| M-208 is a former state trunkline route existing from January 1, 1935 until July 13, 1939. |
| Western Terminus: |
US-27 (now BL I-75) on the south side of Grayling at present-day south jct M-72 & BL I-75 |
| Eastern Terminus: |
M-72 in the community of Luzerne in west-central Oscoda Co |
| Final Length: |
22.3 miles |
| Maps: |
Route Map of Former M-208 |
| Notes: |
M-208 was a state trunkline highway route in Crawford and Oscoda Counties that existed from January 1935 until July 1939, running along the present-day M-72 corridor between Grayling and Luzerne. For much of its existence, M-208 was only signed as a spur route from US-27 (now BL I-75) at Grayline easterly to the Smith Bridge spanning the South Branch (of the Au Sable) River in South Branch Twp. The remainder of the route, while officially designated through to Luzerne in Oscoda Co, was never completed as M-208. M-208 itself was cancelled as a state trunkline route in mid-1939, although almost a year and a half later, it was re-assumed into the state trunkline highway system as a new routing of M-72. |
| History: |
1935 (Jan 1) – A 22.3-mile state trunkline highway route is officially designated in Crawford and Oscoda Cos, beginning at US-27 on the southern limits of Grayling and continuing easterly in the present-day M-72 corridor to a jct with existing M-72 in the hamlet of Luzerne in west-central Oscoda Co. The new route, assigned the M-208 designation, is only signed over the first 13.3 miles from US-27 at Grayling easterly to Smith Bridge at the South Branch (of the Au Sable) River in South Branch Twp. The remainder of the route, while officially designated, is not built or signed in the field at this time. |
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1939 (July 13) – The entirety of M-208 in Crawford and Oscoda Cos—both the signed and unconstructed/unsigned portions—is cancelled as a state trunkline highway route and the existing portions of the roadway are turned back to county control. Thus ends the first and only instance of M-208 in Michigan. |
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1940 (Nov 12) – The route of M-72 is drastically altered from Luzerne in Oscoda Co westerly. From Luzerne, M-72 now runs westerly along a newly-(re-)determined state trunkline routing which had formerly been a route designated as M-208 from January 1935 until November 1939. The route of M-208 had only been signed/completed from US-27 at Grayling to Smith Bridge spanning the South Branch (of the Au Sable) River, whereas the remainder was only an officially-designated route, not actually signed in the field. Now, however, the newly re-designated route from Luzerne westerly for 12.2 miles runs along a curvy, "earth-surfaced" roadway to Smith Bridge where it transitions to use the former 13.3 miles of M-208 from there to US-27 at Grayling. The former routing of M-72 southwesterly from Luzerne to M-76 east of Roscommon is redesignated as M-144. |
| Controlled Access: |
No portion of M-208 was freeway or expressway, existing before modern-day control of access principles are practiced. |
| Photographs: |
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