M-121 (Michigan highway)

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M-121

Length:

12.66 mi^[1] (20.37 km)

Formed:

2007 ^[2]

West end:

corner of Chicago Dr. and Main St. in Zeeland

Major
junctions:

none

East end:

I-196 in Grandville

Counties:

Ottawa, Kent

Michigan highways
< M-120		M-122 >

M-121 is a state trunkline route in the U.S. state of Michigan. A portion of former M-21 in Ottawa County was designated in 2007 as M-121^[2], which was formerly designated as state-maintained "Old M-21".^[1] Portions of the four lane divided surface access highway will become four lane undivided as the westbound lanes are shifted south away from unstable soil and parallel train tracks. ^[3]

1 Route description
2 History
- 2.1 Previous routings
- 2.2 Current routing
3 References
4 External links

[edit] Route description

Chicago Drive, largely signed as M-121, is a combination Michigan state trunkline highway and municipal street running from 8th Street in Holland to the intersection of Grandville Ave and Clyde Park Ave at the border of Grand Rapids and Wyoming. It is approximately 24 miles in length. At present the route in Zeeland is named Main Ave and Main Place, comprising the only portion of the route not designated Chicago Drive. From 1922 to 1926 the route was designated M-51, from 1926 to 1974 the route was part of M-21. In 1974, much of the route became an unsigned state trunkline designated Old M-21, although it is locally referred to by its given name, Chicago Drive. From the I-196 interchange west of Byron Center Ave in Wyoming to its ending at Grandville Ave it is signed as BS I-196. Also it is Bl I-196 from the merge just west of 112th Ave in Holland to US 31 less than two miles away. From the intersection of Main St in Jenison to East Main Ave in Zeeland it is largely a four-lane divided highway.

The corridor from I-196 to its end in Grand Rapids is lined with businesses and few houses. The intersection of Chicago Dr and Wilson Ave is downtown Grandville. In Wyoming from north of M-11 (28th St) to Burlingame Ave it is mostly industrial with few commercial properties. Entering the Godfrey area it has commercial properties along with few houses but is primarily a residential area. In Ottawa County the road is bordered with many farms outside of the city areas themselves. In Jenison it has a commercial properties along with a small shopping center in Hudsonville. From Hudsonville to Zeeland it is typically farm use on both sides with few commercial or industry properties. Entering Zeeland and its name change to Main Ave it is lined with commercial properties and traverses downtown Zeeland. It also has residential properties on both sides. Going into Holland and in Holland itself it has the typical mix of industry and commercial properties. A portion of this stretch is a four-lane divided highway.

[edit] History

[edit] Previous routings

The M-121 designation was applied prior to Bristol Road in Flint that provided access to Bishop International Airport from both of the I-69 and I-75/US 23 freeways. It was first designated along its last routing in 1935. It was retired and the road returned to local control in 2003.^[4]

M-121 was also used as the designation of a former routing of US 2 in the Upper Peninsula. In 1935, this route was redesignated as a portion of a new M-5 and the M-121 designation was transferred to Bristol Rd. in Flint.

[edit] Current routing

Until 1974, Chicago Dr from Holland to Grandville was part of M-21. That designation was removed when I-196 was completed between those cities. The Chicago Drive alignment is shorter than I-196 between Holland and Grandville, although lower speed limits, traffic signals and uncontrolled access makes it a long trip than via the Interstate.

The portion of Chicago Dr now signed as M-121 is 12.7 miles long, while the portion from Zeeland west to Holland is part of the BL I-196 route. From US-31 southwesterly toward downtown Holland, Chicago Dr is a county road, while the portion through the City of Grandville is a city-maintained street.