M-185 (Michigan highway)
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| M-185 |
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| Maintained by MDOT | |||||||||
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| Length: | 8.004 mi[1] (12.881 km) | ||||||||
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| Formed: | 1933-07-12 | ||||||||
| CCW end: | corner of Main St. & Fort St. | ||||||||
| CW end: | corner of Main St. & Fort St. | ||||||||
| Counties: | Mackinac | ||||||||
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M-185 is a state trunkline in the U.S. state of Michigan that circles Mackinac Island, a popular tourist destination, along the island's shoreline. A narrow paved road of 8 miles (13 km) in length, it offers highly scenic views of the Straits of Mackinac that divide the Upper Peninsula and the Lower Peninsula of Michigan. It also has no connection to any other Michigan state trunkline highways—as it is on an island—and is accessible from elsewhere only by passenger ferry. According to the Michigan Department of Transportation, M-185 is "the only state highway in the country that does not allow cars."[2][3] It is called a "motorless highway" as well.[1][4][5]
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[edit] Route description
The City of Mackinac Island, which shares jurisdiction over Mackinac Island, calls M-185 "Main Street" within the built-up area on the island's southeast quadrant, and "Lake Shore Road" everywhere else. M-185 passes by several key sites within Mackinac Island State Park, including Fort Mackinac, Arch Rock, British Landing, and Devil's Kitchen. It is one of only three state trunkline routes in Michigan on islands. The others are M-134 on Drummond Island and M-154 on Harsens Island.
As a circular highway, it has no specific termini. The highway's surveyor's mark of beginning, a "Mile 0" wooden marker, is placed in front of the island Visitor Center, originally a U.S. Coast Guard station, operated by the Mackinac Island State Park Commission. It uses wooden markers, not steel markers, to measure miles; these markers are erected by the Mackinac Island State Park Commission, as MDOT does not erect the standard M-route signs itself.[1]
[edit] History
The first city ordinances banning all motorized vehicles from the island were passed in 1896, with similar state park rules coming by the 1920s.[6] As such, other than a handful of emergency and utility vehicles as well as others by special, limited-time permit, no cars or trucks are allowed on the island and no motorized vehicles appear on M-185. Traffic on this highway is by foot, on horse or by horse-drawn vehicle, or bicycle.[5]The M-185 designation was first assigned to Lakeshore Drive around Mackinac Island on 1933-07-12. [1]
[edit] Major intersections
Since M-185 is located on an island, no other state highways intersect with it. Milemarkers are posted in a counterclockwise fashion.[7]
| County | Location | Mile[8] | Roads | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mackinac | Mackinac Island | 0.00 | Fort Street | Terminus used for milemarkers |
| 4.500 | British Landing Road | leads to interior of the island | ||
| 7.217 | Market Street |
| Legend | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crossing, no access | Concurrency terminus | Deleted | Unconstructed | Closed | |
[edit] References
- ^ a b c d Bessert, Christopher J. (2006-01-02). Michigan Highways: Highways 180 through 199. Michigan Highways. Retrieved on 2006-08-27.
- ^ Reading the State Map (PDF). Michigan Department of Transportation. Retrieved on 2008-03-16.
- ^ Road & Highway Facts". Michigan Department of Transportation. Retrieved on 2008-03-17.
- ^ Garnell, Dan (2002-11-05). Michigan Route 185. Michigan Highway Ends. Retrieved on 2008-01-06.
- ^ a b Hutchins, Brian (2005). Michigan's West Coast: Explore the Shore Guide. Roscommon, MI: Abri-Press, 177. ISBN 0976075490.
- ^ Greeting from Mackinac Island. Mackinac Island Tourism Bureau. Retrieved on 2008-01-20.
- ^ Mackinac Island Tourism Bureau. Tourism Bureau Map of Mackinac Island [map]. Cartography by Bessert, Christopher J.. (2007) Retrieved on 2008-01-23.
- ^ Control Section/Physical Reference Atlas. Michigan Department of Transportation (2001). Retrieved on 2008-02-01.
