In 2004, the US-12 corridor received designation as a Michigan Historic Heritage Route under the name US-12 Heritage Route Trail pursuant to the Heritage Route Act, Public Act 69 of 1993. The general location of the US-12 Heritage Trail generally follows the existing US-12 corridor stretching from the City of Detroit on the east to the Indiana/Michigan state-line to the west. Additionally, those areas where the original US-12 Heritage Trail deviated from the current US-12 alignment and those community and cultural resources which border the existing US-12 which have been deemed to significantly add to the overall traveling experience have also been included within the designated corridor. Examples of such additions include the City of Buchanan, the City of Niles, the Village of Brooklyn, Irish Hills, and the City of Tecumseh.
