Michigan State Highway 51
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Michigan State Highway 51, or M-51, is a north-south highway in southwestern Michigan. The northern terminus is on Interstate 94 west of Paw Paw and the southern terminus is at the Indiana state line between Niles and South Bend, Indiana, where it continues as Indiana State Highway 933. The total length is 40.33 miles.
From Niles, it angles northeast toward Dowagiac where it then runs north before bending to run almost due east toward Decatur, after which is heads due north to I-94.
M-51 is in fact a designation of what used to be two different highways. Until the 1960s the route north of Niles was known as M-40 until M-40 was diverted to its current route south of Paw Paw. Until the 1990s, the segment between Niles and the Indiana state line was known as U.S. Highway 33 before US-33 was decommissioned northwest of Elkhart, Indiana. Earlier, it had also been designated as U.S. Highway 31 before the St. Joseph Valley Parkway was built west of Niles. The segment of old US 31 and US 33 in Michigan south of Niles became M-51 in April 1998.
Historical Note: M-51 was originally designated from Port Huron to M-83 (now M-142) west of Harbor Beach. The designation of M-51 from Port Huron to M-46 (Carsonville) was removed, and the remainder of it to M-142 was removed in the mid 1960's.
Highway junctions
From south to north:
- U.S. Highway 12 south of Niles
- Michigan State Highway 62 just west of Dowagiac
- Michigan State Highway 152 about five miles north of Dowagiac
External link
- Michigan Highways (http://www.michiganhighways.org/listings/MichHwys50-59.html#M-051)