U.S. Route 11W

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U.S. Route 11W marker
U.S. Route 11W
Route information
Auxiliary route of US 11
Length111.2 mi[2][3] (179.0 km)
ExistedNovember 11, 1926[1]–present
Major junctions
South end US 11 / US 11E / US 70 in Knoxville, TN
Major intersections
North end US 11 / US 11E / US 19 / US 421 in Bristol, VA
Location
StatesTennessee, Virginia
CountiesTN: Knox, Grainger, Hawkins, Sullivan
VA: City of Bristol
Highway system


← US 11EVA→ US 13
← US 11ETN→ SR 11

U.S. Route 11W (US 11W), locally known as Bloody 11W,[4] is a divided highway of US 11 in the U.S. states of Tennessee and Virginia. The U.S. Highway, which is complemented by US 11E to the south and east, runs 111.2 miles (179.0 km) from US 11, US 11E, and US 70 in Knoxville, Tennessee north and east to US 11, US 11E, US 19, and US 421 in Bristol, Virginia. US 11W connects Knoxville and the twin cities of Bristol, Virginia and Bristol, Tennessee with the East Tennessee communities of Rogersville and Kingsport. The U.S. Highway has an unsigned concurrency with Tennessee State Route 1 (SR 1) for its whole length. In 2021, the route in its entirety was labeled among the top 25 deadliest highways in the United States.[5]

Route description[]

US 11W begins at an intersection with the northern terminus of mainline US 11 in Tennessee, the southern end of US 11E, and US 70 in Knoxville. US 11 and US 70 head west as Magnolia Avenue toward Zoo Knoxville and downtown Knoxville; US 11E and US 70 head east along Asheville Highway. US 11W heads northeast as Rutledge Pike, a four-lane divided highway that has a partial cloverleaf interchange with Interstate 40 (I-40) before leaving the city of Knoxville at its underpass of I-640 and US 25W. The U.S. Highway crosses to the north side of Norfolk Southern Railway's and passes between the community of Mascot to the south and House Mountain to the north. US 11W crosses the Knox–Grainger county line and reduces to a two-lane road before intersecting SR 61 in Blaine. North of Blaine, the highway follows Richland Creek northeast through the Richland Valley between the Richland Knobs to the south and the Poor Valley Knobs to the north.[2]

US 11W near Blaine; Clinch Mountain rises in the distance

US 11W meets the northern end of SR 92 in the town of Rutledge, the county seat of Grainger County. The U.S. Highway passes along a narrow strip of flat land between the Valley Ridge to the north and Cherokee Lake, an impoundment of the Holston River. East of Tate Springs near the eastern end of the lake's T-shaped northern end, US 11W has an interchange with US 25E (Dixie Highway). The two highways head east on Old Lee Highway, a four-lane divided highway, toward Bean Station. SR 1 continues east on its own path as Old Lee Highway through the center of Bean Station while US 11 and US 25E head southeast on New Lee Highway. The two U.S. Highways then separate at a trumpet interchange; US 11W heads northeast as a four-lane divided highway that receives the eastern end of the unaccompanied section of SR 1 and enters Hawkins County.[2]

Old Route 11W and new 11W-25E bypass in Bean Station.

US 11W meets the southern end of SR 31 (Flat Gap Road) in Mooresburg. After crossing Poor Valley Creek, the highway begins to parallel the Holston River to the south and Short Mountain on the north. At , US 11W veers southeast into the valley of Crockett Creek and intersects the northern end of SR 344 (Melinda Ferry Road) on its way to Rogersville, the county seat of Hawkins County. At the western end of town, the U.S. Highway meets SR 66 and SR 70 (Trail of the Lonesome Pine) at an interchange; SR 70 joins US 11W in bypassing the Rogersville Historic District. The two highways meet the northern end of SR 347 (Burton Road) before SR 70 splits north at an interchange. The U.S. Highway briefly parallels Big Creek around Bunker Hill before intersecting the west end of SR 346 (Rogersville Highway), which directly serves Surgoinsville while US 11W passes to the north of the town.[2]

View south at the north end of US 11W at US 11/US 11E/US 19/US 421 in Bristol

East of Surgoinsville, US 11W, whose name becomes Lee Highway, begins to parallel the Knoxville East District rail line and meets the eastern end of Surgoinville's Main Street, SR 346. The U.S. and state highways run concurrently east to Church Hill, where US 11W passes under the rail line and SR 346 splits north as that town's Main Street. The U.S. Highway enters Mount Carmel then enters the city of Kingsport, where the highway's name changes to Stone Drive, to the north of the Holston Army Ammunition Plant. US 11W crosses the North Fork Holston River into Sullivan County just north of its confluence with the South Fork to form the Holston River proper. The U.S. Highway passes to the south of Hunter Wright Stadium, home of the minor league baseball Kingsport Mets, before meeting US 23 at a partial cloverleaf interchange; this interchange is the western terminus of I-26. US 11W continues along the northern edge of Kingsport, following Reedy Creek through partial cloverleaf interchanges with SR 36 (Lynn Garden Drive) and SR 93 (John B. Dennis Highway) before leaving the city limits.[2]

Map of northern junction of US 11W, US 11E, and US 11 in Bristol, VA

US 11W follows Reedy Creek through the hamlet of Mill Point, where the highway intersects the northern end of SR 394, which heads southeast toward the Sullivan County seat of Blountville. Just west of Bristol, the U.S. Highway meets I-81 at a seven-ramp cloverleaf interchange. The movement from southbound US 11W to northbound I-81 is made via a ramp just south of where I-81 enters Virginia. US 11W continues east as State Street into the city of Bristol, where the highway meets the northern end of SR 126 (Blountville Highway). The U.S. Highway meets the state line at an oblique angle where the highway intersects US 421 (Gate City Highway) and SR 1, which heads east as a solo highway as State Street to its eastern terminus in the Bristol Commercial Historic District. US 11W and US 421 head northeast as Euclid Avenue through the independent city of Bristol. The highways pass Devault Memorial Stadium, home of the Bristol Pirates, and crosses a rail line at grade before US 11W reaches its northern terminus at Commonwealth Avenue. Southbound Commonwealth Avenue carries southbound US 11E, US 19, and US 421. Virginia State Route 381 follows the north–south boulevard through the intersection; the state highway becomes I-381, a spur south from I-81, a short distance to the north. Euclid Avenue continues east as mainline US 11 and US 19.[2]

History[]

Before its establishment as US 11W, the pathway that it followed was previously used as parts of the Great Indian Warpath, the Great Stagecoach Road and Lee Highway.[6][7]

US 11W from Bristol to Bean Station is designated as part of the National Highway System.[8]

The "Tennessee Split"[]

In 1926, US 11W was originally established as part of US 11.[1] This angered many local government and business representatives along US 511 (US 11E), prompting demand from then Tennessee Governor Austin Peay to have US 11 become a divided highway from Knoxville to Bristol.[1] Tennessee officials proposed for this change to the American Association of State Highway Officials (AASHO) in 1929, and the AASHO would approve the spilt in the same year, with US 11 becoming US 11W, and US 511 becoming US 11E. This would later be known as the "Tennessee Split."[1]

In 1934, following the discontinuation of split routes by the AASHO, the US 11 split had ended. US 11W was recognized as US 11 again by the federal government and 11E was reassigned to be US 411.[1] However, the AASHO had no way to enforce the elimination of the Tennessee Split.[1] Tennessee officials never removed signage of US 11W and US 11E recognizing them as such, and state maps had still acknowledged the Tennessee Split.[1]

In 1952, unable to have Tennessee enforce the change, the AASHO designated US 11 as US 11W and US 411 as US 11E again to eliminate differences between federal and state records and maps.[1] The split of 11W and 11E is still recognized as of 2020.[1]

During its design phase in the early 1960s, I-81 was intended to follow the route of US 11W from Bristol to Knoxville, but efforts led by then Senator Herbert Walters of Morristown had the project redirect southward through Greene, Hamblen, and Jefferson counties paralleling the route of 11E.[9]

Bloody 11W[]

See also: 1972 Bean Station bus-truck collision
Aftermath of 1972 bus-truck collision in Bean Station on 11W.

Because of the highway having a history with a high rate of accidents and fatalities throughout several decades, US 11W has garnered the nickname Bloody 11W.[10][11][6] The stretch of US 11W between Knoxville and Bristol has been labeled as one of the most dangerous stretches of highway in the state of Tennessee.[12]

On May 13, 1972, 14 people were killed and 15 were injured in a head-on collision between a double-decker Greyhound bus and a tractor-trailer on U.S. Route 11W in Bean Station, becoming one of the worst vehicular collisions in the state of Tennessee, and topping headlines nationwide.[13][14]

In 1973, following the deadly bus-semi truck collision in Bean Station, the Tennessee Senate and House of Representatives authorized the formation of special joint investigation committee into US 11W's ill-fated past.[4] Joint committee members billed 11W as one of the 'killer highways' of the United States, having been responsible for 1,068 collisions and 35 fatalities in a single year.[4] The committee held several public forums in cities along the 11W corridor, including Knoxville, Rutledge, Rogersville, and Kingsport.[4]

Attendees of the forums had brought up several statements concerning 11W, such as the highway being possibly cursed.[4] Regarding the completion of I-81 or the widening of parallel route 11E, some attendees suggested that it wasn't enough:

"Two four lane highways are needed in that area, and I think you’re kidding yourself when you say that to complete I-40 is going to relieve the congestion on 11W because it’s not going to do it."[4]

Plans and funding for the widening of 11W from Bristol to Knoxville were established in 1973, however several state and local representatives across various districts in Grainger and Hawkins counties have refused the aid of the state government[15] After the completion of Interstate 81, congestion and the accident count on 11W decreased, but many still called for the widening of the highway, citing its hazardous design in Grainger and Hawkins counties.[16]

As of 2020, U.S. Route 11W has since been widened to four or five lanes, except for the nearly 30 mile stretch between Blaine and Bean Station, including where the 1972 bus-truck collision had occurred. It is suggested that NIMBYism from citizens in Grainger County has played a significant role in the prevention and postponement of the highway construction.[17]

In 2020, the Tennessee Department of Transportation (TDOT) had begun the right-of-way acquisition phase of the 11W widening project between Rutledge and Bean Station, expecting to begin construction in 2021–2022.[18] The section of 11W between Blaine and Rutledge has not been planned for widening but studies by TDOT have suggested for the completion of a four-lane 11W in order to provide safe alternative routes along the I-81-I-40 corridor region for alleviating interstate congestion on I-40 and I-81.[19]

Major intersections[]

StateCountyLocationmi[2][3]kmDestinationsNotes
TennesseeKnoxKnoxville0.000.00 US 11 south / US 70 west (Magnolia Avenue/SR 1 west) – Chilhowee Park, Zoo KnoxvilleInterchange; southern end of SR 1 overlap; US 11E south and US 11W merge into US 11
US 11E north / US 70 east (Asheville Highway/SR 168)Interchange; northbound entrance only
0.50.80 I-40 – Asheville, DowntownI-40 exit 392
GraingerBlaine15.024.1 SR 61 west – Luttrell, MaynardvilleEastern terminus of SR 61
Rutledge29.046.7 SR 92 south – Cherokee Dam, Jefferson City, DandridgeNorthern terminus of SR 92
Bean Station40.465.0 US 25E north (SR 32) – TazewellInterchange; southern end of US 25E / SR 32 overlap
43.169.4 US 25E south (SR 32) – MorristownInterchange; northern end of US 25E / SR 32 overlap
HawkinsMooresburg46.975.5 SR 31 north – SneedvilleSouthern terminus of SR 31
​57.191.9 SR 344 south (Melinda Ferry Road) – Saint ClairNorthern terminus of SR 344
RogersvilleWest Main Street – Downtown Business DistrictFormer US 11W/SR 1
60.296.9 SR 66 / SR 70 south – Sneedville, Bulls GapInterchange; Southern end of SR 70 overlap
63.0101.4 SR 70 north / SR 347 east – Sneedville, Pressmen's HomeInterchange; Northern end of SR 70 overlap; Western terminus of SR 347
Surgoinsville68.3109.9 SR 346 north (Main Street) – Airport, SurgoinsvilleSouthern terminus of SR 346
74.9120.5 SR 346 south – SurgoinsvilleSouthern end of unsigned SR 346 overlap
Church Hill79.5127.9 SR 346 north (Main Boulevard) / Goshen Valley RoadNorthern end of unsigned SR 346 overlap
Hawkins–Sullivan
county line		Kingsport86.0–
86.2		138.4–
138.7		Bridge over the North Fork Holston River
Sullivan87.9141.5 I-26 east / US 23 (SR 137 north) – Gate City, Johnson CityI-26 exit 1; western terminus of I-26; southern terminus of unsigned SR 137
88.7142.7 SR 36 (Lynn Garden Drive)Interchange
92.2148.4 SR 93 (John B Dennis Highway) – Bloomingdale, GreenevilleInterchange
101.5163.3
 SR 394 east to I-81 – Blountville		Western terminus of SR 394
Bristol107.2172.5 I-81 – Roanoke, KnoxvilleI-81 exit 74
109.4176.1 SR 126 west (Blountville Highway) – Blountville, Eastern terminus of SR 126
Tennessee–Virginia state line110.0
0.00		177.0
0.00		 US 421 north (Gate City Highway) / West State Street (SR 1 east)Northern end of SR 1 overlap; southern end of US 421 overlap
VirginiaCity of Bristol1.121.80



 US 11 / US 19 north (Euclid Avenue) / US 11E / US 421 south / US 11 Truck / US 19 Truck (Commonwealth Avenue / SR 381) to I-81 / I-381		Northern end of US 421 overlap; US 11E north and US 11W merge into US 11
1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi
  •       Concurrency terminus
  •       Incomplete access
  •       Route transition

References[]

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i Weingroff, Richard. "U.S. 11 - Rouses Point, New York, to New Orleans, Louisiana". Federal Highway Administration.
  2. ^ a b c d e f g Google (2011-08-25). "U.S. Route 11W" (Map). Google Maps. Google. Retrieved 2011-08-25.
  3. ^ a b "2009 Traffic Data". Virginia Department of Transportation. 2009. Retrieved 2011-08-25.
  4. ^ a b c d e f "U.S. HIGHWAY 11W SPECIAL JOINT INVESTIGATIVE COMMITTEE RECORDS" (PDF). Tennessee State Library. 1973. Retrieved December 18, 2020.
  5. ^ Fisher, Josh (June 1, 2021). "25 deadliest U.S. highways: 2021 edition". FleetOwner. Retrieved July 5, 2021.
  6. ^ a b Spears, Joel (June 5, 2015). "Signs commemorate historic State Route 1, U.S. Hwy. 11W". The Rogersville Review. Retrieved July 28, 2020.
  7. ^ "Lee Highway". AmericanRoads.com. Retrieved September 13, 2020.
  8. ^ "National Highway System: Tennessee" (PDF). Federal Highway Administration. United States Department of Transportation. September 30, 2020. Retrieved January 2, 2021.
  9. ^ Moore, B.H. (August 3, 1972). "Improve Highway 11W". Kingsport Times-News. Retrieved October 30, 2020.
  10. ^ Teague, Slater (September 2, 2018). "Bloody 11W: State investigating deadly section of Hawkins County highway". WJHL News Channel 11. Retrieved May 6, 2020.
  11. ^ Lakin, Matt (August 26, 2012). "Blood on the asphalt: 11W wreck left 14 people dead". Knoxville News Sentinel. Retrieved June 22, 2020.
  12. ^ Coggins, Allen R. (January 15, 2012). Tennessee Tragedies: Natural, Technological, and Societal Disasters in the Volunteer State. Knoxville, Tennessee, United States: University of Tennessee Press. pp. 155–156. ISBN 1572338296.
  13. ^ "14 Die in Tennessee Bus Truck Crash". New York Times. May 14, 1972. Retrieved May 6, 2020.
  14. ^ Wolfe, Tracey (June 24, 2020). "Victim reunites with rescue workers 48 years after deadly crash". Grainger Today. Retrieved June 25, 2020.
  15. ^ McClelland, Gene (December 15, 1976). "Fight For Safe 11-W Continues Money Is There But Work Undone". Kingsport Times-News. p. 58, 63. Retrieved October 30, 2020 – via Newspapers.com.
  16. ^ "Hurley Says Effort To Widen 11W Should Go On For Safety, Industry". Kingsport Times-News. January 19, 1976. p. 1. Retrieved October 30, 2020 – via Newspapers.com.
  17. ^ Bade, Brittany (March 14, 2017). "Highway 11W expansion will force property owners to sell". WBIR Channel 10 News. Retrieved June 16, 2020.
  18. ^ State of Tennessee, Tennessee Department of Transportation. "State Route 1 (US 11W) Improvements". preprod.tn.gov. Retrieved June 16, 2020.
  19. ^ "I-40 / I-81 Corridor Feasibility Study" (PDF). Lakeway Area Metropolitan Transportation Planning Organization. Tennessee Department of Transportation. Retrieved December 13, 2020.

External links[]

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Preceded by U.S. Route 11
US 11W
US 11E 		Succeeded by
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