M-205 was a state trunkline highway in the US state of Michigan. The route was turned back to local control in October 2002 by the Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT) after the completion of M-217 (Michiana Parkway). MDOT swapped roadways with the Cass County Road Commission ending the 67-year history of M-205.
M-205 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 M-205 highlighted in red on a modern map | ||||
| Route information | ||||
| Maintained by MDOT | ||||
| Length | 1.709 mi[1] (2.750 km) | |||
| Existed | 1935[2]–October 10, 2002[3] | |||
| Major junctions | ||||
| South end |  SR 19 near Elkhart | |||
| North end |  US 12 near Union | |||
| Location | ||||
| Country | United States | |||
| State | Michigan | |||
| Counties | Cass | |||
| Highway system | ||||
| ||||
Route description edit
M-205 ran through an agricultural landscape from a connection with State Road 19 (SR 19) at the state line north of Elkhart, Indiana, northward for about one-half mile (0.80 km) along Cassopolis Road before turning easterly through a sweeping curve. The roadway is bordered by houses in the area as it continues to an intersection with US Highway 12 (US 12, the former US 112) between Union and Adamsville. The highway went through no towns within Michigan, but did connect with some short local roads.[1][4]
History edit
When the state highway system was initially signposted in 1919,[5] a highway numbered M-23 ran north from the state line near Union and turned east, eventually connecting all the way to Ypsilanti in Washtenaw County, east of Detroit.[6] On the original approved US Highway plan, M-23 was replaced by US 112, running over the border into Indiana.[7] Michigan diverted that highway along a route entirely within Michigan, and the very short, but locally important segment of cut-off highway became M-205.[2] The curve between Cassopolis and Redfield roads was realigned to give M-205 a more sweeping curve in 1950.[8] As part of the swap between MDOT and Cass County, M-217 was designated several miles to the east as a new connector to the toll road, and M-205 was transferred to local control on October 10, 2002,[3] decommissioning the trunkline.[9][10]
The highway is now identified as "Old M-205" on road signs. Its old northern end, an intersection on US 12 was rebuilt as a traffic circle after the highway was decommissioned.
Major intersections edit
The entire highway was in Mason Township, Cass County.
| mi[1] | km | Destinations | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0.000 | 0.000 |  SR 19 south – Elkhart | Indiana state line |
| 1.709 | 2.750 | US 12 – Niles, Coldwater | |
| 1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi | |||
See also edit
References edit
- ^ a b c Michigan Department of Transportation (2001). "Cass County" (Map). Control Section/Physical Reference Atlas. Scale not given. Lansing: Michigan Department of Transportation.
- ^ a b Michigan State Highway Department & Rand McNally (December 1, 1935). Official Michigan Highway Map (Map). [c. 1:850,000]. Lansing: Michigan State Highway Department. § N8. OCLC 12701143.
- ^ a b "Michiana Parkway Will Benefit Region". South Bend Tribune. October 6, 2002. OCLC 8793233. Retrieved April 29, 2009.
- ^ Google (July 31, 2010). "Overview Map of M-205" (Map). Google Maps. Google. Retrieved July 31, 2010.
- ^ "Michigan May Do Well Following Wisconsin's Road Marking System". The Grand Rapids Press. September 20, 1919. p. 10. OCLC 9975013.
- ^ Michigan State Highway Department (July 1, 1919). State of Michigan (Map). Scale not given. Lansing: Michigan State Highway Department. Lower Peninsula sheet. OCLC 15607244. Retrieved October 17, 2019 – via Michigan History Center.
- ^ Bureau of Public Roads & American Association of State Highway Officials (November 11, 1926). United States System of Highways Adopted for Uniform Marking by the American Association of State Highway Officials (Map). 1:7,000,000. Washington, DC: U.S. Geological Survey. OCLC 32889555. Retrieved November 7, 2013 – via Wikimedia Commons.
- ^ Michigan Department of Transportation (September 20, 2002). "Cass County" (Map). Right-of-Way Finder Application. Scale not given. Lansing: Michigan Department of Transportation. Sheet 33.
- ^ Michigan Department of Transportation (2002). Michigan, Great Lakes Great Times: Official Department of Transportation Map (Map). c. 1:918,720. Lansing: Michigan Department of Transportation. § N8. OCLC 42778335.
- ^ Michigan Department of Transportation (2003). Michigan: Official Department of Transportation Map (Map) (2003–2004 ed.). c. 1:918,720. Lansing: Michigan Department of Transportation. § N8. OCLC 42778335. Retrieved October 17, 2019 – via Michigan History Center.
External links edit
- Former M-205 at Michigan Highways