U.S. Route 24 in Michigan

:"This article covers the portion of U.S. Route 24 in Michigan. For the main article on U.S. 24, see U.S. Route 24."Infobox road
state=MI
type=US
route=24
alternate_name=Telegraph Road

---

length_mi=78.58
length_ref=cite web| |author= Bessert, Christopher J. |url=http://www.michiganhighways.org/listings/MichHwys20-29.html#US-024 |title=Michigan Highways: Highways 20 through 29 |work= Michigan Highways |accessdate= |date=2008-01-01]
length_round=2
established=1926
direction_a=South
starting_terminus=
junction=
direction_b=North
ending_terminus=
counties=
previous_type=M
previous_route=23
next_type=M
next_route=24In the U.S. state of Michigan, U.S. Route 24, also known as Telegraph Road, is a major north-south state trunkline highway; it is mostly divided highway. The total length is approximately convert|80|mi|km|0|lk=on and is signed as US 24 in its entirety (except for a brief portion between Dixie Highway [US24 splitoff] and Walton Avenue). Telegraph is actually named as such for a couple of miles in Toledo, merging into Detroit Avenue at Laskey Road.

History

Prior to improvements beginning in the 1930s, US 24 in Michigan was largely a two-lane highway. As traffic volumes grew during the twentieth century, much of the route was improved to divided highway standards. As with many other Detroit-area highways, US 24 received many early highway safety improvements during the 1950s and 60s, most notably the Michigan left.

In the early days of the telegraph, the main telegraph lines ran along this road, hence the name.

In 1970, US 10 ran concurrently with US 24 from the terminus of the Lodge Freeway in Southfield to Telegraph's northern terminus with Dixie Highway in Pontiac. In 1986, Telegraph Road lost its US 10 co-designation when US 10 was truncated at Bay City.

In 2008, a convert|30|mi|km|0|adj=on stretch of US 24 from its northern end at I-75 to I-96 was named the Max M. Fisher Memorial Highway.cite news| url=http://www.theoaklandpress.com/stories/050608/loc_20080506279.shtml |title= Max Fisher honored with sign dedication |author=Hopkins, Carol |accessdate =20087-05-08 |date=2008-05-06 |publisher= Oakland Press ]

Junction types

* From Michigan-Ohio border to Taylor, MI [all intersections at-grade excluding I-275 and N. Custer Road (grade separation( ( parclo)]
* Eureka Rd. (at-grade)
* Northline Rd. (at-grade)
* Goddard Rd. (at-grade)
* Wick Rd. (at-grade)
* Ecorse Rd. (folded diamond)
* I-94 (SPUI)
* Van Born Rd. (at-grade, left turn is permitted from SB Telegraph to EB Van Born)
* Annapolis Rd. (at-grade)
* Michigan Avenue (U.S. Highway 12) (grade separated with 2 connecting roads)
* Cherry Hill Road (at-grade)
* Wilson Avenue (at-grade)
* Ford Rd. (M-153) (at-grade with jughandle)
* Warren Avenue (at-grade)
* Hines Dr. ( grade-separated)
* Ann Arbor Trail (at-grade)
*Joy Rd. (at-grade)
*Plymouth Rd. (at-grade with jughandle)
*I-96 (volleyball)
*5 Mile (at-grade)
*6 Mile (at-grade)
*Grand River Avenue (M-5) (at-grade with jughandle)
*7 Mile (at-grade)
*8 Mile Road ( cloverleaf)
*9 Mile (at-grade)
*10 Mile (at-grade)
*10 1/2 Mile-Franklin Rd. (at-grade)
*I-696 and M-10 (unnamed type, but referred by the locals as the Mixing Bowl)
*12 Mile (at-grade)
*13 Mile (at-grade)
*14 Mile (at-grade)
*Maple Rd. (15 Mile) (at-grade with L-junction)
*Lone Pine Rd. (at-grade)
*Long Lake Rd. (at-grade)
*Hickory Grove Rd. (at-grade)
*Square Lake (at-grade)
*Orchard Lake Rd. ( diamond)
*Voorheis St. (at-grade)
*Huron St. (M-59) (at-grade)
*Elizabeth Lake Rd. (at-grade with jughandle)
*Pontiac Lake Rd. (at-grade with jughandle)
*Dixie Highway (at-grade) (US-24 divests Telegraph Road at this point, heads North to Interstate 75)
*Walton Blvd. (at-grade)(end of Telegraph Road)

Popular culture

*"Telegraph Road", a song by Mark Knopfler of the band Dire Straits (appearing on the album "Love over Gold") was inspired by a bus trip down Telegraph Road.
*Telegraph Road was mentioned in an episode of Home Improvement called "Losing My Religion"

ee also

*Dixie Highway
*Southfield Freeway (M-39) - a parallel alternative to this highway.
*Michigan left
*Jughandle

References

External links

* [http://michiganhighways.org/listings/MichHwys20-29.html#US-024 US 24 on Michiganhighways]
* [http://www.state-ends.com/michigan/us24/ Michigan US 24 endpoint photos]