U.S. Route 23 in Tennessee

This article is about the section of U.S. Route 23 in Tennessee. For the entire route, see U.S. Route 23.

U.S. Route 23 marker

U.S. Route 23

James H. Quillen Parkway

Route information

Maintained by TDOT

Length:

57.5 mi^[1] (92.5 km)

Existed:

1930 – present

Major junctions

South end:

I‑26 / US 23 at the NC line

North end:

US 23 at the VA line

Location

Counties:

Unicoi, Carter, Washington, Sullivan

Highway system

United States Numbered Highway System

Tennessee State Routes

←

SR 22

SR 23

→

U.S. Route 23 (US 23) is a part of the U.S. Highway System that runs from Jacksonville, Florida to Mackinaw City, Michigan. In Tennessee, the U.S. Highway runs 57.5 miles (92.5 km) from the North Carolina state line, at Sam's Gap, north to the Virginia state line, in Kingsport. With a predominant concurrency with Interstate 26, US 23 is a divided four-lane freeway that follows Corridor B of the Appalachian Development Highway System and serves as a major thoroughfare in the Tri-Cities. The entire route of US 23 in Tennessee is an interstate grade freeway.

Route description

US 23, in concurrency with I-26, enters Unicoi County at Sam's Gap (el. 3,799 ft (1,158 m)) and travels north along Stamp Ridge. Immediately after crossing the state line is a truck information station, signed "Truck Inspection," which requires all trucks to go through before continuing. The following 3 miles (4.8 km) is a 6% grade descent, accompanied with two runaway truck ramp, into the South Indian Creek valley. Between mile markers 47-48 is a scenic overlook turnoff (northbound US 23/westbound I-26 only), followed by the I-26 Erwin/Unicoi County Welcome Center, located on Clear Branch Road exit. At Temple Hill, US 19W, traveling from Burnsville, joins in concurrency.

After crossing the Nolichucky River, US 23 travels along the eastern foot of Buffalo Mountain as it goes through the towns Erwin and Unicoi. Entering first in Carter County, US 23 enters Johnson City at the Okolona Road exit. Crossing soon afterwards into Washington County, US 23 connects with US 321/SR 67, which goes to Elizabethton. At the Roan Street exit, US 19W splits and join US 11E, continuing towards Bluff City. Passing through Indian Ridge, US 23 leaves Johnson City proper, continuing northwesterly into Sullivan County.

After crossing the county and also entering Kingsport city limits, US 23 connects with I-81, in a cloverleaf interchange. At mile marker five is the I-26 Kingsport/Sullivan County Welcome Center, which is accessible at both directions. Staying west of downtown Kingsport, US 23 cuts through Bays Mountain and then crosses the south fork of the Holston River. At the US 11W (West Stone Drive) exit is the western terminus of I-26. With hidden concurrency with SR 137, US 23 continues north into Virginia, at Long Ridge, continuing towards Gate City.

Interstate 26

Interstate 26
Location:	NC state line–Kingsport, TN
Length:	54.4 mi^[2] (87.5 km)
Existed:	2003–present

Interstate 26 (I-26) overlaps with US 23 from the North Carolina state line to US 11W (West Stone Drive) interchange in Kingsport. Established in August, 2003, it replaced I-181 south of I-81 and displace SR 36 and SR 81. In March, 2007, I-26 was extended north of I-81 to its current western terminus at US 11W, decommissioning I-181 completely, as all signs and exit numbers were changed-over to I-26's designation.

Tennessee State Route 137

State Route 137
Location:	Kingsport, TN–VA state line
Length:	3.0 mi^[3] (4.8 km)
Existed:	1970–present

Tennessee State Route 137 (SR 137) is a hidden concurrency that overlaps with US 23 between the US 11W (West Stone Drive) interchange and the Virginia state line, all within Kingsport. Established in 1970 as a four-lane divided freeway, it traversed between SR 354, in Johnson City and SR 93, in Kingsport. SR 137 then expanded in phases: In 1973, extended south to US 11E/US 19W; in 1976, extended south to SR 91; in 1978, extended south to US 321; by 1980, extended north to US 11W; and in 1985, extended north to the Virginia state line and south to Erwin. In December, 1985, I-181 was established, truncating SR 137 to its current routing today.

History

US 23 was established in 1930 with a complete concurrency with SR 36, from the North Carolina state line to the Virginia state line; going through Erwin, Unicoi, Johnson City and Kingsport.^[4] In 1952, US 23 was rerouted southwest of Ernestville, along SR 81 through Flag Pond and Sam's Gap into North Carolina; its old alignment remained part of US 19W/SR 36.

In 1970, The first segment of a four-lane freeway, designated SR 137, was opened between Johnson City and Kingsport. Over the following decade, SR 137 continued being extended at both ends until in 1982, when AASHTO approved US 23 relocation onto the freeway, leaving behind its old alignment to SR 36 north of Johnson City to near the Virginia state line.^[5] In December, 1985, I-181 was established, truncated SR 137 north of US 11W, while SR 36 replaced as new concurrency south of US 11E; all signs and exit numbers were based on US 23 designation.^[6] In 1988, AASHTO approved an extension of I-26 from North Carolina to I-81, on contingent upon the completion and certification of interstate standards in North Carolina, which happened in August, 2003.^[7] Following the new designation, both SR 36 and SR 81 was removed of their overlaps with US 23. In March, 2007, the remaining spur of I-181, from I-81 to US 11W, was switched to I-26.

Interstate 181

Interstate 181
Location:	Johnson City–Kingsport, TN
Length:	23.85 mi^[8] (38.38 km)
Existed:	1985–2007

Interstate 181 (I-181) was established in December 1985 as an interstate designation of US 23, which was already built to interstate standards in the 1970s. I-181 traversed from US 321/SR 67, in Johnson City, to US 11W/SR 1, in Kingsport, totaling 23.85 miles (38.38 km). US 23 continued on both directions as interstate grade to the Virginia line, to the north, and 15 miles (24 km) south to Erwin; by 1992, US 23 was upgraded to interstate grade south to Sam's Gap, at the North Carolina line. All exit numbers were based on US 23 mileage. On August 5, 2003, after completion of a 9-mile (14 km) section completed in North Carolina, I-26 was extended west into Tennessee, replacing I-181 from Johnson City to I-81; north of I-81, I-181 continued into Kingsport. The American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) initially ruled against an extension of Interstate 26 (as the number) along the remainder of I-181 to Kingsport, since that would give a main route Interstate Highway (I-26) a so-called "stub end," not connecting to any other Interstate highway, to an international border, or to a seacoast. The numerical extension was in 2005 enacted by the effect of the Safe, Accountable, Flexible, Efficient Transportation Equity Act: A Legacy for Users (SAFETEA-LU), signed into law on August 10, 2005. In March 2007, I-181 was officially decommissioned, as all signs and exit numbers were changed-over to I-26's designation.^[9]^[10]^[11]

Exit list

Older exit numbers were based on US 23 distances; new exit numbers are based on I-26 milemarkers.

County	Location	mi^[1]^[2]	km	Old exit	New exit	Destinations	Notes
Unicoi	State line	54.4	87.5			I‑26 east / US 23 south – Asheville	Continuation into North Carolina; crosses through Sam's Gap
		49.9	80.3	5	50	Flag Pond Road – Flag Pond
		46.3	74.5	9	46	Clear Branch Road	Welcome Center
	Temple Hill	43.5	70.0	12	43	US 19W south (Temple Hill Road, SR 36) to SR 352	South end of US 19W overlap
	Erwin	39.8	64.1	15	40	Jackson-Love Highway – Erwin
		37.2	59.9	18	37	SR 81 north / SR 107 – Erwin, Jonesborough, Greeneville	Southern terminus of SR 81
		35.7	57.5	19	36	Harris Hollow Road To SR 107 (North Main Ave) – Erwin
	Unicoi	33.7	54.2	21	34	Tinker Road – Unicoi
	Unicoi	31.8	51.2	23	32	SR 173 east (Unicoi Road) – Unicoi
Carter	Johnson City	37.0	59.5	28	27	SR 359 north (Okolona Road) – Milligan College, Unicoi
Washington		23.8	38.3	31	24	US 321 / SR 67 – Elizabethton
		23.0	37.0	32	23	SR 91 (Market Street, Main Street)
		22.3	35.9	33	22	SR 400 (Unaka Avenue, Watauga Avenue)
		20.2	32.5	35	20	US 11E / US 19W north (North Roan Street, SR 34)	North end of US 19W overlap; signed as exits 20A (south) and 20B (north) westbound
		19.0	30.6	36	19	SR 381 (North State of Franklin Road) – Bristol
		16.7	26.9	38	17	SR 354 (Boones Creek Road) – Jonesborough
	Gray	13.1	21.1	42	13	SR 75 (Suncrest Drive, Bobby Hicks Highway) – Gray
Sullivan	Kingsport	9.9	15.9	45	10	Eastern Star Road
		8.5	13.7	46	8	I-81 – Knoxville, Bristol	Signed as exits 8A (south) and 8B (north)
		6.3	10.1	49	6	SR 347 (Rock Springs Road)
		4.0	6.4	51	4	SR 93 (John B. Dennis Highway) to SR 126 (Wilcox Drive)	Signed as exits 4A (south) and 4B (north) eastbound
		3.5	5.6	52	3	Meadowview Parkway
		0.0	0.0	55	1	I-26 end / US 11W (West Stone Drive, SR 1)	West end of I-26; south end of SR 137
		57.3	92.2	57		SR 36 south (Lynn Garden Drive) / SR 346 south (West Carters Valley Road)	Westbound exit and eastbound entrance
	State line	57.5	92.5			US 23 north – Gate City	Continuation into Virginia
1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi Concurrency terminus

References

1 2 Google (November 11, 2015). "U.S. Route 23 in Tennessee" (Map). Google Maps. Google. Retrieved November 11, 2015.
1 2 Google (November 11, 2015). "Interstate 26 in Tennessee" (Map). Google Maps. Google. Retrieved November 11, 2015.
↑ Google (November 11, 2015). "Tennessee State Route 137" (Map). Google Maps. Google. Retrieved November 11, 2015.
↑ Shell Highway Map of Kentucky Tennessee (PDF) (Map). Cartography Associates, David Rumsey Collection. 1956. Retrieved November 11, 2015.
↑ Special Committee on U.S. Route Numbering (June 28, 1982). "Route Numbering Committee Agenda" (PDF) (Report). Portsmouth, NH: American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials. p. 5. Retrieved November 11, 2015 – via Wikimedia Commons.
↑ Special Committee on U.S. Route Numbering (June 9, 1986). "Route Numbering Committee Agenda" (PDF) (Report). State College, PA: American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials. p. 2. Retrieved November 11, 2015 – via Wikimedia Commons.
↑ Special Committee on U.S. Route Numbering (June 7, 1988). "Route Numbering Committee Agenda" (PDF) (Report). Grand Teton National Park, WY: American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials. p. 4. Retrieved November 11, 2015 – via Wikimedia Commons.
↑ Google (December 2, 2013). "Interstate 181 (Tennessee)" (Map). Google Maps. Google. Retrieved December 2, 2013.
↑ Allen, Calvin (July 16, 2003). "The Political History of I-26". Mountain Xpress. Asheville, NC. Retrieved December 2, 2013.
↑ Behrens, Mike (May 31, 2003). "Report of the Special Committee on U.S. Route Numbering to the Standing Committee on Highways" (PDF) (Report). Lexington, KY: American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials. p. 11. Retrieved December 2, 2013.
↑ Special Committee on U.S. Route Numbering (May 6, 2006). "Special Committee on U.S. Route Numbering Approved Applications" (Report). Jekyll Island, GA: American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials. p. 1. Retrieved December 2, 2013.

External links

Media related to U.S. Route 23 at Wikimedia Commons
Media related to Interstate 26 in Tennessee at Wikimedia Commons
Media related to Tennessee State Route 137 at Wikimedia Commons

U.S. Route 23
Previous state: North Carolina	Tennessee	Next state: Virginia

Interstate 26
Previous state: Terminus	Tennessee	Next state: North Carolina

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