M-52 (Michigan highway)
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M-52 is a north–south state trunkline highway in the US state of
Michigan Michigan () is a U.S. state, state in the Great Lakes region, Great Lakes region of the Upper Midwest, upper Midwestern United States. With a population of nearly 10.12 million and an area of nearly , Michigan is the List of U.S. states and ...
. The southern terminus is on the
Ohio Ohio () is a state in the Midwestern region of the United States. Of the fifty U.S. states, it is the 34th-largest by area, and with a population of nearly 11.8 million, is the seventh-most populous and tenth-most densely populated. The sta ...
border, where it continues as State Route 109 (SR 109). The highway passes through communities like
Adrian Adrian is a form of the Latin given name Adrianus or Hadrianus. Its ultimate origin is most likely via the former river Adria from the Venetic and Illyrian word ''adur'', meaning "sea" or "water". The Adria was until the 8th century BC the mai ...
, where it intersects US Highway 223 (US 223),
Chelsea Chelsea or Chelsey may refer to: Places Australia * Chelsea, Victoria Canada * Chelsea, Nova Scotia * Chelsea, Quebec United Kingdom * Chelsea, London, an area of London, bounded to the south by the River Thames ** Chelsea (UK Parliament consti ...
and Webberville along its course. It crosses some major rivers, including the
River Raisin The River Raisin is a river in southeastern Michigan, United States, that flows through glacial sediments into Lake Erie. The area today is an agricultural and industrial center of Michigan. The river flows for almost ,U.S. Geological Survey. ...
and the Shiawassee. The section of the highway between M-50 and
Manchester Manchester () is a city in Greater Manchester, England. It had a population of 552,000 in 2021. It is bordered by the Cheshire Plain to the south, the Pennines to the north and east, and the neighbouring city of Salford to the west. The t ...
was built as a
limited-access highway A limited-access road, known by various terms worldwide, including limited-access highway, dual-carriageway, expressway, limited access freeway, and partial controlled access highway, is a highway or arterial road for high-speed traffic which ...
. M-52's northern terminus is at M-46, west of
Saginaw Saginaw () is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan and the seat of Saginaw County. The city of Saginaw and Saginaw County are both in the area known as Mid-Michigan. Saginaw is adjacent to Saginaw Charter Township and considered part of Greater ...
. Adrian previously converted their downtown streets to one-way traffic between 1950 and 1973. The traffic pattern created an unusual arrangement in the routings of the two state highways downtown. Southbound M-52 followed Winter Street, which also carried both eastbound and westbound directions of the US 223 business loop. These streets carried both highways around the downtown business district in this arrangement until November 2009. M-52 is an original state trunkline highway, dating to the 1919 formation of the system. Other segments of the modern routing were designated M-92 and M-47 at the time. Extensions to M-52 supplanted M-92 completely and M-47 partially along their routings. These extensions completed the modern M-52 routing in the late 1960s.


Route description

M-52 starts at the Ohio state line as Adrian Highway in Fairfield Township,
Lenawee County Lenawee County ( ') is a county located in the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2020 United States Census, the population was 99,423. The county seat is Adrian. The county was created in 1822, from territory partitioned from Monroe County. Its g ...
, where it is the continuation of SR 109 into Michigan. The highway runs north to
Adrian Adrian is a form of the Latin given name Adrianus or Hadrianus. Its ultimate origin is most likely via the former river Adria from the Venetic and Illyrian word ''adur'', meaning "sea" or "water". The Adria was until the 8th century BC the mai ...
where it intersects US Highway 223 (US 223) at the city border with Madison Township. As the highway crosses the city line, it is concurrently designated Business US 223 (Bus. US 223) along Main Street into downtown Adrian. Bus. US 223/M-52 intersects Beecher Street, which carries M-34 to the latter's eastern terminus in Adrian. After Beecher, Main Street turns north-northeast into the downtown area. In downtown Adrian, M-52 runs north along Main Street to Church Street. Since November 2009, the one-way streets were converted back to two-way functionality. Both directions of M-52 now turn east along Church, then north along Broad Street. At Front Street, traffic is diverted west back to Main Street. Continuing north out of downtown Adrian, M-52 follows Main Street over the South Branch of the
River Raisin The River Raisin is a river in southeastern Michigan, United States, that flows through glacial sediments into Lake Erie. The area today is an agricultural and industrial center of Michigan. The river flows for almost ,U.S. Geological Survey. ...
and out of the city limits, where it once again becomes Adrian Highway. The highway curves from running north-northeast back to due north. West of the city of Tecumseh, the trunkline intersects M-50. M-52 continues north as a
limited-access highway A limited-access road, known by various terms worldwide, including limited-access highway, dual-carriageway, expressway, limited access freeway, and partial controlled access highway, is a highway or arterial road for high-speed traffic which ...
. Access to and from the highway is limited to select cross roads only. Just south of the county line, the highway intersects with US 12 before crossing into
Washtenaw County Washtenaw County () is a county located in the U.S. state of Michigan. At the 2020 census, the population was 372,258. The county seat is Ann Arbor. The county was authorized by legislation in 1822 and organized as a county in 1826. Washtenaw ...
. The limited-access section of M-52 continues north through western Washtenaw County, where it ends in
Manchester Manchester () is a city in Greater Manchester, England. It had a population of 552,000 in 2021. It is bordered by the Cheshire Plain to the south, the Pennines to the north and east, and the neighbouring city of Salford to the west. The t ...
. M-52 turns west along Austin and City roads into the village. The trunkline continues along the banks of the north branch of the River Raisin on Riverside Drive before turning north out of town. Just south of
Chelsea Chelsea or Chelsey may refer to: Places Australia * Chelsea, Victoria Canada * Chelsea, Nova Scotia * Chelsea, Quebec United Kingdom * Chelsea, London, an area of London, bounded to the south by the River Thames ** Chelsea (UK Parliament consti ...
, M-52 crosses Interstate 94 (I-94). The highway continues through downtown Chelsea and turns northwesterly through the Waterloo State Recreation Area in the northwesternmost part of the county. The highway clips the corner of Jackson County, running for almost through Waterloo Township before crossing into
Ingham County Ingham County ( ) is a county located in the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2020 Census, the population was 284,900. The county seat is Mason. Lansing, the state capital of Michigan, is largely located within the county. (Lansing is the only ...
south of Stockbridge. M-52 joins M-106 south of Stockbridge, and the two highways run together into the village. In downtown, M-106 turns east and M-52 turns west before heading north out of town. At the Stockbridge
White Oak The genus ''Quercus'' contains about 500 species, some of which are listed here. The genus, as is the case with many large genera, is divided into subgenera and sections. Traditionally, the genus ''Quercus'' was divided into the two subgenera ''C ...
township line, M-52 joins M-36 which follows the townships' common border. The two highways run concurrently north into White Oak Township before M-36 turns west, ending the concurrency. In western Webberville, M-52 passes under
I-96 Interstate 96 (I-96) is an east–west Interstate Highway that runs for approximately entirely within the Lower Peninsula of the US state of Michigan. The western terminus is at an interchange with US Highway 31 (US 31) and Bu ...
and merges with M-43 at the latter's eastern terminus. The two highways run north to, and turn west along, Grand River Avenue. At Perry Road, M-52 turns back north out of the village. The trunkline continues north into Shiawassee County and runs through
Perry Perry, also known as pear cider, is an alcoholic beverage made from fermented pears, traditionally the perry pear. It has been common for centuries in England, particularly in Gloucestershire, Herefordshire, and Worcestershire. It is also mad ...
before crossing
I-69 Interstate 69 (I-69) is an Interstate Highway in the United States currently consisting of 10 unconnected segments with an original continuous segment from Indianapolis, Indiana, northeast to the Canadian border in Port Huron, Michigan, at ...
. Continuing north, M-52 curves northeasterly into downtown Owosso intersecting
M-21 M21 or M-21 may refer to: Transportation * M21 (New York City bus), a New York City Bus route in Manhattan * M-21 highway (Michigan), a road connecting Flint and Grand Rapids * M21 (East London), a Metropolitan Route in East London, South Africa ...
west of M-71's western terminus. M-52 continues northward parallel to the
Shiawassee River The Shiawassee River ( ) in the U.S. state of Michigan drains an area of within Oakland, Genesee, Livingston, Shiawassee, Midland and Saginaw counties. It flows in a generally northerly direction for approximately from its source to its co ...
into
Saginaw County Saginaw County, officially the County of Saginaw, is a county located in the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2020 Census, the population was 190,124. The county seat is Saginaw. The county was created by September 10, 1822, and was fully orga ...
. The trunkline runs through the community of Oakley before intersecting M-57 west of Chesaning. North of Chesaning, M-52 angles to the northeast into and through St. Charles, crossing the Shiawassee River west of the
Shiawassee National Wildlife Refuge The Shiawassee National Wildlife Refuge is a National Wildlife Refuge in Saginaw County managed by the United States Fish and Wildlife Service. It is located in the central portion of the lower peninsula of the U.S. state of Michigan, approximate ...
. The northern terminus of M-52 is an intersection with M-46 west of
Saginaw Saginaw () is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan and the seat of Saginaw County. The city of Saginaw and Saginaw County are both in the area known as Mid-Michigan. Saginaw is adjacent to Saginaw Charter Township and considered part of Greater ...
in Thomas Township.


History

M-52 was first designated by July 1, 1919. The original routing started at the Ohio state line and ran north through Adrian to M-50 much as it does today. It turned east along M-50 into Tecumseh and then turned north to Clinton where it terminated. The remainder of the modern highway routing is either not part of the state trunkline system, or it is parts of other highways at this time, M-92 or M-47. In 1954, M-92 was extended southward to end in Clinton at the same intersection with US 112 where M-52 terminated. By July 1, 1960, M-92's southern end was shifted westward, terminating west of Clinton at US 112 on a new roadway south of Manchester. M-52 was extended around 1962 north between M-50 and US 12 (the former US 112) west of Tecumseh and Clinton. This extension ended at M-92's terminus with US 12. M-52 was then extended north supplanting the M-92 designation in its entirety. M-52 at this time runs north from the Ohio state line to Millville in southwestern
Ingham County Ingham County ( ) is a county located in the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2020 Census, the population was 284,900. The county seat is Mason. Lansing, the state capital of Michigan, is largely located within the county. (Lansing is the only ...
. In the late 1960s, Stockbridge Road between Webberville and Stockbridge was upgraded to state highway standards and uploaded from the county to the state. This construction was shown on the 1969 state map. When it was completed later that year, M-52 was extended northward a second time, to I-96 outside of Webberville. Where Stockbridge Road crossed I-96, M-52 was continued north, supplanting M-47 through Webberville and north to the junction with M-46 west of
Saginaw Saginaw () is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan and the seat of Saginaw County. The city of Saginaw and Saginaw County are both in the area known as Mid-Michigan. Saginaw is adjacent to Saginaw Charter Township and considered part of Greater ...
. This designation change shortened M-47 to its current southern terminus in Saginaw Township. In downtown Adrian, the highways previously split into an uncommon arrangement of one-way streets. This arrangement was similar to a
traffic circle A roundabout is a type of circular intersection or junction in which road traffic is permitted to flow in one direction around a central island, and priority is typically given to traffic already in the junction.''The New Shorter Oxford Eng ...
in how the traffic was routed through the central business district on Church, Broad, Front and Winter streets. The first
one-way pair A one-way pair, one-way couple, or couplet refers to that portion of a bi-directional traffic facilitysuch as a road, bus, streetcar, or light rail linewhere its opposing flows exist as two independent and roughly parallel facilities. Descripti ...
ing started on Main Street at the intersection with Winter Street. Northbound traffic continued on Main Street, while southbound traffic was routed along Winter Street. At Church Street, westbound Bus. US 223/northbound M-52 turned east for a block on Church and then north onto Broad Street. Then the highway designations continued on Broad Street three blocks north to Front Street, passing to the east of the downtown businesses. The designations were then routed west along Front Street. At Main Street, M-52 turned back north again as a two-way street. In the opposite direction, southbound M-52 traffic was diverted from Main west on Front Street. Front Street west of Main Street carried southbound M-52 and westbound Bus. US 223 traffic one block west to Winter Street, which then turned down Winter. Westbound Bus. US 223 traffic turned west along Maumee Street while eastbound Bus. US 223 followed southbound M-52 down Winter to Main Street. This arrangement was ended in November 2009 when the City of Adrian converted all of the one-way streets to two-way traffic. Downtown streets had been converted to one-way traffic between 1950 and 1973.


Major intersections


See also

*


References


External links


M-52
at Michigan Highways

at Michigan Highways {{DEFAULTSORT:M052 052 Two-lane freeways in the United States Grand River Avenue Transportation in Lenawee County, Michigan Transportation in Washtenaw County, Michigan Transportation in Jackson County, Michigan Transportation in Ingham County, Michigan Transportation in Shiawassee County, Michigan Transportation in Saginaw County, Michigan