US-131 North of Mancelona
- James Sofonia
- Grand Traverse Dinner Train 1996
- Posts: 1701
- Joined: Mon Mar 10, 2014 7:56 pm
- Location: Traverse City, Michigan
US-131 North of Mancelona
I just went thru here today on my way to Petoskey, 131 parallels the GLC straight as an arrow for miles. Between the highway and the tracks is a snowmobile trail that is on an improved grade. I've always wondered what that grade was even before it was designated a snowmobile trail. Someone told at one time this stretch was 4 lanes at one time later reduced to two when traffic started using I-75. Anyone know the history of this? It doesn't look wide enough to have been a highway.
- Michael
- Railroadfan...fan
- Posts: 10855
- Joined: Sun Sep 12, 2010 2:52 pm
- Location: Plymouth, Michigan
Re: US-131 North of Mancelona
A great website to check with.
http://www.michiganhighways.org/listings/US-131.html
http://www.michiganhighways.org/listings/US-131.html
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- Roadmaster
- Posts: 4753
- Joined: Fri Dec 23, 2005 9:12 am
- Location: Grand Rapids, MI
Re: US-131 North of Mancelona
MDOT 4 laned it in 1956, adding the lanes you see today as a divided highway and 2 laned it removing the original lanes - today's snowmobile trail in 1968. The NB lanes were lower and drifted bad in the winter so they closed the NB lanes in the winter. (I remember riding with my dad thru there in the winter) Not in the link is the fact one winter a drunk thought he was on the NB lanes passed a car and killed a car full of people coming SB. That helped push the removal.
http://www.michiganhighways.org/listings/US-131.html
http://www.michiganhighways.org/listings/US-131.html
- James Sofonia
- Grand Traverse Dinner Train 1996
- Posts: 1701
- Joined: Mon Mar 10, 2014 7:56 pm
- Location: Traverse City, Michigan
Re: US-131 North of Mancelona
Real interesting reading guys, THANKS.
Re: US-131 North of Mancelona
Hmm...the future of WB Chicago Drive between Hudsonville and Zeeland could be a snowmobile trail?Raildudes dad wrote:MDOT 4 laned it in 1956, adding the lanes you see today as a divided highway and 2 laned it removing the original lanes - today's snowmobile trail in 1968. The NB lanes were lower and drifted bad in the winter so they closed the NB lanes in the winter.
https://www.flickr.com/photos/jimthias/
GRHC - you know every night I can imagine he is in front of his computer screen sitting in his underwear swearing profusely and drinking Blatz beer combing the RailRoadFan website for grammatical errors.
GRHC - you know every night I can imagine he is in front of his computer screen sitting in his underwear swearing profusely and drinking Blatz beer combing the RailRoadFan website for grammatical errors.