Interstate 75 (Michigan)
Page 6 - Grayling to Mackinaw City

Continue south along I-75.  Click here for Bay City to Grayling images.

Left-side 1.25 mile advance exit sign for BL I-75 and M-72 (Exit 254) on I-75 North as it approaches Grayling, the county seat of Crawford County.

Photographer: David Stilwell

Date: 2/02/2009

Sign gantry located on I-75 North at the partial interchange that marks the start of the Grayling BL I-75 in the northbound direction (Exit 254).  As there is no interchange linking I-75 and M-72 directly, traffic is routed along BL I-75 to get to M-72 from I-75 North.

Photographer: David Stilwell

Date: 2/02/2009

Clearview exit sign for M-93 (Exit 259) on I-75 North.  The interchange between I-75 and M-93 is a diamond.

Photographer: David Stilwell

Date: 3/06/2006

Sign truss with exit sign for BL I-75/M-93 (Exit 259) on I-75 South.  This interchange marks the Northern Terminus of the Grayling BL I-75.  M-72 is also noted on the exit signage for the BL I-75/M-93 interchange on I-75 South, as again there is no direct access between I-75 and M-72.

Photographer: David Stilwell

Date: 9/26/2007

Wintertime view of the 1 mile advance exit sign for BL I-75/M-93 (Exit 259) on I-75 South, situated north of Grayling. 

Photographer: David Stilwell

Date: 1/11/2007

1 mile advance exit sign for M-32 (Exit 282) on I-75 North.

Photographer: David Stilwell

Date: 6/26/2007

Exit sign for M-32 (Exit 282) on I-75 North.  This interchange with one of the busiest east-west thoroughfares in the Northern Lower Peninsula, M-32 through Gaylord, is a five-ramp parclo, with the northwest quadrant being the only one with two ramps.

Photographer: David Stilwell

Date: 6/26/2007

Exit sign for C-58 (Exit 301) on I-75 North.  The C-58 exit off of I-75, located just outside of Wolverine, is a diamond interchange.

Photographer: David Stilwell

Date: 6/26/2007

US 31 serves as one of the most important routes in western Michigan, running southward from I-75 down the entire length of the Lower Peninsula to the Indiana State Line near Niles. 
Click here for US 31 images.

Cheboygan County
Mackinaw Township

Exit sign for US 31 (Exit 336) on I-75 South.  This partial interchange marks US 31's Northern Terminus.

Photographer: Barry Camp

Date: 9/04/2006

High Res       

Cheboygan County
Mackinaw Township

1 mile advance exit sign for M-108/Nicolet St. (Exit 337) on I-75 North approaching Mackinaw City.

Photographer: Barry Camp

Date: 9/04/2006

       High Res       

Between the US 31 and M-108 interchanges, the Mackinac Bridge towers first appear above the trees beside I-75 North.

Photographer: Cameron Bevers

Date: 8/31/2008

Cheboygan County
Mackinaw Township

Exit sign for M-108 (Exit 337) on I-75 North.  The Southern Terminus of M-108 occurs at this exit, a partial interchange that marks the southernmost of 3 serving the northernmost community in the Lower Peninsula.

Photographer: Barry Camp

Date: 9/04/2006

       High Res       

Emmet County
Village of Mackinaw City

Overhead exit sign for US 23 (Exit 338) on I-75 South at the Northern Terminus of US 23.  With the divergence of this ramp, US 23 begins a lengthy trek that ultimately takes it to Jacksonville, Florida.  Note that this exit sign is placed on a dual-bar cantilever structure that is situated just a few feet from a sign truss with an electronic message sign for traffic in the northbound direction of I-75.

Photographer: David Stilwell

Date: 6/26/2007

High Res       

Exit sign for Jamet St. (Exit 339) on I-75 North, affixed to a sign gantry that spans the entire cross-section of the I-75 freeway.  This is the last exit for Mackinaw City before I-75 reaches the Mackinac Bridge.  The exit ramp is rather sharp, which is why the advisory speed is posted well in advance.

Photographer: Cameron Bevers

Date: 8/31/2008

Blue Welcome Center/Rest Area (Exit 338) guide sign and 0.25 mile advance exit sign for US 23 (Exit 338) on I-75 South, each affixed to the opposing side of the same sign truss shown in the previous photo.  The Welcome Center is located on M-108, and is accessible by exiting at US 23, and turning left at the M-108 intersection just east of I-75.

Photographer: David Stilwell

Date: 6/26/2007

Facing north along I-75 at the Jamet St. Interchange. Not only is the ramp radius tight, but the deceleration lane for this exit is very short.

Photographer: Cameron Bevers

Date: 8/31/2008

Emmet County
Village of Mackinaw City

Overhead exit sign for the Mackinaw City interchange (Exit 339) on I-75 South.  This is the first interchange southbound after the Mackinac Bridge.  Located opposite the Jamet St. interchange northbound, the southbound interchange has the exact same setup, with extremely tight entrance and exit ramps, and short deceleration and acceleration lanes.  Again, like the northbound exit ramp, the southbound one has an advisory speed of 15 m.p.h. posted. 

Photographer: David Stilwell

Date: 6/26/2007

High Res       

Jamet St. entrance and exit ramps on I-75 North.  This photo clearly illustrates the short ramp lengths at this interchange. Note that the exit ramp from I-75 is under stop control.

Photographer: Cameron Bevers

Date: 8/31/2008

Approaching the Jamet St. ramps to and from I-75 North in Mackinaw City. Note the close proximity between the service road (Nicolet St.) and I-75.

Photographer: Cameron Bevers

Date: 8/31/2008

Vehicles entering I-75 at the Jamet St. Interchange (Exit 339) must cross the Mackinac Bridge, since there are no more off-ramps on the Lower Peninsula. The next interchange on I-75 is Exit 344, which provides access to US 2 and BL I-75 in St. Ignace. Note the floodlights mounted to the pole beside the interchange, which illuminate the on-ramp.

Photographer: Cameron Bevers

Date: 8/31/2008

The Mackinac Bridge on I-75 crosses the Straits of Mackinac, a 5-mile wide channel that links Lake Michigan to Lake Huron.

Photographer: Cameron Bevers

Date: 8/31/2008

The astonishing beauty of the Mackinac Bridge is complemented by the picturesque blue waters of the Straits of Mackinac.

Photographer: Cameron Bevers

Date: 8/31/2008

The Mackinac Bridge has a center suspension span measuring 3,800 feet (1,158 meters) in length. The entire length of the bridge is 5 miles (8 kilometers). The bridge was constructed over a period of four years, from 1954 to 1958. However, the bridge was officially opened to traffic on November 1, 1957.

Photographer: Cameron Bevers

Date: 8/31/2008

The Mackinac Bridge marks the boundary between Lake Michigan and Lake Huron. A small brown sign on the beach indicates the start of Lake Michigan. Out of all five Great Lakes, Lake Michigan and Lake Huron are the only lakes which have identical elevations above sea level (approximately 579 feet). Lake Superior has the highest elevation out of all the Great Lakes, while Lake Erie and Lake Ontario have the second lowest and lowest elevations, respectively.

Photographer: Cameron Bevers

Date: 8/31/2008

View underneath the Mackinac Bridge on I-75, facing north from Mackinaw City. The approach spans of the Mackinac Bridge are comprised of a series of steel deck truss structures.

Photographer: Cameron Bevers

Date: 8/31/2008

Commemorative plaque marking the completion of the Mackinac Bridge. A similar plaque exists just to the north of the bridge toll plaza in St. Ignace.

Photographer: Cameron Bevers

Date: 8/31/2008

Memorial plaque on one of the Mackinac Bridge piers, honoring the workers who died during the construction of the Mackinac Bridge in the 1950s.

Photographer: Cameron Bevers

Date: 8/31/2008

It is very difficult to appreciate the vast length of the Mackinac Bridge from the common observation points in Mackinaw City. However, from this vantage point about a mile west of Mackinaw City, the true scale of this magnificent bridge is much more apparent.

Photographer: Cameron Bevers

Date: 8/31/2008

Continue north along I-75.  Click here for Mackinac City to Ontario Border images.