U.S. Route 641 Explained

Country:USA
Type:US
Route:641
Map Custom:yes
Map Notes:US 641 highlighted in red
Length Mi:165.45
Direction A:South
Terminus A: near Clifton, TN
Junction:
Direction B:North
Terminus B: at Marion, KY
States:Tennessee, Kentucky
Counties:TN: Wayne, Hardin, Decatur, Benton, Henry
KY: Calloway, Marshall, Livingston, Lyon, Caldwell, Crittenden
Spur Of:41
Spur Type:US

U.S. Route 641 (US 641) is a U.S. Route in Tennessee and Kentucky. It runs for 165.45miles from US 64 south of Clifton, Tennessee to an intersection with US 60 in Marion, Kentucky. While it is considered a spur route of U.S. Route 41, the two routes no longer connect.

Route description

Tennessee

US 641 begins at an intersection with US 64 south of Clifton. North of that city, it runs concurrently with SR 69.[1] US 641 intersects US 412 in Parsons, I-40 near Holladay, and US 70 in Camden.[2] In Paris, US 641 intersects US 79; it also separates from SR 69 and begins a concurrency with SR 54 that it maintains until the Kentucky state line.[3]

Kentucky

US 641 enters Kentucky at Hazel and continues north to Murray, intersecting KY 80 just north of the city limit.[4] Near Benton, a spur route (Spur US 641) provides access to I-69 (the Purchase Parkway) while the main route travels through the city.[5] US 641 has a concurrency with US 62 beginning near Calvert City; the routes cross I-24 / I-69 before separating in Eddyville.[6] [7] The route intersects KY 70 in Fredonia.[8] The US 641 designation ends at US 60 in Marion.[9]

History

U.S. Route 641 was designated by AASHO in 1951 out of a desire on the part of Indiana, Kentucky and Tennessee highway officials to create a single numbered route to connect Memphis, Tennessee to Evansville, Indiana via the popular tourist attraction Kentucky Dam. In 1968, the 4.9-mile Indiana portion of its route was relinquished. Indiana highway officials, in their request to decommission the route, advised that 641 "serves no useful purpose" and had, indeed, not been marked in Evansville for "a number of years."

Its northern section from Marion to Henderson, Kentucky, which was concurrent with U.S. Route 60, was eliminated and its northern terminus has since remained Marion. In 1977, US 641 was extended southward along the path of Tennessee State Route 69 to its interchange with I-40 (Exit 126) near Holladay, Tennessee with SR 69 continuing south beyond the interchange.

In November 2014, the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials approved a southern extension of the US 641 designation along SR 69 and SR 114, from the former southern terminus at I-40 to the current end at US 64 in Wayne County.

Major intersections

The mileposts listed in the following table is only an estimated calculation. Actual mile markers may vary.

Special routes

Two special routes of U.S. Route 641 currently exist, and a third has existed in the past, all of which have been in Kentucky.

Murray business loop

State:KY
Type:US-Bus
Route:641
Location:Murray
Length Round:3

US Route 641 Business is a business route of US Route 641 located mainly along the east side of Murray, Kentucky, in Calloway County. It follows Kentucky Route 121 east from US 641 along Glendale Road until KY 121 turns south along South Fourth Street, where US BUS 641 turns north. The route makes a sharp left turn at Chestnut Street and heads west before finally terminating at US 641.

Benton spur route

State:KY
Type:US-Spur
Route:641
Location:Benton
Length Mi:3.25
Length Round:3

US Route 641 Spur is a spur route of US Route 641 located on the south side of Benton, Kentucky, in Marshall County in western Kentucky's Jackson Purchase region. It begins at a junction with US 641 south of Benton, and ends at the Exit 41 interchange with Interstate 69 (formerly the Julian M. Carroll Purchase Parkway).

Benton truck route

State:KY
Type:US-Truck
Route:641
Location:Benton
Formed:?
Deleted:1990s

External links

Notes and References

  1. General Highway Map: Decatur County, Tennessee . 1998 . . Planning Division . 20 . November 11, 2012 .
  2. General Highway Map: Benton County, Tennessee . 1996 . Tennessee Department of Transportation . Planning Division . 3 . November 11, 2012 .
  3. General Highway Map: Henry County, Tennessee . 2002 . Tennessee Department of Transportation . Planning Division . 40 . November 11, 2012 .
  4. State Primary Road System: Calloway County . January 2012 . . Division of Planning . 18 . November 11, 2012 .
  5. State Primary Road System: Marshall County . February 2012 . Kentucky Transportation Cabinet . Division of Planning . 79 . November 11, 2012 .
  6. State Primary Road System: Livingston County . March 2011 . Kentucky Transportation Cabinet . Division of Planning . 70 . November 11, 2012 .
  7. State Primary Road System: Lyon County . March 2011 . Kentucky Transportation Cabinet . Division of Planning . 72 . November 11, 2012 .
  8. State Primary Road System: Caldwell County . May 2011 . Kentucky Transportation Cabinet . Division of Planning . 17 . November 11, 2012 .
  9. State Primary Road System: Crittenden County . January 2011 . Kentucky Transportation Cabinet . Division of Planning . 28 . November 11, 2012 .