| Southern Terminus: |
Indiana state line 3 miles south of downtown Sturgis (at a connection w/IN SR-9) |
| Northern Terminus: |
US-31 on the south side of Charlevoix |
| Length: |
269.029 miles |
| Maps: |
Route Map of M-66
 M-66 Missaukee/Kalkaska Realignment Map: 1970–1983 |
| Notes: |
M-66 runs the length of the Lower Peninsula, the only "M-numbered" route to do so. |
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Historically, the original route of M-66 ran along what would someday become M-91 in its entirety—beginning at M-16 (present-day M-21) in downtown Lowell, M-66 continued northeasterly to Belding, then northerly through Greenville and Langston, ending at M-46 near Lakeview (M-91's present-day northern terminus). In the 1920s, M-66 was extended far to the north, first to Kalkaska Co then all the way to Charlevoix. A later extension in the 1930s took it south to meet US-16 south of Lowell. Then during World War II, the State Highway Dept redesignated all of M-14 from M-46 southerly through Stanton, Ionia and Nashville, to end north of Battle Creek, with what had been M-66 from Lakeview to Lowell given the M-91 designation. Then in 1965, M-66 was once again extended southerly, this time replacing much of M-78 from Battle Creek to the Indiana state line south of Sturgis. |
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In "State Trunkline Needs, 1960–1980," a set of maps prepared by the State Highway Dept's Office of Planning, Programming Division in 1960 showing possible additions, upgrades and improvements to the state trunkline system over the ensuing twenty years, MSHD staff recommended several changes to M-66 during that timeframe:
- Converting the seven miles of M-66 from Portland Rd south of the I-96/US-16 interchange northerly to the Grand River bridge on the southern city limits of Ionia into a four-lane divided highway. This proposal never came to fruition.
- Converting the 13 miles of M-66 from the north city limits of Ionia northerly to jct M-57 south of Sheridan to a four-lane divided highway. This planned improvement never occured.
- Constructing a new-alignment route of M-66 between Morey in Missaukee Co and Smithville in Kalkaska Co, to run more directly between those points. This proposal DID come to the light of day and was an implemented over the course of eight years from 1972 to 1980.
- With US-131 through Northwest Michigan being proposed as a full freeway conversion, M-66 at Kalkaska is proposed to be relocated onto the planned freeway starting at an interchange just south of the Motz Rd/Tyler Rd intersection south of Kalkaska, contiuing northeasterly with interchanges at M-72 East (at Mitchell Rd/Adams Rd), Co Rd 612/Nash Rd, a proposed M-72 (West) freeway a mile north of Co Rd 612, Co Rd 571/Darraugh Rd south of Mancelona, and M-88 (Extended)/Mancelona Rd. On the north side of Manecelona, the proposed US-131 freeway interchanges with M-66 (North) near it's existing intersection—the proposed US-131 freeway cotinues northeasterly toward Alba, while M-66 would then revert to its existing alignment. As the US-131 freeway has never been extended north of Wexford Co, none of this concept has ever been implemented.
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| History: |
1915 (Sept 1) – A 13.3-mile long state trunkline highway route is officially established in Montcalm Co and consists of two segments. The first begins on the Ionia/Montcalm Co line northwest of Belding and continues northerly for 3.1 mile along Greenville Rd to the southern limits of the City of Greenville. The second segment begins at the northern Greenville city limit and continues northerly via Greeville Rd for 10.2 miles to the Montcalm/Pine Twp line, approximately 1½ miles south of the community of Langston.
This new trunkline route is designated as T.L. 66 (Trunk Line 66).
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1915 (Sept 8) – 6.3 miles of additional trunkline route is established from the northern end of T.L. 66 (as established one week earlier) on the Montcalm/Pine Twp line, continuing northerly via Greenville Rd through Langston, terminating on the Pine/Cato Twp line approximately 4½ miles north of Langston.
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1915 (Sept 27) – 19 days later, T.L. 66 is extended with 4.0 miles of new trunkline route is established as a state trunkline highway beginning at the north end of the route on the Pine/Cato Twp line continuing northerly for 1 mile on Greenville Rd, then turning westerly for 3 miles on Deaner Rd to the Cato/Winfield Twp line.
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1915 (Oct 6) – A week and a half later, an additional 6.2 miles of state trunkline route is established along Deaner Rd throughout Winfield Twp from the Cato Twp line on the east to the Reynolds Twp line (and the Howard City village limit) on the west, and added to T.L. 66. The route now runs from south of Greenville northerly, then westerly to Howard City.
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1916 (Sept 8) – T.L. 46 is officially established as a state trunkline highway route beginning at the cnr of Greenville Rd & Deaner Rd in southern Cato Twp south of Lakeview and continues northerly to Lakeview before heading east toward Edmore and Vestaburg. The portion of T.L. 66 along Deaner Rd from Greenville Rd west through Cato and Winfield Twps is transferred to the route of T.L. 46. T.L. 66 is now 17.5 miles in length.
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1917 (Aug 20) – The length of T.L. 66 is nearly doubled when 14.8 miles of state trunkline highway route is established in Kent Co (2.5 miles from the northern Lowell city limit to the Kent/Ionia Co line) along Flat River Rd and in Ionia Co (12.3 miles from the Kent/Ionia Co line to the southern Belding city limit) via Sayles, Marble, Potters, Feuerstein, Richmond, Miriam, Krupp, and Zahm Rds. The route of T.L. 66 now exists in three segements: from the north Lowell city limit to the south Belding city limit, from the Ionia/Montcalm Co line to the south Greenville city limit, and from the north Greenville city limit to T.L. 46 south of Lakeview.
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1919 (July 1) – T.L. 66 is signed in the field as M-66 as all state trunkline highways in Michigan are signed with route markers.
While there are gaps in the officially established state trunkline route within the cities of Lowell and Greenville and through Belding and on to the Ionia/Montcalm Co line, those gaps, consisting of locally-controlled roadway segments, are still signed as part of the route of M-66. |
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1919 (July 24) – The gap in the officially-established state trunkline route of M-66 at Belding is filled when 4.2 miles of new trunkline are officially assumed into the system. From the southern city limit, the trunkline now continues northerly along Bridge St through downtown, then westerly via Ellis St/Ellis Rd, then northerly again via Storey Rd to the Ionia/Montcalm Co line. |
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1919 (Aug 19) – The gap in the officially-established trunkline route of M-66 through the City of Greenville is bridged when the 2.0 miles of Lafayette St is transferred to state control. |
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1919 (Aug 26) – M-46 is transferred onto a new alignment between Lakeview and Howard City in Montcalm Co and the route of M-66 is extended northerly from its terminus at Deaner Rd along Greenville Rd (the former route of M-46) for an additional 2½ miles to a new terminus at M-46/Howard City-Edmore Rd just south of Lakeview. |
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1923 (July 6) – M-66 is lengthened by 67.3 miles through a mixture of concurrency with another trunkline route, by taking over the route of an existing trunkline highway, and via a significant segment of newly-established state trunkline routing. From the former terminus of M-66 at M-46 at Lakeview, M-66 is extended to run easterly for 6.0 miles via M-46 from Lakeview to Six Lakes in Montcalm Co. From there, M-66 turns northerly to supplant the entire route of the existing M-86 from M-46 in Six Lakes northerly for 11.8 miles to M-24 (present-day M-20) in Remus. Simultaneously, 49.5 miles of new trunkline highway are assumed into the system from M-24 (now M-20) in Remus in Mecosta Co northerly through Barryton, Marion in Osceola Co, and McBain in Missaukee Co, to a new terminus at M-55 south of Lake City. |
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1924 (May 29) – The route of M-66 is again extended northerly, this time by 30.2 miles. From the jct with M-55 in Missaukee Co south of Lake City, M-66 now continues northerly concurrently with M-55 through Lake City for 5.1 miles. When M-55 turns easterly toward Houghton Lake, M-66 continues northerly via a newly-established 12.0-mile segment of state trunkline highway through Morey to M-74 at Pioneer. From Pioneer, the M-74 designation is supplanted by the M-66 routing northerly into Kalkaska Co, ending at M-13 (later M-131 and US-131) in Lodi, six miles south of Kalkaska. |
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1924 (June 18) – A 3.5-mile long segment of the officially established route of M-66 (formerly part of M-74 until three weeks prior) in northern Missaukee Co from jct M-74 at Pioneer northwesterly and northerly to the Kalkaska Co line is cancelled as a state trunkline routing, while a parallel 2.9 mile route is simultaneously established as a state trunkline route from Pioneer northerly via present day Old M-66/Burkett Rd. The cancelled route was never physically constructed, while the newly-established route was likely the existing, signed route. |
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1927 (Feb 7) – 3.2 miles of new state trunkline route is officially established and added to the route of M-66, beginning in Lowell at the cnr of Hudson St & Bowes St and continuing southerly via Hudson St and Segwun Ave to US-16/Cascade Rd (one mile east of jct US-16 & M-50), the new southern terminus for M-66. The route of M-66 through Lowell is signed along city-maintained streets for continuity. |
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1927 (June 29) – The route of M-66 in southern Kalkaska Co is adjusted when a 2.4-mile route is established along the section line between Sections 28 & 29 and 32 & 33 of T.25N.,R.7W. to the present-day intersection of River Rd & Jack's Landing Rd, then southwesterly along the the former route of M-66 to the Missaukee Co line. The former official alignment runs to the east of the newly-designated alingment from the River Rd & Jack's Landing Rd intersection northerly to Lund Rd, then westerly via Lund Rd back to the new alignment, but evidence shows no actual roadway was ever constructed along this official alignment. The Manistee River bridge along this new alignment will be completed in 1931, although it's likely an existing, locally-constructed bridge spanned the river at that location prior to that time. |
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1928 (June 28) – The length of M-66 is increased by 32.7 miles when a new 16.4-mile segment of new state trunkline highway is established beginng at M-131 (now US-131) at the cnr of Mancelona-East Jordan Rd & Scholl Rd north of Manceola northerly to the southern limits of the City of East Jordan in Charlevoix Co at the cnr of Maple St (present-day M-32) & Fair Rd, and given the designation M-66. Additionally, the 16.3-mile segment of M-131 from M-66 & M-72 in downtown Kalkaska northerly to Mancelona-East Jordan Rd & Scholl Rd north of Manceola is concurrently designated with M-66 to fill the gap between the existing M-66 and the new segment.
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1930 (Nov 22) – The route of M-131/M-66 from Kalkaska northerly to the Antrim Co line follows a heavily "stair-stepped" 11.2-mile route: northerly via Beebe Rd, easterly along Doorman Rd, northerly on Holly Rd, easterly via Phelps Rd into Leetsville, northerly via Leetsville Rd, easterly along Wood Rd, northerly on Day Rd, easterly via Plum Valley Rd, notherly on Wheeler Lake Rd, easterly along Westwood Rd into Westwood, then northeasterly via Maple St to the county line, where it continues into Antrim via Mackinac Trail. On this date, a new alignment for the official route of M-131/M-66 is established running northeasterly from Kalkaska closely paralleling the Grand Rapids & Indiana RR (later Pennsylvania RR, now Great Lakes Central RR) to the west, similar to the path it would take between South Boardman and Kalkaska a decade later. As much of this new alignment is unconstructed, the signed route of M-131/M-66 likely remains along the previous "stair-step" route for the time being. |
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1930 (Dec 6) img src="../images/updated.gif" width="50" height="11" alt="Updated" /> – 15.5 miles of new state trunkline highway route are officially assumed into the system as a northerly extension of M-66, from the southern limits of East Jordan northwesterly to US-31 at the cnr of Antrim St & Bridge St in downtown Charlevoix. At this point, two segments of the highway had not yet been physically constructed:
- From approximately ¾ mile south of Ferry Rd at Ironton northwesterly to Wishersham Rd, M-66 is posted along Main & Water Sts in Ironton, then continues westerly via Ferry Rd, northerly along Brock Rd, westerly again on Shaw Rd, and northerly along Wickersham Rd to the established M-66 alignment. This is a "marked-and-maintained" route which remains under County control, but is maintained as the official state trunkline route.
- The 1.2-mile segment of M-66 from Ferry Ave northwesterly to US-31 on the south side of Charlevoix is also unbuilt, so the route of M-66 turns northerly onto Ferry Ave and continues northerly via Ferry to Stover Rd, then westerly via Stover to May St, northerly via May to Garfield Ave, then westerly along Garfield to Bridge St, where it continues along the officially-designated route along Bridge St for 4½ more blocks to its terminus at US-31. The Ferry–Stover–May–Garfield route is a "Maintained Only" route for M-66, not being the officially-established route, pending its eventual completion.
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1931 (May 19) >– Act 131 of 1931—the Dykstra Act—is passed allowing the State Highway Dept to take over control of state highways running into and through incorporated cities, thereby officially incorporating them as state trunkline highways. The following segment of formerly city-controlled street is assumed into the system as part of M-66:
- The 0.3-mile portion of S Hudson St in Lowell from Bowes St northerly to M-21/Main St. (The segment of M-66 from M-21/Main St northerly to the northern city limit of Lowell remains signed along city-maintained streets.)
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1931 (Aug 31) – The 11.1-mile official trunkline routing for M-131/M-66 between Kalkaska and the community of Antrim just south of Mancelona, running closely parallel to the GR&I RR line, established just nine months prior, is officially cancelled as a state trunkline route without any actual construction ocurring. Taking its place, a new 11.5-mile long M-131/M-66 trunkline route is established between Kalkaska and Antrim, farther to the west of the previous one. Construction on the new alignment is completed in 1932, however, with M-131/M-66 traffic remaining on the pre-1930 "stair-step" route until that time.
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1932 (Oct 29) – The route of US-31 as it approaches Charlevoix from the southwest is relocated onto a new trunkline alignment, running easterly from Barnard Rd via Stover Rd, then curving northerly to merge into Bridge St at Carpenter St where it met the official (but yet unbuilt) alignment of M-66. The new US-31 route now continues northerly along Bridge St to Antrim Rd where it rejoins its former route. As such, the officially-established route of M-66 now terminates at US-31 at the cnr of Bridge St & Carpenter St in Charlevoix, although the "marked-and-maintained" route for M-66 remains along the Ferry–Stover–May–Garfield route, terminating at US-31 at the cnr of Bridge & Garfield. The length of M-66 is effectively shortened by 4½ blocks. |
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1935 (Oct 22) – Four separate segments of M-66 are realigned in Antrim and Charlevoix Cos:
- From ¼ mile north of Lee Derrer Rd north of Mancelona, a new 4.0-mile long alignment of M-66 is established, largely to the west of the existing route. Much of the 4.1-mile long former route is obliterated or abandoned as a public roadway, with the exception of a short segment of Doerr Rd and the 0.6-mile long Shinn Dr, which are turned back to County control.
- A new 1.2-mile long alignment is officially assumed into the state trunkline system as M-66 from just south of Pinney Bridge Rd northerly, a bit to the west of the existing alignment. The 1.3-mile long former route is obliterated as a public roadway.
- From approximately ¾ mile south of Old State Rd at Chestonia approximately ¾ north of Old State Rd, a new 1.6-mile long alignment of M-66 is officially assumed into the system, eliminating two sharp turns in the route at Old State Rd. The portions of the former 1.7-mile long route north and south of Old State Rd are obliterated or abandoned as public roadways, while Old State Rd itself is turned back to County control.
- Beginning approximately ½ mile south of Webster Bridge Rd, a new 5.8-mile new alignment route of M-66 is established first looping slightly east of the former route, then turning northwesterly to Kidder Rd, then northerly along Kidder Rd into Charlevoix Co before turning northwesterly again running between Bellaire Rd to Norwegian Rd, then turning due northerly again entering East Jordan along Lake St, to the former route of M-66 just north of Water St. The former route of M-66 south of Webster Bridge Rd is obliterated, while Webster Bridge Rd from the new M-66 northerly to Mount Bliss Rd and Mount Bliss from Webster Bridge northwesterly into Charlevoix Co at M-32/Rogers Rd is turned back to County control. From Rogers Rd northerly into East Jordan, then westerly through the city to the new route of M-66 on the west side of town becomes a westerly extension of M-32.
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1939 – The concurrent M-66/M-131 segment from Lodi south of Kalkaska to Mancelona changes to a concurrent US-131/M-66 routing when all of M-131 from Fife Lake to Petoskey is redesignated as a northerly extension of US-131. |
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1938 (Dec 6) – A new 3.45-mile alignment for M-46 in the Six Lakes area of north-central Montcalm Co is established running from Miles Rd west of Six Lakes to Holland Rd to the east. The M-66 designation runs concurrently with M-46 on this new alignment from Miles Rd easterly to Six Lakes Rd, where it turns northerly to continue for 0.29 miles along a segment of Six Lakes Rd which is now transferred to State control. The former route of M-46/M-66 along Fleck Rd from M-66/Six Lakes Rd westerly is turned back to County control. |
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1938 (Dec 6) – The remaining gap in the officially-established route of M-66 in Lowell is filled when 0.7 mile of Riverside Dr from the north city limit (where the official route of M-66 continues northerly along Flat River Dr) then southerly to M-21/Main St, where M-66 turns westerly for one block to Hudson St where the established route of M-66 re-commences and continues southerly. |
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1939 (July 13) – Most of the route of M-66 officially established within the City of Lowell along Riverside Dr seven months prior (from Hunt St southerly to M-21/Main St) is cancelled as a state trunkline routing. Simultaneously, the 0.7 mile of Hunt St (from Riverside Dr west to N Hudson St) and N Hudson St (from Hunt St south to M-21/Main St) is transferred to state control as part of M-66. |
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1939 (July 13) – A new 0.7-mile curving alignment for M-66 north of Six Lakes in Montcalm Co is officially established as a state trunkline route, removing two 90º turns on the former 0.9-mile long route along Old Six Lakes Rd and Cutler Rd, which is transferred to county control. |
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1940 (Nov 12) – A new direct alignment for US-131 in Kalkaska Co between South Boardman and Kalkaska is completed and opened to traffic. The transfer of the former route of US-131 from South Boardman easterly to M-66 at Lodi back to County control also signals the removal of the concurrent US-131 designation from M-66 on the Lodi-to-Kalkaska segment as well. |
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1942 (April 13) – During the early stages of the U.S. involvement in World War II, the State Highway Dept removes the entire M-14 designation from the state trunkline system and replaces it with a rerouting of M-66 south of Six Lakes. Instead of heading westerly via M-46 from Six Lakes, M-66 now heads easterly via M-46 for 3 miles, then southerly replacing M-14 through Stanton, Ionia, Nashville and Assyria, ending at M-78 seven miles north of downtown Battle Creek. The former concurrent M-46/M-66 designation between Lakeview and Six Lakes becomes just M-46, while all of the former routing of M-66 from US-16 south of Lowell through Lowell, Belding and Greenville to M-46 at Lakeview is redesignated M-91. |
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1949 (Nov 10) – A new 1.9-mile long segment of state trunkline highway is established to replace a winding 2.0-mile long segment in the 28 Lakes/Price Lake area of Kalkaska Co's Orange Twp, between McGee and Lodi, from south of Montgomery Rd to north of the northern intersection with Blue Heron Dr. The former alignment is abandoned as a public road and obliterated, which also replaces eight curves—some of them sharp—in the highway's route with four very gradual ones. |
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1951 (July 19) – A new 0.5-mile curving alignment for M-66 north of Marion on the Osceola/Missaukee Co line is officially assumed into the state trunkline system, removing one 90º and two 45º turns on the former 0.3-mile long route. The former route along 30th Ave from the new alignment of M-66 northerly to County Line Rd and County Line Rd from 30th Ave west to the new M-66 is turned back to county jurisdiction. The portion of the former route of M-66 to the west of the new alignment is obliterated and abandoned as a public roadway. |
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1952 (Nov 10) – A state trunkline route establishment and cancellation for US-131 and M-66 occurs in downtiown Mancelona. Formerly, both routes entered Mancelona from the south along Mackinaw Trail–Williams St, then turned northerly along Maple St for a block to jct M-88 at State St. The routes turned easterly along State St for ½ block, then northeasterly for another block along the present-day Williams St "service street" before jogging back onto Williams St at Hinman St. The 0.2-mile former route along Maple St and the "service street" is cancelled as a state trunkline route while the 0.2 mile segment of Williams St between Maple St and Hinman St is officially established as the new route for US-131/M-66. Construction on the new route is likely also finished around this time. The 200 feet of Maple St formerly part of US-131/M-66 becomes an easterly extension of M-88. |
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1953 (Nov 6) – M-66 is rerouted between Maple Grove and M-79 south of Nashville onto brand new alignment. The former route of M-66 (Assyria Rd) from Maple Grove to Lawrence Rd is turned back to local control, as is the former stretch of M-66/M-79 (Lawrence Rd) from Assyria Rd easterly to the southern (formerly eastern) jct of M-66 & M-79 south of Nashville. With the realignment, M-79 is altered to run concurrently with M-66 from the cnr of Lawrence Rd & Clark Rd south of Nashville northerly into Nashville, when M-79 turns westerly replacing M-214 toward Hastings. |
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1955 (Aug 3) – M-66 is realigned in northeastern Barry Co to run northeasterly from the cnr of Carleton Center Rd (designated as M-43 on this same date) & Clark Rd to the corner of Saddlebag Lake Rd & Lakehead Rd/Saginaw Hwy along the Eaton/Barry Co line, then northerly for 1 mile to the cnr of Saddlebag Lake Rd & Brown Rd/Grand Ledge Hwy (M-50) in Woodbury to meet back up with M-66. M-43 is concurrently designated on this new route as well. The former routing of M-66 via Clark Rd is turned back to County control and the former concurrent M-43/M-50/M-66 designation on Brown Rd becomes just M-50. |
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1957 – In mid-1957, the final 11 miles of gravel-surfaced M-66 are paved, from Nashville to M-43 in eastern Barry Co. |
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1959 (Mid-July) – The Michigan Legislature passes a bill designating the vast majority of M-66 from its southern terminus north of Battle Creek northerly to Kalkaska and then northerly along the concurrent segment with US-131 from Kalkaska to Mancelona as the "Green Arrow Route." The Green Arrow Route extends south through Battle Creek via M-78 to the Indiana state line near Sturgis and continues northerly toward the Straits of Mackinac from Mancelona along US-131. |
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1963 – The northernmost 14 miles of M-66 are now concurrently designated with an extension of M-32 north of East Jordan. |
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1963 (Aug 11–15)  – Up to this time, M-66 deviated west of its otherwise straight route through between Kalkaska and Lodi from ¼ south of Thomas Rd to Prairie Ln. As part of the overall M-66 "modernization" project between Smithville and Kalkaska, a new, direct 0.44-mile alignment is established while the former 0.54-mile curving alignment along present-day Old M-66 (or Steve Rd) is initially retained as an unsigned state trunkline alingment for four days, being transferred to County control on August 15.
For reasons not yet clear, the August 15 transfer of the former alignment of M-66 to County control is "voided" and then remains an unsigned trunkline for 16 more years. |
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1965 (June 2, July 28) – A 50-mile southerly extension of M-66 from the Pennfield area in Calhoun Co to the Indiana state line in Saint Joseph Co is also accompanied by two other major highway route changes associated with this new extension:
- M-78 Replacement: The majority of M-78 from the Pennfield area northeast of Battle Creek southerly to the Indiana state line south of Sturgis is redesignated as M-66. From the jct of M-66 & M-78 near Pennfield, M-66 now continues southwesterly replacing M-78 into Battle Creek entering the city via Capital Ave. At Division St (see second point below), M-66 turns southerly via Division St to Hamblin Ave. From there, M-66 continues southerly with I-194 along a just-completed segment to Columbia Ave, where it continues southerly to I-94 south of Battle Creek. Continuing southerly from I-94, M-66 continues to supplant M-78 through Athens to M-60 west of Union City. (M-78 route markers between Pennfield and M-60 are swapped out for M-66 signs by the State Highway Dept on June 2.) There, M-66 turns westerly to run concurrently with M-60 through Leonidas to a point two miles east of Mendon. At that point, M-66 departs M-60 and turns southerly via a newly-completed extension of Sturgis Rd (see third point below) for 4.6 miles to M-86 and the existing route of M-78. (M-78 from M-60 west of Union City southerly and southwesterly past Sherwood to Colon was never officially assumed into the system; rather it was a "marked-and-maintained" route and maintenance is handed back to local control. From Colon westerly to Sturgis Rd, M-78/M-86 becomes just M-86.) M-66 supplants M-78 along the 1.7-mile concurrent segment on Sturgis Rd, then continues southerly replacing M-78 into Sturgis, jogging to the west along US-12, then southerly again to the Indiana state line. With this extension and re-designation, M-66 now runs the length of the Lower Peninsula—from Indiana to Lake Michigan at Charlevoix.
- New I-194 Segment: A 1.75-mile segment of state trunkline highway in Battle Creek is established on July 28. Beginning at M-66 (in the process of being redesignated fromM-78) at the cnr of Capital Ave & Division St, the new trunkline route runs southerly via Division St to Hamblin Ave, where it continues southerly as a freeway, concurrently designated as I-194/M-66 to the Columbia Ave interchange. The former route of M-78 along Capital Ave (Division St to Columbia Ave) and along Columbia Ave from Capital Ave easterly to the I-194 interchange is temporarily retained as an unsigned state trunkline route, being transferred to local control on Nov 11, 1966.
- New Sturgis Rd Alignment: Although officially established as a state trunkline route (as part of M-78) in St Joseph Co on May 26, 1933 from the south jct of M-86 east of Nottawa notherly via Sturgis Rd to Prairie Corners Rd-Jacksonburgh Rd, then northerly over an unbuilt roadway to M-60 east of Mendon, this route would not would not be constructed for over thirty years! Work on this segment of highway began in mid-1963 with the purchase of the necessary land to construct the roadway and construction continued into 1965, including the new bridge spanning the Saint Joseph River just south of the western jct with M-60. While the highway had been proposed as a realignment for M-78 for three decades, upon completion, it is signed as M-66 in conjunction with the overall extension of that route from north of Battle Creek to the Indiana state line south of Sturgis. The former route of M-78/M-86 from M-66/Sturgis Rd easterly into Colon becomes just M-86, while jurisdiction of the "marked-and-maintained" portion of M-78 from Colon northeasterly past Sherwood to the east jct of M-60 & M-66 (formerly M-78) stays with Saint Joseph and Branch Cos, but maintenance by the State Highway Dept ceases on July 28, 1965.
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1967 (June 30) – After 37 years going unbuilt, the northernmost 1.2 miles of the officially-established route of M-66 at Charlevoix from Ferry Ave northwesterly to its official terminus at US-31/Bridge St & Carpenter Ave is cancelled as a state trunkline route. In its place, a new 0.86-mile alignment is officially established as a state trunkline route beginning at Ferry Ave and continuing northwesterly to US-31 at State St. The M-66 route markers are removed from the formerly "marked-and-maintained" route of M-66 along Ferry Ave, Stover Rd, May St, and Garfield Ave and maintenance is returned to the County and City (as it was never officially transferred to State control). |
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1972 (June 30) – The routes of M-66 and M-78 through the intersection of those two routes in the Pennfield area of Calhoun Co northeast of Battle Creek are realigned and reconfigured. As a result, 0.617 miles of the route of M-66 is removed from the state trunkline highway system, while a new alignment totalling 0.587 miles is added. |
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1973 (Sept 28) – The (southern portion of the) next phase in the M-66 "modernization" project that had begun in the early-1960s in Kalkaska Co from M-72 south to Smithville is completed when the modernized M-66 is completed and opened to traffic from just north of M-42 to approximately one mile north of Morey in Missaukee Co, then northeasterly back to the existing M-66 at Phelps Rd southwest of Pioneer. While the relocation of M-66 from Phelps Rd in Missaukee Co northerly to Smithville in Kalkaska Co was originally to be completed in conjunction with the portion south of Phelps Rd, concerns over the negative environmental impact of the proposed route in the Filer Creek area along the county line delays any work on that portion of the project. As such, only the 2.435-mile segment from Phelps Rd southerly is officially established as a state trunkline route. The former route of M-66 along Morey Rd and Phelps Rd remains an unsigned state trunkline route for the time being. |
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1974 (Jan 7) – M-66/M-72 is realigned on the south side of Kalkaska onto a 0.78-mile long new highway constructed as a continuance of M-72 westerly from M-66 to US-131 southwest of downtown. M-66/M-72 then continues northeasterly via US-131 into downtown to the highways' former alignment. The former routing of M-66/M-72 via (present-day) Old M-66 and Court and Elm Sts is retained as an unsigned state trunkline highway route for now. |
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1974 – As far as the Official Michigan Transportation Map is concerned, the puzzling M-32 extension via M-66 becomes history when the M-32 indication is removed from the segment of M-66 between East Jordan and Charlevoix, resuming its pre-1963 western terminus at M-66 in East Jordan. However, M-32 route markers along that segment of M-66 may have persisted for awhile. |
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1979 (Jun 15) – Related to the August 11–15, 1963 establishment of a new, more-direct trunkline route for M-66 south of Kalkaska and the cancellation of the former route and subsequent voiding of that cancellation, a 0.13-mile cancellation of the former route of M-66 along Old M-66 (or Steve Rd) from Prairie Ln notherly occurs on this date. It is not clear if the complete original cancellation was voided in 1963 or if only a portion was, which is then officially cancelled now in 1979. |
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1980 (Nov 14) – After years of delay, the 5.707-mile segment of relocated M-66 in northern Missaukee and southern Kalkaska Cos is officially established as a state trunkline route, although construction on the route is not yet complete. This is the final section of the M-66 "modernization" begun in the early 1960s but halted between Phelps Rd north of Morey and Smithville at the Manistee River crossing due to the M-66 Missaukee/Kalkaska Controversy (see article and accompanying map). After reworking the original proposed route twice during the 1970s, MDOT finally receives concurrence from all parties on an acceptable route and procurement of the third right-of-way for the new highway runs from 1979 into 1981. With the new alignment for M-66 officially established and construction continuing, the existing route along Phelps Rd and Burkett Rd remains a state trunkline route as well.
(Interestingly, while not as "major" a project as, say, a 6–8 lane urban freeway, the M-66 modernization project between Lake City and Kalkaska actually spans all the monikers the highway department has ever had! It began in the early 1960s when the department was still the State Highway Dept, continued through the Dept of State Highways years [1965–73], the Dept of State Highways & Transportation [1973–78] timeframe and into the modern day MDOT years.) |
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1982 (Jan 29) – Even as work on the northern segment of the M-66 relocation in northern Missaukee Co is nearing completion, a trunkline cancellation and jurisdictional transfer related to the segment of M-66 relocated between Morey and Phelps Rd in 1973 is cancelled as an unsigned state trunkline and turned over to county control. The 411-foot "turned-in approach" segment of Morey Rd connecting the relocated M-66 (from 1973) with the former route of M-66 in front of the Morey Church is officially transferred to Missaukee Co, over eight years after it was constructed. |
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1982 – The 5.707-mile segment of relocated M-66 in northern Missaukee and southern Kalkaska Cos, between Phelps Rd southwest of Pioneer and Smithville, is completed and opened to traffic by some time in 1982. (See article.) This section of highway had been officially established in late-1980, however. The former route of M-66 along Phelps Rd and Burkett Rd is retained as an unsigned state trunkline route for the time being. The former M-66 between the new highway and South Manistee River Rd south of Smithville is effectively abandoned as a public roadway and the bridge spanning Filer Creek is removed, while former M-66 from South Manistee River Rd northerly back to the relocated route remains an unsigned state trunkline route, albeit in two segments as the 1931 bridge spanning the Manistee River is removed as well. The segment south of the river eventually becomes Jacks Landing Rd, while the portion north of the river becoming Blue Bird Dr. |
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1982 (Oct)—1983 (Mar) – In October 1982, some MDOT staffers internally propose terminating M-32 at its jct with M-66 at East Jordan and removing the concurrent designation with M-66 between East Jordan and Charlevoix. In March 1983, it is noted the District Traffic and Safety Engineer has "already removed the signs along this section of M-66." (See Notes section above for details.) |
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1994 (June 30) – The 8.014-mile segment of former M-66 in northern Missaukee Co remaining as an unsigned state trunkline highway route when the 1973 and 1982 relocations of M-66 in northern Missaukee Co and southern Kalkaska Co were completed is finally turned back to County control. The segments of roadway included in the transfer are: Morey Rd from M-66 northerly to Phelps Rd, Phelps Rd easterly to Burkett Rd, and Burkett Rd from Phelps Rd northerly to the Kalkaska Co line. This portion of the former M-66 had been an unsigned trunkline, bypassed by the newer alignment, for 21 years (south of Phelps Rd) and 12 years (north of Phelps Rd). |
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1996 (June 28) – The 0.755 miles of former M-66 in southern Kalkaska Co remaining as unsigned state trunkline since the 1982 relocation of M-66 in northern Missaukee Co and southern Kalkaska Co is finally turned back to County control, in three segments: 1.) The 0.394-mile portion of former M-66 from the Missaukee Co line northwesterly to the new route, 2.) The 0.277-mile segment of former M-66 (Jacks Landing Rd) from a cul-de-sac at South Manistee River Rd northerly to a cul-de-sac at the Manistee River, and 3.) The 0.084-mile segment of former M-66 (Blue Bird Ln) from a cul-de-sac on the north side of the river northerly. Additionally, a total of 0.721 mile in three segments along the former M-66 are officially abandoned as a state trunkline route through obliteration. |
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1996 (June 28–Sept 17) – The 1.256-mile segment of OLD M-66/OLD M-72 from downtown Kalkaska southerly to the jct of M-66 & M-72 south of Kalkaska—the portion bypassed by the realignment of M-66 and M-72 to the south of town in 1974—is finally cancelled as a state trunkline route after more than 22 years and turned back to local control in two transactions: First, on June 28, the 0.748 mile of Old 66 from jct M-66 & M-72 northerly to the Kalkaska village limit is turned back to county control. Then on September 17, the 0.506-mile section along Elm and Court Sts from the village limit northerly and northwesterly to US-131/M-66/M-72/Cedar St is turned back to village control. |
| Controlled Access: |
M-66 is a controlled-access freeway concurrently with I-194 from I-94 (at Exit 98) to Hamblin Ave in downtown Battle Creek. (3.8 miles) |
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M-66 is a limited-access expressway from E Dr South south of Battle Creek to jct I-194 & I-94 in southeastern Battle Creek. (3.8 miles) |
| NHS: |
Three segments of M-66 are on the National Highway System (NHS):
- The concurrent segment US-12/M-66 segment in the City of Sturgis. (0.5 mile) (This portion of M-66 was added to the NHS in 2012 with the passage of the MAP-21 funding and authorization bill.)
- From Beckley Rd (B Dr North) on the southern edge of Battle Creek northerly to Morgan Rd (O Dr North) notheast of Battle Creek. (7.8 miles) (The [non I-194] portions of M-66 from Beckley Rd to I-94 and from Hamblin Ave downtown northerly to Morgan Rd were added to the NHS in 2012 with the passage of the MAP-21 funding and authorization bill.)
- Concurrently with M-72 and US-131 from Kalkaska to Mancelona.
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| Memorial Highways: |
The following Memorial Highway designations have been officially assigned to parts of M-66 by the Michigan Legislature:
- Sojourner Truth Memorial Highway – "The portion of highway M-66 that is in Calhoun County..." From MDOT: "She was born enslaved in New York in 1797 as “Isabella Baumfree”. She had 12 brothers and sisters. As a child, she spoke only Dutch. 1826 was an important year in Isabella’s life. It was the year she 'walked' away from slavery. In 1976, as part of the national Bicentennial celebration, the Calhoun County section of state highway M-66 was named "Sojourner Truth Memorial Highway."
- Green Arrow Route – "The portion of highway M-66 beginning at the intersection with highway M-78 in Calhoun County and extending north to the intersection with highway US-131 in Kalkaska County..." From MDOT: "To capitalize on the opening of the Mackinac Bridge in 1957, local leaders in Battle Creek wanted to promote M-66 as a route north from Indiana to the bridge. They named the highway the Green Arrow Route as part of this marketing strategy. The color was to evoke the forests in the area, and arrow was meant to play on several historical connections. M-66 was given the Green Arrow Route name in Public Act 170 of 1959 between the Indiana state line and Kalkaska."
- Veterans Highway – "The portion of highway M-66 beginning at the intersection with highway M-55 in Lake City extending north to the intersection with highway M-72 in Kalkaska..." From MDOT: "Title 38 of the Code of Federal Regulations defines a veteran as “a person who served in the active military, naval, or air service and who was discharged or released under conditions other than dishonorable.” This definition explains that any individual that completed a service for any branch of armed forces classifies as a veteran as long as they were not dishonorably discharged."
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| Continue on: |
SR-9 into Indiana – via the Indiana Highway Ends website |
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