M-55 (Michigan highway)

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M-55
Length:	151.16 mi[1] (243.27 km)
Formed:	1920
West end:	US 31 near Manistee
Major junctions:	M-37 near Dublin US 131 / M-115 at Cadillac US 127 near Houghton Lake I-75 / M-18 near Prudenville M-30 / M-33 near West Branch M-65 near Whittemore
East end:	US 23 in Tawas City
Michigan highways < M-54 M-56 >

Contents 1 Route description 2 History 3 Major intersections 4 External links 5 References

[edit] Route description

M-55 is one of only three state highways that extend across the Lower Peninsula in the U.S. state of Michigan from Lake Huron to Lake Michigan, the others being M-46 and M-72; Another thing these 3 routes have in common is that they all run concurrent with US 131. Prior to the existence of Interstate 196 and Interstate 69, M-21 was the 4th highway to extend from the 2 great lakes.

[edit] History

M-55 had its beginning about 1920 when it was designated from Merritt to Cadillac. About 1926, M-55 was extended eastward to Houghton Lake, and another segment of the highway was started from Whittemore westward to West Branch. Later, M-55 was extended eastward from Whittmore to US 23 at Tawas City.

In 1932, the two segments of M-55 were connected when a stretch of the highway was opened between West Branch and Houghton Lake, and a western extension began from Cadillac to US 31 near Manistee.

Since 1932, segments of M-55 were relocated, notably a more direct route from West Branch eastward in 1938, and a segment from east of Cadillac to M-66 south of Lake City in 1970. The last gravel stretch of M-55 was paved in 1959.

In 1973, M-55 was co-signed with a portion of the newly opened stretch of I-75 from West Branch to slightly east of the M-157 junction, and in 2000, M-55 was signed on a portion of the new US 131 freeway around Cadillac and co-signed with M-115 to the southern side of Lake Cadillac.

[edit] Major intersections

County	Location	Mile	#	Destinations	Notes
Manistee	Manistee Township	0.00		US 31 – Traverse City, Ludington	Western terminus of M-55
Wexford	South Branch Township	25.78		M-37 – Traverse City, Baldwin
	Cadillac	43.78		M-115 north – Mesick, Frankfort	Western end of M-115 concurrency
			176 (WB)	US 131 south / M-115 south – Grand Rapids, Clare	East end of M-115 concurrency; southern end of US 131 concurrency
			177	BUS US 131 south – Cadillac
			180 (EB)	US 131 north – Kalkaska	Northern end of US 131 concurrency
Missaukee	Reeder Township			M-66 south – Marion	Western end of M-66 concurrency
	Lake City			M-66 north – Kalkaska	Eastern end of M-66 concurrency
Roscommon	Roscommon Township			US 127 – Lansing, Grayling	Exit 194 on US 127
	Denton Township			M-18 south – Gladwin	Western end of M-18 concurrency
				M-18 north – Roscommon	Eastern end of M-18 concurrency
	Backus Township			M-157 north	Southern terminus of M-157
			227 (WB)	I-75 north – Mackinac Bridge	Western end of I-75 concurrency
	Richfield Township		222	Old 76 – St. Helen	Former M-76
Ogemaw	Ogemaw Township		215 (EB)	I-75 south / BL I-75 south / County Road 23 – Saginaw, Detroit	Eastern end of I-75 concurrency; West end of BL  I-75 concurrency; Northern terminus of BL I-75
	West Branch			M-30 (Court Street) – Midland	Northern terminus of M-30
				BL I-75 south (Cook Road)	Eastern end of BL I-75 concurrency
	Churchill Township			M-33 – Saginaw, Mio
Iosco	Reno Township			M-65 – Whittemore
	Tawas City			US 23 – Standish, Alpena	Eastern terminus of M-55

[edit] External links

• M-55 Endpoint Photos

[edit] References