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Telegraph Road (Michigan)
Encyclopedia
In the U.S. state of Michigan
, US Highway 24 (US 24), also known as Telegraph Road, is a major north–south state trunkline highway
; it is mostly divided highway
. The total length is approximately 80 miles (129 km) and is signed as US 24 in its entirety (except for a brief portion between Dixie Highway
[US24 splitoff] and Walton Avenue). Telegraph is actually named as such for a couple of miles in Toledo, merging into Detroit Avenue at Laskey Road.
. The highway runs parallel to the Lake Erie
shoreline, farther inland than both Interstate 75
(I-75) or M-125
. in Brownstown Township
, Telegraph Road and US 24 turns due north through the western suburbs and western edge of Detroit. When it crosses M-102
/8 Mile Road, it leaves Wayne County
for Oakland County
. The trunkline crosses through the Mixing Bowl, a large interchange between US 24, I-696
and M-10
, before turning to the northwest outside of Pontiac
. On the northwest side of Pontiac, Telegraph Road ends and US 24 turns northwest along Dixie Highway
. The trunkline continues north to its northern terminus at Exit 93 on I-75 near Clarkston
.
Prior to improvements beginning in the 1930s, US 24 in Michigan was largely a two-lane highway. As traffic volumes grew during the twentieth century, much of the route was improved to divided highway standards. As with many other Detroit-area highways, US 24 received many early highway safety improvements during the 1950s and 60s, most notably the Michigan left
.
In the early days of the telegraph, the main telegraph lines ran along this road, hence the name. The section of US 24 on Dixie Highway was also once a part of the Saginaw Trail
.
In 1970, US 10
ran concurrently with US 24 from the terminus of the Lodge Freeway in Southfield
to Telegraph's northern terminus with Dixie Highway
in Pontiac
. In 1986, Telegraph Road lost its US 10 co-designation when US 10 was truncated at Bay City
.
In 2008, a 30 miles (48 km) stretch of US 24 from its northern end at I-75 to I-96 was named the Max M. Fisher Memorial Highway.
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"....
, US Highway 24 (US 24), also known as Telegraph Road, is a major north–south state trunkline highway
Michigan Highway System
The Michigan State Trunkline Highway System is made up of all the highways designated as Interstates, U.S. Highways and State Highways in the US state of Michigan. The system is maintained by the Michigan Department of Transportation and comprises of trunklines in all 83 counties of Michigan on...
; it is mostly divided highway
Divided 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:...
. The total length is approximately 80 miles (129 km) and is signed as US 24 in its entirety (except for a brief portion between 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...
[US24 splitoff] and Walton Avenue). Telegraph is actually named as such for a couple of miles in Toledo, merging into Detroit Avenue at Laskey Road.
Route description
US 24 starts at the Ohio state line and follows Telegraph Road northeasterly through Monroe CountyMonroe County, Michigan
Monroe County is a county in the U.S. state of Michigan. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the 2010 population is 152,021. The largest city and county seat is Monroe. The U.S. Census Bureau defines all of Monroe County as conterminous with the Monroe Metropolitan Area...
. The highway runs parallel to the Lake Erie
Lake Erie
Lake Erie is the fourth largest lake of the five Great Lakes in North America, and the tenth largest globally. It is the southernmost, shallowest, and smallest by volume of the Great Lakes and therefore also has the shortest average water residence time. It is bounded on the north by the...
shoreline, farther inland than both Interstate 75
Interstate 75 in Michigan
Interstate 75 is a part of the Interstate Highway System and runs from Miami, Florida to Sault Ste. Marie in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. I-75 enters the state from Ohio in the south, just to the north of Toledo. It runs generally north through Detroit, Pontiac and Bay City, crossing the...
(I-75) or M-125
M-125 (Michigan highway)
M-125 Connector is a connector route running through Erie. It connects I-75 with M-125. It is a four lane divided highway for its entire length, named "Summit Street" in Erie. It is known internally to the Michigan Department of Transportation as "Connector 2"...
. in Brownstown Township
Brownstown Township, Michigan
Brownstown Charter Township is a charter township of Wayne County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 30,627 at the 2010 census. It is part of the collection of communities known as Downriver. Brownstown's three separate segments are due to the incorporation of the cities of Flat...
, Telegraph Road and US 24 turns due north through the western suburbs and western edge of Detroit. When it crosses M-102
M-102 (Michigan highway)
M-102 is a state trunkline in the US state of Michigan, running along the northern boundary of Detroit. It is known as 8 Mile Road for most of its length. As part of the land surveying of the state, the road follows the Michigan Baseline, and it is called Base Line Road in places. M-102 is the...
/8 Mile Road, it leaves Wayne County
Wayne County, Michigan
-History:Wayne County was one of the first counties formed when the Northwest Territory was organized. It was named for the American general "Mad Anthony" Wayne. It originally encompassed the entire area of the Lower Peninsula of Michigan, as well as small sections that are now part of northern...
for Oakland County
Oakland County, Michigan
-Demographics:As of the 2010 Census, there were 1,202,362 people, 471,115 households, and 315,175 families residing in the county. The population density as of the 2000 census was 1,369 people per square mile . There were 492,006 housing units at an average density of 564 per square mile...
. The trunkline crosses through the Mixing Bowl, a large interchange between US 24, I-696
Interstate 696
Interstate 696 is an intrastate Interstate Highway entirely within the US state of Michigan. I-696 is also known as the Walter P. Reuther Freeway, named for a prominent figure in early automobile factory labor union activity. I-696 is a spur route, partially circling the city of Detroit, but...
and M-10
M-10 (Michigan highway)
M-10, is a state trunkline route in the US state of Michigan. The southernmost portion follows Jefferson Avenue in downtown Detroit, and the southern terminus is at the intersection of Jefferson and Randolph Street leading to the entrance to the Detroit–Windsor Tunnel...
, before turning to the northwest outside of Pontiac
Pontiac, Michigan
Pontiac is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan named after the Ottawa Chief Pontiac, located within the Detroit metropolitan area. As of the 2010 census, the city had a total population of 59,515. It is the county seat of Oakland County...
. On the northwest side of Pontiac, Telegraph Road ends and US 24 turns northwest along 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...
. The trunkline continues north to its northern terminus at Exit 93 on I-75 near Clarkston
Clarkston, Michigan
Clarkston, known officially by the name City of the Village of Clarkston, is a small city located within Independence Charter Township in Oakland County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 882 at the 2010 census.-Overview:...
.
History
Michigan left
A Michigan left is an at-grade intersection design which replaces each left turn with a permutation of a U-turn and a right turn. The design was given the name due to its frequent use along Michigan roads and highways since the late 1960s. In other contexts, the intersection is called a median...
.
In the early days of the telegraph, the main telegraph lines ran along this road, hence the name. The section of US 24 on Dixie Highway was also once a part of the 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...
.
In 1970, 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...
ran concurrently with US 24 from the terminus of the Lodge Freeway in Southfield
Southfield, Michigan
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of , of which 0.04% is water. The main branch of the River Rouge runs through Southfield. The city is bounded to the south by Eight Mile Road, its western border is Inkster Road, and to the east it is bounded by Greenfield Road...
to Telegraph's northern terminus with 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...
in Pontiac
Pontiac, Michigan
Pontiac is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan named after the Ottawa Chief Pontiac, located within the Detroit metropolitan area. As of the 2010 census, the city had a total population of 59,515. It is the county seat of Oakland County...
. In 1986, Telegraph Road lost its US 10 co-designation when US 10 was truncated at Bay City
Bay City, Michigan
Bay City is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan located near the base of the Saginaw Bay on Lake Huron. As of the 2010 census, the city's population was 34,932, and is the principal city of the Bay City Metropolitan Statistical Area, which is included in the Saginaw-Bay City-Saginaw Township North...
.
In 2008, a 30 miles (48 km) stretch of US 24 from its northern end at I-75 to I-96 was named the Max M. Fisher Memorial Highway.
Major intersections
Bannered routes
There are several bannered routes of US 24 in Michigan.See also
- Telegraph RoadTelegraph Road (song)"Telegraph Road" is a song by British rock band Dire Straits and written by Mark Knopfler. It appeared on their 1982 album Love over Gold. Clocking in at 14:18 minutes long, it is rarely played by radio stations, yet has remained highly regarded over the years.It was first played live at the...
, the Dire StraitsDire StraitsDire Straits were a British rock band active from 1977 to 1995, composed of Mark Knopfler , his younger brother David Knopfler , John Illsley , and Pick Withers .Dire Straits' sound drew from a variety of musical influences, including jazz, folk, blues, and came closest...
song inspired by a bus trip singer Mark KnopflerMark KnopflerMark Freuder Knopfler, OBE is a Scottish-born British guitarist, singer, songwriter, record producer and film score composer. He is best known as the lead guitarist, vocalist, and songwriter for the British rock band Dire Straits, which he co-founded in 1977...
took down Telegraph Road.