Lake Superior Circle Tour | |
|---|---|
| Route information | |
| Maintained by MDOT, WisDOT, Mn/DOT & MTO | |
| Length | 1,300 mi[1] (2,092 km) |
| Existed | 1988–present |
| Major junctions | |
| Loop around Lake Superior | |
| Location | |
| Country | United States |
| Highway system | |
| Great Lakes Circle Tour | |
The Lake Superior Circle Tour (LSCT) loops around Lake Superior state highways in the US states of Michigan, Minnesota and Wisconsin and provincial highways in the Canadian province of Ontario. These highways are usually the closest to the lake.[2]
Route description edit
Michigan edit
In Michigan, it runs from the state line at Ironwood to Sault Ste. Marie. In between it follows U.S. Highway 2 (US 2) to Wakefield, M-28 to Bergland and M-64 to Ontonagon. At Ontonagon, the LSCT continues east along M-38 to M-26. It follows M-26 to Houghton and then follows US 41 north to Copper Harbor. There is a loop route along M-203 between Hancock and Calumet. Travelers following the tour need to backtrack down US 41 to Houghton and then follow US 41 back to M-28 in Covington. US 41/M-28 carries the tour to Harvey where M-28 carries it eastward. There is a spur routing along M-77 running north from Seney to Grand Marais. The mainline tour departs from M-28 to loop northward along M-123 through Newberry to Paradise and back to M-28. Then it follows M-28 for a third time until reaching Interstate 75 (I-75) where it follows the freeway north to Sault Ste. Marie. It leaves Michigan on the Sault Ste. Marie International Bridge crossing into Ontario.[3]
Ontario edit
Once in Ontario, the tour follows city streets through Sault Ste. Marie to Highway 17, part of the Trans-Canada Highway. It follows Highway 17 north along the mountainous shoreline through a remote region of Ontario. The highway curves to the west 190 miles (300 km) north of Sault Ste. Marie, and hugs the northern shore of the lake to Nipigon. It meets Highway 11, which is concurrent with Highway 17 thereafter. The tour follows the Thunder Bay Expressway through Thunder Bay. At the intersection of the Harbour Expressway, Highway 11/Highway 17 turns west; the tour continues south, now on Highway 61. 60 km (37 mi) south of Thunder Bay, the tour crosses the Pigeon River into Minnesota.[4]
Minnesota edit
The LSCT follows Minnesota State Highway 61 (MN 61) between the United States–Canadian border (near Thunder Bay) and the city of Duluth. In Duluth, the tour route follows I-35 southbound to the US 2 exit to Wisconsin.[5]
Wisconsin edit
The circle tour crosses into Wisconsin on the Bong Memorial Bridge carrying US 2 between Duluth, Minnesota and Superior, Wisconsin. In Superior, the tour route follows US 2/US 53 to Wisconsin Highway 13 (WIS 13). Near Ashland, the tour route returns to US 2 across Northern Wisconsin to Hurley and the border with Michigan at Ironwood.[5]
History edit
Plans for the Great Lakes Circle Tours were started in 1985. The Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT) was in consultation with its counterparts in Wisconsin (WisDOT), Minnesota (Mn/DOT) and Ontario (Ministry of Transportation of Ontario, MTO) in May 1986 to establish a tour route around Lake Superior. The project was started by Paula Blanchard, the First Lady of Michigan at the time. She was an adviser to the Michigan Department of Commerce and called for the formation of the tour in the fall of 1985 at a tourism conference. Representatives from the three states and province agreed to the plan. Michigan drafted the first design for the signs in early 1986, sending the design to the other governments for approval.[6] The Great Lakes Commission approved the formation of a Great Lakes Circle Tour in November 1988.[7]
Major intersections edit
- Michigan
US 2 at the entry to the state at Ironwood
Bus. US 2 in Ironwood
M-28 in Wakefield; LSCT follows M-28 eastward
M-64 in Merriweather; LSCT follows M-28/M-64 eastward- Lua error in Module:Jct at line 204: attempt to concatenate local 'link' (a nil value). in Bergland; LSCT continues on M-64 northward
US 45 in Ontonagon
M-38 in Ontonagon; LSCT continues on M-38 eastward
M-26 near Mass City; LSCT continues on M-26/M-38 eastward about one mile (1.6 km) and then M-26 northeasterly
US 41 in Houghton; LSCT forks follows US /M-26 across the Portage Lake Lift Bridge to Hancock and then US 41 northerly and continues southward on US 41- Keweenaw Peninsula loop
M-203 / LSCT Spur in Hancock- M-26 in Calumet; M-26 rejoins the LSCT northward
- M-203 / LSCT Spur in Calumet
- M-26 in Phoenix; LSCT forks to follow both US 41 and M-26 to Copper Harbor
- Remainder in Michigan
- M-38 in Baraga
US 141 / M-28 near Covington; M-28 rejoins the LSCT
M-95 near Champion- Bus. M-28 in Ishpeming
- Bus. M-28 in Negaunee
M-35 near Negaunee
M-553 in Marquette- US 41 in Harvey; LSCT follows M-28 eastward
M-94 in Munising; M-94 joins the LSCT eastward- M-94 in Shingleton; M-94 departs the LSCT
M-77 / LSCT Spur in Seney; M-77 briefly joins the LCT; M-77 carries a spur route northward to Grand Marais
M-117 near Newberry
M-123 near Newberry; LSCT follows M-123 northward- M-28 near Eckerman; LSCT follows M-28 eastward
M-221 near Brimley
I-75 near Dafter; LSCT follows I-75 northward
BL I-75 / LHCT; Lake Huron Circle Tour joins LSCT, and together they are signed as the GLCT to the International Bridge- Ontario
Highway 17 in Sault Ste. Marie; LSCT Follows Highway 17 northwesterly
Highway 11 in Nippigon; Highway 11 joins the LSCT
Highway 61 in Thunder Bay; LSCT follows Highway 61 to the international border- Minnesota
MN 61 near Thunder Bay; LSCT Follows MN 61 southward
I-35 in Duluth; LSCT follows I-35 southward- US 2 in Duluth; LSCT follows US 2 eastward to the Bong Bridge
- Wisconsin
- US 2 in Superior; LSCT follows US 2
WIS 35 in Superior
US 53 in Superior; US 53 joins the LSCT
WIS 13 near Superior; LSCT follows WIS 13 eastward around the Bayfield Peninsula- US 2 near Ashland; US 2 rejoins the LSCT
WIS 112 in Ashland- WIS 13 in Ashland' WIS 13 departs the LSCT
WIS 122 / LSCT Spur near Hurley; WIS 122 carries a local spur route north to the Montreal River
US 51 in Hurley
See also edit
References edit
- ^ Lake Superior Port Cities (2018). Free Map of Lake Superior (Map). 1:1,267,200. Duluth, MN: Lake Superior Port Cities. §§ A5–K5, A5–F1, F1–K5.
- ^ Great Lakes Commission. "Great Lakes Circle Tour". Great Lakes Commission. Retrieved March 8, 2008.
- ^ Michigan Department of Transportation (2017). Pure Michigan: State Transportation Map (Map). c. 1:975,000. Lansing: Michigan Department of Transportation.
- ^ Geomatics Office (1990). Ontario Official Road Map (Map). Government of Ontario.
- ^ a b Great Lakes Commission. "Great Lakes Circle Tour: Lake Superior". Great Lakes Commission. Retrieved March 8, 2008.
- ^ Davis, R. Matt (May 1, 1986). "Signs to Mark Lake Circle Tour". Daily Mining Gazette. Houghton, MI. p. 16.
- ^ Great Lakes Commission. "Tourism: The Great Lakes Circle Tour on GLIN!". Great Lakes Commission. Retrieved March 8, 2008.
External links edit
- Great Lakes Circle Tour - General information site on the GLCT and its component routes.
- Great Lakes Circle Tour at Michigan Highways