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U.S. Route 51 in Tennessee

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This article is about the section of U.S. Route 51 in Tennessee. For the entire route, see U.S. Route 51.
U.S. Route 51 marker
U.S. Route 51
State Route 3
Map
U.S. Route 51 in Tennessee, highlighted in red
Route information
Maintained by TDOT
Length135.90 mi[1] (218.71 km)
Major junctions
South end US 51 at the Mississippi state line
Major intersections
North end Future I-69 / US 51 / Purchase Parkway at the Kentucky state line
Location
CountryUnited States
StateTennessee
CountiesShelby, Tipton, Lauderdale, Dyer, Obion
Highway system
← SR 2SR 3→ SR 4
← SR 50US 51→ SR 51

U.S. Route 51 (US 51), mostly overlapped by the unsigned State Route 3 (SR 3), is a north–south state highway in the U.S. state of Tennessee, that is 135.9 miles (218.71 km) long, completely within West Tennessee.[2] It begins in Shelby County and ends in Obion County. The SR 3 designation is seen largely on mileposts.

The two places where US 51 and SR 3 differ are in Memphis, where US 51 has been moved to Danny Thomas Boulevard (State Route 1 / State Route 4), while SR 3 remains on the one-way pair of 2nd and 3rd Streets, and in South Fulton, where US 51 crosses the state line on State Route 215 to the Purchase Parkway, while SR 3 remains on the old road, now U.S. Route 45.[1]

Route description

[edit]

US 51 enters Tennessee at Memphis and runs north through the cities of Millington, Munford, Atoka, Brighton, Covington, Henning, Ripley, Halls, Dyersburg, Troy, Union City, and South Fulton.

Routings of US 51 and SR 3 in Memphis

This highway crosses four interstate highways on its journey through the state and actually crosses Interstate 240 twice within the City of Memphis but interchanges with it only at Union Avenue. US 51 is the westernmost south–north United States Highway in the State of Tennessee. US 51 is an interstate standard facility[1] from Dyersburg to South of Troy and then resuming interstate standard status north of Union City to South Fulton. US 51 is a four-lane or larger facility throughout the state with some sections north of Dyersburg carrying a 70 mph (110 km/h) speed limit.

Near Henning is also the site of the Hatchie River Bridge collapse on April 1, 1989 that killed 8 motorists when 3 spans of the structure collapsed. The 54-year-old bridge was 45 miles (72 km) north of Memphis and carried the northbound lanes of US 51. Its collapse was the result of pier scour and movement of the river channel.[3][4]

US 51 carries the Tennessee Scenic Parkway designation from its junction with SR 385 in Millington to SR 104 in Dyersburg and also carries the Great River Road designation from US 64/US 70/US 79 in Memphis to SR 88 in Halls.[1]

"Welcome to Memphis" sign on US 51 (2008)

History

[edit]

Historic two-lane alignments of this highway from Henning north are represented by State Route 209, a portion of State Route 88, State Route 210, State Route 211, a portion of State Route 183 and State Route 184. From Memphis to Henning, most of the original two lane road was widened to four lane expressway in the 1960s.

Future

[edit]
Further information: Interstate 69 in Tennessee

Most of US 51 north of Dyersburg is expected to be converted to Interstate standards as part of future I-69. Plans currently call for I-69 to run along the existing US 51 freeway from Dyersburg to Troy and from Union City to South Fulton. This section is part of SIU 7 for I-69 and will require few changes beyond resigning the existing highway, however, a bypass route around Troy and Union City will need to be built before this section of future I-69 is completed.[5][6] The Union City Bypass was opened in February 2024 under the temporary designation of SR 690, but there is currently no timeline for when the Troy bypass will be built.[7][8][9]

Major intersections

[edit]
CountyLocationmikmDestinationsNotes
ShelbyMemphis0.00.0
 US 51 south – Southaven		Continuation into Mississippi; southern terminus of SR 3; southern end of unsigned SR 3 concurrency
1.82.9 SR 175 (Shelby Drive)
4.6–
4.8		7.4–
7.7
 I-55 to I-240		I-55 exit 5; no access from US 51 south to I-55 north or I-55 south to US 51 north; connections provided via E Brooks Road
4.97.9Bridge over Nonconnah Creek
9.315.0 US 78 (Lamar Avenue/SR 4)
9.915.9



 US 64 east / US 70 east / US 72 east / US 79 north (Union Avenue/SR 23 east)		Southern end of US 64/US 70/US 79 overlap; western terminus of unsigned SR 23
10.216.4
 I-240 south – Jackson, MS		No direct access to north(west)bound I-240 nor from south(east)bound I-240 (both signed at Madison Avenue); I-240 exit 30
11.318.2


 US 64 west / US 70 west / US 79 south (Union Avenue/SR 3 north) / Danny Thomas Boulevard south (SR 1 west / SR 4 east)		Northern end of US 64/US 70/US 79/SR 3 overlap; southern end of SR 1/SR 4 overlap; interchange
11.518.5Madison AvenueInterchange
11.618.7Jefferson AvenueInterchange
12.1–
12.3		19.5–
19.8		 I-40 – Little Rock, NashvilleI-40 exits 1B–D
12.520.1

 SR 1 east (North Parkway) / SR 14 south (A.W. Willis Avenue)		Northern end of SR 1 overlap; southern end of SR 14 overlap
12.620.3
 SR 14 north (Jackson Avenue)		Northern end of SR 14 overlap
13.121.1Chelsea Avenue (SR 3 south)Eastern terminus of SR 4; southern end of SR 3 overlap; no left turn from either direction
14.8–
15.0		23.8–
24.1		Bridge over the Wolf River
15.4–
15.7		24.8–
25.3		 I-40 (via SR 300) – AirportI-40 exit 2A; future I-69
16.226.1
 Great River Road south (Whitney Avenue) – General DeWitt Spain Airport
18.429.6

 SR 388 north / Great River Road north (North Watkins Street) – Meeman-Shelby State Park		Southern terminus of SR 388
20.3–
20.4		32.7–
32.8		Bridge over the Loosahatchie River
Millington26.7–
26.9		43.0–
43.3

 SR 385 south (Paul W. Barret Parkway) to I-40 – Arlington		Northern terminus of SR 385; future I-269
27.744.6
 SR 205 south (Navy Road) – University of Memphis Millington Center, Millington Municipal Airport, NSA Mid-South		Northern terminus of SR 205
TiptonAtoka–Munford line35.356.8
 SR 178 north (Tipton Road) – Munford		Southern terminus of SR 178
37.760.7 SR 206 (Munford Avenue/Munford-Atoka Road) – Munford, Atoka, Drummonds
Brighton40.865.7Old Highway 51 – Brighton Business District
42.768.7Old Highway 51 – Brighton Business District
Covington47.276.0
 SR 59 east (Mueller Brass Road) – Mason, Braden		Southern end of SR 59 overlap; truck route to SR 54 east
49.279.2
 SR 54 east (W Pleasant Street) – Brownsville		Western terminus of SR 54; one-way pair between W Pleasant Street and W Liberty Street
49.379.3

 SR 59 west / Great River Road south (W Liberty Avenue) – Duvall Landing		Northern end of SR 59 overlap
50.481.1
 SR 384 south (Industrial Road) – Downtown Covington		Northern terminus of SR 384; truck route to SR 54 east
Tipton–Lauderdale
county line		​54.7–
54.9		88.0–
88.4		Mark Anthony Walker Bridge over the Hatchie River
Lauderdale​56.4–
56.5		90.8–
90.9
 SR 209 north (S Main Street) – Henning, Alex Haley Museum		Southern terminus of SR 209
Henning58.093.3
 SR 87 (Graves Avenue) / Great River Road north – Fort Pillow, Henning, Fort Pillow State Historic Park, Alex Haley Museum and Interpretive Center
Ripley61.999.6
 SR 19 east – Ripley Business District, Brownsville		Southern end of SR 19 overlap
63.7102.5

 SR 19 west / Great River Road south (Lake Drive) – Ripley		North end of SR 19 overlap; interchange
64.5103.8
 SR 208 south (Cleveland Street) – Ripley		Northern terminus of SR 208
​72.0115.9
 SR 180 south (Gates Road) – Gates		Northern terminus of SR 180
Halls75.0–
75.3		120.7–
121.2
 SR 88 / Great River Road north – Halls, Mississippi River		Interchange
DyerFowlkes79.9128.6Bridge over the South Fork of the Forked Deer River
82.1132.1
 To SR 210 – Fowlkes, Halls
Dyersburg83.9135.0 Airport Road - Dyersburg Regional Airport
84.2135.5



 US 51 Bus. north (S Main Avenue/SR 211) to US 412 east – Downtown Dyersburg		Interchange; southern terminus of US 51 Business and unsigned SR 211; truck route to SR 104 east
85.5137.6Bridge over the North Fork of the Forked Deer River
86.5139.2 SR 104 (Forrest Street) – Finley, Trenton, Downtown Dyersburg
88.5142.4

 SR 78 (Lake Road) to I-155 / US 412 – Tiptonville, Reelfoot Lake State Park, Dyersburg State Community College, Downtown Dyersburg
90.2145.2

 US 51 Bus. south (Saint John Avenue/SR 211 south) – Dyersburg		South end of unsigned SR 211 overlap; northern terminus of US 51 Business
91.7147.6


 US 412 east (SR 20 east) / SR 211 north (Saint John Avenue) to I-40 – Jackson, Newbern		Northern end of unsigned SR 211 overlap; southern end of US 412 overlap; south end of freeway; western terminus of unsigned SR 20; interchange
92.1148.2

 I-155 west / US 412 west – St. Louis		North end of US 412 overlap; eastern terminus of I-155; I-155 exit 15
Newbern97.0–
97.7		156.1–
157.2
 SR 77 east – Newbern		Western terminus of SR 77
Dyer–Obion
county line		​104.2–
104.8		167.7–
168.7
 SR 105 east (County Line Street) – Trimble, Rutherford		Western terminus of SR 105
ObionObion106.8–
106.9		171.9–
172.0		Bridge over the Obion River
108.2–
108.7		174.1–
174.9		 SR 183 (Palestine Avenue) – Obion
​113.6182.8
 SR 183 north (Davis Highway) – Obion		Northern end of freeway; at-grade intersection; southern terminus of SR 183
Troy113.9183.3S Main Street - TroyFormer US 51
114.8184.8
 SR 21 west (W Harper Street) – Troy, Hornbeak, Tiptonville, Reelfoot Lake State Park		Southern end of SR 21 overlap
115.3185.6
 SR 21 east (Rives Road) – Rives		Northern end of SR 21 overlap
120.0–
120.4		193.1–
193.8
 SR 690 north / Future I-69		A4 partial cloverleaf intercahnge; opened to traffic in February 2024[8]
Union City122.0196.3
 SR 184 south (Old Troy Road)		Southern end of unsigned SR 184 concurrency; Former US 51
122.2196.7

 SR 431 south (W Reelfoot Avenue/SR 184 north) to US 45W – Martin, Airport		Northern terminus of SR 431; northern end unsigned SR 184 concurrency
123.0197.9
 SR 22 north / SR 5 (W Main Street) – Woodland Mills, Samburg, Reelfoot Lake, Reelfoot National Wildlife Refuge, Business District		Southern end of SR 22 overlap
125.6202.1 SR 21 (N Clover Street) – Clinton, KY, Union City
​127.1–
127.7		204.5–
205.5

 US 45W south / SR 22 south (Section Line Road) – Union City, Martin		Northern end of SR 22 overlap; southern end of US 45W overlap; southern end of freeway; interchange; future I-169
​130.0209.2

 SR 690 south / Future I-69 south		Semi-directional T interchange; opened to traffic in February 2024; future southern end of I-69 overlap[8]
South Fulton134.5216.5
 SR 214 west (Ken Tenn Highway)		Interchange; eastern terminus of SR 214; southbound exit and northbound entrance; northern end of freeway
134.8216.9

 US 45 north (Chickasaw Drive/SR 3 north) / US 45E south (SR 215 east) – South Fulton, Martin		Northern end of US 45W and unsigned SR 3 overlap; southern end of unsigned SR 215 overlap; US 45W and US 45E merge to form US 45; southern end of freeway; interchange
135.9218.7

 US 51 north / Purchase Parkway north – Fulton		Continuation into Kentucky; southern terminus of Purchase Parkway; western terminus of unsigned SR 215
1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi

Dyersburg business route

[edit]
Business plate.svg
U.S. Route 51 Business marker
U.S. Route 51 Business
LocationDyersburg
Length3.9 mi (6.3 km)

U.S. Route 51 Business (US 51 Bus.) is a 3.9-mile-long (6.3 km) business route of US 51 located entirely in the city of Dyersburg in Dyer County. It has the unsigned designation of State Route 211 (SR 211) for its entire length.

The highway begins as South Main Avenue at a large three-way intersection with US 51/SR 3 on the southern edge of the city. It heads north, concurrent with SR 211, as a two-lane road through a business district before traveling through wooded areas and crossing a bridge over the North Fork of the Forked Deer River into downtown. US 51 Bus./SR 211 pass by the Dyer County Courthouse and becomes concurrent with SR 104 (East Court Street) as the road becomes North Main Avenue shortly before making an abrupt left turn onto McGaughey Street. US 51 Bus./SR 211 then split before heading through neighborhoods along Troy Avenue before turning right onto Gordon Street. The highway then makes a left turn onto North Sampson Avenue and passes through more neighborhoods before merging onto St. John Avenue. They then travel through a business district before widening to a four-lane highway and coming to an end at an intersection with US 51/SR 3, where US 51 Bus. ends and SR 211 follows northbound US 51/SR 3 north on St. John Avenue.

The entire route is in Dyersburg, Dyer County.

mikmDestinationsNotes
0.00.0 US 51 (51-Bypass South / SR 3) – Halls, Union CitySouthern end of unsigned SR 211 concurrency; southern terminus of US 51 Bus. and SR 211
1.72.7Bridge over the North Fork of the Forked Deer River
1.93.1
 SR 104 east (East Court Street) – Trenton		Southern end of SR 104 concurrency
2.13.4
 SR 104 west (McGaughey Street) – Finley		Northern end of SR 104 concurrency
3.96.3
 US 51 (US 51 Bypass / Saint John Avenue / SR 3 / SR 211 north) to I-155 – Halls, Union City		Northern end of unsigned SR 211 concurrency; northern terminus
1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi

See also

[edit]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ a b c d Tennessee Department of Transportation County Maps and City Maps
  2. ^ Tennessee Department of Transportation (24 January 2003). "State Highway and Interstate List 2003"
  3. ^ Haestad Methods, Inc., 13.9 Lateral Scour-The Hatchie River Bridge Failure
  4. ^ "National Transportation Safety Board; July 24, 1990 Letter to Gov. Ned McWherter" (PDF).
  5. ^ "TDOT". www.tn.gov.
  6. ^ "Memphis-Evansville Section Details". I69Info.com. Retrieved October 9, 2014.
  7. ^ Choate, Charles (30 October 2023). "Obion County Joint Economic Development Chairman Talks About Future I-69 Loop". Thunderbolt Radio. Retrieved 13 December 2023.
  8. ^ a b c "Obion County Mayor Explains 690 Road Signage on New Project". Thunderbolt Radio. Retrieved 11 December 2023.
  9. ^ Staff, WBBJ (2024-02-20). "TDOT: Mainline of SR 690, future I-69 to open Wednesday in Obion County". WBBJ TV. Retrieved 2024-02-24.
[edit]
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U.S. Route 51
Previous state:
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