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M-45 (Michigan highway)

M-45 is a state highway route in the U.S. state of Michigan that was originally part of M-50 until the mid-1960s. The entire route is named "Lake Michigan Drive". A portion of Lake Michigan Drive isn't part of M-45. It is the area between I-196 and US 131.

Route description

In the area between Winter Ave. and Summer Ave. in downtown Grand Rapids, the street curves. Lake Michigan Dr. is west of the curve. Pearl St. is east of the curve. Pearl St. provides access to US 131.

It runs through several townships in Ottawa County, passes the Grand Valley State University campus in Allendale, crosses the Grand River, and continues through Tallmadge Township.

In Kent County, it continues through the city of Walker before ending in Grand Rapids.

Lane configurations

• US 31 in Agnew to just west of 68th Ave. in Allendale: One lane in each direction.
• 68th Ave. in Allendale to 24th Ave. in Tallmadge Township: Two lanes in each direction with a median. Michigan Left is required at most intersections.
• 24th Ave. in Tallmadge Township to I-196: Two lanes in each direction with a center left turn lane, except at the intersection with Covell Ave, which has a median.

History

Previous designation

M-45 was originally designated in the Upper Peninsula on what is now M-95 until the 1930s.

Current designation

Jean Baptiste Parrisian blazed the first trail from the mouth of Grand River in Grand Haven to Grand Rapids. It was a trail from a little frame building that stood on the corner of Washington and Second Streets in Grand Haven in a south easterly direction to Rosy Mound thence easterly through the present townships of Grand Haven, Robinson, Allendale, Georgetown, Cross, Wyoming near the present site of Jenison. This path was selected so as to avoid the big bayous and the various creeks that had to be crossed. John was the first mail carrier between Grand Haven and Grand Rapids.^{[citation needed]}

The current designation of M-45 dates back to 1964. M-50 was truncated to end near Lowell at I-96. The remainder of M-50 on Cascade Road, Fulton Street and Lake Michigan Drive was redesignated as M-45. The eastern section from BUS US 131/Division Street to I-96 was turned over to local control in 1972, shortening the route. The east end would be shortened again in 1994, removing the M-45 designation east of I-196. Jurisdiction is only transferred to the City of Grand Rapids on the portion from Division Street west to the Grand River, leaving part of W. Fulton Street under state maintenance as an unsigned trunkline. M-45 is upgraded to a four-lane divided highway in 2001-02 between Walker and the Grand Valley State campus in Allendale.^[2]

Major intersections

References

External links

• M-45 Endpoint Photos
• Former M-45 terminus (now M-95)