Business routes of Interstate 75

There have been nine business routes for Interstate 75 in the state of Michigan.

Contents

Pontiac, Michigan

BL I-75
Location: Pontiac, Michigan
Existed: December 31, 1963[1]–present

Business Loop I-75 is a highway route serving Pontiac, Michigan and Auburn Hills, Michigan. It utilizes portions of former BUS M-24 through town.

BL I-75 begins at an interchange on I-75, connecting to the routing of Square Lake Rd. BL I-75 continues to M-1 at Woodward Ave. Square Lake Rd. continues to the west as Business US 24, BL I-75 joins with BUS US 24, heading northwest along Woodward Ave. At the southside of downtown Pontiac, the two directions of Woodward Ave., split, and eventually return to form a loop, with the northbound lanes of Woodward becoming the southbound lanes. This is known locally as "The Loop", and was formerly named Wide Track. The Loop is crossed by M-59. The loop intersects Perry St., the continuation of BL I-75, with the BUS US 24 designation continuing to Caeser Chavez Ave. On Perry St. BL I-75 passes through residential areas and minor business area. BL I-75 meets up with Opdyke Rd. a couple hundred feet west of I-75. BL I-75 Continues to the ramps of a double trumpet interchange, where the designation ends. The roadway however, continues as M-24 providing access to the Palace of Auburn Hills.

Saginaw, Michigan

BL I-75
Location: Saginaw, Michigan
Existed: 1960–October 22, 1971[2]

Business Loop I-75 in Saginaw was first established in the late '50s as BUS US 23. The route was formed as US 23 was converted to freeway, bypassing cities in Michigan. It was first signed as BUS US 23 in 1953. As further sections of the US 23 freeway were built to interstate standards, I-75 was extended northward. When I-75 was extended to the Saginaw area, the BUS US 23 designation was retired, replaced by a new BL I-75 designation in 1960.

History

The original route was the old US 23 inside of Saginaw which itself was the first version of M-10 inside of the city. The route was finally given back to local control in the fall of 1971 and since has no longer existed as a state trunkline.

Bay City, Michigan

BS I-75
Location: Bay City, Michigan
Existed: December 4, 1961[3]–present

Interstate 75 Business Spur, or BS I-75 is a spur route running through Bay City, Michigan, USA. It follows a portion of the current routing of M-25 through town. It was formerly a full loop, following what is now M-84 back to end at I-75/US 23, exit 160 south of downtown. No signs along I-75/US 23 reference the existence of BS I-75, only M-25.

History

A new freeway section of I-75/US 10/US 23 opened on January 3, 1961 between Saginaw and Kawkawlin. US 23 was moved out of Bay City to the new freeway. M-13 is routed along the former US 23 in Bay City. M-47 is rerouted to end in Midland, Michigan, replaced by a new BL I-75 north from the freeway into town and M-84 south of the freeway to Saginaw. BL I-75 continued with M-13 to replace the former BUS US 23 into downtown. Along the way, BL I-75 joined M-25 connecting back to I-75/US 10/US 23.

The BL I-75 designation would last until 1971. The southern half of BL I-75 is removed, converting the "business loop" into a "business spur". the new BS I-75 would then run along the section concurrent with M-25 only. The southern portion of the loop is given to M-84 as an extension of that route.
The only change since the 1971 truncation would lie at the western terminus. The interchange at exit 162 marked the location where US 10 would merge into I-75/US 23 and turn south to Detroit. M-25 also terminated at this interchange with BS I-75 coming in from the east. In 1986, US 10 would be shortened to end at this interchange, eliminating the I-75/US 10/US 23 concurrency.

West Branch, Michigan

BL I-75
Location: West Branch, Michigan
Existed: 1971[4]–present

Interstate 75 Business Loop, or BL I-75 is a loop route running through West Branch, Michigan, USA. It was first commissioned as BUS M-76 before the complete decommissioning of M-76 in Michigan in favor of I-75.

BL I-75 uses a portion of the former M-76 and the current M-55. The southernmost portion from the Cook Road interchange at I-75 to OLD M-76/Alger Road was built as a new roadway in 1971. This section was built when the I-75/M-76 freeway was completed as far north as Cook Road. This new roadway allowed M-76 to connect to its former alignment south of West Branch in 1970.
The next year, the I-75/M-76 freeway was completed to the current interchange with M-55 west of town. The former routing of M-76 along Cook Road, Alger Road and M-55 is redesignated as BUS M-76.
When the last section of I-75 was completed in 1973, connecting the end of the freeway at M-55 with the other end at M-18 near Roscommon, M-76 is completely decommissioned. BUS M-76 became BL I-75 with these changes.

Roscommon, Michigan

BL I-75
Location: Roscommon, Michigan
Existed: 1973[5]–present

Interstate 75 Business Loop, or BL I-75 is a loop route running through Roscommon, Michigan, USA. It was first commissioned 1973 with the last of the major highway designation changes in the area.

BL I-75 follows M-18 from I-75 north into the village of Roscommon. Previous to the commissioning of BL I-75, M-18 would have turned west with M-76. In 1973, M-18 was rerouted to replace M-144 running northeast out of Roscommon, leaving BL I-75 on the former M-18/M-76 alignment back to I-75, Exit 244.

Grayling, Michigan

BL I-75
Location: Grayling, Michigan
Existed: December 4, 1961[6]–present

Interstate 75 Business Loop, or BL I-75 is a loop route running through Grayling, Michigan, USA. It follows a former routing of US 27 through town.

BL I-75 is concurrently designated with M-72 between S. Down River Rd. and Kalkaska Rd. At Kalkaska Rd., M-72 turns west with M-93 out of downtown. BL I-75 then runs north with M-93 concurrently to the northern terminus of BL I-75 at exit 259 on I-75. Direct access between I-75 and M-72 is limited. Ramps only connect I-75 northbound to BL I-75 northbound and BL I-75 southbound to I-75 southbound. Traffic connecting between I-75 and M-72 must use BL I-75, no interchange is provided at the M-72 overpass.

With the opening of I-75 in the Grayling area on December 4, 1961, the former routing of US 27 from the "US 27 Split" south of Grayling north to the Crawford/Otsego county line is decommissioned. US 27 from the split north to Grayling is obliterated by the new freeway. Sections left untouched became a new BL I-75 running north to M-72/Huron St. From there BL I-75 was routed along M-72 to M-93 and M-93/Hartwick Pines Rd. back to I-75.

Gaylord, Michigan

BL I-75
Location: Gaylord, Michigan
Existed: April 10, 1986[7]–present

Interstate 75 Business Loop, or BL I-75 is a loop route running through Gaylord, Michigan, USA. It follows a former routing of US 27 through town, but was not commissioned at the time of I-75's completion on July 20, 1962. Instead BL I-75 was commissioned on April 10, 1986 at the request of local civic leaders. The highway follows OLD US 27 north to Otsego Ave. BL I-75 turns west along M-32/Main St. back to I-75.

St. Ignace, Michigan

BL I-75
Location: St. Ignace, Michigan
Existed: 1960[8]–present

Interstate 75 Business Loop, or BL I-75 is a loop route running through St. Ignace, Michigan, USA. It was commissioned in 1960 when I-75/US 2 is opened. It consists of a former portion of US 2. The BL I-75 designation continues from where US 2 officially ends.

Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan

BS I-75
Location: Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan
Existed: November 5, 1962[9]–present

Interstate 75 Business Spur, or BS I-75 is a spur route running through Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan, USA. It was commissioned in 1962. It consists of a former portion of US 2 as well as a former connection between US 2 and I-75/International Bridge. In 1989, the designation was extended along Portage Ave. to the Sugar Island Ferry Dock.

Termini

The western or southern terminus of BS I-75 is at I-75 at the Exit 392 in Sault Ste. Marie on the southern city limits. The eastern/northern terminus is at the Sugar Island Ferry dock in eastern Sault Ste. Marie.


References

  1. ^ Bessert, Christopher J. (October 22, 2006). "Michigan Highways: Business Connections 32 through 94". Michigan Highways. http://www.michiganhighways.org/listings/MichHwysBus32-94.html#I-75BL-P. Retrieved March 24, 2007. 
  2. ^ Bessert, Christopher J. (October 22, 2006). "Michigan Highways: Highways 250 through 696". Michigan Highways. http://michiganhighways.org/listings/MichHwys250-696.html#I-675. Retrieved April 2, 2007. 
  3. ^ Bessert, Christopher J. (January 2, 2007). "Michigan Highways: Business Connections 32 through 94". Michigan Highways. http://www.michiganhighways.org/listings/MichHwysBus32-94.html#I-75BS-BC. Retrieved April 8, 2007. 
  4. ^ Bessert, Christopher J. (January 2, 2007). "Michigan Highways: Business Connections 32 through 94". Michigan Highways. http://www.michiganhighways.org/listings/MichHwysBus32-94.html#I-75BL-WB. Retrieved April 8, 2007. 
  5. ^ Bessert, Christopher J. (January 2, 2007). "Michigan Highways: Business Connections 32 through 94". Michigan Highways. http://www.michiganhighways.org/listings/MichHwysBus32-94.html#I-75BL-R. Retrieved April 8, 2007. 
  6. ^ Bessert, Christopher J. (January 2, 2007). "Michigan Highways: Business Connections 32 through 94". Michigan Highways. http://www.michiganhighways.org/listings/MichHwysBus32-94.html#I-75BL-GR. Retrieved April 8, 2007. 
  7. ^ Bessert, Christopher J. (January 2, 2007). "Michigan Highways: Business Connections 32 through 94". Michigan Highways. http://www.michiganhighways.org/listings/MichHwysBus32-94.html#I-75BL-GA. Retrieved April 8, 2007. 
  8. ^ Bessert, Christopher J. (October 22, 2006). "Michigan Highways: Business Connections 32 through 94". Michigan Highways. http://www.michiganhighways.org/listings/MichHwysBus32-94.html#I-75BL-SI. Retrieved December 22, 2006. 
  9. ^ Bessert, Christopher J. (October 22, 2006). "Michigan Highways: Business Connections 32 through 94". Michigan Highways. http://www.michiganhighways.org/listings/MichHwysBus32-94.html#I-75BL-SS. Retrieved December 22, 2006. 

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