michigan highway east west state trunkline highway state michigan connects highway ends near highway runs miles rural forest lands creation current portion original replaced designation reused section replaced changes current highway truncated decades eastern section removed given change reversed historic repairing restoring original appearance route description starts intersection 5th street superior avenue meets located head superior avenue steep hill headed east downtown city crystal falls states courthouse offers view main street city scenic valley feet clear day seen courthouse tower starting point descends superior avenue downtown highway crosses river historic bridge built features decorative lamp posts bridge months rehabilitation involved replacing bridge deck repairing bridge restoring lighting original designs bridge listed michigan list historic bridges construction work preserve original historic character bridge final construction completed cost equivalent million complete bridge replacement cost saving historic bridge opposite bank river superior avenue climbs hill past cemetery section roadway point carries highest levels traffic measured michigan_department_of_transportation mdot annual average daily traffic aadt surveys vehicles segment trunkline daily outside town trunkline runs south lake hilly wooded terrain roadway crosses southern section west line running miles east county line meets unincorporated community post office established serve timber harvesting community turns south highways run south miles concurrently unincorporated community segment trunkline highest commercial traffic state aadt surveys trucks roadway daily according mdot second unincorporated community settled iron mining adjacent turn century separate turns east continues southward community metropolitan runs hilly terrain trunkline continues east twin communities river road ways meeting location unique junction highways meets county designated highway runs south southern intersection unique states california allow highways share common number highway continues follow river crossing hardwood curving southeasterly crossing northern highway crosses northern end county relatively flat terrain lowest aadt counts measured vehicles near unincorporated community roadway runs hills near crossing mile creek west county line continuing southeast meets community line line marks transition turns south crosses north branch running miles county crosses set railroad tracks meets east community home marks western end highway halfway west history started state line south crystal falls ran north end intersection roadway redesignated creation replaced south west replaced north designation reused section east town roadway joined replaced east highway extended end intersection east extension gave current routing late 1930s state general program abandon miles state highways daily traffic level vehicles july state turned miles immediately filed protest block transfer protested abandonment miles county maps published later year indicate change jurisdiction highway section east decommissioned concurrency removed truncated highway miles approximately fifth previous length transfer county control program reduce total state highway mileage state october section renamed beginning program michigan points road commissions delta counties tried roadway state maintenance request times rejected road carry traffic state highway road maintenance issue counties relative isolation high truck traffic carrying paper mill potatoes farms near roadway relative state disrepair counties wanted state fix estimated cost equivalent million mile stretch estimated cost million equivalent million miles county road designation lasted year changes reversed extended area major intersections
M-69 (Michigan highway)