U.S. 72 originates in Memphis and heads southeast into Mississippi. The unmarked west end is located outside of Downtown Memphis where Danny Thomas Boulevard meets Union Avenue east. Danny Thomas Boulevard is apart of U.S. 51 to the north and U.S. 64-70-79 south to Crump Boulevard. U.S. 51-64-70-72-79 overlap east to I-240 and Bellevue Boulevard, where U.S. 51 turns south.
US. 64-70-72-79 continue along Union Avenue east another 2.10 miles from Bellevue Boulevard to East Parkway (SR 277). U.S. 72 accompanies U.S. 64-72-79 north a half mile to Poplar Avenue at Overton Park. Poplar Avenue leads U.S. 72 east from Memphis alongside SR 57 to Germantown and Collierville. Branching south from SR 57 (Poplar Avenue), U.S. 72 runs 5.20 miles along SR 86 to I-269 and Marshall County, Mississippi.
U.S. 72 reenters Tennessee north from Bridgeport, Alabama. Paralleling the Tennessee River, U.S. 72 heads 4.22 miles north to I-24/U.S 64 through the city of South Pittsburg. U.S. 64/72 combine for 5.15 miles north from the freeway at the town of Kimball to U.S. 41/SR 28 in the town of Jasper. The remainder of U.S. 72 overlaps with U.S. 41/64 east into the city of Chattanooga. U.S. 11 joins the three routes for 5.09 miles from Birmingham Highway, adjacent to I-24 at Exit 174, to W 20th Street, north of the Big Scramble Interchange joining I-24/124 and U.S. 27.
U.S. 41/72 continue another 0.32 miles from the split with U.S. 11/64 at W 20th Street to W Main Street and SR 8. U.S. 72 formerly extended north alongside SR 8 on Broad Street to SR 316 at Martin Luther King Boulevard. U.S. 72 concluded at a shared end point with U.S. 76/127 at MLK Boulevard and Market Street in Downtown Chattanooga.
The lone sign referencing U.S. 72 at the north split with U.S. 11/64 is located along W 20th Street (former SR 58) east at Broad Street (U.S. 41) in Chattanooga. U.S. 11/64 follow 20th Street east while U.S. 41/72 overlap north to Main Street. 01/20/13
 South  East |
 | The last shield for U.S. 72 east stands along Broad Street north at 18th Street. 01/21/13 |
 | The end of U.S. 72 in Chattanooga is located at the turn of U.S. 41 southbound from Broad Street north onto W Main Street east. 01/20/13 |
 North |
 | SR 8 extends north from U.S. 41 and the east end of U.S. 72 along Broad Street into Downtown Chattanooga. U.S. 72 previously accompanied SR 8 north to U.S. 76/127 at Market Street. 01/20/13 |
 | SR 8 (Broad Street) north at W 13th Street. 01/20/13 |
 | Broad Street passes through a pair of tunnels below the TVA Chattanooga Office Complex between 12th and 11th Streets. 01/20/13 |
 | Broad Street north at W 11th Street. 01/21/13 |
 | Broad Street north at W 10th Street. 01/21/13 |
 | SR 8 turns one block east onto Martin Luther King Boulevard from Broad Street. SR 316 follows MLK Boulevard west 0.23 miles to a cloverleaf interchange with U.S. 27/I-124. 01/20/13 |
 | SR 8 (Martin Luther King Boulevard) east at the unsigned end points of U.S. 76 east and U.S. 127 north on Market Street. 01/20/13 |
 | U.S. 127 follows Market Street north to the Chief John Ross Bridge spanning the Tennessee River. U.S. 76 lines Market Street south to U.S. 41 (Main Street) at Southside. 01/20/13 |
| South |
 | SR 8 shifts one block west from Market Street (U.S. 127) along Martin Luther King Boulevard to Broad Street south. MLK Boulevard continues west 0.23 miles as SR 316 to U.S. 27/I-124. 01/20/13 |
 | SR 8 (Broad Street) south at W 13th Street. 01/20/13 |
 | U.S. 72 is not acknowledged from SR 8 (Broad Street) south at E Main Street. U.S. 41 combines with U.S. 72 south along Broad Street (SR 17). 01/20/13 |
Photo Credits:
01/20/13, 01/21/13 by AARoads
Connect with:
Interstate 24
U.S. 11
U.S. 41
U.S. 64
Page Updated 08-21-2020.