U.S. Highway 131

US Highway 131
US 131 highlighted in red
Route information
Auxiliary route of US 31
Maintained by INDOT and MDOT
Length:	269.956 mi (434.452 km)
Existed:	November 11, 1926 (1926-11-11) – present
Major junctions
South end:	I-80 / I-90 / Indiana Toll Road / SR 13 near Middlebury, IN
	US 12 near White Pigeon, MI I-94 in Portage, MI M-6 in Wyoming, MI I-196 in Grand Rapids, MI I-96 in Walker, MI US 10 near Reed City, MI M-55 / M-115 in Cadillac, MI M-66 / M-72 in Kalkaska, MI
North end:	US 31 in Petoskey, MI
Location
States:	Indiana, Michigan
Counties:	IN: Elkhart MI: St. Joseph, Kalamazoo, Allegan, Kent, Montcalm, Mecosta, Osceola, Wexford, Grand Traverse, Kalkaska, Antrim, Charlevoix, Emmet
Highway system
United States Numbered Highway System List Special Divided Replaced Indiana Highways Interstate US State Scenic Michigan State Trunkline Highway System Interstate US State Byways ← SR 130 IN SR 134 → ← M-130 MI M-131 →

US Highway 131 (US 131) is a north–south United States Highway, of which all but 0.64 of its 269.96 miles (1.03 of 434.46 km) are within the state of Michigan. The highway starts in rural Indiana south of the state line as a state road connection to the Indiana Toll Road. As the road crosses into Michigan it becomes a state trunkline highway that connects to the metropolitan areas of Kalamazoo and Grand Rapids before continuing north to its terminus at Petoskey. US 131 runs as a freeway from south of Portage through to Manton in the north. Part of this freeway runs concurrently with Interstate 296 (I-296) as an unsigned designation through Grand Rapids. US 131 forms an important corridor along the western side of the Lower Peninsula of Michigan, running through rural farm and forest lands as well as urban cityscapes. Various names have been applied to the roadway over the years. The oldest, the Mackinaw Trail, originated from an Indian trail in the area while other names honored politicians. An attempt to dedicate the highway to poet James Whitcomb Riley failed to gain official support in Michigan.