U.S. Route 31E (US 31E) is the eastern parallel route for U.S. Highway 31 from Nashville, Tennessee, to Louisville, Kentucky.
US 31E highlighted in red | |||||||
Route information | |||||||
Length | 190.9 mi[1][2][3] (307.2 km) | ||||||
Major junctions | |||||||
South end | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() | ||||||
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North end | ![]() ![]() ![]() | ||||||
Location | |||||||
Country | United States | ||||||
States | Tennessee, Kentucky | ||||||
Counties | TN: Davidson, Sumner KY: Allen, Barren, Hart, LaRue, Nelson, Spencer, Bullitt, Jefferson | ||||||
Highway system | |||||||
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Route description
editTennessee
editUS 31E begins as the Ellington Parkway at the corner of Main Street and US 31, US 31W, US 41 and US 431 (Spring Street) just east of Interstate 24 (I-24). It never intersects Interstate 40. The freeway's interchanges in the middle of the route mainly includes locally maintained streets such as Cleveland Street, East Trinity Lane, Hart Lane, and Broadmoor Drive.[4]
Ellington Parkway ends at an interchange with SR 155 (Briley Parkway), about 0.56 miles (900 m) east of the Briley's I-65 junction. A ramp directing Ellington Parkway's northbound traffic to I-65 north is provided at the Briley/Ellington junction. Access to Ellington Parkway southbound is also provided by a ramp from I-65 south via exit 90A. The road is named for former Tennessee governor Buford Ellington, who served two non-consecutive terms from 1959 to 1963, the other from 1967 to 1971. Ellington encouraged much road building throughout the state during his second term as governor.
After a brief concurrency with SR 155, the highway passes through Madison before entering Sumner County, where it passes through the cities of Hendersonville and Gallatin, Tennessee. It begins a concurrency with US 231 just east of Bethpage.
Kentucky
editU.S. Route 31E is the easternmost of two parallel routes for U.S. Highway 31 in Kentucky, in between each is Interstate 65 in Kentucky. Going north from the Kentucky–Tennessee border, the highway goes through the towns of Scottsville (where the US 231 concurrency ends), Glasgow, Hardyville, Hodgenville, New Haven, Bardstown, and Mount Washington before arriving at its northern end in downtown Louisville at the junction of US 31W and US 31 just south of the George Rogers Clark Memorial Bridge.
Its only interchanges with interstates are in Jefferson County; both of which are beltways: I-265/Gene Snyder Expressway and the Interstate 264 (Watterson Expressway). However, it also has interchanges with the Louie B. Nunn Cumberland Parkway in Barren County, and the Martha Layne Collins Blue Grass Parkway in Nelson County.
History
editIn the 19th century, much of the present-day route of US 31E was a stagecoach path between Louisville and Nashville, and before that a postal route at least by 1820.[5]
Originally part of the Jackson Highway, the Works Progress Administration measured the total distance on US 31E in Kentucky as 147.8 miles (237.9 km).[6]
When the rerouting of US 31E in Nelson and Spencer Counties was being planned, a survey of historic sites that could have been affected by the new route was studied, especially if the sites could one day become listed on the National Register of Historic Places.[7]
US 37 and US 143
editThe American Association of State Highway Officials (AASHO) adopted a resolution against split routes in 1934. In order to eliminate the split in US 31 between Nashville, Tennessee, and Louisville, Kentucky, AASHO commissioned U.S. Route 37, replacing US 31E from the Louisville area south to Glasgow, Kentucky, where it then followed Kentucky Route 63 and several routes in Tennessee to Chattanooga. The rest of US 31E from Glasgow to Nashville was assigned U.S. Route 143. This proposed route was extended southwest to Centerville in 1938 and Jackson in 1944 via State Route 100 and State Route 20. US 31W would have become the main route of US 31.
Kentucky and Tennessee refused to accept the renumbering and never changed signage for the routes. In 1952, AASHO re-recognized the split, officially restoring the US 31E and US 31W designations.
US 31E in Southern Indiana
editUS 31E and US 31W once terminated at US 31 in Sellersburg, Indiana until 1980. US 31E followed the current routing of US 31 from Sellersburg to Louisville.
Rerouting of US 31E in east Nashville
editIn Nashville, US 31E once followed Gallatin Pike through east Nashville. Sometime after 1997, US 31E was rerouted onto Ellington Parkway.
Dangerous segments
editUS 31E has been known as a dangerous road, with many risky spots. A historic one was at Coxs Creek in Nelson County, where a post office had to be relocated so traffic could see each other.[8] Other dangerous spots in Nelson County where emergency personnel consider notorious are Gobel Lake Curve, Hibbs Lane, and High Grove.[9] As of August 23, 2017, the Hibbs Lane and High Grove reroute sections are almost complete and are in service. Minor work is still being done to some intersections and signage.
Points of interest
editThere are various historical sites along US 31E in Kentucky. Among them are Cave Hill Cemetery and Farmington Historic Plantation in Louisville, My Old Kentucky Home State Park in Bardstown, and Abraham Lincoln Birthplace National Historical Park near Hodgenville. Also, five historic monuments to the Civil War are along the path: three in Louisville, one in Bardstown, and one in Glasgow.[10]
Major intersections
editAll exits are unnumbered.
State | County | Location | mi | km | Destinations | Notes | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Tennessee | Davidson | Nashville | 0.00 | 0.00 | US 31 / US 41 / US 431 south (James Robertson Parkway west/SR 6/SR 11 south) / US 31W | US 31 splits into US 31E and US 31W; south end of SR 6 overlap; south end of freeway (Ellington Parkway) | ||
Main Street | Southbound exit and northbound entrance | |||||||
To I-24 / I-65 Spring Street ( US 31W / US 41 / US 431 / SR 11) | Southbound exit and northbound entrances; access to US 31W/US 41/US 431/SR 11 south via Main St. exit | |||||||
0.9– 1.2 | 1.4– 1.9 | Cleveland Street | ||||||
1.6– 1.9 | 2.6– 3.1 | Douglas Avenue | ||||||
2.4– 2.6 | 3.9– 4.2 | Trinity Lane | ||||||
3.3– 3.7 | 5.3– 6.0 | Hart Lane / Ben Allen Road | ||||||
4.1– 4.3 | 6.6– 6.9 | Broadmoor Drive | ||||||
4.9– 5.5 | 7.9– 8.9 | I-65 north – Louisville | Northbound exit and southbound entrance; I-65 south exit 90A | |||||
SR 155 west (Briley Parkway) to I-65 south | Northern terminus of Ellington Parkway; northbound left exit and southbound entrance | |||||||
Briarville Road | SR 155 exit 15A; northbound access via exit to SR 155 west | |||||||
I-65 north – Louisville | Southbound exit only; SR 155 exit 15C | |||||||
SR 155 west (Briley Parkway) to I-65 south – Nashville | South end of SR 155 overlap; southbound left exit and northbound left entrance; SR 155 exit 15B | |||||||
5.8– 6.1 | 9.3– 9.8 | SR 155 east (Briley Parkway) / Gallatin Road south | North end of SR 155 overlap; north end of freeway section; SR 155 exit 14 | |||||
Madison | 8.0 | 12.9 | SR 45 (Old Hickory Boulevard) – Old Hickory, Lakewood, Whites Creek | |||||
10.5 | 16.9 | To I-65 / Rivergate Parkway west | Eastern terminus of Rivergate Parkway; provides access to Rivergate Mall | |||||
Sumner | Hendersonville | 13.0– 13.3 | 20.9– 21.4 | SR 386 – Gallatin, Nashville | SR 386 exit 3; access via unsigned US 31E Byp. | |||
14.5 | 23.3 | SR 258 north (New Shackle Island Road) | Southern terminus of SR 258 | |||||
19.1 | 30.7 | SR 386 north | Interchange; northbound exit only | |||||
19.4 | 31.2 | SR 386 south (Vietnam Veterans Boulevard) – Nashville | Interchange; SR 386 exit 9; southbound exit and northbound entrance; eastern terminus of unsigned US 31E Byp. | |||||
Gallatin | 25.3– 25.5 | 40.7– 41.0 | SR 109 / to Airport Road / Steam Plant Road – Portland, Lebanon, Bledsoe Creek State Park, Airport | Interchange | ||||
26.4 | 42.5 | SR 25 (Red River Road/W Main Street/ SR 174 west) | South end of SR 174 overlap; SR 25 east serves Sumner County Regional Airport | |||||
26.9 | 43.3 | SR 174 east (N Water Avenue) | North end of SR 174 overlap | |||||
29.3 | 47.2 | Airport Road to Steam Plant Road - Bledsoe Creek State Park, Airport | ||||||
Bransford | 39.1 | 62.9 | US 231 south (SR 376 south) – Hartsville, Lebanon | South end of US 231 overlap | ||||
Westmoreland | 43.7 | 70.3 | SR 52 to I-65 – Portland, Lafayette | |||||
Tennessee–Kentucky line | 50.65 0.000 | 81.51 0.000 | End concurrency with unsigned SR 6 | |||||
Kentucky | Allen | | 2.129 | 3.426 | KY 482 / KY 3521 south (Andrew Jackson Highway) | |||
| 3.737 | 6.014 | KY 1147 east | Western terminus of KY 1147 | ||||
Scottsville | 7.415 | 11.933 | KY 100 (Franklin Road) – Franklin, Scottsville | |||||
8.607 | 13.852 | US 231 north / KY 980 east – Bowling Green, Scottsville | north end of US 231 overlap; western terminus of KY 980 | |||||
| 10.582 | 17.030 | KY 101 – Smiths Grove, Scottsville | |||||
| 13.154 | 21.169 | KY 3499 | |||||
| 16.893 | 27.187 | KY 252 north / KY 1855 south – Bailey's Point Dam, Peninsula, Walnut Creek | Southern terminus of KY 252; northern terminus of KY 1855 | ||||
Barren River Lake | Bridge | |||||||
Barren | Barren River Lake State Resort Park | 20.392 | 32.818 | KY 87 east (Austin-Tracy Road) – Austin boat ramp | Western terminus of KY 87 | |||
Lucas | 23.222 | 37.372 | KY 1318 east | South end of KY 1318 overlap | ||||
23.317 | 37.525 | KY 1318 west – The Narrows | North end of KY 1318 overlap | |||||
Haywood | 29.147 | 46.908 | KY 252 south | Northern terminus of KY 252 | ||||
Glasgow | 31.091 | 50.036 | KY 2207 west | Eastern terminus of KY 2207 | ||||
31.573– 31.631 | 50.812– 50.905 | Cumberland Parkway / US 68 Truck east / KY 90 Truck east – Somerset, Bowling Green | Cumberland Parkway exit 11; south end of US 68 Truck / KY 90 Truck overlap | |||||
32.010 | 51.515 | US 31E Bus. north (Green Street) to KY 63 – Glasgow Business District | ||||||
32.469 | 52.254 | KY 1297 (Cleveland Avenue) | ||||||
33.428 | 53.797 | US 68 Bus. / US 68 Truck west / KY 90 east (West Main Street) | North end of US 68 Truck / KY 90 Truck overlap; south end of KY 90 overlap | |||||
34.019 | 54.748 | KY 90 west (Happy Valley Road) to I-65 – Cave City, Glasgow Business District | North end of KY 90 overlap | |||||
35.031 | 56.377 | US 31E Bus. south – SKYCTC Glasgow Campus | ||||||
36.124 | 58.136 | US 68 / KY 80 (Veterans Outer Loop) to KY 90 | ||||||
Griderville | 42.216 | 67.940 | KY 70 – Cave City, Hiseville | |||||
Hart | Bear Wallow | 45.121 | 72.615 | KY 2195 | ||||
Wigwam Village | 46.654 | 75.082 | KY 218 – Horse Cave, Greensburg | |||||
Uno | 49.998 | 80.464 | KY 571 | |||||
Hardyville | 53.405 | 85.947 | KY 88 – Munfordville, Greensburg | |||||
| 55.570 | 89.431 | KY 1572 | |||||
Canmer | 56.169 | 90.395 | KY 1854 | |||||
KY 677 | ||||||||
Linwood | 56.862 | 91.511 | KY 566 east | Western terminus of KY 566 | ||||
60.179 | 96.849 | KY 569 south | South end of KY 569 overlap | |||||
60.429 | 97.251 | KY 569 north | North end of KY 569 overlap | |||||
Jonesville | 63.217 | 101.738 | KY 936 | |||||
LaRue | Magnolia | 67.154 | 108.074 | KY 1079 – Munfordville | ||||
67.436 | 108.528 | KY 470 east – Buffalo | Western terminus of KY 470 | |||||
| 74.362 | 119.674 | KY 61 south – Greensburg, Mount Sherman, Buffalo | South end of KY 61 overlap | ||||
Hodgenville | 75.922 | 122.185 | KY 61 north / KY 1618 east to I-65 – Elizabethtown, Campbellsville | North end of KY 61 overlap | ||||
77.116 | 124.106 | KY 84 west to I-65 - Sonora | South end of KY 84 overlap | |||||
77.575 | 124.845 | KY 210 west – Elizabethtown | South end of KY 210 overlap; traffic circle around city park | |||||
KY 210 east – Campbellsville | North end of KY 210 overlap | |||||||
Ovesen Heights | 79.343 | 127.690 | KY 1794 east | Western terminus of KY 1794 | ||||
| 79.385 | 127.758 | KY 1832 west | Eastern terminus of KY 1832 | ||||
White City | 81.112 | 130.537 | KY 470 west | South end of KY 470 overlap | ||||
81.218 | 130.708 | KY 84 east – Lebanon | North end of KY 84 overlap | |||||
81.382 | 130.972 | KY 470 east | North end of KY 470 overlap | |||||
Nelson | New Haven | 88.031 | 141.672 | KY 52 east – Lebanon, Trappist | South end of KY 52 overlap | |||
88.283 | 142.078 | KY 52 west – Lyons Station | North end of KY 52 overlap | |||||
Culvertown | 93.090 | 149.814 | KY 247 | |||||
| 93.865 | 151.061 | KY 46 west | South end of KY 46 overlap | ||||
Balltown | 96.278 | 154.944 | KY 46 east | North end of KY 46 overlap | ||||
| 99.186– 99.225 | 159.624– 159.687 | Bluegrass Parkway / US 31E Truck north – Lexington, Elizabethtown | Bluegrass Parkway exit 21; southern terminus of US 31E Truck | ||||
Bardstown | 101.225 | 162.906 | US 62 west (West Stephen Foster Avenue) – Elizabethtown, Airport | South end of US 62 overlap | ||||
101.488 | 163.329 | US 62 east / US 150 east (East Stephen Foster Avenue) to Bluegrass Parkway east / South Third Street | North end of US 62 overlap; south end of US 150 overlap; traffic circle around Old Courthouse Building | |||||
101.905 | 164.000 | KY 1430 west (West Beall Avenue) | Eastern terminus of KY 1430 | |||||
102.693 | 165.268 | KY 245 / US 31E Truck south / US 150 Truck east to I-65 / Bluegrass Parkway | Northern terminus of US 31E Truck; western terminus of US 150 Truck | |||||
104.022 | 167.407 | KY 332 (Old Nazareth Road) | ||||||
Coxs Creek | 107.829 | 173.534 | KY 509 – Fairfield | |||||
| 112.252 | 180.652 | KY 523 | |||||
| 113.205 | 182.186 | KY 480 west | Eastern terminus of KY 480 | ||||
Highgrove | 114.106 | 183.636 | KY 48 east – Fairfield, Bloomfield | Western terminus of KY 48 | ||||
Spencer |
No major junctions | |||||||
Bullitt | | 117.993 | 189.891 | KY 2674 north | Southern terminus of KY 2674 | |||
Mount Washington | 119.822 | 192.835 | US 31EX north | Southern terminus of US 31EX | ||||
120.495 | 193.918 | KY 44 – Mount Washington Business District | ||||||
| 122.064 | 196.443 | US 31EX south – Mount Washington Business District | Northern terminus of US 31EX | ||||
Jefferson | Louisville | 122.432 | 197.035 | KY 660 east (Waterford Road) | Western terminus of KY 660 | |||
124.285 | 200.017 | KY 2053 west (Thixton Lane) | Eastern terminus of KY 2053 | |||||
127.134– 127.435 | 204.602– 205.087 | I-265 / KY 841 (Gene Snyder Freeway) | I-265 exit 17 | |||||
127.924 | 205.874 | KY 1065 (Beulah Church Road / Seatonville Road) | ||||||
129.608 | 208.584 | KY 1747 (South Hurstbourne Parkway) | ||||||
131.057 | 210.916 | KY 1932 north (Breckenridge Lane) | Southern terminus of KY 1932 | |||||
132.264 | 212.858 | Bardstown Road (KY 2251 north) - Buechel Business District | Southern terminus of unsigned KY 2251 | |||||
Progress Boulevard | Interchange | |||||||
133.337 | 214.585 | Hikes Lane (KY 2052 south) | Northern terminus of unsigned KY 2052 | |||||
133.514 | 214.870 | Bardstown Road (KY 2251 south) - Buechel Business District | Northern terminus of unsigned KY 2251 | |||||
134.407 | 216.307 | I-264 (Watterson Expressway) | I-264 exit 16 | |||||
135.489 | 218.048 | KY 155 south (Taylorsville Road) | Northern terminus of KY 155 | |||||
136.989 | 220.462 | US 60 Alt. (Eastern Parkway) | ||||||
137.786 | 221.745 | KY 2860 (Grinstead Drive) | ||||||
138.016 | 222.115 | KY 1703 south (Baxter Avenue) | Northern terminus of KY 1703 | |||||
138.264 | 222.514 | US 150 west (East Broadway) | North end of US 150 overlap | |||||
138.904 | 223.544 | KY 864 south (Chestnut Street) | Northern terminus of KY 864 | |||||
Market Street ( US 31E / US 60) | One-way street, inbound access only; south end of US 60 east overlap | |||||||
139.086 | 223.837 | US 60 east (US 42 east) | One-way street, outbound access only; north end of northbound US 60 east overlap; western terminus of US 42; no access southbound | |||||
US 60 (US 42) | One-way street, inbound access only; south end of US 60 west overlap; western terminus of US 42; no access southbound | |||||||
Jackson Street (KY 61 north) | One-way street; northern terminus of KY 61 at US 31E north (Main Street) | |||||||
139.819 | 225.017 | Preston Street (KY 61 south) to I-64 / I-71 | One-way street; northern terminus of KY 61 at US 31E north (Main Street) | |||||
Second Street south (KY 1020 south) / Market Street ( US 31W / US 60) | Market St. is one-way street; inbound access only; northern terminus of KY 1020; north end of southbound US 60 east overlap; no northbound access | |||||||
140.250 | 225.710 | Clark Bridge (US 31 north) / Main Street west (US 60 west) / US 31W | US 31E and US 31W merge into US 31; north end of US 60 west overlap | |||||
1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi
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Special routes
editHendersonville bypass route
editLocation | Hendersonville, Tennessee |
---|---|
Existed | 1981–present |
An unsigned portion consisting primarily of Tennessee State Route 386 is known as the U.S. Route 31E Bypass.
Glasgow business route
editLocation | Glasgow |
---|---|
Length | 3.24 mi (5.21 km) |
U.S. Route 31E Business starts near the Southgate Shopping Center 0.379 mile north of the Exit 11 interchange of the Louie B. Nunn Cumberland Parkway, and intersects Kentucky Routes 249 and 63 before reaching the Barren County Courthouse at the Public Square. It then joins US 68 Business for only 0.123 miles before right-turning onto North Race Street. US 31E Business then follows North Race Street, passes the T.J. Samson Hospital, and ends at an intersection with the regular US 31E alignment on the north side of town about one mile south of the Veterans Outer Loop.
Major intersections
editThe entire route is in Glasgow, Barren County.
mi[11] | km | Destinations | Notes | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
0.000 | 0.000 | US 31E (S L Rogers Wells Boulevard) | Western terminus | ||
1.001 | 1.611 | KY 249 south (Bunche Avenue) | Northern terminus of KY 249 | ||
1.269 | 2.042 | KY 63 east (East College Street) | Western terminus of KY 63 | ||
1.406 | 2.263 | KY 80 east (East Main Street) / KY 90 east / US 68 Bus. east | Begin concurrency with KY 80/KY 90/US-Bus 68 | ||
1.516 | 2.440 | US 68 Bus. west / KY 80 west / KY 90 west (West Main Street) | End concurrency with KY 80/KY 90/US-Bus 68 | ||
2.118 | 3.409 | Happy Valley Road | Old KY 90; previously KY 90 Alternate | ||
3.240 | 5.214 | US 31E / Glasgow Bypass | Eastern terminus | ||
1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi
|
U.S. Route 31E Truck
editLocation | Bardstown |
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U.S. Route 31E Truck (US 31E Truck) is the truck route of US 31E in the Nelson County seat of Bardstown.
The truck route consists of the following designations:
- Bluegrass Parkway between exits 21 and 25.
- U.S. Route 150 between the Bluegrass Parkway and KY 245, and
- Kentucky Route 245 bypass from US 150 east of downtown to US 31E/150 north of downtown.
U.S. Route 31EX
editLocation | Mount Washington |
---|---|
Length | 2.487 mi[11] (4.002 km) |
U.S. Route 31EX (US 31EX) is the business route of US 31E in the Bullitt County town of Mount Washington. The only two major intersections it has besides the main alignment is with KY 44 and KY 2706 in the town's business district. The route is 2.487 miles (4.002 km) long.[11] At the intersection with KY 44, US 31EX is incorrectly signed as a Kentucky state route.
Major intersections
editThe entire route is in Mount Washington, Bullitt County.
mi[11] | km | Destinations | Notes | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
0.000 | 0.000 | US 31E / US 150 | Southern terminus | ||
0.560 | 0.901 | KY 44 | |||
0.828 | 1.333 | KY 2706 west | Eastern terminus of KY 2706 | ||
2.487 | 4.002 | US 31E / US 150 | Northern terminus | ||
1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi |
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ Commonwealth of Kentucky. "Official DMI Route Log". Retrieved July 5, 2016.
- ^ Tennessee Department of Transportation (2000). Nashville City Map (Northeast)[permanent dead link] (PDF) (Map). Nashville: Tennessee Department of Transportation.
- ^ Tennessee Department of Transportation (2000). Sumner County General Highway Map Archived January 12, 2016, at the Wayback Machine (PDF) (Map). Nashville: Tennessee Department of Transportation.
- ^ DeLorme (2004). Tennessee Atlas & Gazetteer (Map). Yarmouth, ME: DeLorme.[full citation needed]
- ^ Kleber p.16
- ^ Simon pp.288,289
- ^ "US 31E Nelson-Spencer Counties" (PDF). Kentucky Transportation Cabinet. Winter 2002. Archived from the original (PDF) on December 26, 2008. Retrieved January 10, 2009.
- ^ Rennick p.70
- ^ "US 31E Nelson-Spencer Counties" (PDF). Kentucky Transportation Cabinet. Fall 2004. Archived from the original (PDF) on December 26, 2008. Retrieved January 10, 2009.
- ^ Joseph E. Brent (January 8, 1997). "National Register of Historic Places Multiple Property Submission: Civil War Monuments in Kentucky, 1865-1935" (pdf). National Park Service.
{{cite journal}}
: Cite journal requires|journal=
(help) - ^ a b c d Commonwealth of Kentucky. "Official DMI Route Log". Retrieved July 28, 2015.
- Kleber, ed. (1992). The Kentucky Encyclopedia. University Press of Kentucky. ISBN 0-8131-1772-0.
- Rennick, Robert M. (1988). Kentucky Place Names. University Press of Kentucky. ISBN 0-8131-0179-4.
- Simon, F. Kevin (1996). The WPA Guide to Kentucky: A Guide to the Bluegrass State. University Press of Kentucky. ISBN 0-8131-0865-9.
External links
edit- Media related to U.S. Route 31E at Wikimedia Commons