▁the ▁segment ▁near ▁Empire ▁was ▁red es ign ated ▁as ▁M - 7 2 . ▁ ▁Begin ning ▁in ▁ 1 9 5 8 , ▁I - 7 5 ▁in ▁Michigan ▁was ▁constructed ▁in ▁several ▁dis continu ous ▁segments . ▁M - 7 6 ▁was ▁to ▁become ▁one ▁of ▁the ▁port ions ▁incorpor ated ▁into ▁the ▁route ▁of ▁I - 7 5 . ▁Although ▁other ▁port ions ▁of ▁I - 7 5 ▁were ▁completed ▁and ▁designated ▁in ▁non cont igu ous ▁segments , ▁the ▁portion ▁from ▁Stand ish ▁to ▁Ros common ▁was ▁first ▁signed ▁as ▁M - 7 6 ▁and ▁the ▁entire ▁stretch ▁re built ▁as ▁fre ew ay ▁before ▁it ▁was ▁red es ign ated ▁as ▁I - 7 5 . ▁This ▁was ▁done ▁while ▁a ▁temporary ▁connecting ▁To   I - 7 5 ▁design ation ▁between ▁Bay ▁City ▁and ▁Gray ling ▁followed ▁a ▁different ▁path ▁along ▁US   1 0 ▁and ▁US   2 7 . ▁ ▁Starting ▁in ▁ 1 9 6 8 ▁through ▁the ▁early ▁ 1 9 7 0 s , ▁M - 7 6 ▁was ▁re built ▁to ▁Inter state ▁standards ▁in ▁stages . ▁The ▁first ▁fre ew ay ▁segment ▁completed ▁was ▁a ▁ ▁stretch ▁in ▁Ar en ac ▁County ▁from ▁US   2 3 ▁just ▁south west ▁of ▁Stand ish ▁to ▁Al ger . ▁In ▁ 1 9 7 0 , ▁two ▁more ▁segments ▁of ▁the ▁M - 7 6 ▁fre ew ay ▁were ▁completed : ▁from ▁Al ger ▁to ▁just ▁south ▁of ▁West ▁Branch ▁and