Michigan Highway Ends | Michigan Route 103

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Michigan Route 103

Southern Terminus: IN State Line, IN 15, SW of Mottville, Cass County. | Northern Terminus: US 12, Mottville, St. Joseph County.

About M-103

M-103 is a short extension of IN 15, coming to an abrupt end at US 12 in Mottville. From the mid 1930s until the late 1950s, M-103 actually followed the present routing of US 131 from the junction of US 131 and US 12 in White Pigeon to the Indiana State Line and a connection with IN 13, while US 131 multiplexed with US 12 across to Mottville, where it occupied the present routing of M-103 down to the state line, and ended with a transition into IN 15. In 1959, US 131 and M-103 swapped routings.

Southern Terminus

M-103's southern terminus is at the Indiana State Line southwest of Mottville. Upon crossing the border, M-103 becomes IN 15. The first photo shows the typical state line signage that appears when a route enters into Indiana, in this case at the physical point where M-103 turns into IN 15. The WELCOME TO INDIANA sign, which stands about 0.25 mile into the Hoosier State, can be seen in the background of the second photo, with the first IN 15 South trailblazer in place in the foreground.
PHOTOS # 1 - 2: Charles Sarjeant, January 2004.

In this photo, Charles presents the northbound transition of IN 15 into M-103.
PHOTO # 3: Charles Sarjeant, January 2004.

Northern Terminus

The northern terminus of M-103 is at US 12 in Mottville. At the time Brian took this photo, a traffic signal controlled maneuvering through the intersection. Ttraffic counts appear to have revealed that a signal was not required there anymore, as the signal has since been replaced by a flashing beacon.
PHOTO # 1: Brian Reynolds, May 4, 2002.

Here is the scene along M-103 South as it begins its short trip toward the Indiana State Line. The first M-103 South reassurance marker is present just south of the US 12 intersection.
PHOTO # 2: Dan Garnell, May 31, 2003.

Bonus Coverage: The Mottville Camelback Bridge

Just a few hundred feet west of M-103's northern terminus, US 12 crosses the St. Joseph River. The existing bridge was built in 1990, but prior to that, US 12 used a unique, narrow type of bridge known as a camelback bridge. Constructed in 1922, this aesthetic bridge is made of reinforced concrete. More information on the history of this unique structure may be found on MDOT's Mottville Bridge Page.

Here is an eastward view of the camelback bridge and the immediately adjacent existing US 12 span of the St. Joseph River. Today, the camelback bridge is reserved for pedestrian use.
PHOTO # 3: Dan Garnell, May 31, 2003.

The first of this pair of photos, a closer view of the three-span Mottville Bridge, reveals that there is a plaque commemorating the 1922 dedication of the bridge embedded in the west face of the southern barrier. A close-up of the inscription on the plaque can be seen in the second photo.
PHOTOS # 4 - 5: Dan Garnell, May 31, 2003.

In addition, a Michigan Historical Marker is in place just west of the bridge describing the history of the vicinity, so far as when the Great Sauk Trail passed through here.
PHOTO # 6: Dan Garnell, May 31, 2003.

Links

M-103 @ Michigan Highways (Chris Bessert)