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Western Terminus:	M-37 (cnr East Beltline Ave & Fulton St) on the east side of Grand Rapids
Eastern Terminus:	I-475/UAW Frwy at Exit 7 in downtown Flint
Length:	99.967 miles
Map:	Route Map of M-21
Notes:	Prior to the coming of the Interstates, M-21 was a key "Coast-to-Coast" highway in the Lower Peninsula, stretching from Holland on Lake Michigan to Port Huron on Lake Huron, passing through Grand Rapids and Flint en route. After the main north-south "Grand Rapids Expwy" (US-131) was nearing completion through that city, an east-west freeway was proposed with the designation M-21. While the M-21 designation did grace that freeway for a time, it was—and is—more principally known as I-196. The first leg of M-21 to be severed was the Holland-to-Grand Rapids portion, replaced by a completed I-196 freeway in the mid-1970s (with much of the former route re-designated as M-121 in 2007). The next, and bigger, leg to be severed was the Flint-to-Port Huron segment, replaced by I-69 a decade later. Since that time, no major changes to this once-key route have taken place.
	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 a massive upgrade to the route of M-21 during that timeframe. While looking back, it's clear the planners were overly ambitious, at the time freeway-building had yet to reach its zenith. In these maps, M-21 was reccommended to be upgraded to a full freeway beginning at the I-96 & I-196 junction east of Grand Rapids, continuing easterly bypass Ada, Lowell, and Saranac to the north, and Ionia, Lyons, Muir, Pewamo, Fowler, St. Johns, Ovid, Owosso, and Corunna to the south, before merging back into its existing alignment at M-13. The existing M-21 along Corunna Rd between M-13 and Linden Rd would be converted to freeway, with the freeway then angling southeasterly to an interchange with I-75/US-10/US-23 in the vicinity of the Miller Rd interchange. Under these planas, M-21 would then transition to what is now I-69 (which was largely built as the M-21 freeway from the 1960s to the 1980s) from Flint to Port Huron, featuring proposed BUS M-21 routings at Flint, Lapeer and Imlay City (none of which were ever designated).
History:	1920 – M-21 begins at the jct of M-16 & M-44 in South Ionia (present-day cnr of M-66/State Rd & Riverside Dr) and continues easterly along the south side of the Grand River through Lyons to Pewamo. From there, M-21 continues along its present-day route through St Johns to Ovid, where it diverges slightly from its present alignment to travel along Simpson Rd to Five Points, then continues easterly into Owosso. There, M-21 bends southerly travelling through downtown Corunna and continues into Lennon along Lytle Rd. From Lennon, M-21 then continues easterly along its present route into downtown Flint. Between Flint and Goodells, M-21 travels roughly along its pre-1980s routing through Lapeer, Imlay City and Emmett. M-21 ends at M-19 in Goodells.
	1922 – By 1922, M-21 is extended easterly concurrently with M-19 from Goodells into downtown Port Huron.
	1926 (Nov) – After several proposals and a bit of political wrangling on the actual numbering and routes, the U.S. Highway system is announced, with 13 new national route designations destined for Michigan. Due to this, several state highway designations across the state are changed and M-51 running between Holland and Grand Rapids is earmarked to be replaced in its entirety by a westerly extension of M-21 from Grand Rapids to Holland, adding 33 miles to the route. (The M-51 route designation will be used to replace the M-27 designation in the Thumb, as US-27 is one of the new U.S. Highways coming to the state.)
	1927 (May 15) – The various state trunkline designation changes due to the debut of the U.S. Highway system in the State of Michigan become official as to the many modifications to other routes affected by those changes. The M-21 extension from Grand Rapids through Grandville, Hudsonville and Zeeland to Holland over the former route of M-51 is one of those changes to become official today. M-21 is posted to run concurrently with the new US-16 (previously M-16) from its previous western terminus through downtown Grand Rapuds, then southwesterly along its new route.
	1928 (May 2) – A 1.0-mile segment of new state trunkline highway is officially established as a new route for M-21 running due easterly from its existing route at Saint Clair Rd in Clinton Co's Ovid Twp connecting back with its existing route at Shepardsville Rd at the community of Shephardsville, approx three miles west of Ovid. The former route of M-21 along Saint Clair Rd northerly ¼ mile to Winfield Rd, then easterly along Winfield into Shepardsvile, then southerly via Shepherdsville Rd ¼ mile back to the new M-21 route is officially cancelled as a state trunkline route and turned back to county control.
	1928 (Aug) – As part of an overall effort to route M-21 from Grand Rapids easterly through Kent and Ionia Cos onto a more direct and updated alignment, the first segment in this effort is completed and opened to traffic from the east limits of Grand Rapids easterly via and upgraded E Fulton St to the community of Ada, merging back with the former route of M-21 at the western end of bridge spanning the Grand River. This new alignment consists both of upgrades to existing roadways as well as some segments of new highway alignments. The former route of M-21 departing Grand Rapids to the east via US-16/M-50 along the Lake Dr–Robinson Rd–Cascade Rd route easterly to Forest Hill Ave retains the US-16 and M-50 designations, while 4.1 miles of Ada Dr from US-16/M-50/Cascade Rd northerly to Ada Dr and Ada Dr easterly from Forest Hill through the community of Ada to the western end of the Grand River bridge is temporarily retained as an unsigned staet trunkline route.
	1928 (Oct 30, Dec 18) – The effort to route M-21 from Grand Rapids easterly through Kent and Ionia Cos onto a more direct and updated alignment continues when a second segment is completed and opened to traffic in a major ceremony held at Lowell on October 30. Local, regional and statewide dignitaries celebrated the completion of the new alignment of M-21 along E Fulton St (in Kent Co) and Bluewater Hwy (in Ionia Co) from Lowell easterly into Ionia Co to Hawley Rd at Saranac where it turned southerly to cross the Grand River to resume its previous alignment on the south side of the river between Saranac and Ionia. A related 1.1-mile long realignment project on the west side of Lowell completes the project moving M-21 onto a more direct alignment between Alden Nash Ave and West Ave, when local farmer D. G. Mange who had, according to the Lowell First Look, "previously said he would not consent to splitting his farm on the southeast quarter of Sec. 3 for M-21 to cross, relented and agreed to allow the crossing." While the new alignment opens to traffic at the end of October, official highway transfers don't take place until December 18 when the 1.1 mile of W Main St on west side of Lowell from Alden Nash Ave to West Ave is officially established as a state trunkline route for M-21 and Bowes St from Alden Nash Ave easterly to West Ave and West Ave itself are canceled and turned back to local control. From Lowell easterly, E Main St in Lowell from Washington St to the east city limit as well as E Fulton St from there to the Ionia Co line is established as a state trunkline highway route. In Ionia Co, Bluewater Hwy on the north side of the Grand River from the Kent Co line easterly for 12.7 miles past Saranac to M-44/Haynor Rd west of Ionia is similarly officially established as the route of M-21, although only the section between Lowell and Hawley Rd at Saranac is complete and open to traffic. The remainder of the new route for M-21 north of the Grand River between Saranac and Lowell is still incomplete and M-21 remains on its former alignment via Riverside Dr as a "marked-and-maintained" route for the time being. This is because the 1.0-mile of Grand River Dr in Kent Co from S Division St at Lowell easterly to the Kent/Ionia Co line at Montcalm Ave as well as the 12.3 miles of Riverside Dr in Ionia Co from Montcalm Ave easterly to M-43/State Rd (present-day M-66) south of Lowell and the 1.3-mile Summit St–Bridge St–Main St routing through Saranac are all cancelled as a state trunkline highway route and officially turned back to local control on December 18.
	c.1927–28 – The routing of M-21 between Ovid and Five Points (west of Owosso) is straightened and placed onto its modern-day alignment. The former route is turned back to local control.
	1929 – M-21 is realigned between Flint and Lapeer. Beginning at the cnr of Court St & Lapeer Rd in Flint, M-21 now continues easterly along Court St to US-10/Dort Hwy, jogging northerly with US-10 to Davison Rd, then easterly along Davison Rd through Davison, merging with the old route just west of Lapeer. The former route along Lapeer Rd from Court St in Flint to M-15/State Rd south of Davison was redesignated as M-21A. From M-15 easterly to Davison Rd at Lapeer, the former route is turned back to local control.
	1929 (June 6) – While it opened to traffic the previous August, the new 8.2-mile segment of M-21 between Grand Rapids and Ada in Kent Co following the Fulton St alignment is officially established as a state trunkline highway route from Carleton Ave in Grand Rapids easterly to the western end of the Grand River bridge at Ada. The 4.1-mile long former segment of M-21 along Forest Hill Ave from US-16/M-50/Cascade Rd northerly to Ada Dr and Ada Dr easterly from Forest Hill through Ada to the new M-21/Fulton St is cancelled as a state trunkline highway route and turned back to county control. The approx ¼ mile portion of the former route of M-21 from the cnr of Ada Dr & E Fulton St easterly to the western end of the Grand River bridge is abandoned as a public roadway.
	1929 (Aug 26) – The 4.0-mile long former route of M-21 between the east limits of Holland and Zeeland via Eighth St, Holland-Zeeland Rd (Paw Paw Dr) and W Main Ave to Colonial St is cancelled as a state trunkline route and turned back to local control, while a new 3.9-mile long route from Eighth St northeasterly via Chicago Dr to W Main Ave then via Washington Ave to Colonial St is established as the new trunkline route for M-21. The portion of Washington Ave from Colonial St past the north side of downtown Zeeland to a point 1,500 ft west of Fairview Dr is signed as part of M-21 but remains a local street under city jurisdiction. (An unbuilt segment of state trunkline highway extends southerly from Washington Ave from the point approx 1,500 ft west of Fairview Rd to E Main Ave that was established as part of M-51 when M-51 was routed directly northeasterly toward Hudsonville via Chicago Dr in 1922.)
	1929 (Nov 29) – While actual work is far from complete, another segment in the overall project to move M-21 from the south side of the Grand River through Ionia Co to the north side takes a step forward when a new 10.8-mile long trunkline route is officially established from the point where E Lincoln Ave in Ionia leaves the east city limit and continues generally easterly bypassing Muir to the north and continuing east to bypass Pewamo to the south before merging back into the existing route of M-21 approx 350 feet east of the Ionia/Clinton Co line. The former route from the Cleveland St bridge spanning the Grand River at Ionia southerly via Cleveland to Riverside Dr, then easterly along Riverside Dr to Lyons, through Lyons via Libhart St and Bridge St, then easterly from Lyons via Kimball Rd then Stoney Creek Rd to Hubbardston Rd, northerly on Hubbardston Rd into Pewamo continuing north along State St to Main St downtown Pewamo, then easterly along Main St to approx 350 feet east of the Ionia/Clinton Co line is officially cancelled as a state trunkline highway route and turned back to local control—except that since the new alignment is not yet complete, the former route remains signed as a "marked-and-maintained" route of M-21—maintained as a state trunkline, although following roads not officially part of the trunkline system.
	1930 (Aug 28) – An approximately 7½ mile segment of relocated M-21 is completed and (unofficially) opened to traffic in Ionia Co along Bluewater Dr from Hawley Rd to Hayor Rd on the western edge of Ionia, running north of the Grand River. This completes a project which saw the new portion of M-21 from Lowell easterly to Saranac opened to traffic in late October 1928. While this segment had been officially established as a trunkline route on December 18, 1928, it takes almost two additional years for the Saranac–Ionia segment to be completed. In the interim, the former route of M-21 along Riverside Dr south of the river remained signed as a "marked-and-maintained" route even though it had been officially cancelled as a trunkline route (and turned back to local control). M-21 now stays on the north side of the Grand River from Ada all the way through Lowell to Ionia. While traffic begins using the new route of M-21 between Saranac and Ionia in late August, it's official opening by the State Highway Dept doesn't come for another month or two later.
	1931 (Jan 3) – Months prior to the passage of the Dykstra Act (Act 131 of 1931), the 0.9-mile segment of Washington Ave bypassing downtown Zeeland one block to the north between Colonial St and a point 1,500 ft west of Fairview Dr is officially established as part of the route of M-21, although it has been signed as part of the route for the past two years.
	1931 – The Dykstra Act this year allows the State Highway Dept to actually maintain state trunkline facilities through cities. The portions of M-21 within cities along its route are transferred to state control.
	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 segments of formerly city-controlled streets are assumed into the system as part of M-21: In Holland: 0.8 mile of Eighth St from US-31/River St downtown easterly to the east city limit at Fairbanks Ave. In Battle Creek: The 4.2-mile through-town route of M-78 along Capital Ave from the end of state jurisdiction at Park Ave at the northern city limit southwesterly, Division St southerly, Fountain St westerly, and Capital Ave southerly to the resumption of state control at Goguac Lake ½ mile south of Columbia Ave. In Bellevue: The 0.6 mile of Capital Ave from the west village limit easterly to Main St downtown where state jurisdiction resumes (from the July 13, 1928 determination). Through Charlotte: The 4½ blocks (0.3 mile) of Lawrence St from the Grand Trunk Western Railroad (where state jurisdiction had previously ended) easterly to US-27 at the cnr of Cochran Ave & Lawrence Ave, then continuing easterly with US-27 for three additional blocks along Lawrence Ave from Cochran Ave to Pleasant St & Lansing Rd and one additional block of Lansing Rd from Lawrence Ave & Pleasant St northeasterly to the resumption of state maintenance at Harris St. In Lansing: The 2.2 mile route of US-27/M-78, running along Main St from Logan St to Washington Ave, Washington Ave from Main St to Kalamazoo St, Kalamazoo St from Washington Ave to Larch St, and Larch St from Kalamazoo St to the jct of US-27 & M-78 at Larch St & Saginaw St. Additionally, the 0.3 mile of Saginaw St from US-27/Larch St easterly to Pennsylvania Ave where state jurisdiction picks back up.
	1931 (Late Summer) – With the exception of the "Pewamo Bypass" segment, the new route of M-21 from Ionia easterly past Muir to the Ionia/Clinton Co line is completed and opened to traffic. The Pere Marquette Railway viaduct just west of Pewamo is not yet complete, so M-21 is temporarily routed through the village from the west via Pewamo Rd–W Lincoln St to State, southerly one block (crossing the PM Ry) along State St to Main St, then easterly out of Pewamo via the former route of M-21 on E Main St. The remainder of the former route of M-21 south of the Grand River from Ionia through Lyons to downtown Pewamo, which was officially cancelled and turned back to local control late November 1929, has its route markers removed and maintenance is resumed by the local road agencies.
	c.1931-32 – In Lapeer Co, M-21 is moved onto its "classic" routing between Lapeer and Imlay City along Imlay City Rd. Previously, M-21 ran through downtown Lapeer, then easterly along Bowers Rd to Lake Pleasant Rd, southerly on Lake Pleasant to Attica Rd, then easterly on Attica Rd (4th St in Imlay City) to M-53. This route is turned back to local control. In yet another realignment in St Clair Co, M-21 is transferred onto its "classic" alignment there along Lapeer Rd from near Goodells via Wadhams and into downtown Port Huron. The former route, along Goodells, Sparling and Griswold Rds, is turned back to local control. In all, these changes also signified the completion of hard-surfacing to all of M-21 from coast-to-coast.
	1932 (Oct 29) – Carlton St in Zeeland from Main Ave northerly to M-21/Washington Ave, no longer a signed portion of M-21 since August 1929, is finally transferred to local control.
	1933 – A 3-mile, gravel-surfaced bypass of Pewamo opens (thus reversing the completed paving of M-21 just a year or two earlier!). The bypass is completely hard-surfaced within a year, however. The former route of M-21 through Pewamo is designated M-210. (In more modern times, M-210 would have been designated BUS M-21 instead.)
	1939 – In early-1939, the former M-21 (redesignated as M-210) through Pewamo is removed and turned back to local control.
	1944 – A new BYP (Bypass) M-21 is created in the Grand Rapids area, beginning at jct M-21 & BYP US-16 (cnr 28th St & Chicago Dr) in Grandville, running easterly with BYP US-16 and BYP US-131 along 28th St to East Beltline Ave, then northerly with BYP US-131 along East Beltline Ave back to M-21/E Fulton St east of Grand Rapids.
	1948 – All of M-21A from Flint to Davison is "decommissioned" as a state trunkline and turned back to local control.
	1950 – The highway is realigned at Capac to remove two sharp 90-degree turns.
	1952 – In mid-1952, the highway is realigned at Emmett to remove two more sharp 90-degree turns.
	1953 (Summer) – M-21 is rerouted in the Grand Rapids area to replace the BYP M-21 designation created nearly a decade earlier along 28th St and East Beltline Ave. The former route of M-21 through Grand Rapids (along Chicago Dr, Grandville Ave, Franklin St, Eastern Ave and Fulton Ave) is re-designated as BUS M-21.
	1954 (Dec 6) – The 3.9-mile long US-31 "Holland bypass" from existing US-31 south of the city northeasterly and northerly around the east side of the city to jct M-21/Chicago Dr & US-31 northeast of downtown is completed and opened to traffic, 3½ weeks ahead of schedule. While it is open to traffic, the bypass has not yet been officially established as a state trunkline route. The former route of US-31 through downtown Holland via Washington Ave, Michigan Ave, River Ave, Eighth St and Chicago Dr is redesignated as BUS US-31 and the concurrent US-31/M-21 portion along Eighth St and Chicago Dr retains the M-21 concurrency as BUS US-31/M-21. Why M-21 is not truncated at US-31 is not clear.
	1955 (Oct 24) – In an effort to relieve congestion at the intersection of the US-31 bypass and M-21 and BUS US-31 northeast of downtown Holland, the routes of M-21 and BUS US-31 are separated: M-21 remains routed via Chicago Dr as it splits from Eighth St and continues northwesterly to Zeeland and on toward Hudsonville and Grand Rapids, while BUS US-31 is now routed to continue due easterly along Eighth St to a terminus at US-31, approx 0.4 mile south of the M-21/Chicago Dr intersection. The 0.58-mile segment of Eighth St from Chicago Dr easterly to the US-31 bypass, however, is only a "marked-and-maintained" route and is not an established trunkline route and officially remains a municipal roadway.
	1956 (Early Dec) – A southerly, limited-access bypass (access only at intersecting crossroads—no private driveways) of the City of Zeeland is completed and opened to traffic, a few weeks before the projected completion date of December 31. The new bypass begins northeast of downtown and departs the former route of M-21 just west of 80th Ave bending southwesterly (via present-day M-121/Chicago Dr) to Main Ave then bending westerly to bypass the city to the south before merging back into Chicago Dr southwest of the city west of 112th Ave. Although not yet officially established as a state trunkline route, M-21 is transferred to the new bypass, while the former route through Zeeland via Washington Ave and Chicago Dr is retained as an unsigned state trunkline route for the time being.
	1957 (Oct 21) – A new $670,000 four-lane bridge spanning the Grand River at Ada in central Kent Co is completed and opened to traffic, just upstream from the existing M-21/Fulton St bridge across the river. The old bridge is to be demolished. The western approach to the former bridge is converted into a boat launch access roadway, while the former route of M-21 from the eastern approach (at Honey Creek Ave) southeasterly to the eastern approach to the new bridge is to be turned back to county control and will become an extension of Pettis Ave.
	1958 (Mar 6) – The Zeeland Bypass is officially assumed into the state trunkline system, although it has been open to traffic for approximately 15 months at this point. At this same time, the former route of M-21 through Zeeland via Chicago Dr and Washington Ave is also officially cancelled as trunkline route and turned back to local control.
	1958 (Oct 8) – After being open to traffic for almost exactly a year, the new Grand River bridge at Ada in east-central Kent Co and its approach roadways, totalling 1.099 miles, are officially established as a state trunkline highway route as part of M-21. The 1.2-mile long former route of M-21, along with the old Grand River bridge, is officially cancelled as a state trunkline route. As noted in the October 21, 1957 listing, the former route of M-21 comprising the western approach to the former bridge is abandoned as a public roadway and turned over to the Dept of Conservation to become a public boating access site for the Grand River. On the eastern side, the very short segment of former M-21 from the former bridge to Pettis Ave is obliterated as a public roadway, whie the remainder of the former route from that point (at the cnr of Honey Creek Ave) southeasterly to the new M-21 route is turned back to county control as part of an extension of Pettis Ave.
	1959 (Aug 15) – A new completely grade-separated interchange is scheduled to be completed northeast of downtown Holland replacing the former at-grade intersection of US-31 and M-21/Chicago Dr. The former intersection, subject to heavy congestion and having a high accident rate, is replaced by an interchange featuring US-31 overpassing M-21/Chicago Dr and six freeway-style on- and off-ramps. Because of the improvements at the junction, BUS US-31 is rerouted back onto M-21/Chicago Dr between the Eighth St split and the US-31 bypass east of downtown Holland, after having been temporarily routed via Eighth St as a "marked-and-maintained" route since October 1955 in an effort to relieve congestion at the US-31 & M-21 junction. As Eighth St between M-21/Chicago Dr and the US-31 bypass was never officially established as a state trunkline route, it remains a local road and maintenance shifts back to local authorities.
	1964 (Dec 14-21) – The 12.5-mile I-196/M-21 freeway through Grand Rapids is opened to traffic on December 14 and is officially assumed into the trunkline system one week later on December 21, from existing M-21/Chicago Dr at Exit 69 in Grandville through downtown Grand Rapids to I-196's terminus at I-96. M-21 is routed onto the new freeway, concurrently with I-196 from Grandville, through Grand Rapids, to the eastern end of I-196, where M-21 now continues the short distance via I-96 easterly to its existing routing along E Fulton St. (The 12.5 miles of freeway through Grand Rapids cost $40 million to construct.) With this change, BUS M-21 is slightly extended at each end: southwesterly from 28th St through downtown Grandville to the new I-196/M-21 interchange; and easterly from East Beltline Ave (M-44) to M-21 at I-96. The former M-21 routing along 28th St becomes a part of M-11, while the routing along East Beltline Ave becomes a part of M-44.
	1967 (Mar 10) – The Dept of State Highways announces that in 1969, the portion of M-21 from M-78 at Flint easterly through Lapeer, and Imlay City to Port Huron will be redesignated as a major easterly extension of M-78 due to the construction of Flint's "East-West Freeway" (present-day I-69/Chevrolet-Buick Frwy) and its easterly extension to Lapeer and proposed future extension to Port Huron. This will unify the route under one route designation instead of M-78 suddenly becoming M-21 at some point in Flint.
	1966 (Oct 19) – M-21 is rerouted onto a newly-constructed freeway from the Wadhams area into downtown Port Huron, which is opened to traffic on this date. The former route of M-21 (Lapeer Rd) is turned back to local control.
	1968 (Oct 18) – The 21.39 miles of the east-west freeway through the Greater Flint area from M-121/Bristol Rd east of Swartz Creek easterly through Flint and past Davison to the Genesee/Lapeer Co line and the 7.16-mile portion from the Genesee/Lapeer Co line easterly to M-24 south of Lapeer is officially determined as a state trunkline route. The western portion of this route is scheduled to be part of M-78 while the eastern portion is to become M-21.
	1969 (Fall) – A 6.2-mile segment of M-21/M-78 freeway, although unsigned as such, is completed and opened to "Local Traffic Only" from Center Rd on the Flint/Burton city limit (present-day I-69 Exit 139) easterly to M-15 south of Davison (present-day I-69 Exit 145). As the segment of the M-78/Chevrolet Frwy through the City of Flint is still under construction, this isolated stretch of freeway is signed as being for "Local Traffic Only" for the time being.
	1970 (Mar 30) – The 0.284-mile segment of WIlson Ave running between BUS M-21/Chicago Dr in downtown Grandville northerly to M-11/28th St—and formerly acting as one of the connecting routes between M-21 (later BUS M-21) and M-11 as the two routes separated by a grade separation—is cancelled as a state trunkline route and turned back to local control. While Chicago Dr is currently signed as part of BUS M-21, transportation officials are eyeing the route through Grandville to be turned back to local control in the future, so Wilson Ave as a connector will be unnecessary and it is turned back at this time. All sources seem to indicate this segment of Wilson Ave is not (nor possibly ever was) designated with or signed with its own route designation. It likely had been posted either with "TO M-21" (sbd) and "TO M-11" route markers or possibly even as a third leg of M-21 itself, as this segment was initially designated as "part" of M-21.
	1971 (Aug 16, 11:30 am) – The 10.2-mile portion of the M-21 freeway from the existing freeway opened to traffic in late 1960 at M-15 south of Davison in Genesee Co easterly to M-24/Lapeer Rd south of Lapeer in Lapeer Co is completed and opened to traffic. The opening ceremonies take place at the Elba Rd interchange, including the cutting of a log with an "old-fashioned crosscut saw" by the mayors of Davison and Lapeer, relfecting the early logging histories of both cities. The former route of M-21 along Davison Rd (Flint St in Davison) remains an unsigned state trunkline route for the time being.
	1971 (Oct 18) – Until this time, two of Holland's major downtown streets—River Ave from Eighth St southerly (BUS US-31) and Eighth St from River Ave easterly (BUS US-31/M-21)—have been state trunkline highways. The City of Holland, mindful of modern-day pressures on the central business district and the growing suburban shopping centers, decides to convert its major downtown street into a more pedestrian-friendly zone, albeit while maintaining one lane of one-way traffic westbound and featuring angle parking. Thus, Eighth St, signed as BUS US-31 and M-21, between River Ave and Lincoln Ave is cancelled as a state trunkline route and turned back to the City, while Seventh & Ninth Sts between Pine & Lincoln Aves as well as Pine & Lincoln Aves between Seventh & Ninth Sts are established as a trunkline route and transferred to the state. Now, northbound BUS US-31 traffic turns easterly from River Ave onto Ninth St to Lincoln Ave, and northerly one block via Lincoln to Eighth. Southbound BUS US-31 traffic now jogs northerly via Lincoln Ave to Seventh St, westerly via Seventh to Pine Ave, southerly via Pine Ave to Ninth Ave, easterly via Ninth to River Ave where it meets its former route heading southerly from downtown via River. (The concurrent M-21 designation along BUS US-31 between the US-31 Holland bypass and downtown Holland may have been removed at this point, truncating M-21 back to the US-31 bypass interchange.)
	1971 (Nov 10–12) – In a reversal of their early 1967 annoucement that M-78 will replace the M-21 designation from Flint to Port Huron as the new freeway through Flint and between those cities is opened to traffic, the Dept of State Highways announces M-21 will be rerouted to run along the entirety of the Chevrolet Freeway in Genesee Co and continue east to Port Huron as it has since the early days of the Michigan state trunkline system. M-21 coming easterly from Owosso now turns southerly concurrently with M-13/Sheridan Rd through Lennon to the M-78 freeway (present-day I-69 Exit 123) where it turns easterly, joining the M-78 designation on the Chevrolet Frwy past Swartz Creek into Flint. The former route of M-21 along Corunna Rd between M-13/Sheridan Rd and Court St and on Court St from Corunna Rd to M-54/Dort Hwy is redesignated as M-56. All route markers involved in the route changes are posted by November 12.
	1971 (Dec 1) – The 1.35-mile portion of former M-21 within the City of Lapeer from the west city limit at Millville Rd easterly to M-24/Main St is turned back to city control. This comes 3½ months after the M-21 freeway is opened from M-24 westerly just south of Lapeer.
	1971 (Dec 21) – The 2.5-mile segment of the Chevrolet Frwy through Flint, from the end of the existing M-78/M-21 freeway at the BUS M-54/Saginaw St exit downtown easterly to the Center Rd interchange, is completed and opened to traffic, completing the freeway not only through Flint and Genesee Co, but as a continuous segment from M-52 near Perry to M-24 at Lapeer. This last segment cost $22.1 million to construct, not including right-of-way costs, and includes the bridges carrying the new freeway over the future freeway and through the massive interchange with that route on which construction is still just getting underway. The M-78 designation is extended exactly ¼ mile beyond BUS M-54/Saginaw St and its new eastern terminus is now fixed at the future I-475. In Genesee Co, the Chevrolet Frwy is designated as M-78/M-21 from the west county line into downtown Flint at future I-475, and as M-21 only from there easterly through the remainder of the county toward Lapeer.
	1972 (June 9, Sept 22) – The former route of M-21 along Davison Rd from Center Rd easterly to the western Davison city limit and from the eastern Davison city limit easterly to Genesee/Lapeer Co line is turned back to county control on June 9. Then on Sept 22, the 1.439 mile portion of former M-21 along E Court St from future I-475 and M-54/Dort Hwy, the one mile of former M-21 along Davison Rd in Flint from M-54/Dort Hwy to Center Rd and the one mile along Flint St in the City of Davison are both turned back to city control. Also on Sept 22, the 6.1 miles of former M-21 from the Genesee/Lapeer Co line easterly to the western Lapeer city limit at Millville Rd is turned back to county control.
	1972 (Dec 29) – BUS M-21 in Grand Rapids is sliced in half, with the portion to the east of US-131 along Franklin St and Eastern Ave & Fulton St (from Cascade Rd westerly only) is removed and turned back to municipal control. The remaining portion of BUS M-21 between Grandville and US-131 becomes a "spur" business routing. The portion of the former BUS M-21 along E Fulton St from Cascade Rd easterly to M-37/M-44/East Beltline Ave becomes an unsigned state trunkline as OLD M-21, while the segment from there easterly to I-96 Exit 39 (where M-21 transitions from running concurrently with I-96 to continuing easterly toward Ada and Lowell via E Fulton St) is designated as CONN M-21.
	1973 (Early) – Sources seem to indicate the BS I-196 designation debuts at this time in Wyoming and Grand Rapids, replacing the BUS M-21 routing along Chicago Dr from the I-196 connector in Wyoming easterly to Clyde Park Ave, then along Grandville Ave in the City of Grand Rapids from Clyde Park Ave to Franklin St, then easterly along Franklin St to US-131. The remainder of the former BUS M-21 tto the west of this segment hrough the City of Grandville via Chicago Dr becomes an unsigned state trunkline for the time being as OLD M-21.
	1974 (Feb) – The M-78 designation is removed from the portion of M-21 freeway concurrently designated with M-78 between M-13 at Lennon and downtown Flint and replaced by the newly-extended I-69 designation from Charlotte.
	1974 (June–July) – All interchanges along the I-196/M-21 freeway from M-21/Chicago Dr (present-day M-121) at Jenison to I-96 east of Grand Rapids are posted with exit numbers corresponding to the nearest milemarker.
	1974 (Dec 8) – Approximately 31 miles of M-21 are lopped off its western end with the completion of I-196 between Holland and Grandville. The former route from US-31 at Holland to east of Zeeland becomes a part of a new BL I-196. The portion of Chicago Dr from Main Ave at Zeeland to I-196 (present-day Exit 69) at Grandville becomes an unsigned state trunkline as OLD M-21 (later to be designated as M-121 in 2007-08). The concurrent I-196/M-21 through Grand Rapids becomes just I-196 while M-21's new western terminus is at I-96 Exit 39. (For the time being, the segment of E Fulton St—formerly part of M-21 prior to late 1964—remains designated as CONN M-21, although logically, the M-21 designation could have been extended back over that ½-mile segment of highway to a new western terminus at M-37/M-44/East Beltline Ave. But it wasn't.)
	1977 (Late) – M-21/E Fulton St is realigned to the south of its previous route in central Kent Co beginning at Greenbrier Dr (approx ¾ mile east of the I-96 interchange) and continuing easterly over a new overpass spanning the Grand Trunk Western Ry tracks east of Forest Hill Ave, generally merging back with its previous route near Taos Ave. From the railroad overpass easterly to just west of Kulross Ave west of Ada, M-21 is rebuilt as a four-lane divided highway, with the new westbd lanes being built 35.5 feet south of the existing roadway and the new eastbd lanes constructed to the south. The former roadway—both the portion replaced by the realigned segment between Greenbrier and Taos as well as the existing roadway from Taos Ave easterly to Kulross—is obliterated as a public roadway.
	1982 – Two segments of OLD M-21 (former BUS M-21) along Chicago Dr in Grandville are cancelled as state trunkline routes and turned back to local control: (Aug 31) – Chicago Dr from the eastbound I-196 off-ramp at Exit 69 easterly to Wilson Ave in downtown Grandville (Oct 20) – Chicago Dr through the I-196 interchange (Exit 69) from the Ottawa/Kent Co line easterly to the eastbound I-196 off-ramp
	1984 (Dec 14) – The entire 39-mile segment of freeway from Lapeer to Wadhams opens, not as M-21, but rather as an easterly extension of I-69. The length of M-21 is reduced by approximately 70 miles to end in Flint. Firstly, the M-56 designation which had replaced M-21 along Corunna & Miller Rds and Court St between M-13 and I-475/UAW Frwy in downtown Flint is re-designated as M-21. (M-56 ceases to exist as a state highway designation). The former M-13/M-21 through Lennon reverts back to just M-13, while the concurrently-designated M-21/I-69 between Lennon and Flint becomes just I-69. Between Flint and Port Huron the highway, including the M-21 freeway segments (I-475-to-M-24 and Barth Rd-to-I-94) becomes I-69. The former route of M-21 along Imlay City Rd from Lapeer easterly past Imlay City, Capac and Emmet to Barth Rd northwest of Whadams in St Clair Co becomes an unsigned state trunkline as OLD M-21. The former M-21 into downtown Port Huron along the Griswold-Oak Sts pair is designated as BS I-69, ending at M-21's former terminus at M-25/Huron Ave.
	1985 (Dec 1) – The remainder of OLD M-21 (former BUS M-21) along Chicago Dr in the City of Grandville is turned back to local control, from Wilson Ave downtown easterly to the Grandville/Wyoming city limit.
	1989 (Jan 9) – The 0.687-mile long segment of OLD M-21 along Genesee St in Lapeer from M-24/Main St easterly to 600 feet west of Saginaw St is officially cancelled as an unsigned state trunkline route and turned back to city control.
	1993 (June 30) – The 4.037-mile segment of OLD M-21/Imlay City Rd from the east city limit of Imlay City easterly to the Lapeer/Saint Clair Co line is cancelled as a state trunkline highway route and turned back to county control.
	1995 (Feb 1) – The entire 0.760 mile of OLD M-21/Capac Rd within the City of Imlay City in Lapeer Co is cancelled as an unsigned state trunkline route and turned back to city control, over 10 years after it was decommissioned as part of M-21.
	1996 (Mar 5) – The 10.849 miles of Imlay City Rd, also internally designated within MDOT as OLD M-21 in Lapeer Co from Myers Rd east of Lapeer to the northern city limit of Imlay City is cancelled as an unsigned state trunkline route and turned back to county control.
	2003 – The 9.34 miles of unsigned OLD M-21 in St Clair Co, from M-19 at Emmett easterly to Taylor Rd, is officially cancelled as state trunkline highway turned back to county control.
	2004? – After the M-21 designation was relocated to run along I-196/Gerald R Ford Frwy through Grand Rapids in late 1964, the former route of M-21 through Grand Rapids was redesignated as BUS M-21. Then, at the end of 1972, the eastern half of that route—between US-131 and the cnr of E Fulton St & Cascade Rd—was decommissioned and turned back to local control. The portion of the former BUS M-21 along E Fulton St from Cascade Rd to M-37/M-44/East Beltline Ave became an unsigned trunkline as OLD M-21, while the segment of E Fulton St from M-37/M-44/East Beltline Ave easterly to jct I-96 & M-21 (at I-96 Exit 39) had been designated CONN M-21 (Connector M-21). The "CONN" label persists on Official State Transportation Maps through the 2004 edition, implying the CONN M-21 designation also persists until 2004 before being supplanted by a westerly extension of the mainline M-21 designation from I-96 to a new western terminus at M-37/M-44/East Beltline Ave. While this change may have ocurred at any point between 1974 and 2004, until evidence to the contrary is located, it will be assumed this change occurs in 2004.
	2005 (Mar 3) – The last 12.1 miles of unsigned OLD M-21 in St Clair Co, from the Lapeer Co line easterly to M-19 at Emmet, are officially cancelled as state trunkline highway and transferred to county control.
Controlled Access:	No portion of M-19 is freeway or expressway.
NHS:	M-21 is part of the National Highway System (NHS) in two different segments: In Kent Co, from the western terminus of M-21 at M-37/M-44/East Beltline Ave easterly to Ada Dr in Ada. (5.5 miles) (This segment was added in 2012 with the passage of the MAP-21 funding and authorization bill.) From the Elms Rd west of Flint to M-21's eastern terminus at I-475/UAW Frwy in downtown Flint. (6.9 miles) (The segments of M-21 from Elms Rd to I-75/US-23 and from Saginaw St to I-475 were added in 2012 with the passage of the MAP-21 funding and authorization bill.)
Memorial Highways:	The following Memorial Highway designations have been officially assigned to parts of M-21 by the Michigan Legislature: PFC Harold R. Cooley WWII Marine Corps League Memorial Highway – "The portion of highway M-21 in Shiawassee County beginning at the intersection of M-21 and Meridian Road and continuing east to the intersection of M-21 and M-13..." From MDOT: "The Harold R. Cooley Detachment of the Marine Corps League is based in Shiawassee County and honors an Owosso marine killed in the reconquest of Guam in 1944.)" Mark V. Ingram II Freeway – "Highway M-21 beginning at the intersection of M-21 and I-75 in Genesee county and continuing east to the intersection of M-21 and I-475..." From MDOT: "Mark V. Ingram II is a former running back for the University of Alabama, where he won the 2009 Heisman Trophy. He grew up in Flint, Michigan, and attended high school at Southwestern Academy, where he was ranked as the 17th best athlete in the nation and the 6th best athlete in Michigan by Rivals.com, according to information on the University of Alabama website. Ingram received a number of honors and awards after the Alabama Crimson Tide won its 13th National Football Championship in 2009." Note: Oddly enough, at no point anywhere, especially between I-75/US-23 and I-475 in Flint, is M-21 a freeway, so why this highway is named "Freeway" is quite odd, indeed.
Photographs:
Weblinks:	M-21 @ Michigan Highway Ends - photos of the termini of M-21 at Dan Garnell's excellent Michigan Highway Ends website.

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