route description
M-91 starts at an intersection with M-44M-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...
west of Belding in Otisco Township
Otisco Township, Michigan
Otisco Township is a civil township of Ionia County in the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2000 census, the township population was 2,243. Township offices are located in the community of Smyrna.-Communities:...
. The road runs north along Storey Road and past the Candlestone Golf Course and farmlands. At Bricker Road, M-91 crosses out of 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...
into Montcalm County
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...
. The trunkline runs along Greenville Road and passes the Greenville Municipal Airport. As it continues north, the highway curves to the northeast running between the Flat River
Flat River (Michigan)
The Flat River is a tributary of the Grand River in the western part of the U.S. state of Michigan. It rises as the outflow of the six lakes system in Belvidere Township, west of Edmore in Montcalm County. It flows mostly south and slightly west through Montcalm County, Ionia County, and Kent...
and Baldwin, Como and Manoka lakes. As it enters the south side of Greenville, M-91 runs along on Lafayette Street. In the center of Greenville, M-91 meets M-57 on Washington Street. North of downtown, M-91 crosses a bend in the Flat River and continues to parallel the river on the east out of town. In rural Montcalm County, M-91 is once again named Greenville Road and it curves to the west of Turk Lake and continues due north to the community of Langston. North of Langston are Tacoma, West and Spring lakes. Further north, M-91 curves to the northwest around Farnsworth Lake, resuming its due-north course a mile (1.6 km) to the west . Running through farmlands again, M-91 terminates at an intersection with M-46 in Lakeview, just south of Tamarack Lake.
Previous designations
The first routing of M-91 in Michigan was located between MenomineeMenominee, Michigan
Menominee is a city in the Upper Peninsula of the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2000 census, the city population was 9,131. It is the county seat of Menominee County. Menominee is the fourth-largest city in the Upper Peninsula, behind Marquette, Sault Ste. Marie, and Escanaba...
and Cedar River in the Upper Peninsula. This routing was designated by July 1, 1919. The designation remained until sometime before December 1927 when it was replaced by M-35
M-35 (Michigan highway)
M-35 is a state trunkline highway in the Upper Peninsula of the US state of Michigan. Running for in a general north–south direction, it connects the cities of Menominee, Escanaba and Negaunee. The southern section of M-35 in Menominee and Delta counties carries two additional designations...
.
In 1927, all of the current M-91 was originally part of 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...
. A second usage of M-91 was designated from Rogers City
Rogers City, Michigan
-Commercial airports:The nearest commercial airports are Alpena County Regional Airport an Cherry Capital Airport -US Highway Business Loops:* BUS US 23-Intercounty Highways:* F-21-Demographics:...
towards Cheboygan County
Cheboygan County, Michigan
-Commercial Airline:There are no commercial airline airports in Cheboygan County but the nearest ones are Alpena County Regional Airport, Chippewa County International Airport , and Cherry Capital Airport...
along the 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...
shore by 1930. It became part of US 23
U.S. Route 23 in Michigan
US Highway 23 is a United States Numbered Highway that runs from Jacksonville, Florida to Mackinaw City, Michigan. In the US state of Michigan, it is a major north–south state trunkline highway that runs through the Lower Peninsula...
by the end of 1940.
Current designation
M-91 was designated for the third time by June 1942. The number was assigned between US 16 (Cascade Road/Grand River Avenue) south of LowellLowell, 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...
running northeast along Alden Nash Avenue into Lowell and Lincoln Lake Road north of town. The highway followed Lincoln Lake Road to M-44 east of Belding and turned to 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...
along M-44 to the Belding area. From there it ran north to Greenville and on to Lakeview along the present route. The last section of gravel roadway was paved in 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...
in 1954.
The highway designation was extended south to the then-new US 16 freeway (now Interstate 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...
) around 1958. It was later truncated back to M-21 in Lowell in 1968. By 1980, the section of M-91 in Ionia County south of M-44 to the 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,...
line was turned back to local control. The highway section in Kent County remained marked as M-91, resulting in a discontinuous highway. The southern section between Lowell and the county line was turned back by 1985, resulting in the modern routing of M-91.