US 23
< US 19W | Home | US 23E >
From: North Carolina State Line at Sam's Gap (Unicoi County)
To:  Virginia State Line at Kingsport (Sullivan County)
Total Length: 56.4 miles
Nationally US 23 runs from Jacksonville FL to Mackinaw City MI
ROUTE LOG
NC STATE LINE: 0 - 0
US 19W SB, TN 36 SB: 10.9 - 10.9
TN 81, TN 107: 6.3 - 17.2
TN 173: 5.4 - 22.6
Carter-Unicoi Line: 4.1 - 26.7
TN 359: 0.8 - 27.5
Washington-Carter Line: 1.9 - 29.4
US 321, TN 67: 1.1 - 30.5
TN 91: 0.9 - 31.4
TN 400: 0.6 - 32.0
US 11E SB, US 23 NB, TN 34 WB, TN 36 NB: 2.2 - 34.2
TN 381: 1.2 - 35.4
TN 354: 2.3 - 37.7
TN 75: 3.6 - 41.3
Sullivan-Washington Line: 3.2 - 44.5
I-81 (exit 57): 1.4 - 45.9
TN 347: 2.2 - 47.1
TN 93: 2.3 - 49.4
I-26 END, US 11W, TN 1, TN 137 Begin: 4.0 - 53.4
TN 36 SB: 2.8 - 56.2
VA STATE LINE: 0.2 - 56.4
 Creation: Approved by AASHO in April 1930 as an addition to TN 36, running generally as it does now. Kentucky had tried to get this designated as US 23E.
Adjustments:
By 1935, US 23 was removed from Echo Ave, Tenneva Pl (no longer connects to), Tenneva Ave in Morrison City.
In 1951 (AASHO), US 23 south was rerouted at ernestville to follow TN 81 south to th NC Line at Sams Gap. The old routing east to NC remains part of US 19W.

1929 Official
TN 36 border to border
1924 Official
1932 Official
US 23 added to TN 36
1932 Official
1956 Gousha
US 23 rerouted at NC Line
1956 Gousha

Also about 1951, US 23 was removed from Old Highway Rd in Temple Hill/Shallowford; Chestoa Pike from Chestoa to Erwin
In 1954, US 23 was moved from Sullivan St/Donelson Dr/Truxtom Dr in Johnson City to instead continue on Center St to Lynne Garden Dr
About 1980, US 23 was placed on the new freeway around Erwin and Johnson City. 2nd St into Erwin remained part of TN 107 and Main Ave/Love St/Ohio Ave/Jackson Love Hwy through Erwin was removed from the state highway system. Irwin to Unicoi also remained part of TN 107. Unicoi northward eventually became part of TN 173 plus Unicoi Rd into Carter County; S. Roan St all the way through Johnson City to today's I-26 Exit 20. The freeway from today's TN 91 to US 11E had been TN 137.
In 1982, US 23 was placed on the freeway from Johnson City north past Kingsport to Virginia, leaving behind TN 36.
In 1985, I-181 was added to US 23 from US 321 Johnson City to US 11W Kingsport
About 1995, TN 81 was placed on the new US 23 freeway from the Chestoa area south to North Carolina. Temple Hill Rd was removed from the state highway system; US 19W remained to Ernestville; TN 352 replaced TN 81 from Ernestville to Rocky Fork; Old Asheville Hwy was removed from the state highway system.
In 2003, I-26 replaced I-181 south of I-81
In 2005, I-26 replaced I-181 north of I-81

1986 Official
US 23 removed from surface routes
Erwin through Johnson City
1986 Official
2001 Official
US 23 removed from surface routes
Erwin south to NC
2001 Official

Posting: Fully posted on its overlay with I-26
Secret TN Route Overlay: TN 137 (2.8 mi)
TN 36 (0.2 mi)
Comment: US 23 is 100% freeway, 95% of which is also I-26.

Previous: US 19W  |  Next: US 23E
Top  |  Tennessee Hwy Index Home

Page last modified 27 January 2021