The Marquette Bypass was opened in November 1963 as a four-lane expressway south of downtown Marquette at a cost of $1.7 million (equivalent to $ in ). Washington and Front streets in Marquette were redesignated as Bus. US 41 at this time. While the expressway was being built, a large vein of jasper exposed, and gifts fashioned from the mineral were presented to local and state politicians. A set of cufflinks to be given to President John F. Kennedy was never presented because he was killed in Dallas just hours after the Marquette Bypass opened to traffic.