The state highway system was created on May 13, 1913, with the passage of the "State Reward Trunk Line Highway Act". The state originally signposted these highways by July 1, 1919, and the roadways that make up Bus. M-28 were originally a portion of M-15. Later when the United States Numbered Highway System was created on November 11, 1926, the highway was redesignated as a part of US 41 and part of M-28. The main highway was moved with the construction of a northerly bypass of Ishpeming and Negaunee in 1937. The business loop was not designated Bus. M-28 permanently and marked on state maps until 1958. It was designated US 41A/M-28A before being redesignated Alt. US 41/Alt. M-28. or Bus. US 41/Bus. M-28. This dual designation later was mirrored by the other Marquette County business route, Bus. US 41. Occasionally, more recent maps use this older numbering to label the highway.