M-131 (Michigan highway)

Infobox road
state=MI
type=M
route=131
formed=1926
deleted=1979
marker_

name_notes=Former state trunkline
length_mi=98.04
length_round=2
length_ref=cite web | author= | title= MiGDL - Center for Geographic Information - Geographic Data Library | month=May | year=2007 | work=Michigan Department of Information Technology | url= http://www.mcgi.state.mi.us/mgdl/?rel=thext&action=thmname&cid=14&cat=MI+Geographic+Framework+All+Roads+%28v7b%29| accessdate=2008-03-01 ]
established=
direction_a=South
starting_terminus=
junction=
direction_b=North
ending_terminus=
counties=Grand Traverse, Kalkaska, Antrim, Charlevoix, Emmet
previous_type=US
previous_route=131
next_type=M
next_route=132

M-131 was a former state trunkline designation that was mostly supplanted by US 131 and M-119 in 1979. At its greatest extent, M-131 traveled from near Fife Lake, north through Mancelona, Petoskey, Harbor Springs and ended at Cross Village, where it junctioned with C-66.cite web | author= Bessert, Christopher J. | title=Michigan Highways: Highways 120 through 139 | work=Michigan Highways | url= http://www.michiganhighways.org/listings/MichHwys120-139.html#US-131 | accessdate=2008-03-01 ]

Route description

Beginning at the present day junction of M-113 and M-186, M-131 ran east along M-186 to Fife Lake, where it turned northeast through agricultural and rural areas. The road continued northeast until just south of Kalkaska where it met up with M-66 and M-72. Together, these three highways traveled into Kalkaska where M-72 diverged to the west on the north side of the city. M-131 and M-66 continued on to the northeast to Mancelona.

Upon reaching Mancelona, the two highways had a junction with M-88, a road that has existed in its present alignment since 1927. Shortly after the two roads left Mancelona to the northeast, M-66 diverged to take a directly north route towards East Jordan, Michigan. M-131 continued to the northeast, through rural areas again. Just west of the community of Elmira, M-32 joined the route briefly, less than a mile, before it departed to the west. Shortly after, M-131 entered forested area just before heading into Boyne Falls where it had an intersection with southern terminus of M-75.

The route continued on to the north from Boyne Falls to meet up with the northern terminus of M-75 in Walloon Lake. M-131 then turned to the northwest and in short order arrived in Petoskey where it met up with US 31. The two highways traveled together along the southern shore of Little Traverse Bay until M-131 diverged to the north around Spring Lake and between the bay and Round Lake. M-131 then wrapped around Little Traverse Bay and entered the town of Harbor Springs.

From Harbor Springs, the highway ran along Lake Shore Drive, where it was generally not very far from Lake Michigan. This section of the highway is still heavily forested and is a popular tourist destination in the fall. The road is rather narrow and has no centerline once leaving the town.cite web|author=Casey Cress|title=M-119 Page & Photos|work=West Michigan's Sunset Coast|url=http://www.msu.edu/%7Ecresscas/michigan/m119.htm|accessdate=2008-03-01] The highway wound its way through wooded areas, near the Lake Michigan shoreline before it terminated in Cross Village at a junction with C-66.cite web | title=Google Maps | work=Google Maps | url=http://maps.google.com/ | accessdate=2008-03-01 ] cite map |publisher = Rand McNally |title = Standard Oil Company Highway Map of Michigan |edition = 1952]

History

Prior to 1926, the M-131 alignment from Fife Lake, north through Petoskey and Harbor Springs had been named M-13 since 1920. When 1926 brought about the implementation of the U.S. Highway System, much of M-13 was replaced by US 131. This was the case from the Indiana State Line, northerly to Fife Lake where US 131 terminated at M-113. At this time, M-13 north of Fife Lake was redesignated to M-131.

Before 1933, M-131 had terminated in Harbor Springs. The route was extended to the north along Little Traverse Bay and the Lake Michigan shoreline through the community of Good Hart before terminating at C-66 in Cross Village. This section of highway would be stripped of its designation in 1937 and truncated back to Harbor Springs, only to be reassigned in 1945. This particular stretch of the highway was later designated M-119 in 1979 when M-131 was removed from the highway system. M-119 is a popular tourist destination in northern Michigan, especially during the fall season as it is home to the Tunnel of Trees Lakeshore Drive.cite web | author= Bessert, Christopher J. | title=Michigan Highways: Highways 100 through 119 | work=Michigan Highways | url= http://www.michiganhighways.org/listings/MichHwys100-119.html#M-119 | accessdate=2008-03-01 ]

In 1938, the State Highway Department extends the northern terminus of US 131 along the M-131 corridor through to Petoskey. This allows US 131 to finally connect to its parent, US 31 for the first time since their inception in 1926. For the time being, M-131 is signed concurrently with US 131 to Petoskey. Once US 131 is aligned to its current route near Fife Lake in 1940, the section of highway between Fife Lake and M-113 becomes designated M-186.

The highway remained as such until 1967 when a slight realignment occurs in Emmet County along the lakeshore as M-131 is routed on to its final alignment, the present day alignment of M-119. No other changes occurred to the highway until it was removed from the state highway system in 1979, being completely supplanted by M-119 from Petoskey to Cross Village.

Major intersections

MIint
county=Grand Traverse
location=Fife Lake Township
mile=0.00
road=
notes=Southern terminusMIint
county=Kalkaska
cspan=2
location=Kalkaska
lspan=2
mile=15.60
type=mplex
road=
notes=Southern terminus of overlap with M-66 and M-72MIint
mile=17.61
type=mplex
road=
notes=Northern terminus of overlap with M-72MIint
county=Antrim
cspan=4
location=Mancelona
lspan=2
mile=30.19
road=MIint
mile=31.00
type=mplex
road=
notes=Northern terminus of overlap with M-66MIint
location=Warner Township
lspan=2
mile=44.39
type=mplex
road=
notes=Southern terminus of overlapMIint
mile=44.95
type=mplex
road=
notes=Northern terminus of overlapMIint
county=Charlevoix
cspan=2
location=Boyne Falls
mile=52.13
road=MIint
location=Melrose Township
mile=59.31
road=MIint
county=Emmet
cspan=3
location=Petoskey
mile=67.13
road=
type=mplex
notes=Southern terminus of overlapMIint
location=Bear Creek Township
mile=70.51
road=
type=mplex
notes=Northern terminus of overlapMIint
location=Cross Village
mile=98.04
road=
notes=Northern terminus

References

External links

* [http://www.state-ends.com/michigan/m119/ Former M-131 Endpoints (now M-119)]
* [http://www.state-ends.com/michigan/m186/ Former M-131 Southern Terminus (now M-186)]