U.S. Route 31W

U.S. Route 31W (US 31W) is the westernmost of two parallel routes for U.S. Route 31 from Nashville, Tennessee to Louisville, Kentucky. At one time, it split with U.S. Route 31E at Sellersburg, Indiana, crossing into nearby Louisville via the Kentucky & Indiana Terminal Bridge. Tennessee State Route 41 (SR 41) is its unsigned companion route in Tennessee.

U.S. Route 31W
Route information
Length179.2 mi[1][2][3] (288.4 km)
Major junctions
South end US 31 / US 31E / US 41 / US 431 in Nashville, TN
  I-65 in Nashville

US 41 in Goodlettsville, TN
I-65 in Goodlettsville
I-165 in Bowling Green, KY
US 231 Bowling Green
US 68 / KY 80 in Bowling Green

I-65 in Munfordville, KY
North end US 31 / US 31E / US 60 in Louisville, KY
Location
StatesTennessee, Kentucky
CountiesTN: Davidson, Sumner, Robertson
KY: Simpson, Warren, Edmonson, Barren, Hart, LaRue, Hardin, Meade, Jefferson
Highway system


US 31EKY KY 32
US 31ETN US 31A
US 41A US 43

Route description

US 31W begins in Nashville, at an interchange with Ellington Parkway and US 31/US 31E. The route continues west as Spring Street, concurrent with US 41/US 431/SR 11. The four highways continue north onto Dickerson Pike, closely paralleling Interstate 24 (I-24) through Nashville. At an intersection with Trinity Lane, all the routes but US 41 and SR 11 split from US 31W and continue west, while US 31W continues north, away from I-24. The roadway has an interchange with I-65 and SR 155 before an intersection with SR 45 in Bellshire Terrace. The highway passes through Goodlettsville, where US 31W splits from the other two routes and crosses I-65; it also passes through White House.[4]

After several miles, the highway enters the state of Kentucky and crosses I-65 again, where it passes through Franklin and intersects KY 100. From here, the highway is known as Bowling Green Road (Nashville Road) once it enters Warren County, and passes through fields, as well as giving access to the town of Woodburn. Entering the city of Bowling Green, the route intersects the William H. Natcher Parkway as well as US 231 as the route passes east of downtown Bowling Green. On the eastern side of town, Louisville Road carries US 31W, US 68, and KY 80 east and then northeast, where US 68 and KY 80 split off to the east. US 31W passes within 0.5 miles (0.80 km) on an entrance to Mammoth Cave National Park near Park City, after crossing I-65 again, this time without direct access to the freeway. The highway travels through Cave City as Duke Highway while crossing two major state routes, KY 90, and then KY 70.[4]

In the city of Horse Cave, US 31W intersects KY 218; the Dixie Highway then continues on to Munfordville before crossing I-65 for a fifth time at the interstate's exit 65 interchange, and paralleling it closely to the west and later, the east. Between Upton and Sonora, it crosses over I-65 for a sixth time. In Elizabethtown, US 31W intersects with the Wendell H. Ford Western Kentucky Parkway before crossing I-65 for a seventh time. The route continue through the heart of Elizabethtown, intersecting US 62, before it goes on to enter Radcliff. It also passes through Fort Knox near Radcliff, within sight of the United States Bullion Depository. US 31W overlaps with US 60 from Muldraugh to Louisville, paralleling the Ohio River briefly before an interchange with I-264 (Watterson Expressway) in Louisville. US 31W continues as a one-way pair consisting of 22nd and Dr. W. J. Hodges streets, and later Main and Market streets in downtown Louisville. At 2nd Street, US 31W ends at US 31E, and the two routes continue north as US 31 before crossing the Ohio River into Jeffersonville, in Clark County, Indiana.[4]

History

Most of US 31W's route was part of the old Dixie Highway from the National Auto Trail program, the predecessor to the United States Numbered Highways system. Many of the cities through which US 31W traverses still give it a local street name of "Dixie Highway" or "Dixie Avenue." Some portions date back further, to the Louisville and Nashville Turnpike, which began construction in the 1830s.[5]

US 31W once terminated in Sellersburg, Indiana. It went into New Albany, Indiana, crossing the Kentucky & Indiana Terminal Bridge into Louisville, concurrent with U.S. Route 150. When the K&I Terminal Bridge was closed to traffic in 1979, US 31W and US 150 were rerouted onto the Sherman Minton Bridge, being concurrent with Interstate 64 until Exit 121. In 1980, AASHTO truncated both termini of US 31E and US 31W to Louisville. In Indiana, US 31W was replaced by SR 311.

31W Treasure Hunt

The 31W Treasure Hunt is an outdoor second-hand sale held annually for three days beginning the second Thursday in September. It takes place along the alignment of U.S. Route 31W in its entirety from Nashville to Louisville.[6]

Major intersections

StateCountyLocationmikmDestinationsNotes
TennesseeDavidsonNashville0.000.00 US 31 south / US 41 south / US 431 south (James Robertson Parkway/SR 6/SR 11) / US 31E north (Ellington Parkway/SR 6) to I-24 / South 5th Street/Main StreetInterchange; US 31 splits into US 31W and US 31E; south end of US 41/US 431/SR 11 overlap
0.50.80 To I-24 / I-65 / Spring Street
2.64.2 US 431 north (West Trinity Lane/SR 65) to I-65North end of US 431 overlap; southern terminus of unsigned SR 65
4.8–
5.0
7.7–
8.0
I-65 Nashville, LouisvilleSouthbound off-ramp from SR 155 off-ramp; I-65 exit 90A
5.1–
5.2
8.2–
8.4
SR 155 (Briley Parkway) Nashville, KnoxvilleNo eastbound on-ramp (must use northbound I-65 on-ramp); SR 155 exit 16B
7.111.4 SR 45 (Old Hickory Boulevard) Whites Creek, Old Hickory, Madison
Goodlettsville11.218.0Rivergate Parkway east to I-65 MadisonWestern terminus of Rivergate Parkway; provides access to Rivergate Mall
11.718.8 SR 174 east (Long Hollow Pike)Western terminus of SR 174
Sumner13.121.1 US 41 north (Dickerson Pike/SR 11) Springfield, Greenbrier, Ridgetop
SR 41 begins
Interchange; north end of US 41/SR 11 overlap; southern terminus of unsigned SR 41; south end of SR 41 overlap; former US 43 north
13.4–
13.6
21.6–
21.9
I-65 Louisville, NashvilleI-65 exit 98
Millersville18.329.5 SR 257 west (Bethel Road) to I-65 RidgetopEastern terminus of SR 257
SumnerRobertson
county line
White House22.636.4 SR 258 (Raymond Hirsch Parkway) to I-65 Hendersonville
23.337.5 SR 76 west to I-65 SpringfieldSouth end of SR 76 overlap
23.537.8 SR 76 east (Portland Road) New Deal, PortlandNorth end of SR 76 overlap
Cross Plains27.544.3 SR 25 (Main Street) to I-65 Cross Plains, Springfield, Gallatin
PortlandOrlinda line32.652.5 SR 52 to I-65 Orlinda, Portland
Portland35.557.1 SR 109 (N Broadway) to I-65 Portland, Gallatin
36.057.9 SR 259 east MitchellvilleWestern terminus of SR 259
TennesseeKentucky line36.08–
0.000
58.07–
0.000
SR 41 ends
KentuckySimpson I-65 Louisville, NashvilleI-65 exit 2

KY 1008 / KY 100 Truck to I-65
KY 100 east to I-65South end of KY 100 overlap
Franklin KY 383 south (Madison Street)
KY 73 east / KY 100 west (Cedar Street)North end of KY 100 overlap; south end of KY 73 overlap
KY 1171 (North Street)
KY 73 west (Morgantown Road)North end of KY 73 overlap
KY 2592 (Patton Road)
KY 1008 south to I-65 – truck route to KY 100
KY 1434
KY 621 (Stevenson Road)
WarrenWoodburn KY 240
KY 242 Rockfield, Rich Pond
Bowling Green I-165 to I-65 Owensboro, ScottsvilleFormer Natcher Parkway; I-165 exit 6
US 231 (Campbell Lane)

US 231 Bus. north (University Drive) to US 68 / KY 80
South end of US 231 Bus. overlap; roundabout

US 231 Bus. south (Broadway Avenue) to I-65
North end of US 231 Bus. overlap
KY 234 (Fairview Avenue) to I-65
KY 3225 (Old Louisville Road)
US 68 west / KY 80 west (Kentucky Street) to I-65 southSouth end of US 68 / KY 80 overlap
KY 3225 (Old Louisville Road)
KY 1402 east (Porter Pike) to KY 957 / Plum Springs Loop
To I-65 (via KY 446 east) Louisville, Nashville, Corvette MuseumInterchange
KY 957
KY 526 west to KY 1320
US 68 east / KY 80 eastNorth end of US 68 / KY 80 overlap
KY 3145 south to I-65Northern terminus of KY 3145; intersection opened July 2017.[7]
KY 743 north
Tuckertown KY 2326 (Otter Gap Road)
KY 101 north BrownsvilleSouth end of KY 101 overlap
KY 101 south Smiths GroveNorth end of KY 101 overlap
Edmonson KY 422 north
KY 259
BarrenPark City KY 255 southSouth end of KY 255 overlap
KY 255 north (Mammoth Cave Parkway) to I-65 Mammoth Cave, Brownsville
KY 2189 south (Park City-Glasgow Road)
KY 2143 south (Old Happy Valley Road)
Cave City KY 90 (Happy Valley Road) to I-65 to KY 70 Mammoth Cave, Glasgow
KY 70 (Broadway Street / Griderville Road) – Business District, Hiseville
KY 335 north
HartHorse Cave KY 218 (Main Street) to I-65 / US 31E
KY 1846 south
Rowletts KY 335 south
Woodsonville KY 571 south
KY 88 east HardyvilleSouth end of KY 88 overlap
Munfordville KY 357 north (Union Street) Hodgenville
KY 88 west (Center Street) Clarkson, Nolin LakeNorth end of KY 88 overlap
I-65 Nashville, LouisvilleI-65 exit 65
KY 1140 west
KY 2756
Bonnieville KY 728 east to I-65South end of KY 728 overlap
KY 728 westNorth end of KY 728 overlap
LaRueUpton KY 224 east to I-65 HodgenvilleSouth end of KY 224 overlap
LaRueHardin
county line
KY 224 west (Grayson Street) Clarkson, Nolin River, Nolin LakeNorth end of KY 224 overlap
KY 2767 (Murrieltown Road)
Sonora KY 84 to I-65 Sonora, Hodgenville
KY 1517
Hardin KY 1407 north
KY 1136 west
Glendale Junction KY 222 to I-65
Elizabethtown
Western Kentucky Parkway west / US 31W Truck north / KY 61 south to I-65 / Bluegrass Parkway Lexington, Louisville, Nashville, Paducah, Hodgenville
south end of KY 61 overlap
KY 210 east

KY 1136 west (New Glendale Road) to US 31W Byp.
Main Streettraffic circle around Hardin County Courthouse
US 62 / KY 61 north (Mulberry Street)north end of KY 61 overlap
KY 251 north (North Miles Street)
KY 1357 south (St. John Road)
KY 1600 north (Woodland Drive)

US 31W Byp. south to I-65 / Western Kentucky Parkway – thru trucks
KY 3005 (Ring Road)
KY 447 north
KY 2802 south (W.A. Jenkins Road)
Radcliff KY 220 west Rineyville
KY 434 east Lebanon Junction
KY 313 to I-65 Vine Grove, Lebanon Junction
KY 1500 west (Millcreek Road)
KY 144 west (East Vine Street) Vine Grove
KY 1815 south (West Lincoln Trail Boulevard)
North Wilson Roadinterchange
Fort Knox To KY 1646 / Bullion Boulevard Fort KnoxInterchange
Chaffee Avenueinterchange; entrance ramps only
Meade US 60 west Hardinsburg, OwensboroSouth end of US 60 overlap
see US 60
JeffersonLouisville179.2288.4 US 31 north (Second Street / Clark Bridge) / US 31E south / US 60 east (West Market Street)US 31W and US 31E merge to form US 31; north end of US 60 overlap
1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi

Tennessee State Route 41

State Route 41
LocationGoodlettsville-Mitchellville
Length22.96 mi (36.95 km)

State Route 41 (SR 41) runs as a secret, or hidden designation, throughout US 31W’s routing from the US 41 (SR 11) junction in Goodlettsville to the SR 259 junction at the Kentucky state line near Mitchellville.

Special routes

Elizabethtown bypass


U.S. Route 31W Bypass
LocationElizabethtown
Length3.758 mi (6.048 km)

US Route 31W By-Pass is a four-lane expressway in Elizabethtown, Kentucky. It starts at an at-grade intersection with Kentucky Route 1136, bypasses the west side of town and it ends at another at-grade intersection with US Route 31W on the northern side of Elizabethtown. The southern end can be reached via either KY 1136 on the south side, or following the Western KY Parkway from the at-grade intersection with US 31W/KY 61to the interchange after the WK Parkway/I-65 junction.

Major intersections include:

Elizabethtown Truck Route


U.S. Route 31W Truck
LocationElizabethtown, Kentucky
Length4.592 mi (7.390 km)

U.S. Route 31W Truck is a truck route in Elizabethtown. Its component highways include the Wendell H. Ford Western Kentucky Parkway west from the US 31W/KY 61 junction to exit 135, and the final 3.512 miles (5.652 km) of the US 31W Bypass from the WK Parkway exit 135 interchange to US 31W on the north side of town.

West Point Business Route


U.S. Route 31W Business
LocationWest Point, Kentucky
Length1.988 mi (3.199 km)

U.S. Route 31W Business is a business route located in West Point, Kentucky, in northern Hardin County. It is 1.988 miles (3.199 km) long and does not intersect any other highways outside of the main alignment of US 31W (which runs concurrently with US 60 in that area).[8]

See also

References

  1. Commonwealth of Kentucky. "Official DMI Route Log". Retrieved 5 July 2016.
  2. Tennessee Department of Transportation (2000). Nashville City Map (Northeast) (PDF) (Map). Nashville: Tennessee Department of Transportation.
  3. Tennessee Department of Transportation (2000). Sumner County General Highway Map Archived 2016-01-12 at the Wayback Machine (PDF) (Map). Nashville: Tennessee Department of Transportation.
  4. Google (December 24, 2013). "U.S. 31W" (Map). Google Maps. Google. Retrieved December 24, 2013.
  5. Minor, Robyn L. (September 13, 2012). "U.S. 31-W likely dates to ‘Good Roads’ movement in 1920s". Bowling Green Daily News. Retrieved January 2, 2019.
  6. "Heritage Corridor Hwy 31W/31E".
  7. Doyle, Darren (July 6, 2017). "Grand Opening of New I-65 Exit 30 Held Today at KY Transpark". Edmonson Voice. Retrieved July 8, 2017.
  8. "Official DMI Route Log". Kentucky Transportation Cabinet. Retrieved August 26, 2014.


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