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| M-28 | |
|---|---|
| Name | M-28 |
| Type | State highway |
| Route | 28 |
| Length mi | 290.60 |
| Established | 1919 |
| Terminus a | near Wakefield |
| Terminus b | in Sault Ste. Marie |
| Counties | Gogebic, Ontonagon, Houghton, Baraga, Marquette, Alger, Schoolcraft, Delta, Luce, Chippewa |
M-28 is a state trunkline highway in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan connecting communities from the western lake districts near Wakefield to the international border city of Sault Ste. Marie. The route traverses remote forested landscapes, lakefront corridors, and regional centers such as Marquette and Escanaba, serving both local traffic and long-distance travelers along northern Lake Superior and inland corridors. Established in the early 20th century, the highway links with major routes including US 2 and provides access to state parks, rail lines, and ports that shaped Upper Peninsula development.
M-28 begins near Wakefield at an intersection with US 2 and travels east through the iron-mining landscapes of Gogebic County and along the southern shoreline of Lake Superior. The highway passes through communities such as Bergland, Watersmeet, and Ontonagon before running southeast toward Houghton County and Marquette. East of Marquette, M-28 continues through Negaunee, Ishpeming, and Munising, skirting the southern edge of Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore and crossing near Lake Superior State Forest. Further east it passes through Newberry and Deer Park before reaching Chippewa County and terminating in Sault Ste. Marie, where it connects to the transportation network serving the Sault Ste. Marie International Bridge and St. Marys River crossings. Along the way M-28 intersects state and federal highways, links to rail corridors such as those operated by Canadian National Railway and Gogebic Taconite-era spurs, and provides access to regional airports including Sawyer International Airport and Delta County Airport.
Designated in 1919 as part of Michigan's early trunkline system, the route replaced older wagon roads and logging trails used during the Copper Country strike era and the expansion of iron mining in Iron County and Marquette County. During the 1920s and 1930s M-28 was realigned several times to improve directness and to serve growing towns such as Escanaba and Munising. Federal investments during the New Deal era funded bridge and pavement projects that modernized portions of the corridor, while World War II logistics needs elevated the highway's strategic importance near ore shipping ports at Marquette and Escanaba. Postwar highway planning connected M-28 to the Interstate Highway System indirectly via US 2 and influenced regional development tied to tourism at Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore and recreation areas administered by the National Park Service and the Michigan Department of Natural Resources. Late 20th-century improvements addressed safety and weight-bearing capacity to support updated freight patterns associated with companies like Cleveland-Cliffs Inc. and mining contractors.
M-28 intersects numerous primary routes, creating key links for regional movement: junctions with US 2 near Wakefield and Ironwood, concurrency segments with US 41 near Ishpeming and Negaunee, connections to M-94 and M-123 near Newberry and Deer Park, and eastern termini interfacing with local arterials in Sault Ste. Marie that feed into routes toward the International Bridge. Other notable junctions include links to M-26 in Houghton County and access ramps to regional connectors serving Marquette and Escanaba.
Traffic volumes on M-28 vary from light rural flows in sections across Hiawatha National Forest and the western lake districts to heavier commuter and tourist volumes around Marquette and Munising. Seasonal peaks occur during summer tourism associated with Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore, winter sports in Copper Country, and fall foliage travel tied to regional festivals in Upper Peninsula communities. Freight movements related to the mining and timber sectors contribute to truck traffic, linking operations of companies such as Cleveland-Cliffs Inc. and regional sawmills to ports on Lake Superior and to transshipment points served by Canadian National Railway and shortline carriers.
The Michigan Department of Transportation oversees routine maintenance, winter snow removal, and periodic resurfacing projects along the corridor. Federal aid funds and state highway programs have supported bridge replacements and pavement rehabilitation near busy nodes such as Marquette and Sault Ste. Marie. Recent initiatives have included improvements to drainage, shoulder widening for safety, and intersection upgrades to reduce collision risk near tourist destinations like Munising and resource hubs like Escanaba. Collaboration with county road commissions in Baraga County and Alger County coordinates detours and seasonal closures during major projects and extreme weather events linked to Lake Superior storms.
M-28 provides access to cultural sites such as museums and historic districts in Marquette, Ishpeming—home to the National Ski Hall of Fame—and maritime heritage at Escanaba and Sault Ste. Marie. Natural attractions adjacent to the highway include Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore, Hiawatha National Forest, numerous inland lakes, and shoreline vistas of Lake Superior and the St. Marys River. The corridor also connects to trailheads used by groups like the North Country Trail volunteers and provides gateways to recreational resources managed by the National Park Service and the Michigan Department of Natural Resources. Annual events in towns along the route—such as festivals in Munising and sporting events in Negaunee—draw visitors who rely on M-28 for regional access.
Category:State highways in Michigan