Vitally Important Highway Ends 150 Feet Before Entering Michigan
One of America's key north-south highways that virtually crosses the nation ends a scant 150 feet before entering Michigan.
The route is US Highway 51 and it end in Hurley, Wisconsin right at the Michigan State Line.
👇🏼BELOW: This is the Opposite End of Every National Highway That Begins in Michigan👇🏼
In the US route system, the most major highways that travel north and south end in 1 with US 1 along the east coast and US 101 along the Pacific. In between the two oceans, major routes all end in 1. In Michigan, that includes US 31 travelling from Niles north to Mackinaw City and US 41 ending at the tip of the Keweenaw Peninsula.
As an aside, major east-west routes in the US highway system end in 0 with US 10 being the only such route in Michigan. US 10 today may not feel worth of the 'major' route number as it runs less than half the continent from Bay City to West Fargo, North Dakota after being truncated at both ends. Ironically, the non-major numbered US 12 has a much longer run stretching from Detroit to nearly the Pacific coast in Washington State.
US 51 begins in New Orleans and makes it as close as one can get to Michigan without crossing the state line. The route ends at US 2 just west of the bridge over the Montreal River that carries the highway out of the City of Ironwood and into Wisconsin.
READ MORE: The Trans-Canada Highway Once Crossed the Upper Peninsula of Michigan
Michigan posts just a single sign noting the highway leading up to the intersection.
US 51 runs just to the south and west of the Montreal River through Hurley coming as close as 90 feet to the border and just 2 blocks from the twin communities' other bridges over the river at Poplar/Norrie Street and Sliver Street a business spur of US 2 in Ironwood.
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Gallery Credit: Google Maps Street View
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