U.S. 31E
U.S. 31E is one of a few remaining branch routes still within the U.S. Highway system. The US highway runs 50 miles north from Nashville to the Kentucky state line and another 140 miles through the Bluegrass State to Downtown Louisville. U.S. 31W connects the two cities as well, but on a course close to or west of Interstate 65 while U.S. 31E generally travels a good distance east of the freeway. Within Tennessee, U.S. 31E starts out along Ellington Parkway, an urban freeway through northeast Nashville between Main Street (U.S. 31/41) and Briley Parkway (SR 155). A short overlap with SR 155 takes the route east to Gallatin Pike, a commercial arterial through Madison and Hendersonville to Sumner County. Having been supplanted by the freeway along SR 386 (Vietnam Veterans Boulevard), U.S. 31E serves local traffic to Downtown Gallatin. Beyond the last of the Nashville suburbs, U.S. 31E transitions into a rural route to Bethpage and Bransford, where it combines with U.S. 231 northward to Westmoreland and Scottsville, Kentucky.
Ellington Parkway carries the southernmost 5.2 miles of U.S. 31E from the split with U.S. 31W to Briley Parkway. Construction began in 1967 with the freeway completed north to Trinity Lane by 1969. The remainder of the parkway north to Briley Parkway would not open until 1980. Completion of the parkway replaced a surface route for U.S. 31E leading northeast along Main Street to Lockeland Springs and Gallatin Avenue north to Eastwood, East Hill and Inglewood. Gallatin Avenue becomes Gallatin Pike leading north across SR 155, where U.S. 31E joins the roadway. Mileposts along Ellington Parkway reference SR 6, the counterpart of U.S. 31E.
North
Drivers looping onto U.S. 31E (Ellington Parkway) north from Spring Street (U.S. 31W-41-431) south are afforded this view of the Nashville skyline.
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A $5.25 milion project completed in March 2006 rebuilt the Spring Street overpasses above Ellington Parkway.1
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The first reassurance marker for the 190 mile route of U.S. 31E to Louisville, Kentucky appears as Ellington Parkway turns northward by Douglas Park.
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A pedestrian bridge spans Ellington Parkway between the McFerrin Park and Maxwell Heights neighborhoods as U.S. 31E approaches the diamond interchange with Cleveland Street.
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Cleveland Street travels three blocks east from U.S. 31E (Ellington Parkway) to become Eastland Avenue en route to Gallatin Avenue (old U.S. 31E). The street runs west by the Cleveland Park community to U.S. 31W-41-431 (Dickerson Pike).
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U.S. 31E (Ellington Parkway) winds between the Cleveland Park and Greenwood neighborhoods to a parclo interchange with Douglas Avenue.
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A northbound reassurance marker precedes the McFerrin Avenue underpass.
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Ellington Parkway switches side with the parallel CSX Railroad on the half mile approach to the Trinity Lane off-ramp.
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Trinity Lane heads west from Gallatin Pike to meet U.S. 31E at a parclo interchange by Highland Heights. West from Ellington Parkway, Trinity Lane passes by the Capitol View neighborhood to become a part of U.S. 431 at U.S. 31W/41 (Dickerson Pike).
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A diamond interchange lies one mile ahead with Hart Lane by a state office complex and the Capitol View neighborhood.
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Hart Lane stems northwest from Gallatin Pike at Inglewood to U.S. 31W/41 (Dickerson Pike). Ben Allen Road loops north from R.S. Gass Boulevard nearby to Dickerson Pike.
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U.S. 31E (Ellington Parkway) continues another mile north from Hart Lane to the cloverstack interchange with SR 155 (Briley Parkway) and Interstate 65.
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Broadmoor Drive provides the final east-west link from Ellington Parkway to parallel U.S. 31W/41 (Dickerson Pike) and Gallatin Pike. The residential road narrows to two lanes east from the folded diamond interchange with U.S. 31E through the Gra-Mar Acres neighborhood.
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A two lane flyover shuttles motorists over Briley Parkway to directly join Interstate 65 north toward Louisville, Kentucky. This ramp replaced a movement using SR 155 west between its respective interchanges with Ellington Parkway and I-65.
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Interstate 65 heads north as a busy commuter freeway to Goodlettsville and Millersville. SR 155 (Briley Parkway) constitutes a freeway loop across north Nashville between I-40 at West Nashville and I-40 by Donelson.
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U.S. 31E north turns east alongside SR 155 (Briley Parkway) for 1.1 mile to Gallatin Pike. SR 155 continues east across the Cumberland River to Opryland.
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A second flyover was constructed to carry motorists from SR 155 (Briley Parkway) west to I-65 north to eliminate weaving traffic patterns.
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Ellington Parkway north reaches the loop ramp for SR 155 west to I-65 south and Bordeaux as the freeway transitions to Briarville Road north.
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South
A trumpet interchange connects the south end of Ellington Parkway with U.S. 31W-41-431 (Spring Street) south at Main Street near Historic Edgefield. A wye interchange intermixes with the exchange to conclude U.S. 31E south at James Robertson Parkway west. U.S. 31E-41-431 turn west onto James Robertson Parkway to cross the Cumberland River into Downtown Nashville.
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References:
http://www.mid-stateconstruction.com/springst.html
Photo Credits:
- AARoads: 05/27/11
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Page Updated Friday February 12, 2016.