| Pure Michigan Byways | |
|---|---|
 Highway marker for Pure Michigan Byways | |
 Map of the Pure Michigan Byways Historic Recreational Scenic | |
| System information | |
| Maintained by MDOT | |
| Length | 1,259.880 mi[2] (2,027.580 km) |
| Formed | June 22, 1993[1] |
| Highway names | |
| Interstates | Interstate nn (I-nn) |
| US Highways | US Highway nn (US nn) |
| State | M-nn |
| System links | |
A Pure Michigan Byway is the designation for a segment of the State Trunkline Highway System in the US state of Michigan that is a "scenic, recreational, or historic route that is representative of Michigan's natural and cultural heritage."[1] The designation was created with the name Michigan Heritage Route by the state legislature on June 22, 1993, and since then six historic, seven recreational and seven scenic byways have been designated by the Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT), and another two have been proposed. These byways have been designated in both the Upper and Lower peninsulas (UP, LP) of the state. The current name was adopted on December 30, 2014, and it references the Pure Michigan tourism marketing campaign.
To be listed as a Pure Michigan Byway, a road must be a state trunkline highway, and it must be nominated through a two-stage process. Candidates are evaluated based on a set of objective criteria by MDOT in a process that can take several years to complete. The criteria include a highway's relationship to sites or districts on the National Register of Historic Places, to recreational areas, or to scenic landscapes. Each candidate must be supported by local stakeholders, including the appropriate local units of government. Each byway has a local organization that produces a management plan for the roadway and the preservation of its surrounding environment.
- ^ a b Michigan Legislature (June 22, 1993). "Public Act 69 of 1993: Michigan Heritage Routes" (PDF). Michigan Compiled Laws. Michigan Legislative Council. p. 1. Archived from the original (PDF) on October 18, 2014. Retrieved July 14, 2012.
- ^ Cite error: The named reference
PRFAwas invoked but never defined (see the help page).