M-203 (Michigan highway)
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| M-203 |
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| Maintained by MDOT | |||||||||
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| Length: | 17.98 mi[1] (28.94 km) | ||||||||
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| Formed: | 1933-07-12 | ||||||||
| South end: |  US 41 in Hancock |
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| North end: |  US 41/M-26 in Calumet |
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| Counties: | Houghton | ||||||||
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M-203 is a north-south state highway route in the Upper Peninsula of the U.S. state of Michigan. It connects McLain State Park with US 41 on each end in Hancock and Calumet.
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[edit] Route description
The purpose for the M-203 designation is to provide access to McLain State Park. The southern end of M-203 is at the west end of a pair of one-way streets carrying US 41 through the City of Hancock at the bottom of Quincy Hill. It then runs along the Portage Lake Canal before turning northward to the front gate of the park. From there it continues northward, looping back to US 41 at Calumet. No portion of it is located on the Lake Superior Circle Tour.
[edit] McLain State Park
McLain State Park is a Michigan state park on the Keweenaw Peninsula, in the Copper Country. It is located on located on M-203 halfway between Hancock and Calumet.
The park is on the shore of Lake Superior, and most of the beach areas are rocky. However, a stretch of land on the edge of the park near the Keweenaw Waterway is sandy and good for swimming. This area is known as the Breakwaters, known to some locals as just the "Breakers".
[edit] History
First designated as a spur route from Hancock north to the state park on 1933-07-12, M-203 cancelled as a state highway on 1939-07-13. This cancellation was reversed on 1940-11-12. At this time, M-203 was extended from McLain State Park north to Calumet. M-203 would be rerouted near the state park on 1963-10-16. The highway routing was rerouted out of the park proper, bypassing it to the east. The highway inside the park is partially obliterated in the process.[1]
[edit] Major intersections
| County | Location | Mile | Roads | Notes |
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| Houghton | Hancock | 0.00 | US 41 |
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| Hancock Township | McLain State Park entrance | |||
| Calumet | 17.98 | US 41/M-26 |
[edit] References
- ^ a b Michigan Highways: Highways 200 through 229 Christopher J. Bessert. URL accessed Aug 31 2006.
