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M-21 (Michigan highway)
Encyclopedia
M-21 is an east–west state trunkline highway
in the US state of Michigan
connecting the cities of Grand Rapids
and Flint
. The highway passes through rural farming country and several small towns along its course through the Lower Peninsula
. Following the course of a handful of rivers, M-21 also connects some of the state's freeways like Interstate 96
(I-96), US Highway 127
(US 127) and I-75
. The highway is used by between 1,700 and 36,000 vehicles daily.
M-21 was designated along the highway by July 1, 1919 between Ionia
and Goodells near Port Huron
. Changes made in the 1920s extended it on the west end to Holland
and on the east end to Port Huron. M-21 was truncated at both of its current termini as two Interstate freeways were completed. I-196
functionally replaced M-21 between Holland and Grand Rapids with a portion retained under state maintenance as Old M-21, now M-121
. I-69
replaced M-21 from Flint to Port Huron
. A section of M-21 through Flint became M-56. That designation was decommissioned
in the 1980s when M-21 was returned to its former routing in Flint.
/M-44
(East Beltline Avenue) on the east side of greater Grand Rapids. Fulton passes through residential areas on this side of town, and crosses over I-96 Continuing east, the highway passes the headquarters of Amway
and crosses the Grand River
near its confluence
with the Thornapple River
in Ada. M-21 runs long the north back of the Grand, turning southeasterly and east to Lowell
. The roadway passes through downtown and over the Flat River
near its confluence with the Grand. M-21 runs east of town through the southern end of the Lowell State Gaming Area and crosses into Ionia County
.
The road follows Bluewater Highway along the river, passing to the north of Saranac
. It turns northeasterly through lightly forested farmland passing Berth Brock Park as it approaches the city of Ionia. In town, M-66
runs concurrently
along M-21 for a few blocks in the central business district. Bluewater Highway leaves town and continues along the Grand River to Muir
, and the trunkline crosses the Maple River
on east side of town. M-21 follows the course of the Maple briefly before turning east through farms along the Stony Creek to Pewamo
. The highway bypasses the village to the south and crosses into Clinton County
near the eastern edge of town. Western Clinton County's landscape is dominated by farms, interrupted by the community of Fowler
. The highway enters the county seat
, St. Johns
on State Street, passing through a residential section of town. In the middle of downtown, M-21 intersects 2nd Street, which carries Business US Highway 127 (BUS US 127). East of downtown, M-21 passes back into agricultural land and under the US 127 freeway. The landscape is once again dominated by these farms through the western side of the county.
M-21 passes into the community of Ovid
and over the county line into Shiawassee County
. Continuing east through the county, the highway enters Owosso
. The trunkline follows Main Street into downtown and crossess the Shiawassee River
between junctions with M-52
and M-71
. M-21 runs roughly parallel to the river out into the country side. The remainder of the county is the same, dominated by farmland along a straight stretch of flat highway. North of Lennon
, M-21 meets M-13 (Michigan highway)
at an intersection on the Shiawassee–Genesee
county line. The landscape starts to transition to residential sudvisions as the roadway approaches the Flint area.
In Flint Charter Township, M-21 follows Corunna Road and meets I-75/US 23
at exit 118. The road crosses a branch line
of the Canadian National Railway
east of the interchange. Corunna Road angles to the northeast near Bradley Avenue and terminates at Court Street. The trunkline turns east and follows Court over a tributary
of the Flint River
near Aldrich Park. Northeast of the stream, M-21 splits along a one-way pair
ing of Court and 5th streets. Eastbound traffic follows 5th Street past the city and county buildings in the area. The highway passes over I-475
and terminates at the east frontage road. Traffic connecting between M-21 and I-475 must use the frontage roads to make the connection.
All of M-21, except for some segments just outside of Grand Rapids and Flint, along with the highway split into two one-way streets inside Flint, is undivided surface road; none of M-21 is freeway. The section between I-75/US 23 and Saginaw Street in Flint is part of the National Highway System
, a network of roadways important to the nation's economy, defense, and mobility. M-21, like all state highways, is maintained by the Michigan Department of Transportation
(MDOT). As part of these responsibilities, the department tracks traffic volumes along its highways. They use a metric called average annual daily traffic (AADT), which is a calculation of the average traffic along a segment of roadway for any average day of the year. Traffic volumes in 2009 vary from 22,756 vehicles in the Forest Hills neighborhood east of Grand Rapids to 1,719 vehicles in Pewamo daily. MDOT reported that the peak AADT was 36,053 vehicles daily near the I-75 interchange in the Flint area.
in Holland near Lake Michigan
east to the St. Clair River
at Port Huron, and crossed into Canada
where the Blue Water Bridge
is currently located.
M-21 was designated by July 1, 1919 on a routing from Ionia to Goodells. Along the way, it ran through Lyons
and Pewamo, joining its current routing to Ovid. M-21 continued through Corunna to Lennon and Flint. There it joined its last routing between Flint and the Port Huron area. The highway was extended to Port Huron by 1924, and the west end was extended to Grand Rapids in 1925 along M-16 (later US 16). The previous routing through Owosso and Lennon was redesignated as M-71
at this time when M-21 was shifted along the current routing between the two communities. The 1926 creation of the United States Highway System led to the extension of M-21 along US 16 to Grand Rapids. From there west, M-21 replaced M-51
on Chicago Drive to Holland. The highway was moved to a new routing between Flint and Lapeer
in 1929; the old route was renumbered M-21A. All in-city portions of M-21 were transferred to state control in 1931 with the passage of the Dykstra Act of 1931 (PA 131 of 1931).
A Bypass M-21 (BYP M-21) designation was created in the Grand Rapids area in 1945. This designation ran from the corner of 28th Street and Chicago Drive along BYP US 16 and BYP US 131 on 28th Street. At East Beltline Avenue, BYP US 131/BYP M-21 turned north back to M-21. M-21A in Flint was turned over to local control in 1948, decommissioning the number. The BYP M-21 routing was replaced by M-21 in 1953. The former routing in Grand Rapids became BUS M-21 instead.
A bypass of Zeeland
opened in 1958, rerouting M-21 around the town. The I-196
freeway opened through Grand Rapids in 1964, and M-21 was routed along the freeway between Chicago Drive in Grandville
and downtown, using I-96 to complete the connection to its previous routing on Fulton Street.
The first freeway segment of M-21 on the east end was built from Wadhams to Port Huron. A freeway segment between Flint and Lapeer opened in 1971. M-21 was routed down M-13 to the new freeway where it joined the M-78
designation from M-13 east. The section of M-21 formerly between M-13 and BUS M-54 was redesignated M-56. The M-78 designation was replaced by I-69
in 1973 after I-69 was extended north from Charlotte
. The 1974 completion of I-196 meant the truncation of M-21 to end in Grand Rapids. At the time, M-21 was extended along Fulton Street to the East Beltline, and the business loop was truncated into a spur route redesignated BS I-196. The remaining segment of freeway connecting Flint with Port Huron opened in 1984 as I-69, and M-21 was shortened to Flint. M-56 was replaced by M-21 at this time as well. The former M-21 in Port Huron became BL I-69, and the remainder was turned back to local control.
Michigan legislators
have proposed naming the section of highway in Genesee County after University of Alabama
tailback Mark Ingram
. The state senate approved the measure on November 4, 2010, and the bill moved to the state house for approval. The bill failed to pass the state house during the session.
Michigan Highway System
The Michigan State Trunkline Highway System is made up of all the highways designated as Interstates, U.S. Highways and State Highways in the US state of Michigan. The system is maintained by the Michigan Department of Transportation and comprises of trunklines in all 83 counties of Michigan on...
in the US state of Michigan
Michigan
Michigan is a U.S. state located in the Great Lakes Region of the United States of America. The name Michigan is the French form of the Ojibwa word mishigamaa, meaning "large water" or "large lake"....
connecting the cities of Grand Rapids
Grand Rapids, Michigan
Grand Rapids is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan. The city is located on the Grand River about 40 miles east of Lake Michigan. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 188,040. In 2010, the Grand Rapids metropolitan area had a population of 774,160 and a combined statistical area, Grand...
and Flint
Flint, Michigan
Flint is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan and is located along the Flint River, northwest of Detroit. The U.S. Census Bureau reports the 2010 population to be placed at 102,434, making Flint the seventh largest city in Michigan. It is the county seat of Genesee County which lies in the...
. The highway passes through rural farming country and several small towns along its course through the Lower Peninsula
Lower Peninsula of Michigan
The Lower Peninsula of Michigan is the southern of the two major landmasses of the U.S. state of Michigan. It is surrounded by water on all sides except its southern border, which it shares with Ohio and Indiana. Geographically, the Lower Peninsula has a recognizable shape that many people...
. Following the course of a handful of rivers, M-21 also connects some of the state's freeways like Interstate 96
Interstate 96
Interstate 96 is an intrastate Interstate Highway that is entirely within the US state of Michigan. Its western terminus is at an interchange with US Highway 31 and Business US Highway 31 , on the western boundary of Norton Shores southeast of Muskegon. Its eastern terminus is at I-75 near the...
(I-96), US Highway 127
U.S. Route 127 in Michigan
US Highway 127 is a part of the United States Numbered Highway System that runs from Chattanooga, Tennessee, to the Lower Peninsula of the US state of Michigan. In Michigan, it is a state trunkline highway that runs for , entering from Ohio south of Hudson and ending at a partial interchange with...
(US 127) and I-75
Interstate 75 in Michigan
Interstate 75 is a part of the Interstate Highway System and runs from Miami, Florida to Sault Ste. Marie in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. I-75 enters the state from Ohio in the south, just to the north of Toledo. It runs generally north through Detroit, Pontiac and Bay City, crossing the...
. The highway is used by between 1,700 and 36,000 vehicles daily.
M-21 was designated along the highway by July 1, 1919 between Ionia
Ionia, Michigan
Ionia is the largest city in, and the county seat of, Ionia County, Michigan, United States. The population was 11,394 at the 2010 census. Every late July it hosts what may be the world's largest free-admission fair...
and Goodells near Port Huron
Port Huron, Michigan
Port Huron is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan and the county seat of St. Clair County. The population was 30,184 at the 2010 census. The city is adjacent to Port Huron Township but is administratively autonomous. It is joined by the Blue Water Bridge over the St. Clair River to Sarnia,...
. Changes made in the 1920s extended it on the west end to Holland
Holland, Michigan
Holland is a city in the western region of the Lower Peninsula of the U.S. state of Michigan. It is situated near the eastern shore of Lake Michigan on Lake Macatawa, which is fed by the Macatawa River ....
and on the east end to Port Huron. M-21 was truncated at both of its current termini as two Interstate freeways were completed. I-196
Interstate 196
Interstate 196 is a long freeway spur route in the US state of Michigan linking Grand Rapids, Holland, South Haven, and Benton Harbor. I-196 is known as the Gerald R. Ford Freeway, or simply the Ford Freeway, in Kent, Ottawa, and Allegan Counties, after the 38th President of the United States,...
functionally replaced M-21 between Holland and Grand Rapids with a portion retained under state maintenance as Old M-21, now M-121
M-121 (Michigan highway)
M-121 is a state trunkline highway in West Michigan. The highway follows Chicago Drive, a local roadway, from Zeeland to Grandville. Chicago Drive itself runs past the M-121 segment on either from Holland to Wyoming. The roadway passes through rural farmland on a route that runs parallel to...
. I-69
Interstate 69 in Michigan
Interstate 69 is a part of the Interstate Highway System that currently runs from Indianapolis, Indiana, to the US–Canadian border at Port Huron, Michigan. In Michigan, it is a state trunkline highway that enters the state south of Coldwater and passes through the cities of Lansing and Flint...
replaced M-21 from Flint to Port Huron
Port Huron, Michigan
Port Huron is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan and the county seat of St. Clair County. The population was 30,184 at the 2010 census. The city is adjacent to Port Huron Township but is administratively autonomous. It is joined by the Blue Water Bridge over the St. Clair River to Sarnia,...
. A section of M-21 through Flint became M-56. That designation was decommissioned
Decommissioned highway
A decommissioned highway is a highway that has been removed from service, shut down or has had its authorization as a federal or state highway removed. Decommissioning can include the complete or partial demolition or abandonment of an old highway structure because the old roadway has lost its...
in the 1980s when M-21 was returned to its former routing in Flint.
Route description
M-21 starts on Fulton Street at a junction with M-37M-37 (Michigan highway)
M-37 is a north–south state trunkline highway in the US state of Michigan. The southern terminus is near the border between Kalamazoo and Calhoun counties at exit 92 of Interstate 94 southwest of Battle Creek. The northern terminus is at the Mission Point Light on Old Mission Point in Grand...
/M-44
M-44 (Michigan highway)
M-44 is a state trunkline highway in the western region of the US state of Michigan. It runs northward from the intersection of M-11 and M-37 toward the Rockford area. The highway then turns eastward to Belding, and it ends six miles north of Ionia at M-66...
(East Beltline Avenue) on the east side of greater Grand Rapids. Fulton passes through residential areas on this side of town, and crosses over I-96 Continuing east, the highway passes the headquarters of Amway
Amway
Amway is a direct selling company and manufacturer that uses network marketing to sell a variety of products, primarily in the health, beauty, and home care markets. Amway was founded in 1959 by Jay Van Andel and Richard DeVos...
and crosses the Grand River
Grand River (Michigan)
The Grand River is the longest river in the U.S. state of Michigan. It runs through the cities of Jackson, Eaton Rapids, Lansing, Grand Rapids, and Grand Haven.-Description:...
near its confluence
Confluence
Confluence, in geography, describes the meeting of two or more bodies of water.Confluence may also refer to:* Confluence , a property of term rewriting systems...
with the Thornapple River
Thornapple River
The Thornapple River is an tributary of Michigan's longest river, the Grand River. The Thornapple is located in western Michigan. It joins the Grand in Ada, Michigan.- Description :...
in Ada. M-21 runs long the north back of the Grand, turning southeasterly and east to Lowell
Lowell, Michigan
Lowell is a city in Kent County of the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2000 census, the city population was 4,013. The city is in the northern portion of Lowell Township, but is politically independent...
. The roadway passes through downtown and over the Flat River
Flat River (Michigan)
The Flat River is a tributary of the Grand River in the western part of the U.S. state of Michigan. It rises as the outflow of the six lakes system in Belvidere Township, west of Edmore in Montcalm County. It flows mostly south and slightly west through Montcalm County, Ionia County, and Kent...
near its confluence with the Grand. M-21 runs east of town through the southern end of the Lowell State Gaming Area and crosses into Ionia County
Ionia County, Michigan
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 61,518 people, 20,606 households, and 15,145 families residing in the county. The population density was 107 people per square mile . There were 22,006 housing units at an average density of 38 per square mile...
.
The road follows Bluewater Highway along the river, passing to the north of Saranac
Saranac, Michigan
Saranac is a village in Ionia County in the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2000 census, the village had a population of 1,326.Saranac is the birthplace of world-renowned geologist J...
. It turns northeasterly through lightly forested farmland passing Berth Brock Park as it approaches the city of Ionia. In town, M-66
M-66 (Michigan highway)
M-66 is a north–south state trunkline highway on the Lower Peninsula of the US state of Michigan. It runs from the Indiana state line in the south to Charlevoix in the north. M-66 is the only state highway to traverse almost the entire north–south distance of the LP. It starts as a...
runs concurrently
Concurrency (road)
A concurrency, overlap, or coincidence in a road network is an instance of one physical road bearing two or more different highway, motorway, or other route numbers...
along M-21 for a few blocks in the central business district. Bluewater Highway leaves town and continues along the Grand River to Muir
Muir, Michigan
Muir is a village in Lyons Township, Ionia County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 634 at the 2000 census.-Geography:According to the United States Census Bureau, the village has a total area of , of which, of it is land and 1.30% is water....
, and the trunkline crosses the Maple River
Maple River (Michigan)
The Maple River is the name of three rivers in the U.S. state of Michigan:* Maple River , rises in Pleasant View Township, Emmet County, and flows into Burt Lake in Cheboygan County...
on east side of town. M-21 follows the course of the Maple briefly before turning east through farms along the Stony Creek to Pewamo
Pewamo, Michigan
Pewamo is a village in Lyons Township, Ionia County in the U.S. state of Michigan. It was founded in 1857 as a station along the Detroit, Grand Haven and Milwaukee Railway. The village name was suggested by J.C. Blanchard in honor of Chief Pewamo, with whom he had hunted along the nearby Grand River...
. The highway bypasses the village to the south and crosses into Clinton County
Clinton County, Michigan
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 64,753 people, 23,653 households, and 17,976 families residing in the county. The population density was 113 people per square mile . There were 24,630 housing units at an average density of 43 per square mile...
near the eastern edge of town. Western Clinton County's landscape is dominated by farms, interrupted by the community of Fowler
Fowler, Michigan
Fowler is a village in Clinton County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 1,136 at the 2000 census.- History :Originally called "Dallas", Fowler was created when John Parks settled the area and became its first postmaster in 1849....
. The highway enters the county seat
County seat
A county seat is an administrative center, or seat of government, for a county or civil parish. The term is primarily used in the United States....
, St. Johns
St. Johns, Michigan
As of the census of 2000, there were 7,485 people, 2,994 households, and 1,999 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,909.1 per square mile . There were 3,148 housing units at an average density of 802.9 per square mile...
on State Street, passing through a residential section of town. In the middle of downtown, M-21 intersects 2nd Street, which carries Business US Highway 127 (BUS US 127). East of downtown, M-21 passes back into agricultural land and under the US 127 freeway. The landscape is once again dominated by these farms through the western side of the county.
M-21 passes into the community of Ovid
Ovid, Michigan
Ovid is a village in Clinton and Shiawassee counties in the U.S. state of Michigan. Nearly all of the village is located within Ovid Township in Clinton County. The population was 1,514 at the 2000 census.The village is on M-21, about east of St...
and over the county line into Shiawassee County
Shiawassee County, Michigan
-Transportation:-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 71,687 people, 26,896 households, and 19,849 families residing in the county. The population density was 133 people per square mile . There were 29,087 housing units at an average density of 54 per square mile...
. Continuing east through the county, the highway enters Owosso
Owosso, Michigan
Owosso is a city in Shiawassee County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 15,713 at the 2000 census. The city is located on the eastern side of Owosso Township, but is politically independent...
. The trunkline follows Main Street into downtown and crossess the Shiawassee River
Shiawassee River
The Shiawassee River in the U.S. state of Michigan is long and generally flows in a northerly direction. It merges together with the Flint River, the Cass River and the Tittabawassee River to form the Saginaw River, which drains into the Saginaw Bay of Lake Huron.-Description:Supporting...
between junctions with M-52
M-52 (Michigan highway)
M-52 is a north–south state trunkline highway in the US state of Michigan. The southern terminus is on the Ohio border, where it continues as State Route 109 . The highway passes through communities like Adrian, where it intersects US Highway 223 , Chelsea and Webberville along its course...
and M-71
M-71 (Michigan highway)
M-71 is a state trunkline highway in the Lower Peninsula of the US state of Michigan. It serves as a connector between M-21 in Owosso to Interstate 69 southwest of Flint...
. M-21 runs roughly parallel to the river out into the country side. The remainder of the county is the same, dominated by farmland along a straight stretch of flat highway. North of Lennon
Lennon, Michigan
Lennon is a village in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 517 at the 2000 census. The village is situated on M-13, the boundary between Venice Township in Shiawassee County and Clayton Township in Genesee County and is partially in both....
, M-21 meets M-13 (Michigan highway)
M-13 (Michigan highway)
M-13 is a north–south state trunkline highway that runs through the Saginaw Bay region of the US state of Michigan. It runs from Interstate 69 south of Lennon to US Highway 23 near Standish. The southern section of the trunkline runs long a pair of county lines in a rural area dominated by farm...
at an intersection on the Shiawassee–Genesee
Genesee County, Michigan
-Interstates:* I-69* I-75* I-475-Michigan State Trunklines:* M-13* M-15* M-21* M-54* M-57-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 436,141 people, 169,825 households, and 115,990 families residing in the county. The population density was 682 people per square mile . There were 183,630...
county line. The landscape starts to transition to residential sudvisions as the roadway approaches the Flint area.
In Flint Charter Township, M-21 follows Corunna Road and meets I-75/US 23
U.S. Route 23 in Michigan
US Highway 23 is a United States Numbered Highway that runs from Jacksonville, Florida to Mackinaw City, Michigan. In the US state of Michigan, it is a major north–south state trunkline highway that runs through the Lower Peninsula...
at exit 118. The road crosses a branch line
Branch line
A branch line is a secondary railway line which branches off a more important through route, usually a main line. A very short branch line may be called a spur line...
of the Canadian National Railway
Canadian National Railway
The Canadian National Railway Company is a Canadian Class I railway headquartered in Montreal, Quebec. CN's slogan is "North America's Railroad"....
east of the interchange. Corunna Road angles to the northeast near Bradley Avenue and terminates at Court Street. The trunkline turns east and follows Court over a tributary
Tributary
A tributary or affluent is a stream or river that flows into a main stem river or a lake. A tributary does not flow directly into a sea or ocean...
of the Flint River
Flint River (Michigan)
The Flint River is a river in the Flint/Tri-Cities region of Michigan in the United States. It flows through the city of Flint and the counties of Genesee, Lapeer and Saginaw.- Course :...
near Aldrich Park. Northeast of the stream, M-21 splits along a one-way pair
One-way pair
A one-way pair, one-way couple, or just couplet is a pair of parallel, usually one-way streets that carry opposite directions of a signed route or major traffic flow, or sometimes opposite directions of a bus or streetcar route....
ing of Court and 5th streets. Eastbound traffic follows 5th Street past the city and county buildings in the area. The highway passes over I-475
Interstate 475 (Michigan)
Interstate 475 is an Interstate Highway in the US state of Michigan. I-475 is a bypass route that serves the downtown area of Flint while its parent, I-75, passes through the west side of the city...
and terminates at the east frontage road. Traffic connecting between M-21 and I-475 must use the frontage roads to make the connection.
All of M-21, except for some segments just outside of Grand Rapids and Flint, along with the highway split into two one-way streets inside Flint, is undivided surface road; none of M-21 is freeway. The section between I-75/US 23 and Saginaw Street in Flint is part of the National Highway System
National Highway System (United States)
The National Highway System is a network of strategic highways within the United States, including the Interstate Highway System and other roads serving major airports, ports, rail or truck terminals, railway stations, pipeline terminals and other strategic transport facilities.Individual states...
, a network of roadways important to the nation's economy, defense, and mobility. M-21, like all state highways, is maintained by the Michigan Department of Transportation
Michigan Department of Transportation
The Michigan Department of Transportation is a constitutional government agency in the US state of Michigan. The primary purpose of MDOT is to maintain the Michigan State Trunkline Highway System which includes all Interstate, US and state highways in Michigan with the exception of the Mackinac...
(MDOT). As part of these responsibilities, the department tracks traffic volumes along its highways. They use a metric called average annual daily traffic (AADT), which is a calculation of the average traffic along a segment of roadway for any average day of the year. Traffic volumes in 2009 vary from 22,756 vehicles in the Forest Hills neighborhood east of Grand Rapids to 1,719 vehicles in Pewamo daily. MDOT reported that the peak AADT was 36,053 vehicles daily near the I-75 interchange in the Flint area.
History
Before the Interstate era, M-21 extended across the entire Lower Peninsula, from the junction with US 31U.S. Route 31 in Michigan
US Highway 31 is a part of the United States Numbered Highway System that runs from Alabama, to the Upper Peninsula of the US state of Michigan. In Michigan, it is a state trunkline highway that runs from the Indiana–Michigan state line at Bertrand Township to its terminus at Interstate 75 south...
in Holland near Lake Michigan
Lake Michigan
Lake Michigan is one of the five Great Lakes of North America and the only one located entirely within the United States. It is the second largest of the Great Lakes by volume and the third largest by surface area, after Lake Superior and Lake Huron...
east to the St. Clair River
St. Clair River
The St. Clair River is a river in central North America which drains Lake Huron into Lake St Clair, forming part of the international boundary between the Canadian province of Ontario and the U.S. state of Michigan...
at Port Huron, and crossed into Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
where the Blue Water Bridge
Blue Water Bridge
The Blue Water Bridge is a twin-span international bridge across the St. Clair River that links Port Huron, Michigan, USA and Sarnia, Ontario, Canada...
is currently located.
M-21 was designated by July 1, 1919 on a routing from Ionia to Goodells. Along the way, it ran through Lyons
Lyons, Michigan
Lyons is a village in Ionia County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 726 at the 2000 census. Most of the village is within Lyons Township. A small portion extends west into Ionia Township.- Geography :...
and Pewamo, joining its current routing to Ovid. M-21 continued through Corunna to Lennon and Flint. There it joined its last routing between Flint and the Port Huron area. The highway was extended to Port Huron by 1924, and the west end was extended to Grand Rapids in 1925 along M-16 (later US 16). The previous routing through Owosso and Lennon was redesignated as M-71
M-71 (Michigan highway)
M-71 is a state trunkline highway in the Lower Peninsula of the US state of Michigan. It serves as a connector between M-21 in Owosso to Interstate 69 southwest of Flint...
at this time when M-21 was shifted along the current routing between the two communities. The 1926 creation of the United States Highway System led to the extension of M-21 along US 16 to Grand Rapids. From there west, M-21 replaced M-51
M-51 (Michigan highway)
M-51, is a north–south state trunkline highway in the southwestern portion of the US state of Michigan. The northern terminus is on I-94 west of Paw Paw, where it continues north for less than a mile to W Red Arrow Highway as Van Buren CR 671, and the southern terminus is at the Indiana state...
on Chicago Drive to Holland. The highway was moved to a new routing between Flint and Lapeer
Lapeer, Michigan
Lapeer is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan and is the county seat of Lapeer County. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 8,841. Most of the city was incorporated from land that was formerly in Lapeer Township, though portions were also annexed from Mayfield Township and Elba...
in 1929; the old route was renumbered M-21A. All in-city portions of M-21 were transferred to state control in 1931 with the passage of the Dykstra Act of 1931 (PA 131 of 1931).
A Bypass M-21 (BYP M-21) designation was created in the Grand Rapids area in 1945. This designation ran from the corner of 28th Street and Chicago Drive along BYP US 16 and BYP US 131 on 28th Street. At East Beltline Avenue, BYP US 131/BYP M-21 turned north back to M-21. M-21A in Flint was turned over to local control in 1948, decommissioning the number. The BYP M-21 routing was replaced by M-21 in 1953. The former routing in Grand Rapids became BUS M-21 instead.
A bypass of Zeeland
Zeeland, Michigan
Zeeland is a city in Ottawa County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 5,805 at the 2000 census. The city is located at the western edge of Zeeland Charter Township which is politically independent. Its name is derived from the Dutch province of Zeeland...
opened in 1958, rerouting M-21 around the town. The I-196
Interstate 196
Interstate 196 is a long freeway spur route in the US state of Michigan linking Grand Rapids, Holland, South Haven, and Benton Harbor. I-196 is known as the Gerald R. Ford Freeway, or simply the Ford Freeway, in Kent, Ottawa, and Allegan Counties, after the 38th President of the United States,...
freeway opened through Grand Rapids in 1964, and M-21 was routed along the freeway between Chicago Drive in Grandville
Grandville, Michigan
Grandville is a city in Kent County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 16,263 at the 2000 census. Grandville is one of the oldest suburbs of Grand Rapids, and was incorporated as a city in 1933....
and downtown, using I-96 to complete the connection to its previous routing on Fulton Street.
The first freeway segment of M-21 on the east end was built from Wadhams to Port Huron. A freeway segment between Flint and Lapeer opened in 1971. M-21 was routed down M-13 to the new freeway where it joined the M-78
M-78 (Michigan highway)
M-78 is a state trunkline highway in the US state of Michigan. The western terminus is the intersection with M-66 north of Battle Creek in Pennfield Township. The roadway runs through rural farmland and the community of Bellevue as it approaches its eastern terminus at an interchange with...
designation from M-13 east. The section of M-21 formerly between M-13 and BUS M-54 was redesignated M-56. The M-78 designation was replaced by I-69
Interstate 69 in Michigan
Interstate 69 is a part of the Interstate Highway System that currently runs from Indianapolis, Indiana, to the US–Canadian border at Port Huron, Michigan. In Michigan, it is a state trunkline highway that enters the state south of Coldwater and passes through the cities of Lansing and Flint...
in 1973 after I-69 was extended north from Charlotte
Charlotte, Michigan
Charlotte is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 9,074. It is the county seat of Eaton County....
. The 1974 completion of I-196 meant the truncation of M-21 to end in Grand Rapids. At the time, M-21 was extended along Fulton Street to the East Beltline, and the business loop was truncated into a spur route redesignated BS I-196. The remaining segment of freeway connecting Flint with Port Huron opened in 1984 as I-69, and M-21 was shortened to Flint. M-56 was replaced by M-21 at this time as well. The former M-21 in Port Huron became BL I-69, and the remainder was turned back to local control.
Michigan legislators
Michigan Legislature
The Michigan Legislature is the legislative assembly of the U.S. state of Michigan. It is organized as a bicameral body consisting of the Senate, the upper house, and the House of Representatives, the lower house. Article IV of the state's Constitution, adopted in 1963, defines the role of the...
have proposed naming the section of highway in Genesee County after University of Alabama
University of Alabama
The University of Alabama is a public coeducational university located in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, United States....
tailback Mark Ingram
Mark Ingram, Jr.
Mark Ingram, Jr. is a running back for the New Orleans Saints. Ingram is the son of former NFL wide receiver Mark Ingram, Sr....
. The state senate approved the measure on November 4, 2010, and the bill moved to the state house for approval. The bill failed to pass the state house during the session.