michigan highway state trunkline highway state michigan connects detroit thumb region highway starts detroit connection ends port austin michigan trunkline passes northern suburbs metro detroit connects freeways like interstate provides access rural farmland follows christopher columbus freeway remainder highway known van avenue metro area van road highway named pioneers michigan highway system state highways signed field running detroit 1920s highway extended northward connect port austin later improvements realigned section roadway near completed paving planning construction 1950s 1960s state converted portions road north detroit divided highway freeway segments freeway bypass romeo started 1990s finished current state route description starting intersection van avenue avenue runs north northwesterly city detroit lane roadway passes residential neighborhoods city east half mile north start meets exit opposite freeway interchange turns north continues mix residential industrial areas near area highway crosses branch lines continues northward residential areas north crosses detroit warren junction road marks wayne county line highway passes middle center line surrounded warren northern edge meets exit north interchange crosses warren continues northward highway paralleled line pass northern detroit suburbs mile mile roads passes center suburban shopping district roadway widens divided highway continues northward crossing highway bounded additional commercial light industrial properties intersects metropolitan parkway mile road near mile road curves northeast separates van avenue separation marked interchange transitions lane freeway interchange numbered exit connects roundabout junction mile road van avenue named van freeway crosses resuming northward course passing east runs mile east van avenue area north mile road interchange curves northwesterly draw closer van landscape residential subdivisions parks golf courses freeway exits proper interchange near mile road freeway meets van road called turns northeasterly running expressway grade intersections access key cross roads instead interchanges expressway section bypasses romeo east passing city romeo state airport intersections mile roads highway curves northwest transitions rural undivided lane highway near designation drops point follows van road north northwesterly rural northern north romeo trunkline passes agricultural areas thumb region state crosses south north van road meets running downtown area north interstate location crossing canadian national railway line carries amtrak service flint port unincorporated community intersects highways run concurrently mile half separating continues northward crosses near city highway crosses branch line continuing downtown northward runs parallel mile east county line highway follows van road rural farming country past intersections crossing miles highway turns northeast near bad axe van road curves turning east town downtown turns north port crescent street joining highways cross branch line outside town street changes van road separates west follows van road paralleled line far north highway continues northeast approaches merges east highways run north lake street town intersection turns west follow shoreline terminates maintained mdot like state highways michigan maintenance responsibilities department tracks volume traffic uses roadways jurisdiction volumes expressed metric called annual average daily traffic statistical calculation average daily number vehicles segment roadway mdot surveys showed highest traffic levels vehicles daily southern end freeway lowest counts vehicles day north detroit northern junction near listed national_highway_system network roads important country economy defense mobility history designated started avenue detroit running north centerline eventually end east extension moved northern terminus port austin new route near opened southern section bypass opened trunkline completely paved miles paved counties divided highway section completed warren additional miles completed following year completing divided highway mile mile roads freeway segments built mile mile roads near romeo plans time extend freeway west mile continue south mound road corridor detroit connect fact level freeway freeway interchange completed intersection warren construction started romeo bypass completed bypass extended lane expressway mile road construction remaining lanes started finished highway remaining intersections limited access freeway old highway transferred local control removed state trunkline highway system memorial highway designations freeway expressway sections officially known nod large italian american population designation approved remainder named van avenue van road honors prominent attorney detroit 19th century van prosecutor city attorney mayor detroit street detroit named honor highway extended northward carried applied named honor michigan commissioner instrumental early good roads movement state creation mdot original legislation creating highway agency declared unconstitutional kept job unofficial capacity legislature situation designated mile state reward road thumb residents formed group lobby road named honor commissioner designated memory april legislature legislation years later honoring officially naming road corrected statutes naming highways state consolidated officially designated major intersections
M-53 (Michigan highway)