History Interstate 69 in Michigan

1 history

1.1 predecessor highways
1.2 interstate highway era
1.3 since completion

history
predecessor highways

map of central southern michigan in 1919 showing route of m-29

     concrete      gravel      water-bound macadam

the first major overland transportation corridors in future state of michigan indian trails. none of these followed path of modern i-69 however. state trunkline highway system created on may 13, 1913, act of michigan legislature; @ time, none of system s divisions corresponded modern i-69 either. in 1919, michigan state highway department (mshd) required signpost highway system first time, , state become second after wisconsin so. @ time, 2 different highways followed sections of modern i-69 corridor. original m-29 ran indiana state line north charlotte , turned northeasterly lansing. second highway m-21 flint east goodells, community west of port huron; highway extended port huron 1924.

on november 11, 1926, united states numbered highway system approved american association of state highway officials (aasho), , new us 27 replaced m-29 state line northward lansing. end of next year, m-78 extended charlotte north , east of lansing junction m-47 near pittsburg, north of modern i-69. section of m-78 north of lansing changed in 1929; segment dewitt pittsburg redesignated m-104, , m-78 rerouted along more southerly path through east lansing haslett. 1936, m-78 extended haslett way flint end @ m-21. first span of blue water bridge opened between port huron , point edward, ontario, in 1938.

interstate highway era

1958 planning map michigan s interstate highways

the first planning maps 1947 later became interstate highway system did not include highway along i-69 s route; instead highway further west connecting south bend, indiana, kalamazoo included. alternative highway maintained on 1955 plan national system of interstate , defense highways , , numbered i-67 in august 1957. june 1958, freeway had been shifted further east , renumbered i-69, connecting indianapolis, indiana, marshall; no connections north , east lansing, flint or port huron planned part of interstate highway system. around same time, section of m-146 near port huron converted approach freeway blue water bridge.

by middle of 1960, first section of freeway along m-78 opened in lennon area. next year, freeway had been extended far southwest durand end @ lennon. in 1961, mshd had proposed section of us 27 south of lansing built electronic highway under bid through general motors; testing such roadway done @ ohio state university instead.

1957 map showing predecessor highways i-69 along route in michigan (click enlarge)

by start of 1962, m-78 freeway perry @ junction m-47 way swartz creek near flint. on december 12, 1962, i-96 completed around lansing area, , m-78 rerouted follow it. year later, i-496 partially opened through lansing area, , m-78 routed follow well; former route through downtown redesignated business m-78 (bus. m-78). around same time, i-94 extended along blue water bridge approach freeway.

the first freeway segment of m-21 on east end built wadhams port huron in 1966. next year, m-78 s freeway extended eastward i-75/us 10/us 23 in flint. on october 11, 1967, first segment of i-69/us 27 scheduled open between indiana state line , tekonsha. end of year, freeway extended north i-94 northwest of marshall. mshd requested additional interstate highway mileage in 1968 under federal-aid highway act of 1968 including extension of i-69 marshall port huron; extension approved far i-75/us 23 in flint on december 13, 1968.

a discontinuous section of m-78 freeway east of flint completed in 1969. same year, i-475 named david dunbar buick freeway, after founder of buick motor company in flint; same legislation, house concurrent resolution 22 of 1969 named m-78 freeway through flint louis chevrolet. in 1970, i-496 freeway completed , bus. m-78 designation removed through lansing. freeway segment between flint , lapeer opened in 1971. m-21 routed down m-13 new freeway joined m-78 designation m-13 east. section of m-21 formerly between m-13 , bus. m-54 redesignated m-56. m-78 designation replaced i-69 in 1973 after temporary i-69 (temp. i-69) designation extended northward charlotte through lansing perry. on september 4 of year, i-69 s designation officially extended congress end @ i-475 on east side of flint; extension, , subsequent ones, of non-chargeable mileage, or segments not financed through interstate highway fund.

in 1980, flint-area politician wanted dedicate highway after united auto workers (uaw). result, david dunbar buick freeway name moved off i-475 , applied i-69 in flint. american association of state highway , transportation officials (aashto) approved extension of i-69 designation eastward in 1983 terminate @ international boundary @ port huron; approval contingent on construction of roadway interstate highway standards , other appropriate approvals @ federal government level. remaining segment of freeway connecting lapeer wadhams opened in 1984 i-69 , several additional changes made highway system @ same time. m-21 shortened flint , replaced m-56 through city. former route of m-21 in port huron became bl i-69, , remainder of highway turned local control. i-69 designation officially extended once more under congressional legislation on february 10, 1987; last extension designated i-69 way i-94 in port huron reflect 1984 openings.

another segment of freeway opened in 1987 in clinton county between us 127 near dewitt , temp. i-69 near bath. section connected existing freeway @ perry in 1991. final segment of i-69 completed located southwest of lansing. opened on october 17, 1992, when ribbon cut governor john engler. segment marked last in state complete michigan s portion of interstate highway system. @ time completed, i-69 concurrent us 27 state line north dewitt area (exit 87) , concurrent us 127 exit 89 before running alone port huron.

since completion

a second span of blue water bridge between port huron , point edward opened in july 1997. st. johns bypass on us 27 opened on august 31, 1998; us 27 extended along i-69 2 miles (3.2 km) connect bypass, , us 127 simultaneously removed i-69. next year, mdot petitioned aashto decommission us 27 designation in state; change approved on april 16, 1999. state waited until 2002 make change.

new signage being erected in 2011 reflect reconfigured interchange near blue water bridge in port huron

on july 23, 2001, michigan legislature declared i-69 exit 105 in shiawassee county east exit 135 in genesee county named pearl harbor memorial highway. in october 2001, legislature consolidated various legislation created memorial highway designations in state. public act 142 of 2001 extended merged chevrolet–buick freeway name of i-69 in genesee county, , restored david dunbar buick freeway name i-475. i-69 recreational heritage route (now pure michigan byway) created on october 8, 2004, follow freeway in branch , calhoun counties. branch county segment dedicated purple heart trail on july 17, 2006.

in 2011, construction began widen i-94/i-69 approaching blue water bridge, project completed in 2012. widening project added dedicated lanes local traffic , blue water bridge traffic new permanent welcome center expected open in 2015, replacing temporary 1 near capac. lane configuration changes have confused drivers in area, outdated gps devices, problem first noted department preparing reopen freeway in october 2012. result, mdot installed updated signs complete american , canadian flags prevent drivers heading canada mistake.

in late 2013, construction began reconstruct , reconfigure i-94/i-69 interchange near port huron. project improve 3.7 miles (6.0 km) of freeway, replace several bridges , ramps , cost $76 million. in june 2014, mdot closed ramps i-69 eastbound bl i-69 through interchange until later in year. project completed in september 2015.

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