US 43 highlighted in red | ||||||||||
| Route information | ||||||||||
| Length | 410 mi[1] (660 km) | |||||||||
| Existed | 1934[2][3]–present | |||||||||
| Major junctions | ||||||||||
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| Major intersections |
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| North end | ||||||||||
| Location | ||||||||||
| Country | United States | |||||||||
| States | Alabama,Tennessee | |||||||||
| Counties | AL:Mobile,Washington,Clarke,Marengo,Greene,Tuscaloosa,Fayette,Marion,Franklin,Colbert,Lauderdale TN:Lawrence,Maury | |||||||||
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U.S. Route 43 (US 43) is a 410-mile-long (660 km) north–southUnited States Highway in theSouthern states ofAlabama andTennessee. It travels fromPrichard, Alabama, toColumbia, Tennessee. The highway's southern terminus is in Prichard, at an intersection withUS 90, and its northern terminus is in Columbia at an intersection withUS 31/US 412/US 412 Bus.
In Alabama and Tennessee, all of the U.S. Highways in each state have one or moreunsignedstate highways designated along its length. US 43 travelsconcurrently withAlabama State Route 13 (SR 13) from its southern terminus to an intersection in southeasternFayette County. For the rest of its length in the state, US 43 is concurrent with signed state highways. In Tennessee, US 43 travels concurrently withTennessee State Route 6 (SR 6) along its entire length in the state. It also has an unsigned concurrency withSR 227 betweenSaint Joseph andLoretto.
US 43 begins along Telegraph Road inPrichard, Alabama, at the point whereUS 90 crosses over Telegraph Road; a short connector road joins the two highways nearby. It travels northward towardChickasaw on a three-lane road that features one lane in each direction and acenter turning lane. Upon intersecting the Craft Highway in Chickasaw, the roadway adds another lane in each direction. As it entersSaraland, the highway meetsState Route 158 (SR 158), which connects toInterstate 65 (I-65) to the west. Farther north in the town, it meetsSR 213. It continues north and then crosses I-65 on the northern edge ofSatsuma. US 43 continues north on a four-lanedivided highway that runs roughly parallel to the meanderingMobile River. Atrumpet interchange nearCalvert provides access to asteel mill between the highway and the river. InMcIntosh, the highway passesAndrews Chapel, a historic log church. North of McIntosh, the highway runs through forest land; clearings dot the roadside occasionally. AtWagarville, the highway intersectsSR 56, which travels west towardChatom. NearJackson, the road crosses theTombigbee River just before an intersection withSR 177. SR 177 serves as abusiness route for US 43 as it passes throughdowntown Jackson. A connector road on either side of US 43 links the highway toSR 69, which passes over the four-lane road. SR 177 intersects US 43 again as it leaves Jackson. US 43 curves to the northeast as it heads towardGrove Hill. There,SR 295 splits off to the east and passes through the town. Shortly thereafter, the highway meetsUS 84 at adiamond interchange. SR 295 rejoins US 43 on the northern end of Grove Hill. Roughly halfway between Grove Hill andThomasville,SR 178 connectsFulton to the highway system. Near the center of Thomasville, the road meetsSR 154, which heads southwest towardCoffeeville. In northern Thomasville, US 43 splits away from the roadway, which continues asSR 5. Instead, US 43 heads northwesterly until it intersectsSR 10 atDixons Mills.[4]

US 43 continues northward from Dixons Mills along a winding road that leads toLinden. There, it meetsSR 69, which came from the southwest. The two highwaystravel together through Linden, where they are overlapped briefly bySR 28. When the highways reachProvidence, the two roadsfork and US 43 takes the western leg; SR 69 heads north towardGreensboro. It then curves slightly to the northwest and meetsUS 80 in southeasternDemopolis. The two routes head west together for about one mile (1.6 km) before US 43 turns back to the north. The highway passes by thetown square and in between the Tombigbee andBlack Warrior Rivers before crossing the latter. North of Demopolis, it follows a two-lane road that passes through wooded farmland that clears as the road goes north. When the highway reachesEutaw, it joins up withSR 14, which comes from Greensboro to the southeast. In the middle of town, the two routes meet northboundU.S. Route 11 in Alabama at theGreene County Courthouse Square District; southbound US 11 goes around the other side of the block, effectively making the courthouse square its median. The three routes only share one block before SR 14 departs to the west and the other two routes head in the opposite direction. Outside of Eutaw, the roadway curves around to the north and it runs a parallel course toI-20/I-59, though a few miles offset. AtKnoxville, the two U.S. Highways cross over the twoInterstate Highways, after which, US 43 and US 11 travel on the north side of the interstates until reachingTuscaloosa. In southwestern Tuscaloosa, the two highways cross the Joe Mallisham Parkway, which serves as a westernbypass of Tuscaloosa andNorthport. Just south of downtown Tuscaloosa, US 43 and US 11 diverge at an interchange with SR 69, which also happens to be the northern end ofI-359. SR 69 descends from theelevated highway and joins US 43 on Lurleen B. Wallace Parkway through the downtown area and past the historicBama Theatre. The northbound and southbound lanes are separated by a block until they join to cross the Black Warrior River on theHugh R. Thomas Bridge just above the Oliver Dam and then enter Northport. Shortly after crossing the river is an interchange with 5th Street. The highways ease to the north and continue until reachingUS 82. There, SR 69 continues to the north while US 43 turns west onto US 82. These two highways head west for a short distance before US 43 turns away to the northwest. The highway curves back around to head northeast as it intersectsSR 171. Farther north in Northport, US 43 meets the end of the Tuscaloosa–Northport western bypass.[5]

It crosses over an arm ofLake Tuscaloosa and travels along the western edge of Binion Creek Landing Park. It winds to the north-northwest and intersectsSR 18. At this intersection, US 43 ends its southern concurrency with SR 13 and begins a concurrency with SR 18. Also, SR 13 becomes a signed highway at this intersection. US 43 and SR 18 wind to the north-northeast and enterBankston and later pass throughStough. Approximately 2,000 feet (610 m) after crossing theSipsey River the highways enterFayette where they intersectSR 171 (2nd Avenue Southeast) in the downtown area. At this intersection, SR 18 continues to the west-northwest on Columbus Street West and US 43 and SR 171 travel to the north-northeast on 2nd Avenue Northeast. North of Fayette, the two highways intersect the southern terminus ofSR 129 and the western terminus ofSR 102 shortly thereafter. They curve to the north-northwest and then briefly travel through the Fayette State Experiment Forest. The highways curve to the north-northeast and enterWinfield. They cross over some railroad tracks of BNSF Railway before intersectingSR 118 (Bankhead Highway) and the southern terminus ofSR 253. US 43, SR 118, and SR 171 travel concurrently to the northwest towardGu-Win andGuin. They pass a3M plant before they intersect the western terminus ofSR 44 (7th Street) in Guin. The highways intersectUS 278 (unsignedSR 74) and the eastern terminus ofSR 142 (11th Avenue West) in downtown Guin. At this intersection, SR 118 turns south onto US 278 west, and US 43 and SR 171 turn north onto US 278 east; the three highways travel to the north-northwest. Between Guin andHamilton, they have an interchange withI-22/US 78. They cross over theButtahatchee River as they enter Hamilton. They intersectSR 17 south of the downtown area. At this intersection, SR 171 ends and SR 17 joins the US 43/US 278 concurrency. At Bexar Avenue West, US 278 turns east, while US 43 and SR 17 continue to the north. The highways curve back to the northeast and intersect the southern terminus ofSR 187. They enterHackleburg and in the main part of town is an intersection withSR 172 and the southern terminus of SR 253 (Clay Street). They then continue to the north and intersect SR 13 for a second time northwest ofPhil Campbell. They enterRussellville and have an interchange withSR 24.[6]

The three highways head to the north and pass theKing Drive-In theater, the oldest, continually-operating theater in the state. They travel northeast throughLittleville and then northwest towardsTuscumbia. They have an intersection withUS 72 (unsigned SR 2),US 72 Alt., andSR 20. At this intersection, US 72 Alternate ends, while US 72 and SR 20 join the US 43/SR 13/SR 17 concurrency. The five highways continue to the north, briefly travel through Tuscumbia proper before traveling along the Tuscumbia–Muscle Shoals city line. On the Muscle Shoals–Sheffield city line, the highways intersect East 2nd Street, which carriesSR 184 east of the intersection. They then pass administration offices of theTennessee Valley Authority (TVA). Then, they cross over theTennessee River on the O'Neal Bridge and enterLauderdale County. The US 43/US 72/SR 13/SR 17/SR 20 concurrency immediately entersFlorence. It has an incomplete interchange where SR 20 leaves the concurrency to the west-southwest on Coffee Road. There is no direct access from SR 20 to US 43 north/US 72 east/SR 13 north/SR 17 north. The highways pass nearUniversity of North Alabama's main campus and travel to the northeast. There is an interchange withSR 157 (Helton Drive). At this interchange, SR 17 departs the concurrency and heads northwest with SR 157. After that, they intersectSR 133 (Cox Creek Parkway). Just west-southwest ofKillen, US 72 continues to the east-northeast, while US 43 and SR 13 head to the northeast. US 43 and SR 13 curve to the north and intersectSR 64. They continue to the north and east until they reach theTennessee state line, where SR 13 ends.[7]
US 43 entersLawrence County and the city limits ofSaint Joseph. The unsignedState Route 6 (SR 6) begins at the state line. In the main part of the city, US 43 begins an unsigned concurrency withSR 227 (Iron City Road). They curve to the northeast, leave Saint Joseph, and enterLoretto. There, SR 227 splits off to the southeast onto East Main Street (Lexington Highway). Then, US 43 intersectsSR 98 (Rabbit Trail Road) inLeoma. It has an interchange withUS 64 (unsignedSR 15; Lawrenceburg Highway) inLawrenceburg. In downtown Lawrenceburg, US 43 intersectsUS 64 Bus. (Gaines Street). The highway runs through Lawrenceburg Proper and into the Ethridge City Limits. There are instersections with Ethridge-Redhill RoadTennessee State Route 938 to the West, and Campbellsville PikeTennessee State Route 940 to the East. The highway begins a curve to the north, crossing the South Fork of the Buffalo River. Shortly after intersecting with the South end of Old Highway 43, the highway crosses over the North Fork of the Buffalo River. Next it intersects with the North end of Old Highway 43 at the junction withSR 240 (Monument Road).
InMaury County, US 43 intersectsSR 20, then it intersects with the South end of Lawrenceburg Highway (the former route of Highway 43). After that junction, it passes by Stillhouse Hollow Falls, a Class I Scenic-Recreational State Natural Area (https://www.tn.gov/environment/program-areas/na-natural-areas/natural-areas-middle-region/middle-region/na-na-stillhouse-hollow-falls.html)The highway continues over Big Bigby Creek and to the junction with the North end of Lawrenceburg Highway.
It intersects the southern terminus ofSR 243 (South Main Street) inMount Pleasant. It travels on an overpass over Mt. Joy Road and some railroad tracks. US 43 bypasses downtown by traveling through the western part of the city. It intersectsSR 166 (1st Avenue). Then, it has an interchange with SR 243, which also leads to theMaury County Airport. It has an interchange withUS 412 (unsignedSR 99) and the western terminus ofUS 412 Bus. (Hampshire Pike) inColumbia. At this interchange, US 43 and US 412 travel concurrently to the north-northeast. At an interchange withSR 50 (Williamsport Pike), the concurrency briefly re-enters the city before leaving again. The concurrency curves to the east-southeast and has an interchange withSR 7 (Santa Fe Pike). Then, they intersectUS 31 and US 412 Bus (Nashville Highway). Here, US 43 ends, US 412 continues to the east-southeast on Bear Creek Pike, and SR 6 turns onto US 31 north.[8]
Prior to the completion ofCorridor X in western Alabama, US 43 andUS 278 shared a concurrency withUS 78 betweenGuin andHamilton.
| Existed | 1934[a]–1934 |
|---|---|
In 1934 as part of a proposal to eliminate theUS 31W andUS 31E spilt, US 43 was to be extended north toHopkinsville, Kentucky onUS 31 and modern dayUS 41A. A highway numberedUS 143 was also to be commissioned to replace US 31E toGlasgow, Kentucky. This plan received pushback from the states involved, and the plan was scrapped.[9]
Preliminary talks have indicated that Alabama state officials support a plan to upgrade US 43 toInterstate Highway standards from theMobile metropolitan area to the I-20/I-59 interchange in Knoxville, Alabama (southwest of Tuscaloosa). No number has been assigned. The plan is estimated to cost roughly $1.6 billion. The project is expected to help the economies of cities in theBlack Belt by connecting communities in western Alabama, thePort of Mobile, I-65, and I-20/I-59.[10]
All exits are unnumbered.
| State | County | Location | mi[11][12] | km | Destinations | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | Mobile | Prichard | 0.000 | 0.000 | Telegraph Road south –State Docks Truck Control SR 13 begins | Continuation past southern terminus; southern end of SR 13 overlap | |
| Interchange via connector road | |||||||
| Saraland | 4.539 | 7.305 | Eastern terminus of SR 158 | ||||
| 6.574 | 10.580 | Northern terminus of SR 213 | |||||
| Satsuma | 10.576 | 17.020 | I-65 exit 19;parclo interchange | ||||
| | 29.146 | 46.906 | Steel Drive | Interchange | |||
| Washington | Wagarville | 50.406 | 81.121 | Eastern terminus of SR 56 | |||
| Tombigbee River | 58.956 | 94.880 | Joe C. McCorquodale Bridge | ||||
| Clarke | | 59.621 | 95.951 | Clockwise terminus of SR 177; former US 43 north | |||
| Jackson | 61.101 | 98.333 | Interchange via connector roads | ||||
| 62.341 | 100.328 | Counterclockwise terminus of SR 177; former US 43 south | |||||
| Grove Hill | 75.035 | 120.757 | Southern terminus of SR 295; former US 43 north | ||||
| 75.760 | 121.924 | Diamond interchange | |||||
| 78.267 | 125.959 | Northern terminus of SR 295; former US 43 south | |||||
| Fulton | 82.757 | 133.184 | Western terminus of SR 178 | ||||
| Thomasville | 91.080 | 146.579 | Eastern terminus of SR 154 | ||||
| 93.087 | 149.809 | Southern terminus of SR 5 | |||||
| Marengo | Dixons Mills | 101.572 | 163.464 | ||||
| Linden | 118.131 | 190.113 | Southern end of SR 69 overlap | ||||
| 119.477 | 192.280 | Southern end of SR 28 overlap | |||||
| 119.890 | 192.944 | Northern end of SR 28 overlap | |||||
| Providence | 122.423 | 197.021 | Northern end of SR 69 overlap | ||||
| Demopolis | 134.323 | 216.172 | Southern end of US 80 overlap | ||||
| 135.275 | 217.704 | Northern end of US 80 overlap | |||||
| Black Warrior River | 138.290 | 222.556 | William Rufus-King Bridge | ||||
| Greene | Eutaw | 160.423 | 258.176 | Southern end of SR 14 overlap | |||
| 160.710 | 258.638 | Southern end of US 11 overlap | |||||
| 160.946 | 259.017 | Northern end of SR 14 overlap | |||||
| Knoxville | 173.626 | 279.424 | I-20/I-59 exit 52 | ||||
| Tuscaloosa | Fosters | 183.651 | 295.558 | I-20/I-59 exit 62 | |||
| Tuscaloosa | 194.287 | 312.675 | Northern end of US 11 overlap; I-359 exit 2 | ||||
| 194.502 | 313.021 | Southern end of SR 69 overlap; northern terminus of I-359 | |||||
| Black Warrior River | 195.249 | 314.223 | Hugh R. Thomas Bridge | ||||
| Northport | 195.713 | 314.970 | 5th Street | Interchange | |||
| 197.139 | 317.264 | Southern end of US 82 overlap; northern end of SR 69 overlap | |||||
| 198.093 | 318.800 | Northern end of US 82 overlap | |||||
| 200.192 | 322.178 | Southern terminus of SR 171 | |||||
| Fayette | | 226.727 | 364.882 | Northern end of SR 13 overlap; southern end of SR 18 overlap | |||
| Fayette | 240.217 | 386.592 | Northern end of SR 18 overlap; southern end of SR 171 overlap | ||||
| | 246.256 | 396.311 | Southern terminus of SR 129 | ||||
| Hubbertville | 247.233 | 397.883 | Western terminus of SR 102 | ||||
| Marion | Winfield | 260.526 | 419.276 | Southern end of SR 118 overlap; southern terminus of SR 253 | |||
| Guin | 266.701 | 429.214 | Western terminus of SR 44 | ||||
| 267.066 | 429.801 | Southern end of US 278 overlap; northern end of SR 118 overlap; eastern terminus of SR 142 | |||||
| Hamilton | 275.428 | 443.258 | Diamond interchange; I-22 exit 16 | ||||
| 280.185 | 450.914 | Southern end of SR 17 overlap; northern end of SR 171 overlap; northern terminus of SR 171 | |||||
| 280.517 | 451.448 | Northern end of US 278 concurrency | |||||
| | 285.822 | 459.986 | Southern terminus of SR 187 | ||||
| Hackleburg | 294.323 | 473.667 | |||||
| Franklin | Phil Campbell | 304.307 | 489.735 | Southern end of SR 13 overlap | |||
| Russellville | 310.871 | 500.298 | Interchange; servesRussellville Municipal Airport | ||||
| Colbert | Muscle Shoals–Tuscumbia line | 327.903 | 527.709 | Southern end of US 72/SR 20 overlap; western terminus of US 72 Alt. | |||
| Muscle Shoals–Sheffield line | 331.231 | 533.065 | Western terminus of SR 184; servesNorthwest Alabama Regional Airport | ||||
| Tennessee River | 332.911 | 535.768 | O'Neal Bridge | ||||
| Lauderdale | Florence | 333.658 | 536.971 | Interchange; no northbound entrance; northern end of SR 20 overlap; no access from SR 20 to US 43 north/US 72 east/SR 17 north | |||
| 334.9 | 539.0 | Stadium | Interchange; no southbound entrance | ||||
| 335.496 | 539.928 | Interchange; northern end of SR 17 overlap | |||||
| 337.819 | 543.667 | ServesNorthwest Alabama Regional Airport andNorth Alabama Medical Center | |||||
| Killen | 342.215 | 550.742 | Northern end of US 72 overlap | ||||
| Zip City | 347.747 | 559.645 | Eastern terminus of CR 364; western terminus of SR 64 | ||||
| Alabama–Tennessee line | 353.077 0.00 | 568.222 0.00 | TN 6 begins | ||||
| Tennessee | Lawrence | St. Joseph | 2.34 | 3.77 | Southern end of SR 227 overlap | ||
| Loretto | 10.35 | 16.66 | Northern end of SR 227 overlap | ||||
| Leoma | 14.85 | 23.90 | Northern terminus of SR 98 | ||||
| Lawrenceburg | 18.15 | 29.21 | Interchange | ||||
| 20.62 | 33.18 | Provides access toDavid Crockett State Park | |||||
| | 33.10 | 53.27 | Eastern terminus of SR 240 | ||||
| Maury | Summertown | 34.20 | 55.04 | Eastern terminus of SR 20 | |||
| Mount Pleasant | 40.36 | 64.95 | Southern terminus of SR 243 | ||||
| 40.96 | 65.92 | Mount Joy Road | Interchange | ||||
| 42.55 | 68.48 | Interchange | |||||
| 44.85 | 72.18 | Interchange | |||||
| Ashwood | 49.98 | 80.44 | Zion Road | Interchange | |||
| Columbia | 50.77 | 81.71 | South end of freeway; southern end of US 412 overlap; western terminus of US 412 Bus. | ||||
| 52.04 | 83.75 | ||||||
| 54.22 | 87.26 | Industrial Park Road | |||||
| 55.90 | 89.96 | North end of freeway | |||||
| 57.21 | 92.07 | Northern terminus; northern end of US 412 overlap; highway continues east as US 412 (SR 99) | |||||
1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi
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