Originating in Mobile, Alabama, U.S. 45 in the Magnolia State travels northward from State Line and rural Greene County into Tennessee beyond Corinth in Alcorn County. The bulk of U.S. 45 is a four lane expressway or limited access freeway with the exception of the section north of Columbus in Lowndes County and through Aberdenn in Monroe County. The continuous four lane expressway instead follows U.S. 45 ALT to the west along a more direct route between Noxubee County and Lee County south of Tupelo.
U.S. 45 Mississippi Guides
U.S. 45 connects Meridian with the Wayne County seat of Waynesboro and the Clarke County seat of Quitman. The expressway bypasses both communities while MS 145 forms business loops. Within Lauderdale County, U.S. 45 circumvents the city of Meridian along a freeway to the east before shifting northeast toward Meridian Naval Air Station.
North through Kemper and Noxubee Counties, U.S. 45 is a rural expressway passing Scooba, Shuqualak and Macon to the east. Just outside the Brooksville town limits, U.S. 45 separates from U.S. 45 ALT and bee lines northeast to the freeway along U.S. 82 in Lowndes County. U.S. 45/82 overlap east across the Tombigbee River into the city of Columbus.
Partitioning from U.S. 82 east at 5th Street in Columbus, U.S. 45 resumes northward along a commercialized stretch with MS 50 through northern reaches of the city. Expanding from a five lane boulevard into a four lane expressway north of Mike Parra Road, U.S. 45 advances past Columbus Air Force Base into Monroe County. The highway bypasses New Hamilton then turns west with MS 8/25 into the city of Aberdeen.
Beyond the overlap with MS 25, U.S. 45/MS 8 upgrade into an expressway before separating at a diamond interchange. MS 8 heads west to Houston while U.S. 45 continues north to an overlap with U.S. 278. U.S. 278 combines with U.S. 45 north to Nettleton and west to U.S. 45 ALT at Shannon in Lee County.
U.S. 45/278 follow a freeway extending north from U.S. 45 ALT to Verona. U.S. 278 branches west toward Pontotoc along the south side of Tupelo while U.S. 45 advances north toward Downtown. The freeway along U.S. 45 continues beyond the exchange with I-22/U.S. 78 into Saltillo. U.S. 45 resumes as an expressway from the city north to the Prentiss County seat of Booneville and a freeway bypass of the Alcorn County seat of Corinth.
Connect with:
Interstate 20
Interstate 59
U.S. 11
U.S. 84
Highway 42
Highway 57
Page Updated 11-10-2024.