U.S. Route 45 in Michigan

US Highway 45

US 45 highlighted in red
Route information
Maintained by MDOT
Length: 54.759 mi[3] (88.126 km)
Existed: ca. 1935[1][2] – present
Major junctions
South end: US 45 near Land O' Lakes, WI
 

US 2 in Watersmeet

M-28 in Bruce Crossing
East end: Ontonagon & River streets in Ontonagon
Location
Counties: Gogebic, Ontonagon
Highway system

United States Numbered Highways
List • Bannered • Divided • Replaced

Michigan State Trunkline Highway System
Interstate • US • State

← M-44 M-45 →

US Highway 45 (US 45) is a part of the United States Numbered Highway System that runs from Mobile, Alabama, to the Upper Peninsula (UP) of the US state of Michigan. The highway forms a part of the state trunkline highway system that is maintained by the Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT). It enters the state from Wisconsin south of Watersmeet, ending at Ontonagon. In between, the roadway crosses the UP running through the Ottawa National Forest and running along the Ontonagon River.

The highway dates back to the 1930s in Michigan. At the time it was extended into Michigan, it replaced sections of M-26 and M-35. Some realignment changes in the 1970s moved the path of US 45 around before it was returned to the original alignment.

Contents

Route description

US 45 crosses from Wisconsin to Michigan near Land O' Lakes, Wisconsin, east of the Sylvania Wilderness area of the Ottawa National Forest. The highway angles northeast from the state line before curving around to the north toward Watersmeet, where it intersects US 2. Watersmeet is home to the northern section of the Lac Vieux Desert Indian Reservation. Continuing north across the Gogebic–Ontonagon county line, US 45 crosses the boundary between the Central and Eastern time zones. In southern Ontonagon County, the highway runs west of the Bond Falls Flowage near Paulding. North of here is Bruce Crossing and the junction with M-28. The trunkline runs northward parallel to the Middle Branch of the Ontonagon River. US 45 crosses the river near a roadside park south of Rockland. East of Rockland, US 45 meets the southern terminus of M-26 and turns northwesterly parallel to the Ontonagon River[4][5] and a branch of the Escanaba and Lake Superior Railroad (ELS).[6]

US 45 enters the south side of Ontonagon on Rockland Road near the Holy Family Cemetery. The roadway turns due north and crosses the ELS rail line, still running parallel to the course of the river. South of downtown, the highway crosses an intersection that serves as the joint termini of M-38 and M-64. M-64 crosses the river from the west on a bridge built in 2006 and ends at the intersection.[7][8] M-38 comes into town from the east and also ends at the same intersection. US 45 continues north on Rockland Road and turns northwest on River Street along the eastern river bank through downtown. The northern terminus of US 45 is at Ontonagon Street, about 1,000 feet (300 m) from Lake Superior.[7]

History

US 45 debuted in Michigan by 1935 on maps of the time. The highway replaced M-26 between the state line north toward Rockland, and then M-35 between Rockland and Ontonagon.[1][2] The Michigan State Highway Department (MSHD) built a new bridge over the Ontonagon River in late 1959. Along with this bridge, the last 8 miles (13 km) of US 45 in the country were paved, connecting the Gulf of Mexico with Lake Superior with a hard-surfaced road.[9] A rerouting in late 1971 moved the US 45 designation along M-26 between Rockland and Greenland. From Greenland, US 45 followed Ontonagon–Greenland Road to Ontonagon.[10][11] In late 1973, MDOT reversed the rerouting. US 45 was restored to its previous routing on Rockland Road between Rockland and Ontonagon. M-26 was re-extended south from Greenland to Rockland. M-38 was extended west along Ontonagon–Greenland Road.[12][13]


Major intersections

County Location Mile[3] Destinations Notes
Gogebic
 Watersmeet Township 0.000 US 45 – Antigo, WI Wisconsin state line
Watersmeet 7.522 US 2 – Ironwood, Iron River
Ontonagon
 Bruce Crossing 26.668 M-28 – Ironwood, Marquette
Rockland Township 40.524 M-26 north – Houghton Southern terminus of M-26
Ontonagon 54.094 M-38 east / LSCT – Baraga
M-64 west / LSCT – Silver City		 Western terminus of M-38
Eastern terminus of M-64
54.759 Ontonagon Street Northern terminus of US 45
1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi

See also

References

  1. ^ a b Michigan State Highway Department (September 1, 1934). 1934 Official Michigan Highway Map (Map). Cartography by Rand McNally. 
  2. ^ a b Michigan State Highway Department (May 15, 1935). 1935 Official Michigan Highway Map (Map). Cartography by Rand McNally. 
  3. ^ a b "MDOT Physical Reference Finder Application". Michigan Department of Transportation. 2009. http://www.mcgi.state.mi.us/prfinder/. Retrieved March 23, 2010. 
  4. ^ Michigan Department of Transportation (2009). Official Department of Transportation Map (Map). 1 in.:15 mi/1 cm:9 km. Section B3–D3. 
  5. ^ Rand McNally (2008). The Road Atlas: Michigan (Map). pp. 50–51, section A12–C12, Western Upper Peninsula inset. 
  6. ^ Ashcraft, Stacey (September 29, 2009). "Ontonagon could lose rail service". The Daily Mining Gazette (Houghton, MI). http://www.mininggazette.com/page/content.detail/id/506768.html?nav=5006. Retrieved March 25, 2010. 
  7. ^ a b Google, Inc. Google Maps – Ontonagon, MI (Map). Cartography by Google, Inc. http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=Ontonagon,+MI&sll=37.0625,-95.677068&sspn=44.204685,59.326172&ie=UTF8&ll=46.870973,-89.313802&spn=0.009359,0.014484&z=16. Retrieved July 30, 2009. 
  8. ^ "New Ontonagon River Bridge to open Oct. 11" (Press release). Michigan Department of Transportation. October 10, 2006. http://www.michigan.gov/mdot/0,1607,7-151-9620_11057-153223--,00.html. Retrieved August 2, 2009. 
  9. ^ "Bridge, 8 Miles of US 45 Opened near Ontonagon". Milwaukee Sentinel: p. 1, part 2. November 4, 1959. http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=m3VQAAAAIBAJ&sjid=UxAEAAAAIBAJ&pg=5588,1816658&dq=ontonagon+river+bridge&hl=en. Retrieved March 29, 2011. 
  10. ^ Michigan Department of State Highways (1971). Official Highway Map (Map). 1 in:14.5 mi. Section B2–B3. 
  11. ^ Michigan Department of State Highways (1972). Official Highway Map (Map). 1 in:14.5 mi. Section B2–B3. 
  12. ^ Michigan Department of State Highways (1973). Official Highway Map (Map). 1 in:14.5 mi. Section B2–B3. 
  13. ^ Michigan Department of State Highways and Transportation (1974). Official Highway Map (Map). 1 in:14.5 mi. Section B2–B3. 

External links

US Highway 45
Previous state:
Wisconsin		 Michigan Next state:
Terminus