Interstate 475 Michigan

Interstate 475 Michigan
History
North End
South End

Overview

Interstate 475 forms an urban loop joining I-75 with Downtown Flint from the west. The freeway carries four lanes north to Exit 4 (Bristol Road), six lanes north to Exit 13 (Saginaw Street) and four lanes along the rural stretch west back to I-75. A four level interchange joins the below grade freeway with Interstate 69 amid ramps to Downtown.

History

The Michigan State Highway Department Recommenced Interstate Route Numbering in 1958 numbered the urban route for Interstate 75 at Flint as I-175. The State revised the numbering of loops and spurs to conform with the American Association of State Highway Officials (AASHO) recommendations of assigning odd number prefixes for spurs and even number prefixes for loops. Subsequent correspondence on August 15, 1958 reassigned the loop at Flint as Interstate 475, which AASHO concurred with on August 29, 1958.

Interstate 475 was designated as a 17.5 mile long freeway through Flint in 1970.1 The second level of the stack interchange with Interstate 69 opened as part of the M-21 and M-78 freeway completed from Saginaw Street to Center Road on December 21, 1971.2 Opening of the first two sections of the I-475 mainline occurred by 1973. The southern portion ran north 6.4 miles from I-75 to the freeway along M-21 near Downtown Flint. The northern 3.4 mile long segment connected I-75 east with Saginaw Street (Exit 13).3 The remaining section of I-475 was finished in 1981.1

Route Information

  • North End – Flint, MI

  • South End – Flint, MI

  • Mileage – 16.90

  • Cities – Flint

  • Junctions – I-75 I-69

Source: December 31, 2021 Interstate Route Log and Finders List

Flint, MI - 1969 Map
Flint, Michigan – 1969

The initial route of Interstate 475 proposed in 1969 replaced what was M-54 Business.

Flint, MI - 1974 Map
Flint, Michigan – 1974

Construction was scheduled for completion on the six mile stretch of Interstate 475 leading north from Flint to Beecher at the end of 1979 (it was not opened until 1981). Attempts in 1974 were made to speed up the environmental impact statement from November 15 to September 1, with the Flint City Manager advocating for a June finish. Governor William Milliken indicated that the timetable could be sped up by 12 to 14 months had that occurred.4

North End I-75 – northern Flint, Michigan

I-475 North at I-75 US 23

I-475 north at I-75/US 23 - Flint, MI

Interstate 475 returns to I-75, 1.5 miles west from the six ramp parclo interchange (Exit 15) with Clio Road. Clio Road leads south from Mount Morris Township to the Flint city line at Carpenter Road. Photo by Don Hargraves (09/15/02).

I-475 north at I-75/US 23 - Mt. Morris Twp, MI

Passing under Jennings Road, traffic separates for ramps to I-75/U.S. 23 at a directional T interchange. Detroit is a 66 miles to the south. 11/06/09

I-475 north at I-75/US 23 - Mt. Morris Twp, MI

Two lanes default traffic onto I-75/U.S. 23 north to Saginaw. U.S. 23 overlaps with I-75 north to Exit 188 at Standish. 11/06/09

I-75 US 23 South at I-475

I-75/US 23 south at I-475 - Mt. Morris Twp, MI

I-75/U.S. 23 was expanded from three to four lanes from M-57 (Exit 131) south to I-475 (Exit 125) in Summer 2002. Widening of northbound followed on the same stretch during Summer 2003. I-75 is ten lanes wide between Mt. Morris Road and Interstate 475. 11/06/09

I-75/US 23 south at I-475 - Mt. Morris Twp, MI

I-75/U.S. 23 advance south one mile from the diamond interchange with Mt. Morris Road to Exit 125 with Interstate 475. I-475 loops east through Beecher and south ten miles to Downtown Flint. 11/06/09

I-75/US 23 south at I-475 - Mt. Morris Twp, MI

I-75/U.S. 23 approaches the Flint area through Mount Morris Township with four southbound lanes. Exit 124 departs in one quarter mile for I-475 south. 11/06/09

I-75/US 23 south at I-475 - Mt. Morris Twp, MI

I-75/U.S. 23 reduce to six lanes leading south from Exit 125 with I-475. Both freeways cross paths with Interstate 69 in the city of Flint. 11/06/09

I-75 US 23 North at I-475

I-75/US 23 north at I-475 - Mt. Morris Twp, MI

One mile south of Exit 125 at the Carpenter Road overpass on I-75/U.S. 23 north. Photo by Eric Stuve (07/24/14).

I-75/US 23 north at I-475 - Mt. Morris Twp, MI

Exit 125 leaves I-75/U.S. 23 north for I-475 east into Flint at the Coldwater Road over crossing. Photo by Eric Stuve (07/24/14).

I-475 North End Throwback

I-475 North at I-75 US 23

I-475 north at I-75/US 23 - 2002

This sign for I-75/U.S. 23 south was replaced by 2008 with an overhead using Clearview font. Photo by Don Hargraves (09/15/02).

I-475 north at I-75/US 23 - 2002

According to Isaac Wilson IV, this signage was replaced in 2004. I-75 between I-475 and M-57 was expanded from six to eight lanes, with an auxiliary lane between I-475 (Exit 125) and Mt. Morris Road (Exit 126) added in both directions. The ramp from I-475 north to I-75 north was also widened. Photo by Don Hargraves (09/15/02).

I-75 US 23 South at I-475

I-75/US 23 south at I-475 - 2001

I-75/U.S. 23 south at the directional T interchange (Exit 125) with I-475 south prior to the fifth lane project between Exits 126 and 125. Photo by Eric Vander Yacht (06/01).

South End I-75 – southern Flint, Michigan

I-475 South at I-75

I-475 south at I-75 - Grand Blanc Twp, MI

Interstate 475 south converges with I-75, 27 miles from the city of Pontiac and 52 miles from the Motor City. Photo by Eric Stuve (07/21/14).

I-75 North at I-475

I-75 north at I-475 - Grand Blanc Twp, MI

The first sign for the wye interchange (Exit 111) with Interstate 475 on I-75 north appears at the south end of M-54. 11/06/09

I-75 north at I-475 - Grand Blanc Twp, MI

I-75 north winds west across an area of wetlands preceding the split with I-475 north. Interstate 75 skirts western fringes of the city of Flint with U.S. 23 while I-475 provides a direct route north to Downtown. 11/06/09

I-75 north at I-475 - Grand Blanc Twp, MI

Interstate 475 north quickly enters the south suburbs of Flint while I-75 combines with U.S. 23 just ahead of Bishop International Airport (FNT). 11/06/09

I-75 north at I-475 - Grand Blanc Twp, MI

Two lanes separate for both I-475 and I-75 north at Exit 111. I-475 north reaches Downtown Flint in six miles while I-75 advances 38 miles north to the city of Saginaw. 11/06/09

I-475 South End Throwback

I-75 north at I-475 - 2001

This diagrammatic overhead for Exit 111 was replaced by 2008 with separate panels for both I-75 and I-475 north. Photo by Eric Vander Yacht (06/01).

I-75 north at I-475 - 2001

This overhead was formerly posted at the Grand Blanc Road overpass on I-75 north. Photo by Eric Vander Yacht (06/01).

I-75 north at I-475 - 2001

This set of signs posted at the I-75/475 split was replaced in kind by 2008 with overheads using Clearview font. Photo by Eric Vander Yacht (06/01).

Sources:

  1. Michigan Highways: Highways 250 through 696 (Chris Bessert).
  2. “Flint Freeway Finished Dec. 21.” The Owosso Argus-Press (MI), December 4, 1971.
  3. “Michigan Freeway System Passes 1,500 Mile Mark.” The Argus-Press (Owosso, MI), January 29, 1973.
  4. “Flint Officials Hopeful Of Getting a Construction Speed-Up on I-475.” The Argus-Press (Owasso, MI), March 19, 1974.

Page updated July 26, 2021.