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. Pleasant, home of the main campuses of Ferris State University and Central Michigan University, both located near the trunkline.

M-20 marker

M-20

M-20 highlighted in red
Route information
Maintained by MDOT
Length132.435 mi[1] (213.133 km)
ExistedNovember 11, 1926[2]–present
Major junctions
West end US 31 near New Era
Major intersections
East end
 US 10 / Bus. US 10 in Midland
Location
CountryUnited States
StateMichigan
CountiesOceana, Newaygo, Mecosta, Isabella, Midland, Bay
Highway system
← M-19→ M-21
← M-212M-213→ M-214
← B-86B-88→ B-96

The original July 1919 routing took M-20 farther north along a corridor now used by US Highway 10 (US 10). The M-20 designation was shifted south to the current corridor in 1926. The eastern end was truncated from Bay City to Midland in 1960, following the opening of a freeway between the two cities. The western end was rerouted from Muskegon to New Era in 1969.

Route description

M-20 starts near Lake Michigan at the US 31 freeway in New Era where it runs east through the Manistee National Forest, crossing the North Branch of the White River near Ferry and the South Branch near Hesperia on the way to White Cloud.[3] There it turns south along M-37 and then east along a new routing following Baseline and Newcosta roads north of the Hardy Dam to meet the US 131 freeway at exit 131 near Stanwood. M-20 turns north, running concurrently along the US 131 freeway to Big Rapids and joins Business US 131 (Bus. US 131) at exit 139.[3][4] The section along the freeway is listed on the National Highway System (NHS), a system of highways important to the nation's economy, defense and mobility.[5] Together Bus. US 131/M-20 runs along the Perry Street commercial corridor to State Street near the main campus of Ferris State University. The business loop turns north by the campus and at Maple Street, M-20 turns eastward to cross the Muskegon River in downtown Big Rapids, north of the campus. M-20 zig-zags southeast of town bypassing the Canadian Lakes area and turns due east through rural Remus in Mecosta County and the Isabella Indian Reservation in neighboring Isabella County.[3][4]

M-20 in Wheatland Township, Mecosta County, looking east

In Mt. Pleasant, M-20 runs near the campus of Central Michigan University crossing the Chippewa River, and the trunkline joins Bus. US 127 along the Mission Street business area to Pickard Road. The highway turns east on Pickard and passes under the US 127 freeway near the Soaring Eagle Casino. From Mt. Pleasant to Midland, M-20 is designed as a four–lane highway with a continuous center turn lane passing through rural forest land.[3][4] M-20 picks up inclusion on the NHS from this point east.[5]

M-20 about to enter Homer Township just west of Midland

Once M-20 reaches Midland on Jerome Street, it crosses the Tittabawassee River north of the Tridge, a three-legged bridge over the confluence of the Tittabawassee and Chippewa rivers. There it joins Business US 10 (Bus. US 10) on a pair of one-way streets: Indian Street (westbound) and Buttles Street (eastbound). The two streets pass by Dow Diamond, home to the Great Lakes Loons, the city's minor league baseball team. Bus. US 10/M-20 then passes some Dow Chemical Company buildings and curves into a freeway stub connecting with the US 10 freeway on the east side of town. This short section of business loop freeway has two interchanges before terminating at one final interchange. At this junction, both Bus. US 10 and M-20 have a common eastern terminus. Traffic headed eastbound on the business loop defaults onto eastbound US 10, and traffic destined for the business loop is fed from the westbound direction of the freeway only.[3][4]

The Tridge in downtown Midland

History

Previous designation

On July 1, 1919, M-20 was routed from Ludington to Bay City, Michigan by way of Reed City and Clare.[6] This routing was redesignated as US 10 on November 11, 1926.[7] M-20 would be moved to a new routing.[2]

Current designation

The M-20 designation was moved to a new alignment, roughly today's current routing from Midland through Mt. Pleasant, Big Rapids and White Cloud continuing to Muskegon.[2] The western terminus was extended to end at Muskegon State Park in 1932.[8][9] The last paving would be completed along M-20 in 1957 in Newaygo County.[10][11]

M-213 marker

M-213

LocationMuskegon–Muskegon State Park
Existed1961[12]–1970[13][14]

The eastern end of M-20 was converted to freeway between Midland and Bay City in 1958. The former alignment along Midland Road, from Midland, going through Auburn, and ending at Euclid Avenue in Bay City, at the junction of what was then US 23, was returned to local control at the time.[11][15] US 10 was rerouted along this freeway section and the Interstate 75/US 23 freeway in 1960. M-20 was truncated back to Midland with the US 10 rerouting.[16] The west end was rerouted through Muskegon to end at US 16 in 1961.[12] The former routing connecting to Muskegon State Park became a new state route designated M-213. M-213 was ultimately removed from the trunkline system in 1970.[13][14] M-20 was completely rerouted on the west end in 1969 from White Cloud replacing M-82 to US 31 in New Era.[13][17]

B-88 marker

B-88

LocationWhite Cloud–Stanwood
Length15.416 mi[1] (24.810 km)
Existed1984[18][19]–1998[20]

The Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT) swapped jurisdiction of M-20 and B-88 with Mecosta and Newaygo counties. The swap was finalized on October 1, 1998.[20] M-20 was rerouted south from Big Rapids, along US 131 from exit 139 to exit 131 at Stanwood. There M-20 replaced B-88 westward to M-37.[21]

Major intersections

All exits are unnumbered.

CountyLocationmi[1]kmDestinationsNotes
OceanaShelby Township0.0000.000 US 31 / LMCT – Muskegon, Ludington
Stony Lake Road		Exit 140 on US 31; roadway continues west as Stony Lake Road
Oceana–Newaygo
county line		Hesperia18.21929.321
 M-120 south – Muskegon		M-120 runs along the county line; northern terminus of M-120
NewaygoWilcox Township31.67650.978
 M-37 north – Baldwin, Traverse City		Northern end of M-37 concurrency
White Cloud32.94853.025
 M-37 south – Newaygo, Grand Rapids		Southern end of M-37 concurrency
MecostaMecosta Township48.36477.834
 US 131 south – Grand Rapids		Southern end of US 131 concurrency; exit 131 on US 131
Big Rapids Township55.81489.824
 US 131 north – Cadillac


 Bus. US 131 north (Perry Street) – Big Rapids		Northern end of US 131 concurrency; western end of Bus. US 131 concurrency; exit 138 on US 131
Big Rapids58.41994.016

 Bus. US 131 north (Michigan Avenue)		Eastern end of Bus. US 131 concurrency
Remus81.814131.667 M-66 – Lake City, Ionia
IsabellaMt. Pleasant100.767162.169

 Bus. US 127 south (Mission Street)		Southern end of Bus. US 127 concurrency
101.776163.793

 Bus. US 127 north (Mission Street)		Northern end of Bus. US 127 concurrency
Union Township103.244166.155 US 127 – Clare, LansingExit 143 on US 127
MidlandHomer–Lee township line121.781195.988
 M-30 north (Meridian Road) – West Branch
Midland128.088206.138

 Bus. US 10 west		Western terminus of Bus. US 10 concurency
129.830208.941Western end of freeway
130.101209.377Saginaw RoadInterchange; eastbound exit and westbound entrance via roundabout with Patrick Road
131.272211.262Waldo RoadInterchange; westbound exit and eastbound entrance
Bay132.435213.133

 Bus. US 10 west

 US 10 east – Bay City		Eastern terminus of Bus. US 10 and M-20; eastbound exit and westbound entrance
1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi

See also

References
  1. Michigan Department of Transportation (2021). Next Generation PR Finder (Map). Michigan Department of Transportation. Retrieved October 11, 2021.
  2. Michigan State Highway Department (December 1, 1926). Official Highway Condition Map (Map). [c. 1:823,680]. Lansing: Michigan State Highway Department.
  3. Rand McNally (2008). "Michigan" (Map). The Road Atlas. Chicago: Rand McNally. pp. 50–1. § N4–N10. ISBN 0-528-93981-5.
  4. Michigan Department of Transportation (2010). Uniquely Michigan: Official Department of Transportation Map (Map). c. 1:975,000. Lansing: Michigan Department of Transportation. §§ J7–J11. OCLC 42778335, 639960603.
  5. Michigan Department of Transportation (April 23, 2006). National Highway System, Michigan (PDF) (Map). Lansing: Michigan Department of Transportation. Archived from the original (PDF) on October 4, 2012. Retrieved October 7, 2008.
  6. Michigan State Highway Department (July 1, 1919). State of Michigan (Map). Scale not given. Lansing: Michigan State Highway Department. Lower Peninsula sheet. OCLC 15607244. Retrieved October 17, 2019 – via Michigan History Center.
  7. Bureau of Public Roads & American Association of State Highway Officials (November 11, 1926). United States System of Highways Adopted for Uniform Marking by the American Association of State Highway Officials (Map). 1:7,000,000. Washington, DC: United States Geological Survey. OCLC 32889555. Retrieved November 7, 2013 – via Wikimedia Commons.
  8. Michigan State Highway Department & Rand McNally (April 1, 1932). Official Michigan Highway Map (Map). [c. 1:840,000]. Lansing: Michigan State Highway Department. § K7. OCLC 12701053.
  9. Michigan State Highway Department & Rand McNally (October 1, 1932). Official Michigan Highway Map (Map). [c. 1:840,000]. Lansing: Michigan State Highway Department. § K7. OCLC 12701053.
  10. Michigan State Highway Department (April 1, 1957). Official Highway Map (Map). [c. 1:918,720]. Lansing: Michigan State Highway Department. §§ J8–J9. OCLC 12701120. Retrieved October 17, 2019 – via Michigan History Center.
  11. Michigan State Highway Department (October 1, 1957). Official Highway Map (Map). [c. 1:918,720]. Lansing: Michigan State Highway Department. §§ J8–J9, J11–J12. OCLC 12701120, 367386492.
  12. Michigan State Highway Department (1961). Official Highway Map (Map). [c. 1:918,720]. Lansing: Michigan State Highway Department. §§ J7–J8. OCLC 12701120, 51857665. Retrieved October 17, 2019 – via Michigan History Center. (Includes all changes through July 1, 1961)
  13. Michigan Department of State Highways (1970). Michigan, Great Lake State: Official Highway Map (Map). c. 1:918,720. Lansing: Michigan Department of State Highways. §§ J7–J8. OCLC 12701120.
  14. Michigan Department of State Highways (1971). Michigan, Great Lake State: Official Highway Map (Map). c. 1:918,720. Lansing: Michigan Department of State Highways. §§ J7–J8. OCLC 12701120, 77960415.
  15. Michigan State Highway Department (1958). Official Highway Map (Map). [c. 1:918,720]. Lansing: Michigan State Highway Department. §§ J11–J12. OCLC 12701120, 51856742. Retrieved October 17, 2019 – via Michigan History Center. (Includes all changes through July 1, 1958)
  16. Michigan State Highway Department (1960). Official Highway Map (Map). [c. 1:918,720]. Lansing: Michigan State Highway Department. §§ J7–J8, J11–J12. OCLC 12701120, 81552576. Retrieved October 17, 2019 – via Michigan History Center. (Includes all changes through July 1, 1960)
  17. Michigan Department of State Highways & H.M. Gousha (1969). Michigan, Great Lake State: Official Highway Map (Map). c. 1:918,720. Lansing: Michigan Department of State Highways. §§ J7–J8. OCLC 12701120. Retrieved October 17, 2019 – via Michigan History Center.
  18. Michigan Department of Transportation (1983). Say Yes to Michigan!: Official Transportation Map (Map). c. 1:918,720. Lansing: Michigan Department of Transportation. §§ J8–J9. OCLC 12701177. Retrieved October 17, 2019 – via Michigan History Center.
  19. Michigan Department of Transportation (1985). Yes Michigan: Official Transportation Map (Map). c. 1:918,720. Lansing: Michigan Department of Transportation. §§ J8–J9. OCLC 12701177. Retrieved October 17, 2019 – via Michigan History Center.
  20. Truscott, John (September 24, 1998). "MDOT Accepts Responsibility for 120 Miles of Local Roads" (Press release). Michigan Department of Transportation. Archived from the original on February 18, 2005.
  21. Michigan Department of Transportation (1999). Michigan Department of Transportation Map (Map). c. 1:918,720. Lansing: Michigan Department of Transportation. §§ J8–J9. OCLC 42778335, 55974644. Retrieved October 17, 2019 – via Michigan History Center.
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