M-35 (Michigan highway)
 M-35 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
[[File: |300px|alt=]] | ||||
| Route information | ||||
| Maintained by MDOT | ||||
| Length | 125.45 mi[1] (201.89 km) | |||
| Existed | 1929–present | |||
| Major junctions | ||||
  US 2/US 41/M-35 in Escanaba M-553 near Gwinn | ||||
| Location | ||||
| Country | United States | |||
| State | Michigan | |||
| Counties | Menominee, Delta, Marquette | |||
| Highway system | ||||
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M-35 is a north-south highway in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. It was originally intended to run from Menominee in the south to near Big Bay in the north before turning toward L'Anse and eventually end at Ontonagon. The section through the Huron Mountains in northern Marquette and Baraga counties was never built.
Current routing
M-35 is the quicker highway between Menominee and Escanaba, running along a more direct alignment up the Lake Michigan shoreline. From Escanaba, M-35 runs concurrently with US 2 and US 41 to Gladstone. There it turns northwesterly through northern Delta County and southern Marquette County to end near Negaunee.
Historical notes
In 1919, the State Department of Highways, forerunnner to today's MDOT determined a scenic shoreline trunkline to run north from Negaunee to Big Bay and then turn towards Skanee and L'Anse. This trunkline was designated as an extension of M-35. Work was completed on a significant portion of the routing in Marquette County by 1926. This section of roadway follows today's CR 510. Similar work was completed in Baraga County by 1932.
This left the portion through the Huron Mountains uncompleted. As this was the most difficult section to build, it was probably left for last, to be built from each side, meeting in the middle. This section of the routing was shown on state maps as a dashed line marked "IMPASSABLE". Sections not included in CR 510 still exist today as "Blind 35", a poorly maintained gravel road turning northwesterly from CR 510 near Big Bay.
The Steel Bridge
One major task completed early on was the bridging of the Dead River northeast of Neguanee. Interestingly, the bridge used not only previously spanned a different river, but one in a completely different state! According to MDOT, the MSHD bought the bridge in 1919, had it disassembled from its location in Pennsylvania where it crossed the Allegheny River upstream from Pittsburgh, and transported to Marquette County. In 1921, the MSHD erected this 271-foot long, one-lane span across the Dead River. The bridge survives to this day, carrying Co Rd 510 (the successor to M-35) traffic across the Dead River. It even survived a catastrophic flood in May 2003 when a dam upstream burst. Several other Dead River bridges were damaged or washed out, but this span survived, unscathed.[2]
This Bridge is known to locals as "The Steel Bridge". Plans are in the works to bypass the Steel Bridge with a modern replacement, but leave the exisiting bridge as a foot or bike path.
Henry Ford and M-35
Henry Ford was a frequent visitor of the Upper Peninsula at the time, travelling with friends Harvey Firestone and Thomas Edison to visit his woodlands. His acreage in the UP provided wood used in the manufacture of Ford automobiles of the era. Ford had a saw mill set up in Alberta and a cottage at Pequaming along the shores of the Keweenaw Bay. Ford really desired entry into the exclusive Huron Mountain Club in northern Marquette County. With limited membership, Ford sought to "stack the deck" in his favor should a membership spot in the club open. Ford purchased additional land holdings near the HMC and along the determined routing of M-35 through the Huron Mountains. With the additional land purchases, Ford was able to help stop the construction of M-35, and soon after he gained admittance to the Huron Mountain Club.
After Ford
In 1939, M-35 from Negaunee to L'Anse was cancelled as a state highway. Constructed portions were turned over to local control, leaving a discontinuous rounting for 13 years. From 1953 until the 1960's, M-35 continued westward from Negaunee, cosigning with US 41/M-28, then northward cosigned with US 41 to Baraga, then westward to Ontonagon on what is now M-38. In 1968, the section from Baraga to Ontonagon was redesignated M-38, and the M-35 concurrencies were removed.
In 1965, several abandoned underground mine shafts collapsed underneath the roadway. This forced a rerouting of M-35 out of the City of Negaunee.[1] Previous to the rerouting, M-35 used part of what is now BUS M-28 through downtown Negaunee to end at US 41/M-28 north of downtown. Now it runs from Palmer along the outskirts of Cleveland-Cliffs Iron Company's Empire Mine to end in Negaunee Township. Huge "mountains" of waste rock from the mine line the roadway leaving Palmer to the north. In Negaunee, the only naturbahn, or natural track, luge run in North America crosses the former routing of M-35 over a now abandoned street at Lucy Hill in Negaunee.[3]
External links
References
- ^ a b Michigan Highways: Highways 30 through 39 Christopher J. Bessert. URL accessed 22 Aug 2006.
- ^ M-35:The Highway Henry Ford Stopped Christopher J. Bessert. URL accessed 27 Oct 2006.
- ^ Upper Peninsula Luge Club URL accessed 26 Oct 2006