M-28 (Michigan highway)
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| M-28 |
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| Length: | 290.60 mi[1] (467.68 km) | ||||||||
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| Formed: | 1919 [1] | ||||||||
| West end: |  US 2 at Wakefield |
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| Major junctions: |
 M-64 near Bergland
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| East end: |  M-129 near Sault Ste. Marie |
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| Counties: | Gogebic, Ontonagon, Houghton, |
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M-28 is a long east-west state highway that almost completely traverses the Upper Peninsula of Michigan from Wakefield to near Rosedale. It is the longest state highway in Michigan numbered with the "M-" prefix at 290 miles.
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[edit] Routing
M-28 has intersections with US 45 at Bruce Crossing and I-75 near Dafter. Between Covington (where US 41 and US 141 have their northern junction) and Marquette, M-28 and US 41 coincide, and the route is more decidedly east-west than north-south, through hilly terrain. Between Marquette and Munising, M-28 gives a spectacular view of Lake Superior shoreline. West of Munising is a ferry dock offering transport to the Grand Island National Recreation Area, and at Munising, one has easy access to Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore. East of Munising, M-28 borders the Seney National Wildlife Refuge. Tahquamenon Falls State Park, containing Tahquamenon Falls, is a short drive on M-123 from M-28.
All of M-28 is surface road, undivided except for segments coinciding with US 41 near Marquette. Much of M-28 is part of the Lake Superior Circle Tour.
[edit] Historical notes
From 1952 to 1962, M-28 crossed US 2 at Wakefield going south and stopped at the Wisconsin line, connecting with a county road; in Chippewa County, M-28 originally turned north to Brimley, then east onto 6 mile Road to stop at US 2 (Mackinac Trail). The portion of M-28 east of Shingleton was once M-25 before M-28 was extended over it. The section between Munising and Harvey was once part of M-94 as well. M-28 supplanted the M-25 designation in 1928 and switched routings with M-94 in 1941.
[edit] Marquette County rerouting plans
In the August 24, 2005 edition of the Marquette Mining Journal, it was reported that Marquette County Board and the County Road Commission are in talks with the Michigan Department of Transportation to hand over jurisdiction of Marquette County Road 480 to the state.[2] Several options have been discussed as to the routing, but all propose making CR 480 a part of M-28.
The major reason given behind rerouting M-28 along CR 480 was cost. "The road commission receives about $50,000 a year in state gas tax money but spends about $100,000 to maintain CR 480 because of the type and volume of traffic it receives."[2] Turning CR 480 over to the state would shift the maintenance costs to the state as well.
MDOT has indicated it has not asked for jurisdiction, but that to take over the route, there would need to be a through-route with community support in place. Several proposals include building a "spur" from US 41/M-28 through the east end of Ishpeming to meet CR 480 west of Negaunee. This spur would pass through recently reopened former mining "caving grounds" and to the south of the Mather A & B Mine complex.
| “ | The land that was purchased by Ishpeming and Negaunee, the mining company land, this has the potential to help in the development of that if this is compatible,” County Board Chairman Gerry Corkin said. “I think both cities will be interested in taking a look at what the land uses are and where this (spur) would push through.[2] | ” |
[edit] Business routes
[edit] Points of interest
[edit] Seney National Wildlife Refuge
- Main article: Seney National Wildlife Refuge
The Seney National Wildlife Refuge [1] is a managed wetland in Schoolcraft County in Michigan. It has an area of 95,212 acres (385 km²). It is bordered by M-28 and M-77. The nearest town of any size is Seney, Michigan. The refuge contains the Strangmoor Bog National Natural Landmark within its boundaries. The northern border of the Seney National Wildlife Refuge]] is the Seney Stretch.
[edit] Seney Stretch
M-28 has one "infamous" section along its route. While some highways have gained notoriety for traffic or accidents, M-28's Seney Stretch has gained it for sheer boredom.
Constructed as a part of M-25 when that designation was used along today's M-28 east of US 41, the Seney Stretch is 25 miles[3] of laser-straight centerline across the Great Manistique Swamp, connecting the towns of Shingleton and Seney. It was constructed parallel to the line of the Soo Line Railroad over flat land. The largest changes made to the Stretch since the original construction were the addition of passing relief lanes and a full-scale, year-round rest area in 1999.[4] The highway is often cited as the "state's most boring route."[5] The MEDC even gives its length at an erroneous "34 miles".[5] The Stretch crosses the Alger/Schoolcraft county line just east of Shingleton.
[edit] External links
[edit] References
- ^ a b Bessert, Christopher J. (2006-04-23). Michigan Highways: Highways 20 through 29. Michigan Highways. Retrieved on 2006-08-19.
- ^ a b c Mackin, Pete. "CR 480 plan taking shape." Marquette Mining Journal. 24 August 2005, p.A1+.
- ^ from: Shingleton, MI to:Seney, MI - Google Maps (2006-09-15). Retrieved on 2006-09-15.
- ^ New Seney Rest Area Brings Year 'Round Relief to M-28 in the Upper Peninsula (1999-05-28). Retrieved on 2006-09-15.
- ^ a b Michigan Fall Color Tours - Munising - Newberry - Grand Marais - Pure Michigan Travel. Michigan Economic Development Commission (2006). Retrieved on 2006-09-15.
