# U.S. Route 51 in Tennessee

U.S. Route 51 (US 51), mostly overlapped by the unsigned State Route 3 (SR 3), is a north–south state highway in the U.S. state of Tennessee, that is 135.9 miles (218.71 km) long, completely within West Tennessee. It begins in Shelby County and ends in Obion County. The SR 3 designation is seen largely on mileposts.
The two places where US 51 and SR 3 differ are in Memphis, where US 51 has been moved to Danny Thomas Boulevard (State Route 1 / State Route 4), while SR 3 remains on the one-way pair of 2nd and 3rd Streets, and in South Fulton, where US 51 crosses the state line on State Route 215 to I-69, while SR 3 remains on the old road, now U.S. Route 45.

## Route description

US 51 enters Tennessee at Memphis and runs north through the cities of Millington, Munford, Atoka, Brighton, Covington, Henning, Ripley, Halls, Dyersburg, Troy, Union City, and South Fulton.
This highway crosses four interstate highways on its journey through the state and actually crosses Interstate 240 twice within the City of Memphis but interchanges with it only at Union Avenue. US 51 is the westernmost south–north United States Highway in the State of Tennessee. US 51 is an interstate standard facility from Dyersburg to South of Troy and then resuming interstate standard status north of Union City to South Fulton. US 51 is a four-lane or larger facility throughout the state with some sections north of Dyersburg carrying a 70 mph (110 km/h) speed limit.
Near Henning is also the site of the Hatchie River Bridge collapse on April 1, 1989 that killed 8 motorists when 3 spans of the structure collapsed. The 54-year-old bridge was 45 miles (72 km) north of Memphis and carried the northbound lanes of US 51. Its collapse was the result of pier scour and movement of the river channel.
US 51 carries the Tennessee Scenic Parkway designation from its junction with SR 385 in Millington to SR 104 in Dyersburg and also carries the Great River Road designation from US 64/US 70/US 79 in Memphis to SR 88 in Halls.

## History

Historic two-lane alignments of this highway from Henning north are represented by State Route 209, a portion of State Route 88, State Route 210, State Route 211, a portion of State Route 183 and State Route 184. From Memphis to Henning, most of the original two lane road was widened to four lane expressway in the 1960s.

## Future

Most of US 51 north of Dyersburg is expected to be converted to Interstate standards as part of future I-69. Plans currently call for I-69 to run along the existing US 51 freeway from Dyersburg to Troy and from Union City to South Fulton. This section is part of SIU 7 for I-69 and will require few changes beyond resigning the existing highway, however, a bypass route around Troy and Union City will need to be built before this section of future I-69 is completed. The Union City Bypass was opened in February 2024 under the temporary designation of SR 690, but there is currently no timeline for when the Troy bypass will be built.

## Major intersections

| County | Location | mi | km | Destinations | Notes |
| Shelby | Memphis | 0.0 | 0.0 | US 51 south – Southaven | Continuation into Mississippi; southern terminus of SR 3; southern end of unsigned SR 3 concurrency |
| Shelby | Memphis | 1.8 | 2.9 | SR 175 (Shelby Drive) | |
| Shelby | Memphis | 4.6– 4.8 | 7.4– 7.7 | I-55 to I-240 | I-55 exit 5; no access from US 51 south to I-55 north or I-55 south to US 51 north; connections provided via E Brooks Road |
| Shelby | Memphis | 4.9 | 7.9 | Bridge over Nonconnah Creek | Bridge over Nonconnah Creek |
| Shelby | Memphis | 9.3 | 15.0 | US 78 (Lamar Avenue/SR 4) | |
| Shelby | Memphis | 9.9 | 15.9 | US 64 east / US 70 east / US 72 east / US 79 north (Union Avenue/SR 23 east) | Southern end of US 64/US 70/US 79 overlap; western terminus of unsigned SR 23 |
| Shelby | Memphis | 10.2 | 16.4 | I-240 south – Jackson Miss | No direct access to north(west)bound I-240 nor from south(east)bound I-240 (both signed at Madison Avenue); I-240 exit 30 |
| Shelby | Memphis | 11.3 | 18.2 | US 64 west / US 70 west / US 79 south (Union Avenue/SR 3 north) / Danny Thomas Boulevard south (SR 1 west / SR 4 east) | Northern end of US 64/US 70/US 79/SR 3 overlap; southern end of SR 1/SR 4 overlap; interchange |
| Shelby | Memphis | 11.5 | 18.5 | Madison Avenue | Interchange |
| Shelby | Memphis | 11.6 | 18.7 | Jefferson Avenue | Interchange |
| Shelby | Memphis | 12.1– 12.3 | 19.5– 19.8 | I-40 – Little Rock, Nashville | I-40 exits 1B–D |
| Shelby | Memphis | 12.5 | 20.1 | SR 1 east (North Parkway) / SR 14 south (A.W. Willis Avenue) | Northern end of SR 1 overlap; southern end of SR 14 overlap |
| Shelby | Memphis | 12.6 | 20.3 | SR 14 north (Jackson Avenue) | Northern end of SR 14 overlap |
| Shelby | Memphis | 13.1 | 21.1 | Chelsea Avenue (SR 3 south) | Eastern terminus of SR 4; southern end of SR 3 overlap; no left turn from either direction |
| Shelby | Memphis | 14.8– 15.0 | 23.8– 24.1 | Bridge over the Wolf River | Bridge over the Wolf River |
| Shelby | Memphis | 15.4– 15.7 | 24.8– 25.3 | I-40 (via SR 300) – Airport | I-40 exit 2A; future I-69 |
| Shelby | Memphis | 16.2 | 26.1 | Great River Road south (Whitney Avenue) – General DeWitt Spain Airport | |
| Shelby | Memphis | 18.4 | 29.6 | SR 388 north / Great River Road north (North Watkins Street) – Meeman-Shelby State Park | Southern terminus of SR 388 |
| Shelby | Memphis | 20.3– 20.4 | 32.7– 32.8 | Bridge over the Loosahatchie River | Bridge over the Loosahatchie River |
| Shelby | Millington | 26.7– 26.9 | 43.0– 43.3 | SR 385 south (Paul W. Barret Parkway) to I-40 – Arlington | Northern terminus of SR 385; future I-269 |
| Shelby | Millington | 27.7 | 44.6 | SR 205 south (Navy Road) – University of Memphis Millington Center, Millington Municipal Airport, NSA Mid-South | Northern terminus of SR 205 |
| Tipton | Atoka–Munford line | 35.3 | 56.8 | SR 178 north (Tipton Road) – Munford | Southern terminus of SR 178 |
| Tipton | Atoka–Munford line | 37.7 | 60.7 | SR 206 (Munford Avenue/Munford-Atoka Road) – Munford, Atoka, Drummonds | |
| Tipton | Brighton | 40.8 | 65.7 | Old Highway 51 – Brighton Business District | |
| Tipton | Brighton | 42.7 | 68.7 | Old Highway 51 – Brighton Business District | |
| Tipton | Covington | 47.2 | 76.0 | SR 59 east (Mueller Brass Road) – Mason, Braden | Southern end of SR 59 overlap; truck route to SR 54 east |
| Tipton | Covington | 49.2 | 79.2 | SR 54 east (W Pleasant Street) – Brownsville | Western terminus of SR 54; one-way pair between W Pleasant Street and W Liberty Street |
| Tipton | Covington | 49.3 | 79.3 | SR 59 west / Great River Road south (W Liberty Avenue) – Duvall Landing | Northern end of SR 59 overlap |
| Tipton | Covington | 50.4 | 81.1 | SR 384 south (Industrial Road) – Downtown Covington | Northern terminus of SR 384; truck route to SR 54 east |
| Tipton–Lauderdale county line | ​ | 54.7– 54.9 | 88.0– 88.4 | Mark Anthony Walker Bridge over the Hatchie River | Mark Anthony Walker Bridge over the Hatchie River |
| Lauderdale | ​ | 56.4– 56.5 | 90.8– 90.9 | SR 209 north (S Main Street) – Henning, Alex Haley Museum | Southern terminus of SR 209 |
| Lauderdale | Henning | 58.0 | 93.3 | SR 87 (Graves Avenue) / Great River Road north – Fort Pillow, Henning, Fort Pillow State Historic Park, Alex Haley Museum and Interpretive Center | |
| Lauderdale | Ripley | 61.9 | 99.6 | SR 19 east – Ripley Business District, Brownsville | Southern end of SR 19 overlap |
| Lauderdale | Ripley | 63.7 | 102.5 | SR 19 west / Great River Road south (Lake Drive) – Ripley | North end of SR 19 overlap; interchange |
| Lauderdale | Ripley | 64.5 | 103.8 | SR 208 south (Cleveland Street) – Ripley | Northern terminus of SR 208 |
| Lauderdale | ​ | 72.0 | 115.9 | SR 180 south (Gates Road) – Gates | Northern terminus of SR 180 |
| Lauderdale | Halls | 75.0– 75.3 | 120.7– 121.2 | SR 88 / Great River Road north – Halls, Mississippi River | Interchange |
| Dyer | Fowlkes | 79.9 | 128.6 | Bridge over the South Fork of the Forked Deer River | Bridge over the South Fork of the Forked Deer River |
| Dyer | Fowlkes | 82.1 | 132.1 | To SR 210 – Fowlkes, Halls | |
| Dyer | Dyersburg | 83.9 | 135.0 | Airport Road - Dyersburg Regional Airport | |
| Dyer | Dyersburg | 84.2 | 135.5 | US 51 Bus. north (S Main Avenue/SR 211) to US 412 east – Downtown Dyersburg | Interchange; southern terminus of US 51 Business and unsigned SR 211; truck route to SR 104 east |
| Dyer | Dyersburg | 85.5 | 137.6 | Bridge over the North Fork of the Forked Deer River | Bridge over the North Fork of the Forked Deer River |
| Dyer | Dyersburg | 86.5 | 139.2 | SR 104 (Forrest Street) – Finley, Trenton, Downtown Dyersburg | |
| Dyer | Dyersburg | 88.5 | 142.4 | SR 78 (Lake Road) to I-155 / US 412 – Tiptonville, Reelfoot Lake State Park, Dyersburg State Community College, Downtown Dyersburg | |
| Dyer | Dyersburg | 90.2 | 145.2 | US 51 Bus. south (Saint John Avenue/SR 211 south) – Dyersburg | South end of unsigned SR 211 overlap; northern terminus of US 51 Business |
| Dyer | Dyersburg | 91.7 | 147.6 | US 412 east (SR 20 east) / SR 211 north (Saint John Avenue) to I-40 – Jackson, Newbern | Northern end of unsigned SR 211 overlap; southern end of US 412 overlap; south end of freeway; western terminus of unsigned SR 20; interchange |
| Dyer | Dyersburg | 92.1 | 148.2 | I-155 west / US 412 west – St. Louis | North end of US 412 overlap; eastern terminus of I-155; I-155 exit 15 |
| Dyer | Newbern | 97.0– 97.7 | 156.1– 157.2 | SR 77 east – Newbern | Western terminus of SR 77 |
| Dyer–Obion county line | ​ | 104.2– 104.8 | 167.7– 168.7 | SR 105 east (County Line Street) – Trimble, Rutherford | Western terminus of SR 105 |
| Obion | Obion | 106.8– 106.9 | 171.9– 172.0 | Bridge over the Obion River | Bridge over the Obion River |
| Obion | Obion | 108.2– 108.7 | 174.1– 174.9 | SR 183 (Palestine Avenue) – Obion | |
| Obion | ​ | 113.6 | 182.8 | SR 183 north (Davis Highway) – Obion | Northern end of freeway; at-grade intersection; southern terminus of SR 183 |
| Obion | Troy | 113.9 | 183.3 | S Main Street - Troy | Former US 51 |
| Obion | Troy | 114.8 | 184.8 | SR 21 west (W Harper Street) – Troy, Hornbeak, Tiptonville, Reelfoot Lake State Park | Southern end of SR 21 overlap |
| Obion | Troy | 115.3 | 185.6 | SR 21 east (Rives Road) – Rives | Northern end of SR 21 overlap |
| Obion | Troy | 120.0– 120.4 | 193.1– 193.8 | SR 690 north / Future I-69 | A4 partial cloverleaf intercahnge; opened to traffic in February 2024 |
| Obion | Union City | 122.0 | 196.3 | SR 184 south (Old Troy Road) | Southern end of unsigned SR 184 concurrency; Former US 51 |
| Obion | Union City | 122.2 | 196.7 | SR 431 south (W Reelfoot Avenue/SR 184 north) to US 45W – Martin, Airport | Northern terminus of SR 431; northern end unsigned SR 184 concurrency |
| Obion | Union City | 123.0 | 197.9 | SR 22 north / SR 5 (W Main Street) – Woodland Mills, Samburg, Reelfoot Lake, Reelfoot National Wildlife Refuge, Business District | Southern end of SR 22 overlap |
| Obion | Union City | 125.6 | 202.1 | SR 21 (N Clover Street) – Clinton, KY, Union City | |
| Obion | ​ | 127.1– 127.7 | 204.5– 205.5 | US 45W south / SR 22 south (Section Line Road) – Union City, Martin | Northern end of SR 22 overlap; southern end of US 45W overlap; southern end of freeway; interchange; future I-169 |
| Obion | ​ | 130.0 | 209.2 | SR 690 south / Future I-69 south | Semi-directional T interchange; opened to traffic in February 2024; future southern end of I-69 overlap |
| Obion | South Fulton | 134.5 | 216.5 | SR 214 west (Ken Tenn Highway) | Interchange; eastern terminus of SR 214; southbound exit and northbound entrance; northern end of freeway |
| Obion | South Fulton | 134.8 | 216.9 | US 45 north (Chickasaw Drive/SR 3 north) / US 45E south (SR 215 east) – South Fulton, Martin | Northern end of US 45W and unsigned SR 3 overlap; southern end of unsigned SR 215 overlap; US 45W and US 45E merge to form US 45; southern end of freeway; interchange |
| Obion | South Fulton | 135.9 | 218.7 | I-69 north / US 51 north – Fulton | Continuation into Kentucky; southern terminus of I-69; western terminus of unsigned SR 215 |
| 1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi Concurrency terminus Incomplete access Route transition ||||||

## Dyersburg business route

U.S. Route 51 Business (US 51 Bus.) is a 3.9-mile-long (6.3 km) business route of US 51 located entirely in the city of Dyersburg in Dyer County. It has the unsigned designation of State Route 211 (SR 211) for its entire length.
The highway begins as South Main Avenue at a large three-way intersection with US 51/SR 3 on the southern edge of the city. It heads north, concurrent with SR 211, as a two-lane road through a business district before traveling through wooded areas and crossing a bridge over the North Fork of the Forked Deer River into downtown. US 51 Bus./SR 211 pass by the Dyer County Courthouse and becomes concurrent with SR 104 (East Court Street) as the road becomes North Main Avenue shortly before making an abrupt left turn onto McGaughey Street. US 51 Bus./SR 211 then split before heading through neighborhoods along Troy Avenue before turning right onto Gordon Street. The highway then makes a left turn onto North Sampson Avenue and passes through more neighborhoods before merging onto St. John Avenue. They then travel through a business district before widening to a four-lane highway and coming to an end at an intersection with US 51/SR 3, where US 51 Bus. ends and SR 211 follows northbound US 51/SR 3 north on St. John Avenue.
The entire route is in Dyersburg, Dyer County.
| mi | km | Destinations | Notes |
| 0.0 | 0.0 | US 51 (51-Bypass South / SR 3) – Halls, Union City | Southern end of unsigned SR 211 concurrency; southern terminus of US 51 Bus. and SR 211 |
| 1.7 | 2.7 | Bridge over the North Fork of the Forked Deer River | Bridge over the North Fork of the Forked Deer River |
| 1.9 | 3.1 | SR 104 east (East Court Street) – Trenton | Southern end of SR 104 concurrency |
| 2.1 | 3.4 | SR 104 west (McGaughey Street) – Finley | Northern end of SR 104 concurrency |
| 3.9 | 6.3 | US 51 (US 51 Bypass / Saint John Avenue / SR 3 / SR 211 north) to I-155 – Halls, Union City | Northern end of unsigned SR 211 concurrency; northern terminus |
| 1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi Concurrency terminus ||||