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| M-39 | |
|---|---|
| Name | M-39 |
| Country | USA |
| Type | State highway |
| Route | 39 |
| Length mi | approx. 34 |
| Maint | Michigan Department of Transportation |
| Direction a | South |
| Terminus a | Lincoln Park |
| Direction b | North |
| Terminus b | Detroit |
| Counties | Wayne County |
| Established | 1930s |
M-39 is a state trunkline highway in Michigan serving the Detroit metropolitan area as an urban expressway and arterial connector. The route links south-central Wayne County suburbs with central Detroit neighborhoods, carrying commuter traffic between residential, commercial, and industrial districts. It intersects major radial and circumferential routes, providing access to regional destinations such as Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport, Wayne State University, and Belle Isle Park.
The highway begins at a junction with Interstate 75 and M-85 near Lincoln Park and proceeds north as an expressway paralleling Southfield Freeway corridors, passing near Dearborn industrial zones and cultural sites like Greenfield Village and The Henry Ford. Along its alignment it crosses and interchanges with arterial routes including I-94, US Highway 12, and M-10, before terminating near the Downtown Detroit street grid adjacent to GM Renaissance Center and waterfront access to Detroit River. The corridor traverses predominantly Wayne County neighborhoods, linking residential areas such as Royal Oak suburbs and commercial centers like Southfield shopping districts. The roadway shifts between limited-access freeway segments and at-grade divided boulevard sections, featuring interchanges with M-1 (Woodward Avenue), US 24 (Telegraph Road), and local connectors to parks and transit hubs.
The designation was assigned in the early 20th century as part of statewide trunkline expansions contemporaneous with projects like Holland Tunnel era improvements and the growth of Chrysler Corporation and Ford Motor Company manufacturing complexes. During the post-war period, federal initiatives such as the Federal-Aid Highway Act of 1956 influenced upgrades to limited-access standards, leading to construction phases that paralleled the development of Interstate 94 and auxiliary routes servicing Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport. Major reconstruction during the 1960s and 1970s modernized interchanges influenced by planners from Michigan Department of Transportation and urban renewal schemes associated with Mayor Coleman Young’s tenure. Later decades saw rehabilitation projects tied to economic shifts following the decline of manufacturing and redevelopment efforts correlated with initiatives by Great Lakes Steel area stakeholders and downtown revitalization guided by Detroit Economic Growth Corporation.
Key crossings include interchanges with Interstate 75, Interstate 94, US Route 12, M-10 (John C. Lodge Freeway), US 24 (Telegraph Road), and junctions near M-85 (Fort Street). The corridor also interfaces with municipal thoroughfares leading to destinations such as Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport, the University of Detroit Mercy, Wayne State University, and waterfront attractions like Belle Isle Park. Several ramps connect to collector-distributor roads servicing industrial complexes owned historically by General Motors and DaimlerChrysler facilities, while transit connections provide park-and-ride access for regional carriers including Suburban Mobility Authority for Regional Transportation.
The route accommodates a mix of commuter peak flows, commercial truck movements to manufacturing and port facilities along the Detroit River, and local distribution traffic to retail centers in Southfield and adjacent suburbs. Traffic volumes vary, with daily counts peaking on freeway segments near I-94 and downtown approaches, reflecting commuter patterns tied to employment centers such as Henry Ford Hospital and corporate offices of Comerica and Quicken Loans (now Rocket Mortgage). Seasonal events at venues like Little Caesars Arena and festivals on Belle Isle Park cause episodic surges, while long-term trends have been influenced by transit expansions and telecommuting shifts endorsed by regional planners including those at Southeast Michigan Council of Governments.
Maintenance responsibilities fall to Michigan Department of Transportation, which has overseen resurfacing, bridge replacement, and interchange modernization projects funded through state transportation appropriations and federal aid programs such as those administered by the Federal Highway Administration. Recent initiatives included pavement rehabilitation, safety improvements incorporating crash attenuators and ITS elements coordinated with SMART (Suburban Mobility Authority for Regional Transportation), and multimodal enhancements linking to Detroit Department of Transportation corridors. Reconstruction efforts often referenced design standards promulgated by American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials and incorporated stakeholder input from municipal administrations like Dearborn, Michigan and Detroit, Michigan for access management and streetscape treatments.
The corridor and surrounding neighborhoods have appeared in cultural works and media documenting Detroit, Michigan’s industrial heritage, including documentaries about Motown Records history and films depicting automotive labor struggles involving the United Auto Workers. The roadway features in local journalism covering redevelopment projects promoted by figures such as Mike Ilitch and narratives of urban change chronicled by writers at Detroit News and Detroit Free Press. Photographers and filmmakers have used the expressway’s vistas to frame scenes about the region’s post-industrial transition, often juxtaposed with landmarks like Cobo Center (now TCF Center) and Belle Isle Park in cinematic depictions of Detroit.
Category:State highways in Michigan Category:Transportation in Wayne County, Michigan