M-126 (Michigan highway)

M-126
Route information
Length:	11.94 mi[1] (19.22 km)
Existed:	1926 – 1940
Major junctions
West end:	US 31A in Muskegon Heights
East end:	US 16 in Nunica
Location
Counties:	Ottawa, Muskegon
Highway system
Michigan State Trunkline Highway System Interstate • US • State ← M-125 US 127 →

M-126 was the designation of a former state trunkline route in the Lower Peninsula of the US state of Michigan that was deleted in 1940 when US 16 was realigned on top of it. It ran from US 16 in Nunica, through Fruitport, to Muskegon, Michigan where it ended at US 31A.^[2][3]

Route description

M-126 began at a junction with US 16 in Nunica, at the present day corner of Cleveland and Apple Drive. US 16 continued west into Grand Haven while M-126 headed northwest towards Muskegon along an old railroad grade. The road curved to the north, passing east of Spring Lake, before heading into Fruitport as Third Avenue. The road, known today as Airline Highway, left town to the north, then curved to the northwest running parallel to the present day I-96 corridor. The road then passed just east of Mona Lake before terminating at US 31A, Getty Street.

History

Before 1940, US 16 traveled due west from Nunica into Grand Haven. M-126 was built to run northwest out of Nunica along a former railroad grade. Both highways had existed in this formation until 1940 when several changes came about. The first of which was a swapping of US 31 and US 31A in Muskegon. From the second change, US 16 was re-routed on top of the M-126 alignment into Muskegon. The third change assigned M-104 over the old US 16 alignment into Grand Haven, a change which still exists to this day.^[2][3][4]

All three of these things happened simultaneously, Getty Street in Muskegon became the new route for US 31, the old route was shifted to Peck Street which is the predecessor to today's Business US 31 through the city. All of these things combined led to the removal of M-126 from the state trunkline system, a designation which has not been used since.

Major intersections

County	Location	Mile[1][4]	Destinations	Notes
Ottawa	Nunica	0.00	US 16
Muskegon	Muskegon Heights	11.94	US 31A	Became US 31 in 1940; after 1951, Getty Avenue
1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi

References

Michigan Highways portal

1. ^ ^{a b} "MiGDL - Center for Geographic Information - Geographic Data Library". Michigan Department of Information Technology. May 2007. http://www.mcgi.state.mi.us/mgdl/?rel=thext&action=thmname&cid=14&cat=MI+Geographic+Framework+All+Roads+%28v7b%29. Retrieved February 29, 2008. 
2. ^ ^{a b} Bessert, Christopher J. (September 25, 2006). "Michigan Highways: Master List 1918-Present". Michigan Highways. http://www.michiganhighways.org/master_list.html#routes120-139. Retrieved November 6, 2006. 
3. ^ ^{a b} Bessert, Christopher J. (September 25, 2006). "Michigan Highways: Historic US-16 (page 2)". Michigan Highways. http://www.michiganhighways.org/listings/HistoricUS-016pg2.html. Retrieved November 6, 2006. 
4. ^ ^{a b} Bessert, Christopher J.. "Michigan Highways: Business Connections 2 through 31". Michigan Highways. http://www.michiganhighways.org/listings/MichHwysBus2-31.html#US-31BUS-M. Retrieved February 29, 2008.