Michigan Highways: Since 1997.

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M-22 & M-109 junction route signage in Glen Arbor, Michigan
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Former M-76
M-77 Route Marker On to Next Route:
M-78
Southern Terminus:    US-2 one mile south of Blaney Park
Northern Terminus:    Grand Marais (cnr Lake Ave & Canal St) two blocks north of the northern H-58 (Carlson St) junction
Length: 42.562 miles
Maps: Route Map of M-77
Notes: M-77 is one of four north-south cross-peninsular M-numbered state highways in the Upper Peninsula. The route of M-77 has undergone relatively few modifications in the over 100 years of its existence as well!
  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 only one change to the route of M-77 during that timeframe, but that change is because of a proposal along an intersecting highway. Planners recommended converting US-2 across the eastern Upper Peninsula to a full freeway on new alignment. In the Blaney Park area, the proposed US-2 freeway would run north of the existing alignment and, as such, an interchange was proposed with M-77 approximately ¼ mile north of the existing route and the short portion of M-77 between the new freeway and existing US-2 was suggested to be turned back to county control. Since the US-2 freeway proposal was never acted upon, this proposal never came to fruition.
History: 1919 (Dec 4) – A 42.7-mile long state trunkline route is officially established in Schoolcraft and Alger Cos beginning at M-12 (later US-2) in the center of Blaney Park and continuing northerly through Germfask and Seney, terminating in Grand Marais on the Lake Superior shore. This trunkline is given the designation of M-77. Simultaneously, the route of M-12 (now US-2) in the Blaney Park area is relocated onto the present-day route of US-2, while the portion heading easterly from M-77 toward the Schoolcraft/Mackinac Co line is cancelled as a trunkline routing. The remaining segment of former M-12 between the center of Blaney Park southerly one mile to the new route of M-12 is redesignated as M-77, bringing the total length of the new trunkline route to 43.7 miles.
  1955 (Nov 18) – The route of M-28 through the community of Seney in northeastern Schoolcraft Co is realigned from running through town along Railroad St to utilizing Main St (the present-day route of M-28) instead. The former route of M-28, including the 0.4 mile M-28/M-77 concurrency, is largely turned back to county control (except the portion west of the western M-28 & M-77 jct, which is abandoned as a public roadway). To meet the new route of M-28, the one block of First St from Railroad St to M-28/Main St is transferred to the state as a portion of M-77, while the one block of former M-77 along George St from Railroad St to M-28/Main St is transferred to county control.
  1956 (Mar 26) – A minor realignment of M-77 occurs just south of Germfask in eastern Schoolcraft Co as part of an overall reconstruction project along the highway from Blaney Park to Germfask. In Germfask, a new 0.52-mile long state trunkline route is established along Main St from Pine St northerly to jct M-98/Ten Curves Rd-Knaggs St (present-day H-44). The portion of former M-77 along Pine St from the new alignment northerly to just south of French St is turned back to county control, while the portion of the former route from just south of French St northeasterly to the cnr of Main St & M-98/Ten Curves Rd-Knaggs St is closed and obliterated as a public roadway.
      While most of the highway south of Germfask is shifted slightly to the east of the existing alignment when reconstructed, from 1/3 mile south of Lustila Rd northerly to 1/8 mile of the Manistique River crossing, a new alingment for M-77 carries the highway to the west of the former alignment and includes a new bridge across the river. The former alignment at this location is mostly obliterated except for a short portion which is incorporated into the Roadside Park drive immediately south of the river. The 1930 Manistique River bridge is also removed.
  1959 (Nov 6) – Two short realignments to the route of M-77 become official today:
  • A pair of turns and a 1.4-mile segment of the route of M-77 are bypassed in extreme northeastern Schoolcraft Co at Lavender Corner when a new curving 1.0-mile long state trunkline is assumed into the highway system along the present-day route of M-77. The former route along Old M-77 and CR-451/Tahquamenon Truck Trail is turned back to county control.
  • A moderate curve in the route of M-77 and 1.4 miles of highway at Haverstock Creek approximately four miles south of downtown Grand Marais in Alger Co are bypassed by a 1.3 mile route on new alignment. The former route is abandoned as a public roadway.
  1960 (Oct 14) – An additional realignment along M-77 on the north side of Germfask in eastern Schoolcraft Co involves a new 0.54-mile long segment of state trunkline highway assumed into the system beginning at M-77 just south of Sheppard St to M-77 just north of Sheppard St. The former 0.6-mile segment along Sheppard St is turned back to county control.
  1960 (Oct 1) – The last gravel-surfaced segment of M-77 is paved, from Germfask to Seney in eastern Schoolcraft Co.
Controlled Access: No portion of M-75 is freeway or expressway.
NHS: No portion of M-75 is on the National Highway System (NHS).
Circle Tour: Lake Superior Circle Tour Scenic Spur MarkerFormer Lake Superior Circle Tour SPUR: From M-28 at Seney to northern terminus at Grand Marais. Effectively Decommissioned in 2012–13 with all Senic Spur route markers removed during a route marker replacement project.
Memorial Highway: At present, no portion of M-77 has been designated as part of a Memorial Highway.
Photographs:  
Weblinks:
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