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U.S. Route 31W

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U.S. Route 31W marker
U.S. Route 31W
Map
US 31W highlighted in red
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
Major intersections
North end US 31 / US 31E / US 60 in Louisville, KY
Location
CountryUnited States
StatesTennessee, Kentucky
CountiesTN: Davidson, Sumner, Robertson
KY: Simpson, Warren, Edmonson, Barren, Hart, LaRue, Hardin, Meade, Jefferson
Highway system
  • Kentucky State Highway System
← US 31EKY→ KY 32
← US 31ETN→ US 31A
← US 41A→ US 43

U.S. Route 31W (US 31W) is the westernmost of two parallel routes for U.S. Route 31 from Nashville, Tennessee to Louisville, Kentucky.

Tennessee State Route 41 (SR 41) is its unsigned companion route in Tennessee.

During the December 2021 tornado outbreak, an EF3 tornado devastated stretches of US 31W in Bowling Green, Kentucky.[4][5]

Route description

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Tennessee

[edit]

US 31W begins in Nashville, at an interchange with Ellington Parkway and US 31 and 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. US 431 turns onto Trinity Lane, while US 31W, US 41 and SR 11 continue north, away from I-24. The roadway has an interchange with I-65 and SR 155 (Briley Parkway) before an intersection with SR 45 in Bellshire Terrace. The highway passes through Goodlettsville, where US 31W splits from US 41/SR 11, and crosses I-65; it also passes through the cities of Millersville, White House, and the western edge of Portland. Before it enters Kentucky, it junctions the recently rerouted SR 109.[6] From Millersville to the Kentucky state line, US 31W/SR 41 also marks the boundary between Robertson and Sumner Counties.

Kentucky

[edit]

The highway enters the state of Kentucky and crosses I-65 for a third time, where it passes through Franklin and intersects KY 100. From here, the highway is known as Bowling Green Road, which becomes Nashville Road once it enters Warren County, and passes through fields, as well as giving access to the towns of Woodburn and Rich Pond. Entering the city of Bowling Green, the route intersects Interstate 165 (I-165, formerly the William H. Natcher Parkway) as well as US 231 as the route bypasses 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 just east of Bristow. US 31W passes within 0.5 miles (0.80 km) of 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 in the southern outskirts, and then KY 70 in downtown.[6]

Once it enters Hart County going north, US 31W is locally known as Dixie Highway for the remainder of its course. In the city of Horse Cave, US 31W intersects KY 218; and 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 and final time. The route continues 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's southwestern suburbs. 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 on the George Rogers Clark Memorial Bridge.[6]

History

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Most of US 31W's current 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.[7] Until 1926, the route in Tennessee from US 41E to the Kentucky state line was signed as State Route 79 (SR 79); it was resigned as SR 41 until the US 31W designation was established in 1931, but the SR 41 remaining as an unsigned, hidden route.[8] The route from the state line northward to US 68 in Bowling Green was signed as Kentucky Route 73 from 1929 until 1931, when the US 31W designation was established.

US 31W in Indiana

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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

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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.[9]

Major intersections

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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 South 5th Street/Main Street / I-24		Interchange; 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-24 / I-65Module:Jct error: Invalid "to" argument		North 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 – Ridgetop		Eastern terminus of SR 257
Sumner–Robertson
county line		White House22.636.4
 SR 258 (Raymond Hirsch Parkway) to I-65 – Hendersonville
23.337.5

 SR 76 west to I-65 – Springfield		South end of SR 76 overlap
23.537.8
 SR 76 east (Portland Road) – New Deal, Portland		North end of SR 76 overlap
Cross Plains27.544.3
 SR 25 (Main Street) to I-65 – Cross Plains, Springfield, Gallatin
Portland–Orlinda 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 – Mitchellville		Western terminus of SR 259
Tennessee–Kentucky 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-65		South 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, Scottsville		Former 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 north (Old Louisville Road)
Module:Jctint/USA warning: Unused argument(s): note




 US 68 west / KY 80 west (Kentucky Street) to I-65 south		South end of US 68 / KY 80 overlap

 KY 3225 south (Old Louisville Road)		Eastern terminus of KY 3225


 KY 1402 east (Porter Pike) to Plum Springs Loop / KY 957		Western terminus of KY 1402

 To I-65 (via KY 446 east) – Louisville, Nashville, Corvette Museum		Interchange; western terminus of KY 446

 KY 957 north		Southern terminus of KY 957
​

 KY 526 west to KY 1320		Eastern terminus of KY 526
​

 US 68 east / KY 80 east		North end of US 68/KY 80 concurrency
​

 KY 3145 south to I-65		Northern terminus of KY 3145; intersection opened July 2017.[10]
​
 KY 743 north		Southern terminus of KY 743
Tuckertown
 KY 2326 north (Otter Gap Road)		Southern terminus of KY 2326
​
 KY 101 north – Brownsville		South end of KY 101 concurrency
​
 KY 101 south – Smiths Grove		North end of KY 101 concurrency
Edmonson​
 KY 422 north		Southern terminus of KY 422
​ KY 259
BarrenPark City
 KY 255 south		South end of KY 255 concurrency


 Mammoth Cave Parkway / KY 255 north to I-65 – Mammoth Cave, Brownsville		Southern terminus of Mammoth Cave Parkway; northern end of KY 255 concurrency
​
 KY 2189 south (Park City-Glasgow Road)		Northern terminus of KY 2189
​
 KY 2143 south (Old Happy Valley Road)		Former KY 90; northern terminus of KY 2143
Cave City

 KY 90 (Happy Valley Road) to I-65 / KY 70 – Mammoth Cave, Glasgow
KY 70 (Broadway Street) – Business District, Hiseville

 KY 335 north (Old Dixie Highway)		Southern terminus of KY 335
HartHorse Cave

 KY 218 (Main Street) to I-65 / US 31E
​
 KY 1846 south (Short Cut Road)		Northern terminus of KY 1846
Rowletts
 KY 335 south (L&N Turnpike Road)		Northern terminus of KY 335
Woodsonville
 KY 571 south (Lonoke Road)		Northern terminus of KY 571

 KY 88 east – Hardyville		South end of KY 88 concurrency
Munfordville
 KY 357 north (Union Street) – Hodgenville		Southern terminus of KY 357

 KY 88 west (Center Street) – Clarkson, Nolin Lake		North end of KY 88 concurrency
I-65 – Nashville, LouisvilleI-65 exit 65

 KY 1140 west		Southern/eastern terminus of KY 1140
​
 KY 2756 east		Western terminus of KY 2756
Bonnieville

 KY 728 east to I-65		South end of KY 728 concurrency

 KY 728 west		North end of KY 728 concurrency
LaRueUpton

 KY 224 east to I-65 – Hodgenville		South end of KY 224 concurrency
LaRue–Hardin
county line
 KY 224 west (Grayson Street) – Clarkson, Nolin River, Nolin Lake		North end of KY 224 concurrency
​
 KY 2767 north (Murrieltown Road)		Southern terminus of KY 2767
Sonora
 KY 84 to I-65 – Sonora, Hodgenville
​
 KY 1517 south		Northern terminus of KY 1517
Hardin​
 KY 1407 north		Southern terminus of KY 1407
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		Southern end of KY 61 concurrency

 KY 210 east		Western terminus of KY 210



 KY 1136 west (New Glendale Road) to US 31W Byp.		Northern/eastern terminus of KY 1136
Main Streettraffic circle around Hardin County Courthouse

 US 62 / KY 61 north (Mulberry Street)		Northern end of KY 61 concurrency

 KY 251 north (North Miles Street)		Southern terminus of KY 251

 KY 1357 west (St. John Road)		Eastern terminus of KY 1357

 KY 361 north (Cardinal Drive)		Southern terminus of KY 361




 US 31W Byp. south to I-65 / Western Kentucky Parkway – thru trucks		Northern terminus of US 31W Bypass
KY 3005 (Ring Road)

 KY 447 north		Southern terminus of KY 447

 KY 2802 south (W.A. Jenkins Road)		Northern terminus of KY 2802
Radcliff
 KY 220 west – Rineyville		Eastern terminus of KY 220

 KY 434 east – Lebanon Junction		Western terminus of KY 434

 KY 313 to I-65 – Vine Grove, Lebanon Junction

 KY 1500 west (Millcreek Road)
Module:Jctint/USA warning: Unused argument(s): motes

 KY 144 west (East Vine Street) – Vine Grove		Eastern terminus of KY 144

 KY 1815 south (West Lincoln Trail Boulevard)		Northern terminus of KY 1815
North Wilson Roadinterchange
Fort Knox
 To KY 1646 / Bullion Boulevard – Fort Knox		Interchange
Chaffee Avenueinterchange; entrance ramps only
Meade
 US 60 west – Hardinsburg, Owensboro		South end of US 60 concurrency
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 concurrency
1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi

Tennessee State Route 41

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State Route 41 marker State Route 41 marker
State Route 41
LocationGoodlettsville–Mitchellville
Length22.96 mi (36.95 km)
ExistedOctober 1, 1923[11]–present

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

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Bowling Green bypass

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LocationBowling Green
Existed1950s–1980s

From the 1950s to the 1980s, a bypass route of US 31W ran around Bowling Green, Kentucky. It was replaced by rerouting US 31W onto the bypass.[12][13]

Elizabethtown bypass

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By-pass plate.svg
U.S. Route 31W Bypass marker
U.S. Route 31W Bypass
LocationElizabethtown
Length3.758 mi (6.048 km)

U.S. 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 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 Kentucky 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

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Truck plate.svg
U.S. Route 31W Truck marker
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

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Business plate.svg
U.S. Route 31W Business marker
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).[14]

See also

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References

[edit]
  1. ^ Commonwealth of Kentucky. "Official DMI Route Log". Retrieved 5 July 2016.
  2. ^ Tennessee Department of Transportation (2000). Nashville City Map (Northeast)[permanent dead link] (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. ^ Moriarty, Dylan; Berkowitz, Bonnie; Levitt, Zach; Karklis, Laris. "Deadly path: How tornadoes ripped through states". Washington Post. Retrieved 2021-12-13.
  5. ^ "Images of Tornado Damage 31W Bypass in Bowling Green". News 40 | WNKY Television. 2021-12-12. Retrieved 2021-12-13.
  6. ^ a b c "U.S. 31W" (Map). Google Maps. Retrieved December 24, 2013.
  7. ^ 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.
  8. ^ "Highway map of Tennessee showing the construction progress during 8 year period 1918-1926, on federal and state aid roads".
  9. ^ "Heritage Corridor Hwy 31W/31E".
  10. ^ Doyle, Darren (July 6, 2017). "Grand Opening of New I-65 Exit 30 Held Today at KY Transpark". Edmonson Voice. Retrieved July 8, 2017.
  11. ^ Highway Planning Survey Division (1925). Biennial Report of the Commissioner of the Department of Highways and Public Works State of Tennessee for the Years 1923 and 1924 (PDF) (Report). Nashville: Tennessee Department of Highways and Public Works. pp. 39–44. Retrieved May 19, 2023.
  12. ^ United States Geological Survey (1956). Bowling Green South, Kentucky (Map). 1/24000.
  13. ^ United States Geological Survey (1993). Bowling Green South, Kentucky (Map).
  14. ^ "Official DMI Route Log". Kentucky Transportation Cabinet. Retrieved August 26, 2014.
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Media related to U.S. Route 31W at Wikimedia Commons

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