{{Short description|State highway in Michigan, United States}} {{Use mdy dates|date=July 2014}} {{Infobox road |state = MI |type = M |route = 123 |map = {{maplink-road|from=M-123 (Michigan highway).map}} |map_custom = yes |length_mi = 96.071 |length_ref = <ref name=PRFA/> |established = 1936<ref name="MSHD36-06">{{cite MDOT map |date = 1936-06-01 |link = yes |c-link = yes |section = B10 }}</ref> |tourist = 24px|alt=|link= Lake Superior Circle Tour<br />24px|alt=|link= Tahquamenon Scenic Heritage Route |direction_a = South |terminus_a = {{jct|state=MI|I|75}} near St. Ignace |junction = *{{jct|state=MI|CDH|H-40|county1=Mackinac}} in Trout Lake *{{jct|state=MI|M|28}} near Eckerman *{{jct|state=MI|CDH|H-37|county1=Luce}} near Newberry |direction_b = North |terminus_b = {{jct|state=MI|M|28}} near Newberry |counties = Mackinac, Chippewa, Luce |previous_type = M 1948 |previous_route = 122 |next_type = M |next_route = 124 }} '''M-123''' is a state trunkline highway in the eastern Upper Peninsula of the US state of Michigan. It is one of only a few highways in Michigan that curve around and form a U-shape. In fact, M-123 has three intersections with only two state trunklines; it meets M-28 twice as a result of its U-shaped routing. M-123 also has a rare signed concurrency with a County-Designated Highway in Michigan; in Trout Lake, there is a concurrency with H-40. All of M-123 north of M-28 is a Scenic Heritage Route within the Michigan Heritage Route system.
The highway was first designated before 1936 along a section of its current routing. Sections added since then encompass segments formerly belonging to US Highway 2 (US 2) and M-48. The last changes came to the highway in 1962 and 1963, when the northern end was extended and the southern end was truncated slightly.
==Route description== M-123 serves a thinly-populated section of the state.<ref name="GR2">{{cite web |author = United States Census Bureau |author-link = United States Census Bureau |date = n.d. |url = https://www.census.gov |publisher = United States Census Bureau |access-date = January 31, 2008 |title = U.S. Census website }}</ref> Much of the highway passes through the eastern unit of the Hiawatha National Forest.<ref name="RM08">{{cite map |author = Rand McNally |year = 2008 |map = Michigan |title = The Road Atlas |edition = 2008 |scale = c. 1:1,267,200 |location = Chicago |publisher = Rand McNally |sections = D7–F8 |page = 50 |isbn = 0-528-93981-5 }}</ref> No part of the highway is listed on the National Highway System, a system of strategically important highways.<ref name="NHS">{{cite map |author = Michigan Department of Transportation |location = Lansing |scale = Scale not given |title = National Highway System, Michigan |date = April 23, 2006 |publisher = Michigan Department of Transportation |url = http://www.michigan.gov/documents/MDOT_NHS_Statewide_150626_7.pdf |format = PDF |access-date = October 7, 2008 |url-status = dead |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20121004040152/http://www.michigan.gov/documents/MDOT_NHS_Statewide_150626_7.pdf |archive-date = October 4, 2012 |df = }}</ref> The section of highway north of the two M-28 junctions is both a Michigan Scenic Heritage Route and part of the Lake Superior Circle Tour.<ref name="MDOT07"/>
===Rogers Park to Paradise=== thumb|left|The concurrency of M-123 and H-40 in Trout Lake The southern terminus of the highway's eastern leg is at exit 352 along Interstate 75 (I-75) north of St. Ignace in Rogers Park. The roadway also connects to County-Designated Highway H-63 (Old US 2) at the interchange. From the interchange north, the highway runs northwest as Tahquamenon Trail to the community of Allenville near Brevort Lake in Brevort Township. Here it meets H-57. Just north of Allenville, the trunkline crosses through the adjacent community of Moran. Allenville was a stop on the Detroit, Mackinac and Marquette Railroad (DM&M), and Moran was named after William B. Moran, one of the early settlement's founders.<ref name="Romig">{{cite book |last = Romig |first = Walter |year = 1986 |title = Michigan Place Names |publisher = Wayne State University Press |location = Detroit |url = https://books.google.com/books?id=Y-FPXEGRo-YC&pg=PA19 |via = Google Books |pages = 19, 379 |isbn = 978-0-8143-1838-6 }}</ref> North of Moran the roadway runs parallel to the DM&M's abandoned rail right-of-way and passes by the Fred Dye Nature Sanctuary. Before crossing into Chippewa County, the highway passes through the community of Ozark, home of a rock quarry. North of the county line is the community of Trout Lake, where M-123 meets and merges with H-40 across railroad tracks and through town near Wegwaas, Frenchman and Carp lakes. Continuing to the north, the highway is renamed Deerfoot Road and serves the Three Lakes Campground, a unit of the Hiawatha National Forest, before meeting M-28 at Eckerman.<ref name="MDOT07">{{cite MDOT map |year = 2007 |sections = B9–D11 }}</ref><ref name="google123">{{google maps |url = https://maps.google.com/maps?f=d&saddr=Tahquamenon+Trail,+MI+49781&daddr=46.605111,-85.144043+to:M-28+%26+Newberry+Ave+%26+M-123,+Newberry,+MI+49868&hl=en&geocode=&mra=dpe&mrcr=0&mrsp=1&sz=10&via=1&sll=46.340291,-85.219574&sspn=0.602982,0.928345&ie=UTF8&z=10 |title = Overview Map of M-123 |access-date = October 11, 2008}}</ref>
M-123 is designated as a Scenic Heritage Route north of M-28.<ref name="SHR">{{cite web |author=Michigan Department of Transportation |url=http://www.michigan.gov/mdot/0,1607,7-151-9621_11041_11209-22895--,00.html |title=Scenic Heritage Routes |publisher=Michigan Department of Transportation |date=November 9, 2007 |access-date=August 15, 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081209131450/http://www.michigan.gov/mdot/0%2C1607%2C7-151-9621_11041_11209-22895--%2C00.html |archive-date=December 9, 2008 |url-status=dead}}</ref> Here it continues northwest to East–West Road and turns to run along the shores of Whitefish Bay and cross the Tahquamenon River near its mouth.<ref name="MDOT07" /><ref name="google123" />
thumb|M-123 reversing directionality at an intersection in Paradise's both legs of the highway leave the intersection signed as southbound Continuing along the bay as Whitefish Road, M-123 meets the community of Paradise, the northernmost point along the highway. It is here that M-123 intersects Whitefish Point Road, which continues north to Whitefish Point, home of the Great Lakes Shipwreck Museum. In either direction, M-123 runs southbound from Paradise, changing direction. Continuing east of Paradise, M-123 is the only paved road that serves the Tahquamenon Falls State Park and the Whitefish Point region.<ref name="MDOT07" /><ref name="google123" />
=== Paradise to Newberry === East of Paradise, M-123 runs along the Tahquamenon River within Tahquamenon Falls State Park a {{convert|46,179|acre|adj=on}} Michigan state park. It is the second largest of Michigan's state parks. Bordering on Lake Superior, most of the park is located within Chippewa County, with the western section of the park extending into Luce County. The park follows the Tahquamenon River as it passes over Tahquamenon Falls and drains into Whitefish Bay, Lake Superior.<ref name="MDNR">{{cite web |author = Michigan Department of Natural Resources |author-link = Michigan Department of Natural Resources |publisher = Michigan Department of Natural Resources |url = http://www.michigandnr.com/parksandtrails/Details.aspx?id=428&type=SPRK |title = Tahquamenon Falls State Park Detail |year = 2007 |access-date = October 11, 2008 }}</ref>
Past the park, the highway is known as Falls Road in Luce County. The trunkline turns southwest at the county line. It runs south and west across Murphy Creek and the Auger River before intersecting with H-37 at Four Mile Corner. The highway crosses a branch of the Tahquamenon River one last time before becoming Newberry Avenue in the village of Newberry. The highest annual average daily traffic, a measure of traffic volume, was recorded by the Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT) for M-123 in 2007 along Newberry Avenue at 7,500 vehicles.<ref name="aadtMI">{{cite map |author = Michigan Department of Transportation |location = Lansing |scale = Scale not given |publisher = Michigan Department of Transportation |url = http://www.michigan.gov/documents/adtfront_20092_7.pdf |title = Statewide AADT Map |date = 2007 |access-date = October 7, 2008 }}</ref> South of downtown, M-123 meets M-28 a second time west of Twin Lake, the terminus of the {{convert|96.1|mi|km|adj=on}} highway.<ref name="MDOT07" /><ref name="google123" />
==History== The construction of M-123 started in the 1930s near Eckerman, the location of the current eastern M-28/M-123 junction. By 1936, M-123 was designated running north of M-28 on {{convert|10|mi|km|0}} of hard-surface pavement. At this time, US 2 is routed along Worth Road and uses roadway later used by M-123 from Moran to Rogers Park, and M-48 was routed north of Newberry to Four Mile Corner.<ref name="MSHD36-06"/> The first extension of M-123 southward from Eckerman, through Trout Lake to Rogers Park north of St. Ignace, came in 1954. Part of this routing in Trout Lake uses M-48 (now a portion of H-40). An additional extension is shown north to the Tahquamenon River Bridge, lengthening the highway to the north on the April 15, 1954 official state map.<ref name="MSHD54-04">{{cite MDOT map |date = 1954-04-15 |sections = B10–C10 }}</ref> The section north to the Tahquamenon River Bridge is remarked on the October 1, 1954 state map as a county road, however.<ref name="MSHD54-10">{{cite MDOT map |date = 1954-10-01 |sections = B10–C10 }}</ref> In 1957, M-123 was permanently extended north to the bridge,<ref name="MSHD57-10">{{cite MDOT map |date = 1957-10-01 |section = B10 }}</ref> and in 1962 the final extension north to Paradise and south to Newberry was completed. From Four Mile Corner south, M-123 replaced M-117 to a new terminus at M-28 south of Newberry.<ref name="MSHD62">{{cite MDOT map |year = 1962 |sections = B9–C10 }}</ref> The southernmost section of roadway between the I-75/US 2 freeway and H-63 (Old US 2) was transferred to Mackinac County for maintenance with the opening of the freeway in 1963.<ref name="MSHD63">{{cite MDOT map |year = 1963 |section = C10 }}</ref>
On November 9, 2007, MDOT expanded the Tahquamenon Scenic Heritage Route designation previously applied to M-123. This expanded the designation to all of the highway north of M-28, recognizing it for its "outstanding natural beauty" and the scenic views of "rivers, forests, trails and Tahquamenon Falls State Park."<ref name="TSHR">{{cite press release |last = Lake |first = James |publisher = Michigan Department of Transportation |url = http://www.michigan.gov/mdot/0,1607,7-151-9620_11057-179897--,00.html |title = M-123 Tahquamenon Scenic Heritage Route expanded |date = November 9, 2007 |access-date = October 11, 2008 |url-status = dead |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20121007152806/http://www.michigan.gov/mdot/0%2C1607%2C7-151-9620_11057-179897--%2C00.html |archive-date = October 7, 2012 }}</ref> Previously, the designation was limited to between Luce County Road 500 to Galloway Creek. The expansion was planned by the Eastern Upper Peninsula Regional Planning & Development Commission along with local governments and businesses.<ref name="TSHR"/>
==Major intersections== {{MIinttop|ref=<ref name="PRFA">{{cite MDOT PRFA |link = yes |access-date = April 9, 2010 }}</ref>}} {{MIint |county=Mackinac |cspan=2 |location=Rogers Park |mile=0.000 |road={{jct|state=MI|I|75|Tour|LHCT|city1=Sault Ste. Marie|city2=St. Ignace|name1= Prentiss M. Brown Freeway}} |notes=Exit 352 on I-75}} {{MIint |location=Allenville |mile=4.459 |road={{jct|state=MI|CDH|H-57|county1=Mackinac|dir1=west|name1=Brevort Lake Road}} |notes=}} {{MIint |county=Chippewa |cspan=5 |location=Trout Lake Township |mile=21.824 |type=concur |road={{jct|state=MI|CDH|H-40|county1=Chippewa|city1=Rudyard|name1=Trout Lake Road|dir1=east}} |notes=Eastern terminus of H-40 (former M-48) concurrency}} {{MIint |location=Trout Lake |mile=22.491 |type=concur |road={{jct|state=MI|CDH|H-40|county1=Chippewa|city1=Rexton|dir1=west}} |notes=Western terminus of H-40 concurrency}} {{MIint |location=Eckerman |type=concur |mile=33.566 |road={{jct|state=MI|M|28|Tour|LSCT|dir2=east|city1=Newberry|city2=Sault Ste. Marie}} |notes=Eastern junction; the LSCT joins M-123}} {{MIint |location=Whitefish Township |mile=44.448 |road=24px|alt=|link= Whitefish Bay National Forest Scenic Byway (Lake Superior Shoreline Road) |notes=Eastern terminus of WBNFSB}} {{MIint |location=Paradise |mile=55.435 |road=Whitefish Point Road – Whitefish Point |notes=M-123 changes from northbound to southbound}} {{MIint |county=Luce |cspan=2 |location=McMillan Township |ctdab=Luce |mile=88.094 |road={{jct|state=MI|CDH|H-37|county1=Luce|dir1=north|city1=Deer Park|name1=CR 407}} |notes=}} {{MIint |location=Newberry |type=concur |mile=96.071 |road={{jct|state=MI|M|28|Tour|LSCT|dir2=west|city1=Munising|city2=Sault Ste. Marie}} |notes=LSCT continues westward along M-28}} {{jctbtm|keys=concur}}
==See also== *{{portal-inline|Michigan Highways}}
==References== {{Reflist}}
==External links== {{AttachedKML|display=title,inline}} *[http://www.michiganhighways.org/listings/M-123.html M-123] at Michigan Highways <!--*[http://www.state-ends.com/michigan/m123/ M-123] at Michigan Highway Ends--> *[http://www.explorem123.com Explore M-123: Tahquamenon Scenic Byway] (Eastern Upper Peninsula Regional Planning and Development Commission) *[https://web.archive.org/web/20060822200906/http://www.michigandnr.com/parksandtrails/ParksandTrailsInfo.aspx?id=428 Tahquamenon State Park] (Michigan Department of Natural Resources)
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{{DEFAULTSORT:M123}} 123 Category:Lake Superior Circle Tour Category:Transportation in Mackinac County, Michigan Category:Transportation in Chippewa County, Michigan Category:Transportation in Luce County, Michigan