7 6 ▁and ▁north bound ▁US   2 7 ▁could ▁not ▁access ▁south bound ▁M - 7 6 . ▁ ▁History ▁On ▁July ▁ 1 , ▁ 1 9 1 9 , ▁the ▁initial ▁routing ▁of ▁M - 7 6 ▁connected ▁Stand ish ▁with ▁Ros common ▁via ▁a ▁circuit ous ▁path ▁through ▁Ster ling , ▁Al ger , ▁West ▁Branch , ▁and ▁St . ▁Helen . ▁By ▁ 1 9 2 7 , ▁M - 7 6 ▁was ▁extended ▁north ▁to ▁Gray ling ▁and ▁west ▁to ▁K alk aska . ▁Before ▁the ▁construction ▁of ▁its ▁later ▁routing ▁along ▁the ▁present - day ▁Lake ▁State ▁Railway ▁between ▁St . ▁Helen ▁and ▁Ros common , ▁the ▁route ▁of ▁M - 7 6 ▁followed ▁present - day ▁Saint ▁Helen ▁Road ▁( present - day ▁F - 9 7 ), ▁then ▁Au ▁S able , ▁K eno , ▁and ▁S ils by ▁roads ; ▁at ▁the ▁C raw ford - R os common ▁county ▁line , ▁it ▁then ▁followed ▁present - day ▁M - 1 8 ▁w ester ly ▁into ▁Ros common . ▁A ▁short ▁non - cont igu ous ▁segment ▁of ▁M - 7 6 ▁opened ▁near ▁Empire , ▁extending ▁east ward ▁to ▁County ▁Road ▁ 6 6 9 ▁in ▁ 1 9 3 4 . ▁In ▁late ▁ 1 9 4 0 ▁or ▁early ▁ 1 9 4 1 , ▁M - 7 6 ▁was ▁trunc ated ▁to ▁Ros common ; ▁all ▁of ▁M - 7 6 ▁from ▁Gray ling ▁to ▁K alk aska ▁and