Route description U.S. Route 31 in Michigan

1 route description

1.1 st. joseph valley parkway , i-196
1.2 west michigan
1.3 northwest michigan
1.4 north straits area

route description

between lake michigan beach , northern terminus south of mackinaw city, of us 31 forms portion of lake michigan circle tour (lmct) except various business loops run between main highway , lake michigan. additionally, of highway indiana–michigan state line ludington built freeway standards. 2 notable exceptions short segment along napier avenue between st. joseph valley parkway , i-94 near benton harbor, , between holland , ferrysburg. remainder of us 31 two- or four-lane highway sections in cities comprising 5 lanes. entire length of highway listed on national highway system, network of roads important s economy, defense, , mobility.

st. joseph valley parkway , i-196

us 31 , st. joseph valley parkway crosses michigan indiana southwest of niles , parallels st. joseph river 2 run northward through southwest michigan. freeway passes through farmland before crossing us 12 @ first of set of 3 interchanges located between niles on east , buchanan on west. us 31 crosses river north of interchange niles–buchanan road. north of walton road interchange, freeway turns northwesterly recross st. joseph river near lake chapin south of berrien springs. parkway curves around west side of town before crossing river third time. us 31 continues northward parallel river, enters eastern fringes of benton harbor–st. joseph area. traffic forced exit freeway @ interchange napier road although freeway continues northward less ⁄2 mile (0.80 km).

after separating freeway, us 31 turns west along napier avenue 2 miles (3.2 km) before meeting i-94 , merging it. i-94/us 31 runs concurrently on northeasterly course through partial interchange business loop i-94 (bl i-94) before meeting southern end of i-196 in benton charter township. @ trumpet interchange, i-196/us 31 runs north i-94 , passes west of point o woods golf & country club. continues northward in rural berrien county through farm fields. trunkline turns northwesterly near lake michigan hills golf course , crosses paw paw river. past river, freeway turns northeasterly , runs parallel lake michigan shoreline several miles inland. @ community of lake michigan beach, i-196/us 31 meets northern terminus of m-63 @ exit 7, , lmct joins freeway first time. north of interchange, freeway parallels county road (a-2, blue star highway) former route of us 31.

crossing black river bridge near south haven on i-196/us 31

further north, i-196/us 31 crosses van buren county , assumes gerald r. ford freeway name. inland side of freeway forested while lakeward side predominantly either forest or fields. approaches south haven, freeway passes near palisades nuclear generating station , van buren state park. north of power plant , park, freeway turns farther inland bypass city of south haven. there interchange on south side of town provides access bl i-196 , m-140. freeway crosses on m-43 without interchange , intersects other end of business loop 2 miles (3.2 km) later. crosses black river near van buren–allegan county line.

in allegan county, i-196/us 31 passes pair of golf courses , continues northward through farm fields. near community of glenn, a-2 crosses on freeway , runs parallel on east. 2 roads trade places again when i-196/us 31 turns northeasterly on south side of twin cities of saugatuck , douglas. freeway crosses on section of kalamazoo lake, wider section of kalamazoo river flows between 2 towns. a-2 crosses eastern side of freeway north of saugatuck, , i-196/us 31 continues north-northeasterly toward holland.

on south side of holland, us 31 , i-196 separate interstate turns northeasterly around city continue grand rapids. us 31 follows bl i-196 freeway northward holland around north side of west michigan regional airport. business loop has interchange a-2 (blue star highway) , washington avenue before freeway ends in southern reaches of holland. trunkline runs divided highway northward, bypassing downtown holland east , intersecting m-40. northeast of downtown holland, bl i-196 leaves us 31 , lmct @ interchange follow expressway along route of chicago drive while us 31 turns northwesterly on own expressway alignment.

west michigan

northwest of holland, highway runs four-lane expressway , divided highway parallel, inland from, lake michigan shoreline. section of us 31 runs through mix of farm fields , forests runs community of agnew. there, us 31 intersects western end of m-45 (lake michigan drive) before continuing southern end of grand haven. in city, highway follows four-lane boulevard grass median. on northern edge of city of grand haven, us 31 crosses grand river on bascule bridge opens 450–500 times per year. north of structure, us 31 transitions freeway @ interchange western end of m-104 in ferrysburg. freeway continues northward through suburban edges of muskegon area , meets western end of i-96 near muskegon county airport in norton shores.

at interchange i-96, us 31 has southernmost business loop u.s. route 31 business runs westerly , northward downtown muskegon. main freeway continues through suburban eastern edge of city through several interchanges, including 1 m-46 (apple avenue). south of muskegon river, business loop merges main freeway. us 31 crosses river , turns northwesterly through forests. freeway passes east of michigan s adventure, amusement park, , crosses white river near communities of whitehall , montague; business loop curves off west connect 2 communities freeway. in area, us 31 runs through southern portion of manistee national forest well.

us 31 freeway near rothbury

as freeway continues northward, us 31 intersects western end of m-20 in new era in oceana county. landscape in area dominated forest land trunkline crosses hart-montague trail state park, linear state park follows bike trail in area. north of trail crossing, us 31 has business spur hart runs east town; north of interchange, freeway crosses pentwater river near community of pentwater has own business loop.

north of pentwater, us 31 crosses mason county , passes bass lake , ludington pumped storage power plant, uses reservoir next freeway generate electricity. north of reservoir, freeway turns northeast , ludington s business spur runs off northwest. us 31 curves around east side of ludington, crossing pere marquette river. due east of downtown, freeway ends , us 31 turns east merge us 10. concurrent highways follow four-lane roadway scottville. on west side of town, us 31 separates us 10, turning northward bypass scottville.

northwest michigan

us 31 entering manistee

us 31 runs due north through northwest michigan forest land bypassing freesoil west. northwest of town, highway crosses big sable river before entering manistee county. across county line, trunkline runs northwesterly parallel manistee lake us 31 enters manistee. highway follows cypress street drawbridge on manistee river , cleveland street on northern side. trunkline rounds northern shore of manistee lake, passes ss city of milwaukee, car ferry preserved museum. there, highway runs northeasterly, intersecting western end of m-55 (caberfae highway). next little river casino, highway intersects southern end of m-22 (orchard highway), , lmct separates us 31.

the highway continues on northeasterly course running inland along chippewa highway community of bear lake. us 31 rounds east side of community s namesake body of water on lake street , exits town on pleasanton highway. trunkline continues northward , northeasterly through pleasanton , crosses benzie county. on county line, follows benzie highway northward intersection m-115 (cadillac highway). 2 merge , run north benzonia, following michigan avenue in town. near south shore of crystal lake, m-115 turns westward toward frankfort , us 31 follows michigan avenue beulah, running around eastern end of lake. near eastern end of platte lake, us 31 turns run easterly honor before crossing grand traverse county.

across county line, us 31 continues eastward, passing north of community of interlochen. @ interlochen corners, intersects m-137. highway angles northeasterly north of duck lake , south of silver lake. few miles farther east, us 31 meets m-37 @ location known chums corners. 2 highways join , run northward through unincorporated community. passes wuerfel park, home stadium traverse city beach bums, minor-league baseball team. there, us 31/m-37 runs downhill garfield township. in area, highway passes through cluster of retail stores , car dealerships near grand traverse mall. north of intersection 14th street, trunkline follows division street traverse city. there runs east of grand traverse commons, former traverse city state hospital, before us 31/m-37 meets grandview parkway next west arm of grand traverse bay.

grandview parkway (us 31/m-37/m-72) in traverse city

at intersection, trunkline meets northern end of m-22, running concurrently m-72 along parkway. us 31/m-37 turns east run along bay north of downtown, highway merges m-72 , picks lmct again. grandview parkway runs between boardman river , bay. near mouth of river, us 31/m-37/m-72 turns follow front street along remainder of bay s shoreline. @ garfield avenue, m-37 turns northward run old mission peninsula, , us 31/m-72 continues across base of peninsula east arm of grand traverse bay. highway runs north of cherry capital airport near east arm angles southeasterly traverse city state park. east of park, trunkline exits suburban traverse city , rounds bay run northward along eastern shore. in community of acme, m-72 turns eastward while us 31 continues north past grand traverse resort.

about 9 miles (14 km) north of acme, us 31 crosses antrim county runs between elk lake , grand traverse bay. between towns, landscape agricultural lands mixed patches of forest. few miles north of county line, trunkline passes through elk rapids , crosses channel connecting spencer bay portion of elk lake lake michigan. north of crossing, us 31 continues northeasterly, running on isthmus between torch lake , grand traverse bay. highway passes through eastport @ northern end of torch lake , intersects western end of m-88. further north, us 31 runs through atwood , crosses charlevoix county.

north straits area

passing through bay view

as us 31 curves around northeast , east in charlevoix county, follows section of lake michigan shoreline not considered part of bay. highway continues through northern michigan agricultural areas southeast of charlevoix. once enters city, trunkline intersects northern end of m-66 , follows series of city streets drawbridge on channel connects lake charlevoix lake michigan. south of structure bridge street, , north of bridge michigan avenue. highway turns eastward exit town on petoskey avenue , follow lake michigan shoreline. near community of bay shore, us 31 crosses emmet county. trunkline continues past bay harbor development on charlevoix avenue city of petoskey.

once in petoskey, us 31 intersects northern end of us 131 (spring street) , turns northward along spring street through downtown. highway curves around follow mitchell street cross bear river , follow bay view road. us 31 runs along little traverse bay through eastern end of petoskey , bay view. there, intersects southern end of m-119 , passes through pair of small towns, conway , oden, border inland lakes round lake , various bays of crooked lake.

us 31 in alanson

north of oden, us 31 runs through ponshewaing before entering village of alanson. there highway intersects western end of m-68 , runs parallel crooked river, part of inland waterway. north of town, us 31 runs through town of brutus before entering pellston. highway runs past pellston regional airport , continues due north levering. there, us 31 turns northwesterly , northeasterly on mackinaw highway round lake paradise in community of carp lake. north of lake, us 31 follows limited-access highway cheboygan county. less ⁄2 mile (0.80 km) east of county line, us 31 connects i-75 in partial interchange. @ interchange, northbound traffic defaults onto northbound i-75 , us 31 terminates.