History
The Macomb County Road Commission passed Resolution 15 on October 23, 1925. This resolution authorized the construction of a new roadway 1 mile (1.6 km) west of Gratiot Avenue to relieve traffic traveling between Detroit and Mt. Clemens. The roadway was named in honor of Governor Groesbeck, a Macomb County native and former state attorney general. While the county had difficulty funding the new highway, Groesbeck interceded to have it named a state-financed trunkline. The county started construction on Groesbeck Highway in 1926. The highway was incomplete when Groesbeck left office at the end of 1926, leaving the final paving undone. State Rep. Archie Reid asked the State Administrative Board on December 12, 1927 for assistance to complete the roadway. The board voted unanimously to name the highway for Reid and to proceed "at once" to conclude construction.
The M-97 designation was applied to the roadway in 1929 between M-102/8 Mile Road and 14 Mile Road. An extension in 1931 moved the northern terminus to US Highway 25 (US 25) in Mt. Clemens. A second extension in 1932 moved the southern end into the City of Detroit at US 25/Gratiot Avenue.
Named "Reid Highway" by the state and "Groesbeck Highway" by the county, M-97 was not completed until 1949. On October 29, 1949, the final section bypassing Mt. Clemens along the city's west side was opened and the entire road was dedicated to Groesbeck. The former governor was on hand for the ribbon cutting ceremony which renamed the highway north of Hoover Avenue. The northern end was extended to M-59/Hall Road.
Read more about this topic: M-97 (Michigan Highway)
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