U.S. Route 231 (US 231) in Tennessee runs north–south for 121.15 miles (194.97 km), entirely in Middle Tennessee, that starts south of Fayetteville at the Alabama state line, and ends north of Westmoreland at the Kentucky state line. For the majority of its length, between the Alabama state line and Trousdale County, it is concurrent with unsigned State Route 10 (SR 10).
 U.S. Route 231 | ||||||||||
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 US 231 in Tennessee highlighted in red | ||||||||||
| Route information | ||||||||||
| Maintained by TDOT | ||||||||||
| Length | 121.15 mi[1] (194.97 km) | |||||||||
| Major junctions | ||||||||||
| South end |   US 231 / US 431 at the Alabama state line | |||||||||
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| North end |  US 31E / US 231 at the Kentucky state line | |||||||||
| Location | ||||||||||
| Country | United States | |||||||||
| State | Tennessee | |||||||||
| Counties | Lincoln, Moore, Bedford, Rutherford, Wilson, Trousdale, Sumner | |||||||||
| Highway system | ||||||||||
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Route description
editLincoln County
editThe highway begins at the Alabama state line in Lincoln County, just north of Hazel Green, Alabama, where it enters the state concurrent with SR 10 and US 431. They then go north through farmland and countryside and have an intersection with SR 275 before going through Park City (where the highway passes by Fayetteville Municipal Airport) and crossing a ridge into Fayetteville. Once in Fayetteville, they have a Y-intersection with SR 110 before going through a major business and crossing the Elk River to come to an intersection with US 64 Bypass. Here, US 431 continues straight into downtown (along unsigned SR 273) while US 231/SR 10 turns east to follow US 64 Bypass, bypassing downtown along its southside. The highway now curves to the north before coming to an intersection with US 64/SR 15/SR 50, where US 64 Bypass ends and US 231/SR 10 continue north through some farmland, passing through Belleville, before climbing on top of the Highland Rim to cross into Moore County.
Moore and Bedford Counties
editUS 231/SR 10 then intersect and have a short concurrency with SR 129 as it straddles the county line with Lincoln County before crossing into Bedford County. The route then lowers down into the Nashville Basin and goes through more farmland before entering Shelbyville, first going through some suburbs before having a Y-intersection and becoming concurrent with SR 64/SR 130 (Lewis Avenue), crossing the Duck River, and entering downtown. SR 64/SR 130 then separate and turn east along Lane Street at an intersection with SR 82/SR 387 (Lane Parkway), with SR 82 and SR 10 joining US 231 Business along N Cannon Boulevard and Main Street while US 231 and SR 387 bypass downtown along its western side, where it has an intersection with US 41A/SR 16 (Elm Street). The highway comes to an intersection with Main Street, where US 231 Business and SR 387 come to an end while US 231/SR 10/SR 82 rejoin and pass through the northern part of town and some suburbs before having an interchange with SR 437 (Shelbyville Bypass). They also pass by Bomar Field, Shelbyville's airport, before leaving Shelbyville. They then pass just east of Fosterville before SR 82 separates and goes east, while US 231/SR 10 head north through more farmland and eventually cross into Rutherford County.
Rutherford County
editThe highway immediately passes through Fosterville before crossing a ridge to pass through Christiana, where it has a short concurrency with SR 269, before crossing another ridge and entering Murfreesboro. US 231/SR 10 first go through a suburban area with a few businesses, where it crosses the Middle Fork of the Stones River, before having an interchange with I-24 (Exit 81). They then go north through a major business district before having a Y-intersection and becoming concurrent with US 41/US 70S/SR 1/SR 99 and entering downtown. They then pass through downtown before coming to an intersection with SR 96, where SR 99 turns southwest to follow SR 96, US 41/US 70S/SR 1 continue north, and US 231/SR 10 turn northeast to become concurrent with SR 96. They begin passing through suburbs as SR 96 separates and turns east. US 231/SR 10 pass by Murfreesboro Municipal Airport, and have an intersection with SR 268, before passing by the VA hospital and leaving Murfreesboro soon after. The highway then crosses the East Fork of the Stones River to pass through Walterhill, where it has an X-intersection with SR 266, before going through farmland again and crossing into Wilson County.
Wilson County
editUS 231/SR 10 then immediately have an intersection with SR 452 (Bill France Boulevard), which provides access to Nashville Superspeedway and I-840, before passing right through the middle of Cedars of Lebanon State Park. They then immediately have an intersection with SR 265 before passing through more farmland and by a rock quarry before entering Lebanon just south of the I-40 interchange. They then have an interchange I-40 and go through a major business district, paralleling SR 266, before entering downtown and having an intersection with US 70 BUS/SR 24. US 231/SR 10 then continue north through downtown and have an intersection with US 70/SR 26 before going through some suburbs before leaving Lebanon. They then cross over the Cumberland River at Hunter's Point to enter Trousdale County.
Trousdale County
editThey then pass through more farmland until near the small community of Castalian Springs, where they come to an intersection with SR 25. Here, SR 10 becomes signed for the first time as a primary highway and leaves US 231 to go east concurrent with SR 25 while US 231 continues north concurrent with its new companion route, SR 376. US 231/SR 376 head northward to have an intersection with SR 260 before crossing into Sumner County.
Sumner County
editThe highway immediately enters the mountains of the Highland Rim shortly before entering Bransford where SR 376 comes to an end and US 231 becomes concurrent with US 31E/SR 6. US 31E/US 231/SR 6 wind their way through some mountains for a few miles before exiting the Highland Rim to enter Westmoreland and immediately have an intersection with SR 52. The highway bypasses downtown along its east side before leaving Westmoreland and heading north through rural farmland for several mile to the Kentucky state line, where US 231/US 31E cross into that state while SR 6 comes to an end.
History
editIn December 2020, the highway was shut down in the Wilson-Rutherford counties after a box truck had been playing an audio similar to what had been played from an RV before it detonated in Downtown Nashville. In suspicion of another potential bombing, the vehicle was searched for explosives. [2]
Authorities later stated that no explosives were found inside the vehicle. The highway was later reopened. [3]
Junction list
edit| County | Location | mi | km | Destinations | Notes | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama state line | 0.0 | 0.0 |  US 231 south / US 431 south continue into Alabama Begin concurrency with unsigned  SR 10 | |||||
| Lincoln | Park City | 2.3 | 3.7 |   SR 275 east (Lincoln Road) – Flintville | Western terminus of SR 275 | |||
| 4.8 | 7.7 |  Airport Road - Fayetteville Municipal Airport | ||||||
| Fayetteville | 9.2 | 14.8 |   SR 110 west (Ardmore Highway) – Kirkland, Taft, Ardmore | Eastern terminus of SR 110 | ||||
| 10.7 | 17.2 | Bridge over the Elk River | ||||||
| 11.8 | 19.0 |    US 431 north (Main Avenue S/SR 273 west) / US 64 Byp. west (Wilson Parkway/Thornton Taylor Parkway) – Downtown, Petersburg, Lewisburg, Pulaski | Northern end of US 431 concurrency; southern end of US 64 Bypass concurrency; eastern terminus of unsigned SR 273 | |||||
| 12.3 | 19.8 |  US 64 / SR 50 (College Street/Winchester Highway/SR 15) – Pulaski, downtown, Lynchburg, Winchester | Eastern terminus of US 64 Bypass | |||||
| | 25.0 | 40.2 |  SR 129 east (Charity Road) – Lynchburg | Southern end of SR 129 concurrency | ||||
| | 25.4 | 40.9 | SR 129 west (Petersburg-Chestnut Ridge Road) – Petersburg | Northern end of SR 129 concurrency | ||||
| Moore |
No major junctions | |||||||
| Bedford | Shelbyville | 36.03 | 57.98 |   SR 64 west / SR 130 west (Lewis Avenue) – Lewisburg, Petersburg | Southern end of SR 64/SR 130 concurrency | |||
| 36.6 | 58.9 | Bedford Veterans Memorial Bridge over the Duck River | ||||||
| 36.8 | 59.2 |  US 231 Bus. north (N Cannon Boulevard/SR 10 north/Lane Parkway) / SR 64 east / SR 130 east (Lane Parkway) – Downtown, Wartrace, Tullahoma | Southern terminus of US 231 Business and unsigned  SR 387; northern end of SR 64/SR 130 and unsigned SR 10 concurrency; southern end of unsigned SR 387 concurrency | |||||
| 37.5 | 60.4 |  US 41A (Elm Street/SR 16) – Unionville, Eagleville, Tullahoma | ||||||
| 38.4 | 61.8 |  US 231 Bus. south / SR 82 south (N Main Street/SR 10 south) – Downtown, Lynchburg | Northern terminus of US 231 Business and unsigned SR 387; southern end of SR 82 and unsigned SR 10 concurrency | |||||
| 40.4– 40.7 | 65.0– 65.5 |  SR 437 east (Shelbyville Bypass) | Interchange; western terminus of SR 437 | |||||
| 42.9 | 69.0 | Bomar Field (Shelbyville Municipal Airport) main entrance | ||||||
| | 45.8 | 73.7 | SR 82 north (Webb Highway) – Bell Buckle | Northern end of SR 82 concurrency | ||||
| Rutherford | Christiana | 54.4 | 87.5 |  SR 269 east – Christiana, Bell Buckle, Wartrace | Southern end of SR 269 concurrency | |||
| 54.9 | 88.4 | SR 269 west (Walnut Grove Road) – Rockvale, Eagleville | Northern end of SR 269 concurrency | |||||
| Murfreesboro | 61.0 | 98.2 | Thomas Hutchinson Bridge over the Middle Fork of the Stones River | |||||
| 61.4– 61.7 | 98.8– 99.3 |  I-24 – Nashville, Chattanooga | I-24 exit 81 | |||||
| 63.6 | 102.4 |   US 41 south / US 70S east (Broad Street/SR 1 east/SR 99 east) – Manchester, Woodbury, Bradyville | Southern end of US 41/US 70S/SR 1/SR 99 concurrency | |||||
| 64.3 | 103.5 |  US 41 north / US 70S west (Broad Street/SR 1 west) / SR 96 west (Old Fort Parkway/SR 99 west) – Smyrna, Franklin, Eagleville | Northern end of US 41/US 70S/SR 1/SR 99 concurrency; southern end of SR 96 concurrency; interchange | |||||
| 65.3 | 105.1 | SR 96 east (E Clark Boulevard) – Lascassas, Auburntown, Liberty | Northern end of SR 96 concurrency | |||||
| 66.4 | 106.9 | Airport Road - Murfreesboro Municipal Airport | ||||||
| 68.7 | 110.6 |  SR 268 (W Thompson Street/Compton Street) | ||||||
| Walterhill | 70.9– 71.0 | 114.1– 114.3 | Walter Hill Bridge over the East Fork of the Stones River | |||||
| 71.5 | 115.1 |  SR 266 (Jefferson Pike) – Smyrna, Lascassas | ||||||
| Wilson | | 76.7 | 123.4 |    SR 452 west (Bill France Boulevard) to I-840 – Nashville Superspeedway | Western terminus of SR 452 | |||
| Cedars of Lebanon State Park | 81.8 | 131.6 | Cedar Forest Road - Cedars of Lebanon State Park | Access road into park | ||||
| 82.4 | 132.6 |  SR 265 (Central Pike/Chicken Road) – Hermitage, Watertown | ||||||
| Lebanon | 88.3– 88.4 | 142.1– 142.3 |  I-40 – Nashville, Knoxville | I-40 exit 238 | ||||
| 90.1 | 145.0 |  US 70 Bus. (Main Street/SR 24) | Roundabout | |||||
| 90.4 | 145.5 | US 70 (High Street/SR 26) – Watertown, Mount Juliet | ||||||
| Wilson–Trousdale county line | | 96.7– 96.9 | 155.6– 155.9 | Nathan J Harsh Bridge over the Cumberland River | ||||
| Trousdale | | 103.1 | 165.9 |  SR 10 north / SR 25 (Hartsville Pike) – Gallatin, Hartsville | Northern end of unsigned SR 10 concurrency; southern terminus of unsigned  SR 376; southern end of unsigned SR 376 concurrency | |||
| | 107.4 | 172.8 |  SR 260 east (Browning Branch Road) | Western terminus of SR 260 | ||||
| Sumner | Bransford | 110.9 | 178.5 | US 31E south (SR 6 south) – Gallatin, Bethpage | Southern end of US 31E/SR 6 concurrency; northern terminus of unsigned SR 376 | |||
| Westmoreland | 115.4 | 185.7 |     SR 52 to SR 109 / I-65 – Portland, Lafayette | |||||
| Kentucky state line | 121.15 | 194.97 | US 231 north / US 31E north continue into Kentucky End concurrency with unsigned  SR 6 | |||||
1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi
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Related routes
editState Route 376
edit State Route 376 | |
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| Location | Paynes Store-Bransford, Tennessee |
| Length | 7.9 mi (12.7 km) |
| Existed | July 1, 1983[4]–present |
State Route 376 (SR 376) runs as a secret, or hidden designation on US 231 from its SR 25/SR 10 junction in Trousdale County to the US 31E (SR 6) junction in Bransford. Previously signed as State Route 10A (SR 10A), SR 376 was designated in 1983 as part of the 1983 Tennessee state highway renumbering.
State Route 387
edit State Route 387 | |
|---|---|
| Location | Shelbyville, Tennessee |
| Length | 1.53 mi (2.46 km) |
| Existed | July 1, 1983[4]–present |
State Route 387 (SR 387) is the unsigned designation for US 231’s bypass of downtown Shelbyville (Lane Parkway/Colloredo Boulevard), with original route through downtown being signed as US 231 Business and SR 82 (N Cannon Boulevard/Main Street/unsigned SR 10).
References
edit- ^ "Overview Map of US 231 in Tennessee" (Map). Google Maps. Retrieved December 20, 2015.
- ^ "Highway 231 in Wilson County shut down over suspicious vehicle". tennessean.com. The Tennessean. December 27, 2020. Retrieved December 27, 2020.
- ^ "Update: No 'device' found after suspicious vehicle shuts down Highway 231 in Wilson County". tennessean.com. The Tennessean. December 27, 2020. Retrieved December 27, 2020.
- ^ a b "The Road To 100 Years" (PDF). Tennessee Road Builder. Vol. 17, no. 5. September 2014. p. 22. Retrieved April 6, 2019.
