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[usends]

US 641 shields along the extension were already added to Google Maps today... pretty impressive!  This recently-approved extension (see https://www.aaroads.com/forum/index.php?topic=14014.0 ) appears to be at least partially due to the opening of a new bridge over the Tennessee River.  Google Maps Street View photos (from July 2013) show construction still in progress.  Prior to that, Clifton residents had to either use a ferry, or else drive a long distance to one of two other bridges.

I didn't know anything about this until now, but an interesting story is starting to emerge.  It appears this bridge was almost completed twenty years ago, but then it collapsed, and even killed one of the workers.  I have no idea why it took another 20 years to complete.  If you watch this video showing TV coverage of the 1995 incident, you'll note that one of the reporters refers to it as "the highway 641 bridge", so apparently this extension has been planned for a long time:

[dfwmapper]

US 641 shields along the extension were already added to Google Maps today... pretty impressive!

You're welcome

[NE2]

Bridge date is 1997: http://uglybridges.com/1503204
It opened in January 1998: http://www.cityofclifton.com/residents/history-of-clifton
The construction visible in street view is repair work: http://news.tn.gov/node/11229

Other sources call it SR 69, which is also incorrect: http://ww2.nscc.edu/seatec/pages_resources/case_studies_new/Bridge/Bridge-Student/Pages-Frames/frame-sitemap.html

US 641 shields along the extension were already added to Google Maps today... pretty impressive!

You're welcome

I'm not a fan of adding routes to maps until they're actually signed.

[usends]

Bridge date is 1997
It opened in January 1998

OK, thanks for the info.  (I put too much faith in my 2014 RMN atlas, which still shows the ferry, and no bridge).  But based on the video, apparently the 641 extension was planned a long time ago.  So the question still remains: why did they wait so long to formalize it?  Maybe they were waiting for the TN 114 bypass around Clifton; anyone know when that was built?

[dfwmapper]

I'm not a fan of adding routes to maps until they're actually signed.

How do you feel about unsigned concurrencies, like US 85 in New Mexico, or basically all of them in Arkansas?

[NE2]

I'm not a fan of adding routes to maps until they're actually signed.

How do you feel about unsigned concurrencies, like US 85 in New Mexico, or basically all of them in Arkansas?

If they're totally unsigned, it makes no sense to show them on a map for the general public. The same goes for AL/FL/TN unsigned state routes. But many overlaps in Arkansas are signed, as least at each end.

Maybe they were waiting for the TN 114 bypass around Clifton; anyone know when that was built?

1996 bridge date: http://uglybridges.com/1515186

US 641 now crosses the Tennessee River twice.

[rickmastfan67]

US 641 shields along the extension were already added to Google Maps today... pretty impressive!

You're welcome

I'm not a fan of adding routes to maps until they're actually signed.

I'm with NE2 on this subject.  Wait for reports that the shields are up before adding the route to the map.  Hopefully nobody has added them yet to OSM.

I know I waited in OSM before I converted I-164 > I-69 a week or so ago till there were reports that signage was being converted.  It took almost a year after that change was approved for it to happen.  This is why you should wait.

[codyg1985]

I think at one time there was a proposal to extend US 641 south to Florence and to Cullman. http://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1842&dat=19880827&id=McUhAAAAIBAJ&sjid=f50FAAAAIBAJ&pg=4238,4390719

[jbrentscott]

The US-641 signs were put up a few weeks ago from I-40 South through Parsons, Decaturville & Clifton to US-64.   US-64 is the new ending/beginning of US-641 and I'm attaching a picture of that intersection.

[NE2]

The US-641 signs were put up a few weeks ago from I-40 South through Parsons, Decaturville & Clifton to US-64.   US-64 is the new ending/beginning of US-641 and I'm attaching a picture of that intersection.

www.imgur.com

[Henry]

Really? Why 20 years?

[froggie]

Took that long to get the rest of the routing up to modern standards.

[jbrentscott]

The bridge opened in December, 1997, after being put behind by the collapse in May,1995.   Other parts of the road had been finished at that time to Clifton.  Shortly thereafter, the road was upgraded from Clifton to US-64.   It just seemed like they would redo a section and put the old road number back on it.  Seems like no one in the area would do much more than gripe about it being aggravating.  There is, sadly to say, animosity in the area with one city not wanting the other to get something they don't have, so no one ever brought it up.  There are many advantages to having a smooth numbering system and having a "US Hwy" pass through your city.   

I kinda helped get this started about 5 years ago when I emailed our state representative and asked if we could not get this renumbered. He agreed and checked in on it.  They had to pass resolutions and then every city and county the road passed through had to pass resolutions supporting it, then they had to send it to Washington to get approval since it was a "US Hwy".   It's took that long just to get this done but so glad it's finally done!

[rickmastfan67]

The US-641 signs were put up a few weeks ago from I-40 South through Parsons, Decaturville & Clifton to US-64.   US-64 is the new ending/beginning of US-641 and I'm attaching a picture of that intersection.

Can't wait to see some pictures.

[usends]

Can't wait to see some pictures.

I've added one of his photos to my US 641 page:
http://usends.com/40-49/641/641.html

[rickmastfan67]

Can't wait to see some pictures.

I've added one of his photos to my US 641 page:
http://usends.com/40-49/641/641.html

Nice!  I can now update the route for TM.

[codyg1985]

I recently emailed both ALDOT and TDOT about the possibility of extending US 641 south into Alabama and then along AL 157 to Cullman, and both agencies said there were no additional plans to do so at this time.

From TDOT:

US 641 designation has been extended south of Interstate 40.  There have been no plans to rebuild an existing route or construct a new route to have that designation.  Below is the response I received from OCT:

 

There is a letter for the extension of US 641 approved in November 2014. The approval stated:

 

U.S.641 enters the State of Tennessee at the state line in Henry County and terminates at Exit 126 on Interstate 40 in northern Decatur County. As the road continues south of Interstate 40 it loses the U.S. Route designation and continues as TN-69 before becoming TN-114 near the southern border of Decatur County. The road terminates at its intersection with U.S. 64 in Wayne County. At that point, the road is no longer designated as U.S. 641. State Route number changes along the road leave motorists confused. Continuing the designation of U.S. 641 south of Interstate 40 to its termination at U.S. 64 will make travel along the road less confusing for the general traveling public. The extension will cover 45 miles.

 

There are no current plans to extend US 641 any further.

And here is the response from ALDOT:

I am not aware of any discussions pertaining to the establishment of US 641 in Alabama from the Tennessee Line along SR 157 southeast of Cullman. I will check to see if this has been brought up in other areas.