# U.S. Route 23 in Kentucky

U.S. Route 23 (US 23) is a 157.765-mile-long (253.898 km) United States Numbered Highway in the state of Kentucky. It travels from the Virginia state line near Jenkins to the Ohio state line west of South Shore via Jenkins, Pikeville, Coal Run Village, Prestonsburg, Paintsville, Louisa, Catlettsburg, Ashland, Russell, Flatwoods, Raceland, Wurtland, Greenup, and South Shore.

## Route description

US 23 enters Kentucky at the Virginia state line southeast of Jenkins. After a little over a mile (1.6 km), it intersects US 119 at a partial interchange on the Jenkins city line, and US 119 runs concurrently with US 23. The highway then head in a northeasterly direction, bypassing Jenkins. The two then meet US 460 at another partial interchange along the Levisa Fork in extreme southern Pikeville, and US 460 also joins the concurrency. The highway bypasses Pikeville along the Pikeville Cut-Through before US 119 splits off to the east. US 23/US 460 begins running northeast through Coal Run Village and around both Prestonsburg and Paintsville, where US 460 splits off to the west northwest of Paintsville. US 23 then begins running northeastward, before easing into a northerly direction, bypassing Louisa, after which it begins paralleling the Big Sandy River. The route intersects Interstate 64 next to the Catlettsburg Refinery before entering the town of Catlettsburg, where it begins a concurrency with US 60. The highway continues north before curving to the northwest to enter Ashland, where US 60 splits off. After Ashland, US 23 continues to run northwestward, paralleling the Ohio River and running through or around the towns of Russell, Flatwoods, Raceland, Wurtland, and Greenup. After Greenup, it switches to a more northward direction in parallel with the Ohio River before making a sharp change to the west, after which it enters South Shore. Just west of South Shore, US 23 meets the eastern terminus of the eastern segment of Kentucky Route 8, where it turns north and crosses into Portsmouth, Ohio, via the U.S. Grant Bridge across the Ohio River.

## Major intersections

| County | Location | mi | km | Exit | Destinations | Notes |
| Pound Gap | Pound Gap | 0.000 | 0.000 | | US 23 south – Pound, Norton | Continuation into Virginia |
| Kentucky–Virginia line ||
| Letcher | Jenkins | 1.142– 1.285 | 1.838– 2.068 | | US 119 south – Whitesburg, Harlan | Partial interchange; southern end of US 119 concurrency |
| Letcher | Jenkins | 1.500 | 2.414 | | KY 3086 east (C&O Railroad Road) | Western terminus of KY 3086 |
| Letcher | Jenkins | 2.460 | 3.959 | | To KY 805 – Jenkins, Fleming-Neon | Interchange via connector road and northbound entrance ramp |
| Pike | ​ | 10.663 | 17.160 | | KY 3527 north | Southern terminus of KY 3527 |
| Pike | Dorton | 11.655 | 18.757 | | KY 805 west | Eastern terminus of KY 805 |
| Pike | ​ | 15.291 | 24.608 | | KY 611 south | Northern terminus of KY 611 |
| Pike | ​ | 19.111 | 30.756 | | KY 1469 west (Penny Highway) | Eastern terminus of KY 1469 |
| Pike | ​ | 21.187 | 34.097 | | KY 2167 south | Northern terminus of KY 2167 |
| Pike | ​ | 22.503 | 36.215 | 15 | KY 3174 east | Interchange; western terminus of KY 3174; Future rerouting of US 460 east; Corridor Q |
| Pike | Pikeville | 26.104– 26.374 | 42.010– 42.445 | | US 460 east (Shelbiana Road) / KY 80 east | Interchange; southern end of US 460/KY 80 concurrency |
| Pike | Pikeville | 30.260 | 48.699 | | KY 1426 west (Island Creek Road) | Southern end of KY 1426 concurrency |
| Pike | Pikeville | 30.382 | 48.895 | | KY 3496 north | At-grade intersection; south end of freeway; southern terminus of KY 3496 |
| Pike | Pikeville | 30.897 | 49.724 | 23 | KY 1426 east (Hambley Boulevard) – Downtown Pikeville | Interchange; northern end of KY 1426 concurrency |
| Pike | Pikeville | 31.665 | 50.960 | 24 | KY 1384 – Pikeville | North end of freeway |
| Pike | Pikeville | 32.144 | 51.731 | | KY 1460 south | Partial interchange includes northbound entrance ramp |
| Pike | Pikeville | 32.928 | 52.992 | | KY 3495 south | Northern terminus of KY 3495 |
| Pike | Pikeville | 33.610 | 54.090 | | US 119 north / Cassidy Boulevard – Meta, Williamson WV | Northern end of US 119 concurrency |
| Pike | ​ | 34.697 | 55.839 | | KY 3227 east (Stone Coal Road) | Western terminus of KY 3227 |
| Pike | ​ | 36.783 | 59.197 | | KY 2061 north (Cowpen Road) | Southern terminus of KY 2061 |
| Pike | ​ | 38.922 | 62.639 | | KY 3218 east (Senator Kelsey E Friend Boulevard) | Western terminus of KY 3218 |
| Pike | ​ | 40.125 | 64.575 | | KY 1384 east (Hurricane Road) | Western terminus of KY 1384 |
| Floyd | Harold | 41.016 | 66.009 | | KY 680 west to KY 979 south | Eastern terminus of KY 680 |
| Floyd | ​ | 42.570 | 68.510 | | KY 2557 west | Eastern terminus of KY 2557 |
| Floyd | Banner | 49.105 | 79.027 | | KY 1426 east – Dana | Western terminus of KY 1426 |
| Floyd | Allen | 50.685 | 81.570 | | KY 1428 – Allen, Martin | |
| Floyd | Watergap | 52.922 | 85.170 | | KY 80 west / KY 302 north – Martin, Hazard | Interchange; northern end of KY 80 concurrency; southern terminus of KY 302 |
| Floyd | ​ | 53.632 | 86.312 | | KY 3384 north | Southern terminus of KY 3384 |
| Floyd | Prestonsburg | 55.847 | 89.877 | | KY 114 – Prestonsburg, Lexington | Interchange; future eastern terminus of Mountain Parkway |
| Floyd | ​ | 57.636 | 92.756 | | KY 1427 west (Abbott Creek Road) | Eastern terminus of KY 1427 |
| Floyd | ​ | 57.952 | 93.265 | | KY 1428 south (University Drive) | Northern terminus of KY 1428 |
| Floyd | ​ | 60.218 | 96.911 | | KY 1100 (Little Paint Road) | |
| Floyd | ​ | 60.592 | 97.513 | | KY 3 north (Bays Branch Road) to KY 1100 | Southern terminus of KY 3 |
| Johnson | ​ | 62.269 | 100.212 | | KY 1100 south | Northern terminus of KY 1100 |
| Johnson | Paintsville | 64.119 | 103.190 | | KY 1750 south | Northern terminus of KY 1750 |
| Johnson | Paintsville | 64.540 | 103.867 | | KY 1428 north | Southern terminus of KY 1428 |
| Johnson | Paintsville | 66.169 | 106.489 | | KY 825 | Partial interchange includes northbound entrance ramp |
| Johnson | Paintsville | 68.858 | 110.816 | | US 460 west / KY 40 – Salyersville, Paintsville | Interchange; northern end of US 460 concurrency; northbound exit and southbound entrance |
| Johnson | Paintsville | 69.075 | 111.165 | | KY 40 to US 460 west – Paintsville, Salyersville | Interchange; southbound exit and northbound entrance |
| Johnson | ​ | 70.099 | 112.813 | | KY 321 south | Northern terminus of KY 321 |
| Johnson | ​ | 71.117 | 114.452 | | KY 201 north | Southern terminus of KY 201 |
| Johnson | Nippa | 73.326 | 118.007 | | KY 1559 west | Eastern terminus of KY 1559 |
| Johnson | ​ | 73.789 | 118.752 | | KY 993 south | Northern terminus of KY 993 |
| Johnson | ​ | 78.269 | 125.962 | | KY 3224 south (Wiley Branch Spur) | Northern terminus of KY 3224 |
| Lawrence | ​ | 83.908 | 135.037 | | KY 645 east | Western terminus of KY 645 |
| Lawrence | ​ | 84.989 | 136.777 | | KY 1760 north | Southern terminus of KY 1760 |
| Lawrence | ​ | 85.508 | 137.612 | | KY 581 south | Northern terminus of KY 581 |
| Lawrence | ​ | 89.740 | 144.423 | | KY 2038 east (McClure Branch Road) | Western terminus of KY 2038 |
| Lawrence | ​ | 93.657 | 150.726 | | KY 2565 north | Southern terminus of KY 2565 |
| Lawrence | ​ | 93.933 | 151.171 | | KY 3395 west (Isaac Branch Road) | Eastern terminus of KY 3395 |
| Lawrence | ​ | 95.965 | 154.441 | | KY 32 Connector south to KY 32 | Northern terminus of KY 32 Connector |
| Lawrence | ​ | 97.407 | 156.761 | | KY 3 | |
| Lawrence | ​ | 100.627 | 161.943 | | KY 3398 west (Fuller Branch Road) | Eastern terminus of KY 3398 |
| Lawrence | ​ | 107.534 | 173.059 | | KY 707 south | Northern terminus of KY 707 |
| Boyd | ​ | 110.987 | 178.616 | | KY 752 (Durbin Road) | |
| Boyd | ​ | 114.098 | 183.623 | | KY 757 (Whites Creek Road) | |
| Boyd | ​ | 115.043 | 185.144 | | KY 2842 east | Western terminus of KY 2842 |
| Boyd | ​ | 118.521 | 190.741 | | KY 3 south | Northern terminus of KY 3 |
| Boyd | ​ | 118.593– 118.733 | 190.857– 191.082 | | I-64 – Huntington, Lexington | I-64 exit 191 |
| Boyd | ​ | 119.009 | 191.526 | | KY 538 west (Lake Bonita Road) | Eastern terminus of KY 538 |
| Boyd | Catlettsburg | 120.393 | 193.754 | | KY 3294 (36th Street) | |
| Boyd | Catlettsburg | 120.473 | 193.882 | | US 60 east (35th Street) | Southern end of US 60 concurrency |
| Boyd | Catlettsburg | 121.533 | 195.588 | | KY 2535 east (23rd Street) | Western terminus of KY 2535 |
| Boyd | Catlettsburg | 121.653 | 195.782 | | KY 168 north | Southern terminus of KY 168 |
| Boyd | Catlettsburg | 122.206 | 196.671 | | KY 3294 west (Center Street) | Eastern terminus of KY 3294 |
| Boyd | Ashland | 125.019 | 201.199 | | US 23 Bus. north | Southern terminus of US 23 Bus.; northbound outbound access and southbound inbound access only |
| Boyd | Ashland | 126.8 | 204.1 | | US 60 west / US 23 Truck (11th Street) | One-way street, inbound access only from US 60 |
| Boyd | Ashland | 126.863 | 204.166 | | US 60 west (10th Street) to US 52 | One-way street, outbound access only to US 60 east; northern end of US 60 concurrency |
| Boyd | Ashland | 127.050 | 204.467 | | US 23 Bus. south | Northern terminus of US 23 Bus.; southbound outbound access and northbound inbound access only |
| Boyd | Ashland | | | | West Mall Entrance | Interchange; to Ashland Town Center; northbound exit only |
| Boyd | Ashland | 128.411 | 206.657 | | KY 168 south (Hoods Creek Pike) / Russell Road | Northern terminus of KY 168 |
| Boyd | Westwood | 128.806 | 207.293 | | KY 5 south (Bellefonte Princess Road) | Northern terminus of KY 5 |
| Greenup | Russell | 129.299 | 208.087 | | KY 693 west (Diederich Boulevard) | Eastern terminus of KY 693 |
| Greenup | Russell | 130.224 | 209.575 | | KY 1725 south (Ashland Drive) | Northern terminus of KY 1725 |
| Greenup | Russell | 131.020 | 210.856 | | KY 244 west (Belfont Street) / Oakley C. Collins Bridge Road | Eastern terminus of KY 224; southern terminus of the Oakley C. Collins Bridge (Ironton-Russell Bridge) |
| Greenup | Russell | 131.069 | 210.935 | | KY 750 west (Kenwood Drive) | Eastern terminus of KY 750 |
| Greenup | Russell | 131.652 | 211.873 | | KY 2543 east (Ferry Street) | Western terminus of KY 2543 |
| Greenup | Flatwoods | 132.143 | 212.664 | | KY 207 south (Argillite Road) | Northern terminus of KY 207 |
| Greenup | Raceland | 133.295 | 214.518 | | KY 3105 west (Winters Drive) / Winters Drive | Eastern terminus of KY 3105 |
| Greenup | Raceland | 133.509 | 214.862 | | KY 750 (Pond Run Road) | |
| Greenup | ​ | 135.558 | 218.159 | | KY 693 west (Chinns Bridge Road) / Chinns Branch Road | |
| Greenup | Wurtland | 136.581 | 219.806 | | KY 503 (Uhlens Branch Road) | |
| Greenup | Wurtland | 136.950 | 220.400 | | KY 67 (Industrial Parkway) to I-64 | |
| Greenup | Wurtland | 137.061 | 220.578 | | KY 3105 east (Wurtland Avenue) | Western terminus of KY 3105 |
| Greenup | Greenup | 138.638 | 223.116 | | KY 410 north (Main Street) | Southern terminus of KY 410 |
| Greenup | Greenup | 139.253 | 224.106 | | KY 1 south (Kentucky Road) / KY 2541 north (Walnut Street) | Northern terminus of KY 1; southern terminus of KY 2541 |
| Greenup | Greenup | 140.179 | 225.596 | | KY 2 (Washington Street) | |
| Greenup | Greenup | 140.738 | 226.496 | | KY 2541 south | Northern terminus of KY 2541 |
| Greenup | ​ | 140.898 | 226.753 | | KY 3307 south (Whetstone Road) | Northern terminus of KY 3307 |
| Greenup | ​ | 141.609 | 227.898 | | KY 827 west (Coal Branch Road) | Eastern terminus of KY 827 |
| Greenup | Lloyd | 143.050 | 230.217 | | KY 3116 north (Ohio River Road) | Southern terminus of KY 3116 |
| Greenup | ​ | 145.510 | 234.176 | | AA Hwy (KY 10) – Maysville, Alexandria, Vanceburg, Portsmouth Oh. | Access road to the Jesse Stuart Memorial Bridge |
| Greenup | ​ | 146.524 | 235.808 | | KY 3116 south (Ohio River Road) | Northern terminus of KY 3116 |
| Greenup | ​ | 148.011 | 238.201 | | KY 1043 north (Linneman Lane) | Southern terminus of KY 1043 |
| Greenup | ​ | 152.544 | 245.496 | | KY 3117 west | Eastern terminus of KY 3117 |
| Greenup | ​ | 153.038 | 246.291 | | KY 2542 north (Johnson Lane) | Southern terminus of KY 2542 |
| Greenup | ​ | 153.448 | 246.951 | | KY 3117 east | Western terminus of KY 3117 |
| Greenup | ​ | 153.864 | 247.620 | | KY 1043 south | Northern terminus of KY 1043 |
| Greenup | South Shore | 155.726 | 250.617 | | KY 1082 west (KZ Ratliff Lane) | Eastern terminus of KY 1082 |
| Greenup | South Shore | 155.942 | 250.964 | | KY 7 (Main Street) | |
| Greenup | ​ | 157.765 | 253.898 | | US 23 Truck north / KY 8 west to US 52 – Vanceburg | Southern terminus of US 23 Truck; eastern terminus of KY 8; southern terminus of the U.S. Grant Bridge |
| Ohio River | Ohio River | 157.765 | 253.898 | | U.S. Grant Bridge Kentucky–Ohio line | U.S. Grant Bridge Kentucky–Ohio line | U.S. Grant Bridge Kentucky–Ohio line |
| Ohio River | Ohio River | 157.765 | 253.898 | | US 23 north (Chillicothe Street) | Continuation into Ohio |
| 1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi Concurrency terminus Incomplete access |||||||