M-53 (Michigan highway)
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M-53 is the gateway route to The Thumb of Michigan, carrying vacationers to the many cottages and resorts located on Saginaw Bay and Lake Huron in the vicinity of Caseville and Port Austin. This highway is also used to transport agricultural and manufactured products from the Thumb region to the Detroit Metropolitan area. In Macomb County, M-53 is also a major north-south commuter route.
Roadway and Major Intersections
Most of the M-53 roadway that runs through the gently rolling agricultural countryside of its northern stretches consists of two lanes, one in each direction. A six mile long portion through the orchards near Romeo has been constructed as a limited access highway and is being improved with grade separations. South of Romeo, M-53 becomes a rural controlled access freeway, with two lanes in each direction over a nine mile length. This is followed by three miles of a six lane boulevard configuration through the outer ring suburb of Sterling Heights, while the remainder of the roadway through Warren and Center Line six traffic lanes with a center turn lane. It is four traffic lanes in Detroit.M-53 is serviced by Interstate 69 Exit 168, south of Imlay City and by Interstate 696 Exit 23 on the Warren/Center Line border at Eleven Mile Road. M-53 also intersects with M-142 in Bad Axe, M-81 near Cass City, M-46 north of Marlette, M-21 in Imlay City, M-59 in Utica, and M-102 (Eight Mile Road) on the Warren/Detroit border. M-53 has a 4-lane setup in the countryside several miles south of Marlette and most of it consists of a multiplex of M-90.
Alternate Names
The freeway portion of M-53 is officially known as the Christopher Columbus Freeway, but it is more commonly called either the Van Dyke Expressway, Van Dyke Freeway or M-53 Freeway. The remaining southerly portion carries the name Van Dyke Avenue and is also known as the Earle Memorial Highway, in honor of Horatio Earle, Michigan's first Highway Commissioner. Beyond the southern terminus of M-53, the roadway continues on as a residential street known as Van Dyke Street until it ends at Jefferson Avenue.Termini
Northern terminus
The northern terminus of M-53 is at M-25 in Port Austin.Southern terminus
The southern terminus is about 120 miles away at the intersection with M-3 (Gratiot Ave.) in the city of Detroit.External links
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