line ▁highway ▁that ▁connect s ▁to ▁the ▁metropol itan ▁areas ▁of ▁Kal am az oo ▁and ▁Grand ▁Rap ids ▁before ▁continu ing ▁north ▁to ▁its ▁termin us ▁at ▁Pet os key . ▁US   1 3 1 ▁runs ▁as ▁a ▁fre ew ay ▁from ▁south ▁of ▁Port age ▁through ▁to ▁M anton ▁in ▁the ▁north . ▁Part ▁of ▁this ▁fre ew ay ▁runs ▁concurrent ly ▁with ▁Inter state ▁ 2 9 6 ▁( I - 2 9 6 ) ▁as ▁an ▁unsigned ▁design ation ▁through ▁Grand ▁Rap ids . ▁US   1 3 1 ▁forms ▁an ▁important ▁cor rid or ▁along ▁the ▁western ▁side ▁of ▁the ▁Lower ▁Pen ins ula ▁of ▁Michigan , ▁running ▁through ▁rural ▁farm ▁and ▁forest ▁lands ▁as ▁well ▁as ▁urban ▁city sc apes . ▁Vari ous ▁names ▁have ▁been ▁applied ▁to ▁the ▁road way ▁over ▁the ▁years . ▁The ▁oldest , ▁the ▁Mack ina w ▁Tra il , ▁origin ated ▁from ▁an ▁Indian ▁trail ▁in ▁the ▁area ▁while ▁other ▁names ▁hon ored ▁polit icians . ▁An ▁attempt ▁to ▁dedic ate ▁the ▁highway ▁to ▁poet ▁James ▁Whit comb ▁R iley ▁failed ▁to ▁gain ▁official ▁support ▁in ▁Michigan . ▁ ▁The ▁first ▁state ▁high ways ▁along ▁the ▁US   1 3 1 ▁cor rid or ▁were ▁designated ▁as ▁early ▁as ▁ 1 9 1 9 . ▁When ▁the ▁US ▁Highway ▁System ▁was ▁formed ▁on ▁November ▁ 1 1 , ▁ 1 9 2 6 , ▁US   1 3 1 ▁was ▁created ▁along ▁the ▁route ▁of ▁M - 1 3 ▁in