Tennessee State Route 30

State Route 30 (SR 30) is an east-west state highway in the central and eastern portions of the U.S. state of Tennessee. It runs generally west to east, connecting McMinnville in Warren County with Parksville along the Ocoee River in Polk County. It crosses several major geographic features in Tennessee, including the Cumberland Plateau, the Sequatchie Valley, the Tennessee River, and parts of the Cherokee National Forest.

State Route 30
Route information
Maintained by TDOT
Length118.15 mi (190.14 km)
Major junctions
West end US 70S near McMinnville
  US 127 in Pikeville
US 27 in Dayton
I-75 in Athens
US 411 in Etowah
East end US 64 / US 74 in the Cherokee National Forest
Location
CountiesWarren, Van Buren, Bledsoe, Rhea, Megis, McMinn, Polk
Highway system
SR 29 US 31

Route description

SR 30 begins just east of McMinnville in Warren County at an intersection with US 70S. Just beyond this initial junction, SR 30 intersects SR 127, which connects the area to Tullahoma to the southwest. SR 30 continues eastward, crossing into Van Buren County at the Rocky River. After passing several miles through predominantly-rural western Van Buren, the highway ascends over 900 feet (270 m) through a series of switchback curves to the top of the Cumberland Plateau, where it enters the town of Spencer.[1] Following College Street through Spencer, SR 30 intersects SR 111 just east of the town's downtown area.[2]

Continuing east beyond Spencer, SR 30 descends more than 900 feet (270 m) from the edge of the plateau into the Dry Fork Gulf.[3] This area marks the outer reaches of Fall Creek Falls State Park. At the base of the valley, SR 30 crosses Cane Creek and joins SR 285, which approaches from further down the valley in the direction of Doyle. The merged highway then continues eastward, reascending more than 800 feet (240 m) back to the top of the plateau,[3] before SR 285 diverges northward, and SR 30 continues toward the east. Just before reaching the Van Buren-Bledsoe county line, SR 30 intersects SR 284, which provides the primary access to Fall Creek Falls State Park to the south.[2]

SR 30 in Spencer

In the Mount Crest area of western Bledsoe, SR 30 intersects SR 101, which runs in a northeastward direction to Crossville. Just past Mount Crest, SR 30 begins another significant elevation change, this time descending more than 1,000 feet (300 m) from the edge of Cumberland Plateau into the Sequatchie Valley.[4] This particularly steep section of the highway endures occasional closures due to rockslides.[5] In Pikeville, SR 30 merges with the north-south-oriented US 127. This merged route travels along the east side of Pikeville before the two highways split just south of the downtown area, with US 127 continuing southward to Dunlap, and SR 30 crossing the Sequatchie River before turning east.[2]

Continuing across the relatively narrow Sequatchie Valley, SR 30 begins another ascent of the Cumberland Plateau, climbing more than 1,000 feet (300 m) before topping out near Summer City.[6] After traversing this section of the plateau, known as Walden Ridge, and crossing into Rhea County, SR 30 enters its final major elevation change, this time winding its way more than 1,200 feet (370 m) down the side of the Cumberland Plateau into the Tennessee Valley.[7] In Dayton, SR 30 intersects US 27, which connects Dayton with Chattanooga to the south.[2]

After crossing the Tennessee River east of Dayton, SR 30 continues winding its away around the various ridges and valleys that characterize the region, and passes through the county seats of Decatur and Athens. In the latter city, SR 30 crosses I-75 and US 11, both of which run northeastward to Knoxville and southwestward to Chattanooga. In Etowah in eastern McMinn County, SR 30 merges with US 411, and veers southward into Polk County. After crossing the Hiwassee River, SR 30 splits off from US 411 and turns eastward up the Hiwassee Valley into the Cherokee National Forest.[2]

In the old community of Reliance, SR 30 intersects SR 315, which runs northward in the direction of Tellico Plains. Just past this junction, SR 30 turns sharply to the south, and winds its way into the Greasy Creek Valley. The highway follows this valley southwestward to the Parksville area along the Ocoee River, where it terminates at US 64 and US 74.[2]

Major intersections

CountyLocationmikmDestinationsNotes
Warren0.00.0 US 70S (Sparta Highway/SR 1) McMinnville, Doyle, SpartaWestern terminus; SR 30 begins as a primary highway
SR 127 south (Shellsford Road) McMinnville, ViolaNorthern terminus of SR 127
Van BurenSpencer SR 111 (Artillery Road) Sparta, DunlapInterchange
SR 285 west (Cane Creek-Cummingsville Road) DoyleWestern end of SR 285 concurrency
SR 285 east (Mooneyham Road)Eastern end of SR 285 concurrency
Bledsoe SR 284 west (Park Road) Fall Creek Falls State ParkEastern terminus of SR 284
Mount Crest SR 101 north (Lantana Road) Lake Tansi Village, CrossvilleSouthern terminus of SR 101
Pikeville US 127 north (Alvin C. York Highway/SR 28 north) CrossvilleWestern end of US 127/SR 28 concurrency
US 127 south (Alvin C. York Highway/SR 28 south) DunlapEastern end of US 127/SR 28 overlap
Bridge over the Sequatchie River
Summer City SR 443 east (New Harmony Road) New HarmonyWestern terminus of SR 443
Rhea SR 443 west (Ogden Road) OgdenEastern terminus of SR 443
SR 303 south (Cranmore Cove Road) GraysvilleNorthern terminus of SR 303
Dayton SR 378 north (Market Street)Western end of SR 378 concurrency
SR 378 south (Market Street)Eastern end of SR 378 concurrency
US 27 (Rhea County Highway/SR 29) Chattanooga, Soddy-Daisy, Spring City
Old Washington SR 302 north (Old Dixie Highway) Spring CitySouthern terminus of SR 302
Tennessee RiverWashington Ferry Bridge over the Tennessee River
MeigsDecatur SR 58 (Meigs County Highway) Kingston, Georgetown, Chattanooga
McMinnAthens I-75 Chattanooga, KnoxvilleI-75 exit 49
US 11 (Congress Parkway/SR 2) Cleveland, Calhoun, Charleston, Niota, Sweetwater

US 11 Bus. (N Jackson Street) – Downtown
SR 39 west (E Washington Avenue/E Madison Avenue) – Downtown, Ricevilleone-way pair; western end of SR 39 concurrency
SR 305 north (Ingleside Avenue) / SR 307 north (E Madison Avenue) to I-75 SweetwaterSouthern terminus of SR 305 and SR 307
SR 39 east (New Englewood Road) EnglewoodEastern end of SR 39 concurrency
Etowah US 411 north (Tennessee Avenue/SR 33 north) EnglewoodWestern end of US 411/SR 33 concurrency
SR 310 east (Mecca Pike) Tellico PlainsWestern terminus of SR 310
PolkDelano SR 163 west (Bowater Road) to I-75 CalhounEastern terminus of SR 163
Bridge over the Hiwassee River
US 411 south (SR 33 south) BentonEastern end of US 411/SR 33 concurrency; SR 30 turns secondary
Reliance SR 315 north (Reliance Road) Tellico PlainsSouthern terminus of SR 315
Cherokee National Forest118.15190.14 US 64 / US 74 (Ocoee Scenic Byway/SR 40) Cleveland, Ocoee, DucktownEastern terminus; SR 30 ends as a secondary highway
1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi

References

  1. U.S. Geological Survey. Spencer, TN. 1:24,000.
  2. Tennessee Department of Transportation (2016). Official Transportation Map (PDF) (Map). c.1:1,013,760. Nashville: Tennessee Department of Transportation. §§ C10-C11, D11-D12, E12. Retrieved June 29, 2016.
  3. U.S. Geological Survey. Bald Knob, TN. 1:24,000.
  4. U.S. Geological Survey. Billingsley Gap, TN. 1:24,000.
  5. Ben Burton, "Road Repairs to Close State Highway 30 Between Pikeville and Fall Creek Falls," Chattanooga Times Free Press, 17 June 2016.
  6. U.S. Geological Survey. Pikeville, TN. 1:24,000.
  7. U.S. Geological Survey. Morgan Springs, TN. 1:24,000.

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