M-79 is an east–west
state trunkline highway in the
central portion of
Lower Peninsula
The Lower Peninsula of Michigan – also known as Lower Michigan – is the larger, southern and less elevated of the two major landmasses that make up the U.S. state of Michigan; the other being the Upper Peninsula, which is separated by the S ...
of the U.S. state of Michigan. The western terminus is about southeast of
Hastings
Hastings ( ) is a seaside town and Borough status in the United Kingdom, borough in East Sussex on the south coast of England,
east of Lewes and south east of London. The town gives its name to the Battle of Hastings, which took place to th ...
at the junction with
M-37 and the eastern terminus is in downtown
Charlotte at the junction with
M-50 and
Business Loop Interstate 69 (BL I-69). It passes through
Quimby and
Nashville
Nashville, often known as Music City, is the capital and List of municipalities in Tennessee, most populous city in the U.S. state of Tennessee. It is the county seat, seat of Davidson County, Tennessee, Davidson County in Middle Tennessee, locat ...
, where there is a junction with
M-66. The entire highway is undivided surface road. It has no direct access with
Interstate 69
Interstate 69 (I-69) is an Interstate Highway in the United States currently consisting of eight unconnected segments. The longest segment runs from Evansville, Indiana, northeast to the Canadian border in Port Huron, Michigan, and includ ...
(I-69), although a sign for the highway is located on southbound I-69 at exit 61.
The highway was first designated in 1919 between Hastings and
Battle Creek
Battle Creek is a city in northwestern Calhoun County, Michigan, United States, at the confluence of the Kalamazoo River, Kalamazoo and Battle Creek River, Battle Creek rivers. As of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, the city had a tota ...
. It was later moved to run to Charlotte. A section of M-79 was designated as M-214 in the 1930s. M-214 would later be decommissioned as a highway designation and the M-79 designation was reapplied to the roadway.
Route description
M-79 starts south of Hastings at a three-way intersection with M-37 in
Hastings Township. The trunkline runs east and parallel to a section of the
Thornapple River
The Thornapple River (Ottawa dialect, Ottawa: ''Sowanquesake'', "Forked River") (Geographic Names Information System, GNIS ID #) is an U.S. Geological Survey. National Hydrography Dataset high-resolution flowline dataThe National Map, accessed Ma ...
through wooded terrain that is interspersed with farm fields.
[ South of Thornapple Lake, M-79 angles southeasterly moving from Quimby Road to Scott Road running parallel to the Thornapple River again into the community of Nashville. M-79 meets M-66 and turns south along the latter highway's route along Main and Durkee streets through the community. South of town in Maple Grove Township, M-79 separates from M-66 and turns east along Lawrence Road. Outside of Charlotte, M-79 curves southeast to transition to Lawrence Avenue through town. The eastern terminus is at an intersection with Cochran Avenue, which carries BL I-69 and M-50.]
History
M-79 was formed as a state trunkline by July 1, 1919 along part of its present routing. At the time, it ran between Hastings and Nashville as it does today. From Nashville, the trunkline turned south and west to end at the contemporary M-17 in Battle Creek
Battle Creek is a city in northwestern Calhoun County, Michigan, United States, at the confluence of the Kalamazoo River, Kalamazoo and Battle Creek River, Battle Creek rivers. As of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, the city had a tota ...
.
Major intersections
See also
*
References
External links
M-79
at Michigan Highways
{{DEFAULTSORT:M079
079
Transportation in Barry County, Michigan
Transportation in Eaton County, Michigan