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On to Next Routes: Historic US-16 & M-16 |
| Southern Terminus: | US-24/Dixie Hwy just south of Clarkston (cnr of Dixie Hwy & Ortonville Rd) |
| Northern Terminus: | M-25/Center Ave in eastern Bay City (cnr Center Ave & Trumbull St) |
| Length: | 69.660 miles |
| Map: |  Route Maps of M-15 (Present-day and 1926) M-15 (M-56) Proposed Detroit Bypass Maps (1930-35) |
| Notes: | M-15 connects the northern fringes of Metrpolitan Detroit with Bay City by bypassing the major cities along the I-75 corridor, running to the east of that freeway for the most part. While today it is a relatively low-to-moderate-volume route, compared with the traffic carried by nearby I-75, the current M-15 began as a key route in the highway system of Eastern Michigan. Today's M-15 dates from 1927 when the original M-15 in the Upper Peninsula was replaced, in its entirety, by the US-41 designation. Immediately reassigned to a new state highway route in the Lower Peninsula which had been established as a state trunkline route in 1926 but had no route designation initially, modern-day M-15 has largely existed along the same route since then. In the decades prior to the coming of the freeway system, when most of the state's highways were two-lane, uncontrolled access roadways, those which avoided major urban centers had a leg up over the other routes and M-15 was promoted as a "better" route for traffic from Metro Detroit headed to recreation areas "Up North." The major communities along M-15, such as Davison and Vassar, were still quite small compared with those on the parallel routes (e.g. Flint and Saginaw). However, as other routes were significantly upgraded, M-15 took on more of a secondary role. In the late 1990s, local civic leaders along the route applied to MDOT for and were granted a Recreational Heritage Route designation for M-15 to promote it as an alternative to I-75 from Detroit northerly to the Tri-Cities area, in order to capture some of the abundant tourist traffic heading north along that major corridor. Unfortunately, M-15 is in need of upgrading from Clarkston to Davison, and the route can often be highly congested. |
| Regarding the Heritage Route, MDOT states: "From Clarkston to Bay City, Michigan’s very first Recreational Heritage Route parallels I-75, offering motorists pleasant surprises and a welcomed diversion from fast paced freeway travel. Clarkston kicks things off at the south end with its summer festivals, parades and outdoor concerts. There’s plenty of camping, fishing and hiking to do along the 85-mile route. Just a few miles from Millington is the Murphy Lake State Game area, a great source of hunting land, trails, lakes and streams. The route concludes just east of downtown Bay City, where marinas, museums, galleries, a lighthouse and a magnificently restored city hall await travelers." Since it was first designated in teh late 1990s, the name of this route has evolved into the Pathway to Family Fun Recreational Heritage Route. | |
| Historically, the first M-15 was supposedly the sixth state trunkline route in Michigan to be designated... ever. It has been stated the State Highway Dept designated its highway routes sequentially for many years, beginning with Trunk Line 10 (T.L. 10) which later became M-10, then T.L. 11, 12, and so on. With Trunk Line 12 being the main east-west trunkline across the U.P., corresponding with modern-day US-2, Trunk Line 15 was the major north-south route which later became today's US-41. Almost the entirety of the original M-15 was designated as US-41 in 1927, with only the short stretch from Marquette to Negaunee differing between the two. |
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| An additional historical note on M-15 is the relatively unknown original Greater Detroit bypass that never was. In 1930, the State Highway Dept established a nearly 55-mile long route from Clarkston southerly through central Oakland Co, western Wayne Co and into north-central Monroe Co and designated it as a southerly extension of M-15. This was to nearly double the length of M-15 and would have funnelled a large amount of additional traffic to the route. It was to have begun at a proposed realignment of US-23 (which was to have run more-or-less directly from Ida to Azalnia, but was never constructed) and would've connected with US-24 and US-25 via M-56 in southern Wayne Co. The stated purposed for the M-15 bypass of Detroit was to pull through traffic headed for the Thumb and northern areas of the state off the streets of the Detroit, Pontiac, Ann Arbor and Flint areas. However, by early 1935 several proposed-but-never-constructed trunkline routes were being cancelled due to shifts in the priorities of the State Highway Dept and since almost no work of any kind had been done on the proposed bypass, it was permanently shelved. However, later segments of I-275 and the M-5 "Haggerty Connector" can indirectly claim this early M-15 bypass route as part of their lineage in some ways. |
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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 only one change to the route of M-15 as it existed in 1960. At Bay City, the State Highway Dept was in the process of extending M-15 to run concurrently with M-25 from its previous (and present-day) northern terminus westerly to the new I-75/US-10/US-23 freeway west of the city. The planners recommended diverting M-15 off its existing path as it approached Bay City to run westerly via Young's Ditch Rd/22nd St and Lafayette Ave to Garfield Ave. Until 1960, Garfield Ave north from Lafayette Ave and Lafayette west from Garfield had been signed as BUS US-23, but with the completion of the I-75/US-10/US-23 freeway north from Saginaw, the Garfield-Lafayette route was in the process of being redesignated as part of BL I-75 (a complete loop). Therefore, it's not clear if the recommendation was to then route M-15 northerly along BL I-75/Garfield-Washington Aves into downtown Bay City where it would turn left and continue as BL I-75/M-15/M-25 to the freeway, or to continue westerly with BL I-75 (now M-13/M-84) across the Lafayette St Bridge before turning north to continue with M-13 (formerly US-23) up Euclid Ave to BL I-75M-25 and then west to the freeway. The existing segment of M-15 between Young's Ditch Rd and M-25/Center Ave was to have been turned back to local control. In any event, the change was never implemented. | |
| History: (Original M-15) |
1913 (July 15) – The first two segments of Trunk Line 15 (T.L. 15), for a total of 30 miles, are established as state trunkline highways in Marqutte Co in the Central Upper Peninsula:
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| 1913 (Aug 2–25) – A major portion of the route of T.L. 15 in Menominee and Delta Cos is established as a state trunkline. On August 2, an 11.8-mile portion of T.L. 12/15 is established in western Delta Co from the Menominee Co line easterly through Bark River and Hyde to the Escanaba west city limit. A second 4.2-mile sectionof T.L. 12/15 is also established from the Escanaba north city limit northerly through Wells to the Gladstone south city limit. Later in the month on August 25, the 50-mile Menominee Co stretch of T.L. 15 is established from the Menominee north city limit northerly through Ingalls, Stephenson, Daggett, to T.L. 12 at Spalding, then easterly with T.L. 12 via present-day Old US-2 & 41 to the Delta Co line between Harris and Bark River. |
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1913 (Aug 15) – A total of 28.8 miles of T.L. 15 is established through Houghton Co in two segments:
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| 1913 (Oct 28) – An additional 6.3 miles of T.L. 15 are established in Marquette Co from Green Garden Rd northwesterly through Beaver Grove and Harvey to the Marquette south city limit, largely along the present-day US-41 corridor except following Country Ln just north of Green Garden and via Corning Ave and Main St through Harvey. |
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| 1914 (Jan 3) – The portion of T.L. 15 between Gladstone and Rapid River is filled when a 31-mile segment of T.L. 12 is added from the Gladstone north city limit northerly and easterly into Rapid River, where T.L. 12 continues easterly across the remainder to Delta Co toward Manistique. Of this 31-mile route, the first five miles are concurrently designated as both T.L. 12 and T.L. 15. |
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| 1914 (Feb 18–19) – On February 18, the 13-mile portion of T.L. 15 in Alger Co is established, from the Delta Co line northerly along present-day US-41 to Pillow Rd, east and north via Old 41 and Trenary Ave into Trenary, then west along present-day M-67 and northwesterly generally along present-day US-41 to the Marquette Co line. The following day on February 19, the 18.8-mile stretch of T.L. 15 from T.L. 12 (present-day US-2) in downtown Rapid River northerly via Main St, west on 27.75 Rd, then northerly along the present-day US-41 route, deviating from that path via T Rd and S.15 Rd, to the Alger Co line south of Trenary. |
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| 1915 (Nov 1) – The 6.3-mile portion of T.L. 15 in eastern Marquette Co from Green Garden Rd northwesterly through Beaver Grove and Harvey to the Marquette south city limit, established two years prior, is cancelled as a state trunkline, but is immediately replaced by a new 16.6-mile segment along the same Marquette-to-Green Garden stretch, then continuing southeasterly through Skandia to Carlshend generally along the present-day US-41 route, deviating from it along Foster Creek Dr, Kreiger Dr, School Rd, and N Carlshend Rd. |
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| 1919 (Apr 1) – A lengthy 19.6-mile stretch of T.L. 15 through much of Baraga Co is established, beginning at Tioga and continuing northwesterly along King Lake Rd, present-day Old US-41, via a now-obliterated roadway, then through Alberta along present Old US-41 again, then northeasterly and northerly along present-day Old US-41 to Bovine, then present-day US-41, Benomme Rd, Jack-O'-Lantern Rd, and Broad St into downtown L'Anse, then west via Main St, a now-obliterated road, then the present-day US-41 route around the head of Keweenaw Bay, along Superior Ave through Baraga, Main St, and Old US-41 to Assinins, north via present US-41, Jurmu Rd, Old US-41 (though Keweenaw Bay), then back to present-day US-41 to the Houghton Co line. |
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| 1919 (June 11) – A 1.5-mile segment of T.L. 15 is established in the City of Menominee along 10th St from 20th Ave northerly to 43rd Ave. |
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1919 (Sept 22, Nov 21) – The majority of T.L. 15 in Keweenaw Co is established in two segments during late 1919:
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| 1920 (Feb 11) – The 6.0-mile portion of T.L. 15 in southeast Marquette Co from the Alger Co line northwesterly and westerly to Carlshend (at the end of the segment established in 1915) is officially assumed into the state trunkline highway system. |
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| 1920 (Feb 28) – A 0.8-mile segment of T.L. 15 in the City of Hancock from Quincy St northerly and northwesterly along White St to Oak St (now Lincoln Dr), then easterly on Oak St (Lincoln Dr) to the east city limit is established as a state trunkline. |
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| 1920 (May 1–15) – T.L. 15 is signed in the field as M-15 as all state trunkline highways in the Upper Peninsula are scheduled to be signed with route markers during the first half of May. |
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| 1920 (June 25) – The 3.6-mile route of M-12/M-15 through the City of Gladstone in Delta Co is officially established as a state trunkline route, beginning at the south city limit and proceeding east-northeasterly via Lake Shore Rd, then northerly five blocks via 10th St, east one block on Wisconsin Ave, northerly again along 9th St before turning westerly and northerly yet again via a now-obliterated roadway (in present-day), then northeasterly along Buckey Ave and N Lake Shore Dr to the north city limit. |
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| 1920 (July 23) – Two segments of M-12/M-15 are established as state trunkline in the City of Escanaba. First, a 2.2-mile stretch from the west city limit at Willow Creek, easterly along 8th Ave S, then jogging north on S 19th St, continuing easterly via 8th Ave S for five blocks, then northerly along S 14th St for eight blocks to Ludington St. Second, a 0.6-mile stretch of Sheridan Rd from the Chicago & North Western Ry crossing (present-day 17th Ave N) northerly to the north city limit. |
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| 1921 (Aug 18) – Act 181 of the Public Acts of 1921 is passed and becomes effective, adding the Portage Canal Swing Bridge (built 1898, rebuilt 1905) spanning the Portage Lake Waterway, connecting Houghton and Hancock, to the state trunkline highway system, although it has been considered as part of M-15 and M-26 since route markers were first posted in the field. The verbiage from the statute states: Sec. 1. The bridge across Portage lake extending from Dakotah street in the village of Houghton to Front street in the city of Hancock, Houghton county, is declared a part of the state trunk line highway system, and the improvement, repair and maintenance thereof shall be under the supervision and control of the state highway commissioner. The county of Houghton is hereby relieved of all duties, powers and obligations with respect to the future repair, maintenance and improvement of said bridge. |
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| 1921 (Dec 14) – A 13.5-mile stretch of M-15 is established in southeast Baraga Co from the Marquette Co line at Michigamme westerly via the present-day route of US-41 through Three Lakes, then through Nestoria, northwesterly along Nestoria-Herman Rd, southwest via Nestoria Cutoff and a now-abandoned roadway to King Lake Rd at Tioga. |
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| 1922 (June 10) – Although officially established as part of M-15 on April 1, 1919, construction on the segment of M-15 in Baraga Co from Tioga northerly to L'Anse was so difficult that it has taken the better part of four years to complete the entire segment, with the last portion to be finished being the bridge spanning Pelkie Creek. The remainder of M-15 between Tioga and the Baraga/Houghton Co line has been open since 1921. Prior to completion of the new route, traffic is routed over Nestoria-Herman Rd although a miscommunication between the State Highway Dept and the Baraga Co Road Commission led to M-15 route markers not being erected along the temporary route for at least a year until the mistake was rectified in late 1920 or early 1921. | |
| 1924 – Henry Ford and the Ford Motor Co constructs a new route for M-15 bypassing downtown L'Anse to the southwest which also bypasses a sawmill Ford purchased from the Stearns & Culver Lumber Co two years prior. Ford is expanding the mill and requires the highway right-of-way to both enlarge the mill complex as well as remove through traffic from the grounds. While Ford Motor constructs the new highway from Broad St near Winter St westerly back to the existing highway approximately 1.4 miles to the west and traffic begins using the new route, no official transfers of jurisdiction take place for an additional two years. (The mill is located on the site of the present-day CertainTeed ceiling tile manufacturing plant.) |
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| 1924 (Sept 10) – An additional three-mile segment of M-15 is established as a state trunkline in Keweenaw Co from approximately 0.4 mile southwest of Copper Harbor northeasterly into town, then easterly past Lake Fanny Hooe to a new northern terminus east of Fort Wilkins. |
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| 1925 (May 15) – An additional 1.1-mile section of M-15 is established in the City of Houghton from the east city limit (in the midst of present-day Michigan Technological Univ) westerly along College Ave and Shelden Ave through downtown to Bridge St at the southern junction with M-26. |
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| 1925 – As the new system of US Highways is being formulated, M-15 is proposed to be replaced by three different US Highways in four segments. From the Wisconsin line to Powers, M-15 is proposed as part of US-41, while from Powers to Rapid River, it is to become part of US-2. From Rapid River to Covington, M-15 is proposed to be designated US-102, while the remainder from Covington to Copper Harbor is to be, again, part of US-41. These intial designations are only preliminary and many changes will take place prior to the system being finalized over the next year or so. |
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| 1926 (Oct 8) – The changes brought about by the constuction of the Ford Motor Co sawmill bypass roadway at L'Anse from 1924 are made official. The 1.1-mile segment of M-15 in L'Anse from Broad St downtown southwesterly through the present-day CertainTeed plan, then along the shore of Keweenaw Bay, merging back into the relocated route west of the L'Anse west village limit is cancelled as a trunkline route, although it has likely been closed to through traffic since 1924. A new 1.2-mile route for M-15 from the cnr of Broad & Fall Sts, then slightly south of due west back to the previous route at the L'Anse west village limit is established, but seemingly remains unconstructed as established. (The Ford Motor-built roadway from 1924 follows a slightly different path, along present-day US-41, but this is not the route which is officially established as the trunkline route for some reason.) |
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| 1927 (May 2) – The fourteen year history of the route of M-15 comes to an end when crews begin replacing its route markers with US-41 signs along most of its length, with the exception of the Marquette-Negaunee segment. Here, US-41 departs Marquette and travels west along what was likely a "third leg" of M-35 established in 1919 along present-day Northwoods Rd, Northwoods Trl and Midway Dr to M-35 (present-day Co Rd 510) at Midway, then concurrently with M-35 from Midway into Negaunee via present-day Midway Dr, Forest Dr, Heritage Dr and present-day US-41/M-28. The southern route between Marquette and Negaunee along present day Co Rd 492 is designated as part of the extended route of M-28 from Covington to Sault Ste Marie. The two "third legs" of M-15 in Keweenaw Co are given their own new state route designations as well: M-6 along the Eagle River Spur from Phoenix to Eagle River (present-day M-26) and M-9 along the Eagle Harbor Spur via present-day Eagle Harbor Rd. Long-range plans also have US-41 continuing due north from its western jct with US-2 at Powers via a new highway toward Marquette, where it would then turn westerly toward the Copper Country. What is "temporarily" designated as US-41 along former M-15 from Rapid River to Marquette may have been planned to be redesignated as M-54 in the future once the proposed Powers-Marquette route is constructed. |
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| History: (Present M-15) |
Below is the complete history of present-day M-15, which overlaps the history of the historical M-15 by a short period. |
| 1926 (July 12) – A new 42.3-mile long state trunkline is established in Oakland, Genesee and Tuscola Cos, beginning at M-10/Dixie Hwy (later US-10, present-day US-24) just south of Clarkston and continuing northerly via Ortonville Rd (Main St through Clarkston) in Oakland Co, State Rd in Genesee Co through Goodrich, Davison and Otisville, and into Tuscola Co also via State Rd to Main St in downtown Millington. Upon its establishment, this new trunkline route is not given a route designation, however. This new trunkline route terminates at Millington where a new trunkline route running from Vassar through Millington then "across country" to Lapeer is anticipated being established and constructed at some point in the future. |
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| 1927 (Early) – Even with exisitng M-15 still signed as such as a major route through the Upper Peninsula, the State Highway Dept assigns the new Clarkston-to-Millington highway the M-15 designation, having been planning for a large-scale shuffling of highway route numbers with the coming of the US Highway System, which has been in the works for a couple years at this point. While the route of M-15 (to be signed as US-41 in the coming months) in the U.P. and the new M-15 are separated by 250 air-line miles (more than 350 miles via roadway), it is assumed the newer M-15 will not be signed in the field as such until the various US Highway System-related changes are made in May. |
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| 1927 (May) – With the original iteration of M-15 being re-signed as US-41 in the U.P., the new Clarkston-to-Millington trunkline route is now signed with M-15 route markers. While the roadway between Millington and Vassar has not yet been established as a state trunkline, it is earmarked by the State Highway Dept as a future segment in the M-24 route form Pontiac through Lapeer and Vassar to Bay City. Evidence points to the Millington-Vassar route being signed as part of M-24 as a "marked-and-maintained" route pending its future official addition to the trunkline system. (There is still a gap in the route of M-24 between Lapeer and Millington, however, to be filled by a highway to be constructed in the future.) |
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| 1929 (Dec 2) – An additional 2.1 miles of state trunkline are established leading north from Main St in downtown Millington via State Rd to a point approximately 0.1 mile north of Swaffer Rd. While this is likely an extension to the Clarkston-to-Millington route of M-15, indications are this may be signed as part of M-24 instead (see May 1927 item above). |
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| 1930 (Dec 8) – A 54.8-mile long "bypass" of Greater Detroit is officially established as a state trunkline route in Oakland, Wayne and Monroe Cos as part of a plan by the State Highway Dept to take through traffic off the existing routes of US-25/US-10 and US-24 through the Detroit area as well as providing a reliever route for US-23 traffic heading north through Ann Arbor and Flint. The new bypass route begins at M-15 about a mile north of downtown Clarkston and runs southwesterly, then southerly through Oakland Co following a mixture of existing and yet-to-be-constructed roads, including White Lake Rd, Nelsey Rd, Williams Lake Rd, Union Lake Rd, and Haggerty Hwy. In Oakland Co, the new route follows Haggerty Hwy for the most part (with some deviations), while in Monroe Co, the new route bends to the southwest via an all-new unbuilt route across Exeter and southeast London Twp to a point in Sec.3 of Raisinville Twp (approximately ¼ mile west of Yensch Rd and ⅛ mile south of Stewart Rd—that being along the line of a proposed US-23 relocation between Ida and Azalia. (See Maps.) The new bypass route is designated as a southerly extension of M-15, although some internal State Highway Dept maps and documents also show at least some of the route bearing the M-56 designation, as the proposed bypass will replace some of the existing route of M-56 in southwest Wayne Co. |
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| 1931 (Aug 10) – The final 1.3-mile portion of M-15 south of Vassar not yet officially established as a state trunkline is assumed into the system from Rupprecht Rd south of Vassar northerly along State Rd and Goodrich St to M-38/Huron Ave in downtown Vassar. As with the December 1929 establishment north of Millington, this stretch of highway may be marked as part of M-24 initially, but M-15 route markers are likely added soon after. |
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| 1935 (Jan 7) – After just over four years, changing priorities within the State Highway Dept lead to the cancellation of the entire 54.8-mile long western bypass of Greater Detroit, which had been earmarked to become a major southerly extension of M-15 (and/or possibly M-56—see December 1938 item above). With almost no work done on the proposed bypass route, if any, the route of M-15 returns to just its constructed portion from Clarkston to Vassar. |
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| 1935 (May) – From Vassar to the northern terminus of M-24 at Bay City, the M-15 designation is added to the route of M-24 resulting in a M-15/M-24 concurrency between those cities. At M-25/Center Ave in Bay City, M-15 is extended westerly in a rather cumbersome triple-concurrency as M-15/M-24/M-25 through downtown Bay City and further west as a bizarre four-way concurrent US-23/M-15/M-24/M-25 to a terminus at Euclid Ave on the west side of the city. The Bay City Chamber of Commerce Roads Committee has been requesting the change to "prevent confusion at Vassar" and at a conference earlier in the year, State Highway Commissioner Murray D. Van Wagoner agreed and the State Highway Department implements the change and adds the concurrent designation to its May 15, 1935 edition of the official highway map. |
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| c.1938 – By 1938, the northern termini of both M-15 and M-24 are scaled back to end at M-25/Center Ave in the eastern section of Bay City. (The 1938–1959 routing of M-15 was, ironically, identical to its 1971–present routing.) | |
| 1942 (Apr 18) – The concurrent M-24 designation is removed from M-15 when M-24 is realigned to end in Caro instead of Vassar. |
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| 1954 (July 10)–1956 (Mar 26) – M-15 is realigned on the north side of Otisville in northeast Genesee Co. Beginning at Main St in downtown Otisville, M-14 now continues north via State Rd (formerly North St) for just over ¼ mile, then curves to the east just north of the C&O Railroad, continuing northeasterly on a new alignment and merging back into the existing route ¼ mile north of the village limit. M-15/State Rd from MIll St northerly into downtown is also reconstructed as part of the project. The new route opens to traffic July 10, 1954. Then, 20 months later, on March 26, 1956, the new 0.8-mile alignment is officially established as a state trunkline route from Main St downtown to Center St ¼ mile north of the village limit. The former 0.9-mile route along Main St and Center St is cancelled as a trunkline route and turned back to local control. |
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| 1959 – The M-15 designation extended from its northern terminus at M-25/Center Ave in Bay City westerly concurrent with M-25 and BUS US-23 to US-23/Euclid Ave (present day M-13), much as it had from 1935 to 1938. | |
| 1960 (Dec 5) – The segment of I-75/US-10/US-23 and US-23 freeway from Saginaw northerly past Bay City to Kawkawlin is completed and opened to traffic. The US-23 designation is moved to this new freeway and several other route designation changes also take place in the Bay City area. While M-13 is extended northerly from Saginaw to take the former route of US-23 through Bay City to Kawkawlin, M-47 north of Saginaw is removed from its Bay City alignment and moved to one running via Freeland toward Midland. Thus, from Exit 160 on the new freeway southwest of Bay City, a new BL I-75 designation replaces M-47 northeasterly into Bay City. (M-84 is assigned to the former M-47 from I-75/US-10/US-23 southerly into Saginaw.) BL I-75 then leaves the former route of M-47 (which continues northerly along Euclid Ave, now designated M-13) and heads easterly co-signed with M-13 via Salzburg Ave, the Lafayette Bridge and Kosciuszko Ave along what was previously US-23 to Garfield Ave. Here, BL I-75 replaces the former BUS US-23 via Garfield Ave, Columbus Ave and Washington Ave into downtown. The new BL I-75 continues westerly, still supplanting BUS US-23 but now co-signed with M-15/M-25 via Seventh St (wbd) and McKinley St (ebd), the Veterans Memorial Bridge, and Jenny St (wbd) and Thomas St (wbd) to Euclid Ave (formerly US-23/M-47, now M-13) where M-15 formerly terminated. BL I-75 continues westerly with M-15/M-25 via Jenny & Thomas Sts and the freeway connector to jct I-75/US-23 and US-10 west of Bay City, where BL I-75, M-15 and M-25 all terminate at present-day Exit 162. |
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| 1971 – After only a dozen years running concurrently with M-25 through downtown Bay City, M-15 is once again scaled back to its pre-1959 terminus in Bay City at M-25/Center Ave. |
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| 1998 (July 8) – M-15 is officially dedicated as the first Recreational Heritage Route in the state at ceremony held at 2pm at Clark's Park, two miles south of Vassar (the first two Heritage Routes have fallen into the other categories, Scenic or Historic). The five-year effort to get the Heritage Route designation for M-15 is initially spearheaded by Vassar resident Dave Johnston to help promote the often overlooked communities along the route. | |
| Controlled-Access: | No portion of M-15 is freeway or expressway. |
| NHS: | M-15 is part of the National Highway System (NHS) from its southern terminus at US-24/Dixie Hwy near Clarkston to Flint St in downtown Davison, east of Flint. (23.2 miles) (The segment from I-75 at Exit 91 north to Davison was added in 2012 with the passage of the MAP-21 funding and authorization bill.) |
| Pure Michigan Byway: |
 Pathway to Family Fun Recreational Heritage Route: From Clarkston in northern Oakland Co to the northern terminus of M-15 east of downtown Bay City. |
| Memorial Highway: | The following Memorial Highway designations have been officially assigned to parts of M-15 by the Michigan Legislature:
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