U.S. Route 231 in Kentucky

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This article is about the section of U.S. Route 231 in Kentucky. For the entire route, see U.S. Route 231.
U.S. Route 231 marker
U.S. Route 231
US 231 in Kentucky highlighted in red
Route information
Maintained by KYTC
Length114.717 mi[1] (184.619 km)
Major junctions
South end US 231 / US 31E at the Tennessee state line
Major intersections US 31E in Scottsville
I-65 at Bowling Green
US 31W in Bowling Green
US 68 / KY 80 in Bowling Green
KY 70 / KY 79 in Morgantown
I-165 (3 times)
Future I-569 / Western Kentucky Parkway in Beaver Dam
US 62 in Beaver Dam
US 60 in Owensboro
North end US 231 at the Indiana state line near Rockport
Location
CountiesAllen, Warren, Butler, Ohio, Daviess
Highway system
← KY 230→ KY 232

U.S. Route 231 (US 231) in Kentucky runs 86.465 miles (139.152 km) from the Tennessee state line near Adolphus to the William H. Natcher Bridge on the Ohio River (Indiana state line) near Rockport, Indiana. It crosses the state mainly in the west-central region, traversing Allen, Warren, Butler, Ohio, and Daviess Counties.

Route description[]

Running concurrently with U.S. Route 31E for its first 8.607 miles (13.852 km) in Kentucky, US 231/31E enters the state from Sumner County, Tennessee, and into Allen County. The two routes separate on the west side of Scottsville after the KY 100 junction. US 231 turns northwestward into a four-lane highway on its way into Warren County, and into Bowling Green. Just before entering the city, US 231 crosses the southern terminus of KY 9007, a short connector providing access to I-65 and I-165. US 231 crosses I-165 on the northwestern edge of the city.[2]

US 231 reaches Butler County to cross the I-165 for a second time, and runs concurrently with KY 79 into Morgantown. KY 70 joins in on the concurrency as US 231, KY 79, and KY 70 cross the Green River. Both state routes separate in the Aberdeen area before crossing the I-165 for a third and final time before entering Ohio County. US 231 meets U.S. Route 62 in the Beaver Dam/Hartford area after crossing the Wendell H. Ford Western Kentucky Parkway on the south side of Beaver Dam.[3]

US 231 goes further north into Daviess County to join up with US 60 (Wendell H. Ford Expressway) to bypass Owensboro. US 60 splits from US 231 before leaving the state via the William H. Natcher Bridge going into Spencer County, Indiana.[4]

Alternate names[]

U.S. 231 has several alternate names throughout its course in Kentucky. They include:

  • Scottsville Road (Allen/Warren County line to US 231 Bus/KY 880)
  • Campbell Lane (Bowling Green, from US 231 Bus/KY 880 to US 68/80)
  • Vietnam Veterans Boulevard (US 68/KY80 to US 231 Bus)
  • Morgantown Road (Warren County, US 231 Bus/US 68 to Butler-Warren County line)
  • Bowling Green Road (Butler County south of Morgantown)
  • South Main Street (Morgantown)
  • G.L. Smith Street (Morgantown)
  • Beaver Dam Road (Aberdeen to Butler-Ohio County line)
  • New Hartford Road (Daviess County, from Ohio County line to US 60)

History[]

Kentucky Route 71 marker

Kentucky Route 71

LocationSocottsville-Owensboro, Kentucky
Existed1929–1952

In Kentucky, US 231 was originally signed as Kentucky Route 71, one of many charter routes of Kentucky's statewide system of highways when it was established in 1929.[5] KY 71 originally ran from downtown Scottsville to downtown Owensboro. Portions of the original KY 71 in Butler County was rerouted to a bridge over the Green River in the early 1950s, replacing the Morgantown Ferry. In 1952, US 231 replaced the alignment of KY 71 in its entirety as it was extended to include several routes into Tennessee, Kentucky, and Indiana from Montgomery, Alabama.[6][7]

In August 1999, US 231 in Bowling Green was rerouted onto KY 880 (Campbell Lane) from the Scottsville Road intersection to the Morgantown Road intersection on the northwest side of town. The former alignment of US 231 into downtown Bowling Green was redesignated as US 231 Business.

In the 2002-03 fiscal year, US 231 in Daviess County was rerouted onto the then-new William H. Natcher Bridge northeast of Owensboro. It previously followed the current KY 2155 and KY 2262 onto the Owensboro Bridge in downtown Owensboro into Spencer County until the opening of the Natcher Bridge.[8][9]

The stretch of US 231 from the Natcher Parkway interchange to Bell Street in Morgantown was widened to include a center lane for turning in 2013-2014.[10][11][12]

Scottsville Road speed limit increase[]

In late May 2017, the KYTC raised the speed limit of US 231 from near Scottsville to the near the Drakes Creek bridge south of Bowling Green from the original 55 miles per hour (89 km/h) to 65 miles per hour (105 km/h).[13] This makes this stretch of US 231 the second section of a four-lane divided highway with unlimited access in the region with a 65 mph speed limit, the first being US 68/KY 80 from I-24 in Trigg County to the I-165 Exit 5 interchange at Bowling Green.

Major intersections[]

CountyLocationmi[1]kmDestinationsNotes
Sumner​0.0000.000 US 231 south / US 31E south – Westmoreland, Gallatin, NashvilleContinuation into Tennessee
AllenAdolphus2.1293.426
 KY 482 west (Andrew Jackson Highway) to KY 3521 south		Eastern terminus of KY 482
Petroleum3.7376.014
 KY 1147 south to KY 3500		Northern terminus of KY-1147
Scottsville7.41511.933 KY 100 – Franklin, Scottsville Business District
8.60713.852 US 31E north / KY 980 east – Glasgow, Downtown ScottsvilleWestern terminus of KY 980; End concurrency with US 31E
8.83614.220 north (Old Bowling Green Road)Southern terminus of KY-3241
​14.11422.714  – Halifax
Allen Springs17.13027.568 KY 240 west (Woodburn-Allen Springs Road)Eastern terminus of KY 240
WarrenAlvaton20.47132.945 KY 961 east (New Cut Road)Western terminus of KY 961
Bowling Green23.80838.315

 KY 9007 north to I-65 / I-165 – Bowling Green, Owensboro		Southern terminus of KY 9007; at-grade intersection
25.06140.332 KY 622 south – PlanoNorthern terminus of KY-622
26.02841.888 KY 2158 north (Cumberland Trace Road)Southern terminus of KY 2158
26.209–
26.253		42.179–
42.250
 I-65 to I-165 – Nashville, Louisville		I-65 Exit 22
26.63342.862 KY 884 south (Three Springs Road)Northern terminus of KY 884
27.63144.468
 US 231 Bus. north (Scottsville Road) / KY 880 east (Lovers Lane)		US 231 turns left onto Campbell Lane
30.21848.631
 US 31W (Nashville Road) to I-165 – Western Kentucky University, Kentucky State Police, Woodburn, Franklin
31.05849.983

 US 68 (Russellville Road) / KY 80 / US 68 Bus. to I-165 – Russellville, Western Kentucky Univ.		Begin concurrency with US 68; Western terminus of US 68 Business
32.5752.42

 US 68 east (Veterans Memorial Boulevard) / US 231 Bus. south (Morgantown Road) to I-65 north		Western terminus of US 231 Business; US 231 turns left onto Morgantown Road
33.500–
33.556		53.913–
54.003
 I-165 to I-65 – Nashville, Scottsville, Owensboro		I-165 Exit 7
34.65355.769
 north to KY 2665		Southern terminus of KY 3191
​35.45057.051 westWestern terminus of KY-2632
Hadley40.30064.857 KY 626 west (Jackson Bridge Road) – QualityBegin concurrency with KY 626
41.37366.583 KY 626 eastEnd concurrency with KY 626
Butler46.03874.091 KY 1083 south – Northern terminus of KY 1083
​47.82976.973 KY 1435 south – Bowling GreenNorthern terminus of KY-1435
​50.07180.581 KY 403 north (Woodbury Loop) – WoodburySouthern terminus of KY 403
52.8184.99 KY 79 south – RussellvilleBegin concurrency with KY 79
Morgantown53.2585.70
 KY 1468 north (Gardner Lane) to KY 70		Southern terminus of KY 1468
53.53586.156 I-165 south – Bowling GreenExit 26 on I-165 southbound, and ramps to I-165 south
53.54986.179

 I-165 north / US 231 Truck north / KY 79 Truck north – Owensboro		Exit 28 on I-165 northbound, and ramps to I-165 north, southern terminus of US 231 Truck/KY 79 Truck
55.48689.296 KY 403 south – WoodburyBegin concurrency with KY 403
55.55489.405 KY 2161 north (North Main Street)Southern terminus of KY 2161
55.83289.853 KY 2162 (Old Logansport Road)
56.12490.323


 KY 70 west (Veterans Way) / KY 403 north / US 231 Truck south / KY 79 Truck south to I-165 – Industrial District, Charles Black City Park, Rochester		End concurrency with KY 403; begin concurrency with KY 70; northern terminus of US 231 Truck/KY 79 Truck
​56.868–
57.148		91.520–
91.971		Bridge over Green River
Aberdeen57.93793.241 KY 79 north (Caneyville Road) – CaneyvilleEnd concurrency with KY 79
58.18493.638 KY 1328 east (Aberdeen-Jetson Road)Western terminus of KY-1328
​58.89594.782 KY 70 east (Brownsville Road) – Roundhill, Brownsville, Mammoth Cave National ParkEnd concurrency with KY 70
​61.34798.728 KY 1118 north (Gilstrap Road)Southern terminus of KY 1118
​62.39–
62.446		100.41–
100.497		 I-165 – Owensboro, Bowling GreenI-165 Exit 33
OhioCromwell65.267105.037 KY 505 north (Baizetown Road)Southern terminus of KY 505
65.654105.660 KY 403 southNorthern terminus of KY 403; dead end
​69.227111.410 KY 269 south – Reed's Ferry, LogansportNorthern terminus of KY 269
Beaver Dam70.167112.923
 Western Kentucky Parkway east to I-165 – Owensboro, Elizabethtown		Exit 75 on WK Parkway eastbound, and ramps to WK Parkway east
70.188112.957 Western Kentucky Parkway west – PaducahExit 75 on WK Parkway westbound, and ramps to WK Parkway west
70.315113.161 KY 2718 north (Applehouse Road)Southern terminus of KY 2718
72.849117.239 KY 369 south – Rochester, Rochester FerryNorthern terminus of KY 369
73.456118.216 US 62 west (First Street) – Central City, McHenry, RockportBegin concurrency with US 62
73.85118.85 KY 273 west (Goshen Road)Eastern terminus of KY 273
74.315119.598 US 62 east (Louisville Road) – Rosine, LeitchfieldEnd concurrency with US 62
Hartford76.516123.141
 KY 69 north to I-165 – Fordsville		Begin concurrency with KY 69
77.533124.777 KY 69 south / southNorthern terminus of KY 1543; end concurrency with KY-69
79.126127.341 KY 136 west – Livermore, CalhounEastern terminus of KY 136
​79.949128.665 northSouthern terminus of KY 1737
​84.544136.060 east (Taffy Road)Western terminus of KY 1414
Pleasant Ridge87.946141.535 northSouthern terminus of KY-2115
DaviessPleasant Ridge89.874144.638 KY 764 eastEastern terminus of KY 764
​90.041144.907 KY 140 westEastern terminus of KY-140
​93.536150.532 KY 142 north – PhilpotSouthern terminus of KY 142
​97.221156.462 KY 298 north (Old Hartford Road)Southern end of KY 298 concurrency
​97.463156.851 KY 298 southNorthern end of KY 298 concurrency
Owensboro99.057159.417 eastWestern terminus of KY 3143
99.565160.234 north – Owensboro Community CollegeSouthern terminus of KY 2117
99.872160.728
 US 60 west (Wendell H. Ford Expressway) to Audubon Parkway		Begin concurrency with US 60; Exit 16 of US 60/Wendell Ford Expressway
100.908162.396 I-165 south – Hartford, Beaver Dam, Bowling Green, NashvilleUS 60 Exit 17; northern terminus of I-165, exits 70A-B northbound; trumpet interchange.
102.098164.311 KY 54 (Leitchfield Road) – Owensboro, LeitchfieldUS 60/231 Exit 18
103.056165.853 KY 603 northUS 60/231 Exit 19; southern terminus of KY 603
105.372169.580 KY 144 – Downtown OwensboroUS 60/231 Exit 21
​107.626173.207Hawes BoulevardEnd of Expressway; US 60 and US 231 continues
​111.120178.830 US 60 east – Lewisport, HawesvilleEnd concurrency with US 60
​113.816–
114.710		183.169–
184.608		William H. Natcher Bridge over the Ohio River and Indiana State Road 66
SpencerRockport114.717184.619 US 231 north – Rockport, Jasper, Lafayette, ChicagoContinuation into Indiana
1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi

See also[]

References[]

  1. ^ a b Commonwealth of Kentucky. "Official DMI Route Log". Retrieved July 5, 2016.
  2. ^ DeLorme (2010). Kentucky Atlas & Gazetteer (Map) (4th ed.). Yarmouth, ME: DeLorme. pp. 81 and 64.
  3. ^ DeLorme (2010). Kentucky Atlas & Gazetteer (Map) (4th ed.). Yarmouth, ME: DeLorme. pp. 63.
  4. ^ DeLorme (2010). Kentucky Atlas & Gazetteer (Map) (4th ed.). Yarmouth, ME: DeLorme. pp. 32 & 45-46.
  5. ^ Kentucky Department of State Highways (September 15, 1939). Road Map of Kentucky (PDF) (Map). c. 1:760,320. Frankfort: Kentucky Department of State Highways.
  6. ^ Kentucky Department of Highways (1957). Kentucky Official Highway Map (PDF) (Map). c. 1:760,320. Frankfort: Kentucky Department of Highways.
  7. ^ "H.B.'s Fun Facts About Kentucky Highways". Archived from the original August 27, 2002. Retrieved July 12, 2016.
  8. ^ Kentucky Transportation Cabinet (2001). Kentucky Official Highway Map (PDF) (Map). Scale not given. Frankfort: Kentucky Transportation Cabinet.
  9. ^ Kentucky Transportation Cabinet (2003). Kentucky Official Highway Map (PDF) (Map). Scale not given. Frankfort: Kentucky Transportation Cabinet.
  10. ^ Jobe, Jeff (July 28, 1999). "Patton's word is good: State approves its portion of $12M US 231 project". Butler County Banner-Republican., page 1.
  11. ^ Terry, Sam (February 2, 2013). "Highway 231 Dream Realized". Butler County Banner-Republican., pages 1 and 16.
  12. ^ Terry, Sam (February 2, 2013). "Widening efforts begun on US 231 in Butler County". Butler County Banner-Republican., page 1.
  13. ^ French, Jackson (May 23, 2017). “State increases speed limit to 65 mph on U.S. 231.” Bowling Green Daily News, May 23, 2017, pages 1A and 6A. Retrieved May 25, 2017.

External links[]

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U.S. Route 231
Previous state:
Tennessee 		Kentucky Next state:
Indiana
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