Interstate 181 Tennessee

History

Southern Terminus

Northern Terminus

Former Routing

Interstate 181 was the designation applied to the Interstate 26 and U.S. 23 freeway through the Kingsport and Johnson City areas of northeastern Tennessee. Signed during the 1980s, Interstate 181 traveled between U.S. 321 (Exit 33) and U.S. 11W (Exit 55) along the U.S. 23 freeway. The southern half of the route was retracted in favor of Interstate 26 on August 5, 2003, and the northern half was legislatively eliminated in favor of Interstate 26 on August 2, 2005. Signs for Interstate 181 were removed north of Interstate 81 during the first week of March 2007.

History

Original Interstate 181 traveled between U.S. 321 in Johnson City (Exit 33) to U.S. 11W in Kingsport (Exit 55). This freeway was constructed in stages during the 1970s and 1980s as part of the project to construct Appalachian Development Corridor B (U.S. 23). With the extension of Interstate 26 north from Asheville on August 5, 2003, the section of Interstate 181 south of Interstate 81 was eliminated, reducing Interstate 181 from 23.85 miles to approximately nine miles. From 2003 to 2005, Interstate 181 traveled the freeway between the junction with Interstates 26 & 81 and U.S. 11W through Kingsport. Lobbying of officials to extend Interstate 26 northward to Kingsport in an effort to boost economic development in the area came to fruition with the August 2, 2005 announcement by U.S. Sens. Bill Frist (R-TN) and Lamar Alexander (R-TN) and Rep. Bill Jenkins (R-TN) of the passing of the Safe, Accountable, Flexible, and Efficient Transportation Equity Act: A Legacy for Users (SAFETEA-LU) highway bill.¹ Signs for Interstate 181 were completely removed in March 2007, and the entire route of former Interstate 181 is now part of Interstate 26.²

Highway Guides

• Interstate 26 Tennessee

	Historic Southern Terminus (#2) - Interstate 26/Interstate 81 - Colonial Heights, Tennessee Perspective from Interstate 26 west/old Interstate 181/U.S. 23 north Interstate 26 west/U.S. 23 northbound 0.75 miles south of Exits 46A/B of Interstate 81/former 181. The Interstate 26/81/former 181 interchange is a standard cloverleaf. Photo taken by Chris Patriarca (04/03). Approaching the junction with Interstates 81/former 181 and Exit 46A. There are five Tennessee interchanges left of Interstate 81 northbound within the Volunteer State. Photo taken by Chris Patriarca (04/03). Exit 46A for Interstate 81 northbound departs for Bristol. The city of Bristol is split between portions in both Tennessee and Virginia and is just 19 miles to the northeast. Further to the northeast Interstate 81 serves Wytheville and Roanoke, Virginia. Photo taken by Chris Patriarca (04/03). The Interstate 81 southbound cloverleaf ramp from Interstate 26 west/U.S. 23 northbound. Interstate 26 transitioned into Interstate 181 at this point. The city of Knoxville represents the control city of Interstate 81 south and is situated 84 miles to the southwest. Photo taken by Chris Patriarca (04/03). Perspective from Interstate 181/U.S. 23 south One-mile guide sign for Interstate 81/Exits 46B/A on Interstate 26 east (former Interstate 181 south) & U.S. 23 southbound. Interstate 26 began in one mile as former Interstate 181 crosses Interstate 81. The southern Tri-City of Johnson City is ten miles to the south of the upcoming interchange. Photo taken by Chris Patriarca (04/03). Exit 46B/Interstate 81 southbound guide sign at the approach to the interchange. Interstate 81 is a busy route through Tennessee as it is an alternate to Interstate 95 for Northeast U.S. traffic interests from the Mid-Southern states. Photo taken by Chris Patriarca (04/03). Entering the Interstate 81 cloverleaf interchange on Interstate 26 east (former Interstate 181 south) & U.S. 23 southbound. There are no major towns or cities along the final 57 miles of Interstate 81 south. There is a lot of scenery however. Photo taken by Chris Patriarca (04/03). Interstate 81 northbound cloverleaf as Interstate 26 began. The Tri-Cities Regional Airport is six miles to the north at Exit 63. Interstate 181 used to end 15 miles to the south at Exit 31/U.S. 321 in Johnson City. Photo taken by Chris Patriarca (04/03). Next Three Interstate Junctions for Interstate 26 east Interstate 240 overlap begin 82 miles at Asheville, NC Interstate 240 overlap end/ Interstate 40 86 miles at west Asheville, NC Interstate 85 144 miles at Spartanburg, SC Perspective from Interstate 81 north The first sign of Exits 57A/B of Interstates 26 east and former 181 north/U.S. 23 on Interstate 81 northbound. Exit 56 is situated nearby for the Tri-Cities Crossing and Kendrick Creek Road. The sign from 2004 features both Interstate 181 and Interstate 26 shields, while the sign from 2003 features only Interstate 181 shields (along with U.S. 23). Photos taken by Chris Patriarca (04/03) and Carter Buchanan (08/08/04). Interstate 81 adds an exit-only lane for Exit 57A/Interstate 26 east/U.S. 23 southbound. U.S. 23 originally was the only route along the Interstate 26/former 181 freeway as it connected Kingsport and Johnson City of the Tri-Cities region of northeastern Tennessee. Photo taken by Chris Patriarca (04/03) and Carter Buchanan (08/08/04). Departure of Exit 57A/Interstate 26 east/U.S. 23 southbound. U.S. 23 is cosigned with Interstate 26 southward to the North Carolina line at Rice Bend. Photo taken by Chris Patriarca (04/03) and Carter Buchanan (08/08/04). Westbound Interstate 26 (former Interstate 181 north) & U.S. 23 cloverleaf ramp from Interstate 81 northbound. The small sign attached to the overhead is a Tennessee Scenic Highway trailblazer. The paired routes enter the Kingsport city limits in just five miles. Photo taken by Chris Patriarca (04/03). Next Three Interstate Junctions for Interstate 81 north Interstate 381 21 miles at Bristol, TN Interstate 77 overlap begin 90 miles at Wytheville, VA Interstate 77 overlap end 99 miles at Fort Chiswell, VA Perspective from Interstate 81 south Interstate 81 southbound approaching the former western terminus of Interstate 26 and southern terminus of Interstate 181. The former northern terminus of Interstate 181 was nine miles to the north at Exit 55/U.S. 11W in Kingsport. Photo taken by Chris Patriarca (04/03). An Interstate 26 was placed between the Interstate 181 and U.S. 23 shields on the one-mile guide sign. Photo taken by Alex Nitzman & Justin Cozart (08/23/03). Exit 57B for former Interstate 181/U.S. 23 northbound guide sign. U.S. 23 continues as a freeway northward of Interstate 26 to just south of the Tennessee state line at Morrison City. Photo taken by Chris Patriarca (04/03). Traffic to former Interstate 181 (Interstate 26 west)/U.S. 23 northbound departs with the off-ramp to Interstate 26 eastbound in the background. Photo taken by Chris Patriarca (04/03). The update of the sign bridge at Exit 46B of Interstate 81 southbound sees the replacement of the Interstate 181 southbound shield with that of Interstate 26. The cardinal direction still reflects south for U.S. 23. A quick fix east cardinal direction plate is affixed above the Interstate 26 shield on the guide sign. Photo taken by Alex Nitzman & Justin Cozart (08/23/03). Interstate 81 southbound at the former Interstate 26 eastbound beginning. The marriage of U.S. 23 with Interstate 26 continues southward 81 miles all the way to Asheville. Photo taken by Chris Patriarca (04/03). Interstate 26/U.S. 23 guide sign of Exit 46A on Interstate 81 south. Signs at the time on Interstate 26 west and Interstate 181 south were not affected by the extension/truncation project of the two routes. Photo taken by Alex Nitzman & Justin Cozart (08/23/03). Next Three Interstate Junctions for Interstate 81 south Interstate 40 57 miles near Dandridge, TN -- -- -- -- Historic Southern Terminus (#1) - U.S. 321 - Johnson City, Tennessee Perspective from Interstate 26 east/U.S. 19W/23 south Exit 31 guide signage on the triplex southbound, one-half mile north of the U.S. 321/Tennessee 67 freeway. The two highways follow a limited access highway for about four miles to the north of Milligan College. Photos taken by Chris Patriarca (04/03) and Carter Buchanan (08/08/04). Exit numbers along the original Interstate 181 follow the mileage of U.S. 23, with the zero milepost at the North Carolina State Line. This made the transition to Interstate 26 very easy. Even though the freeway continued south to the border, Interstate 181 shields were never posted south of this interchange with U.S. 321. Photos taken by Chris Patriarca (04/03) and Carter Buchanan (08/08/04). Perspective from Interstate 26 west/U.S. 19W/23 north Interstate 26 east/U.S. 19W and 23 northbound, one mile south of the historic Interstate 181 beginning at Exit 31. The trio of highways have just entered the city limits of Johnson City and will see five interchanges to serve the city of 55,469. Photo taken by Chris Patriarca (04/03). Crossing the Sinkint Creek near the Exit 31 off-ramp to U.S. 321/Tennessee 67. U.S. 321 north and Tennessee 67 east travel approximately nine miles to the Carter County seat of Elizabethton while Interstate 26 continues another 15 miles north to its terminus at Interstate 81. Beyond that junction Interstate 181 begins and travels the remaining five miles to Kingsport. Photo taken by Chris Patriarca (04/03). Perspective from U.S. 321 north/Tennessee 67 east U.S. 321 north and Tennessee 67 east at the Interstate 26 west/U.S. 19W/23 southbound off-ramp. U.S. 19W splits with Interstate 26/U.S. 23 20 miles to the south at the town of Ernestville. The eastbound Interstate 26 on-ramp for the historic northbound Interstate 181 beginning is just ahead. Photo taken by Chris Patriarca (04/03). Interstate 181 northbound guide sign at the on-ramp from U.S. 321/Tennessee 67. Interstate 26 now adorns this sign adjacent to the U.S. 23 shield (see next photo). Downtown Johnson City just one mile to the north. Photo taken by Chris Patriarca (04/03). Interstate 181 is still acknowledged sporadically as of the third week of August 2003. This photograph reveals the approach to sign Interstate 26 at the historical northbound beginning ramp of Interstate 181. Three-digit Interstate 26 shields can also be found at this interchange now. Photo taken by Alex Nitzman & Justin Cozart (08/23/03). Perspective from U.S. 321 south/Tennessee 67 west Approaching the historical southern terminus of Interstate 181 via the U.S. 321 south / Tennessee 67 freeway west. While the highway is limited access to the east, a standard diamond interchange facilitates movements to/from Interstate 26. Photo taken by Alex Nitzman & Justin Cozart (08/23/03). Westbound at the Interstate 26 west/U.S. 23 northbound ramp. The overhead on the overpass directs motorists to Interstate 26 eastbound. Just to the northwest is the downtown area of Johnson City. Photo taken by Alex Nitzman & Justin Cozart (08/23/03). Historic Northern Terminus - U.S. 11W - Kingsport, Tennessee Perspective from Interstate 181/U.S. 23 north The northern reaches of Kingsport on the hillside, Former Interstate 181 (Interstate 26 west) and U.S. 23 northbound descend to their river crossing of the North Fork of the Holston River. The Interstate designation comes to an end in one mile at Exit 55/U.S. 11W and Tennessee 1. Photo taken by Chris Patriarca (04/03). Summertime view of the final Interstate 26 (Former Interstate 181) interchange and terminus. Beyond the freeway end, U.S. 23 travels into Scott County Virginia to intersect with U.S. 58-421. Photo taken by Alex Nitzman & Justin Cozart (08/23/03). Traffic to U.S. 11W/Tennessee 1/West Stone Drive departs as U.S. 23 continues solo northward to Norton, Virginia and Pikeville, Kentucky. U.S. 11W sees an interchange nearby with Tennessee State Secondary 36/Lynn Garden Drive. Photo taken by Chris Patriarca (04/03). A second view of Exit 55 along former Interstate 181 northbound. Exit numbers were not altered to reflect the truncated routing in 2003 as officials held out for the eventual Interstate 26 extension. U.S. 11W is a divided arterial highway serving the tri-cities of Kingsport and Bristol. The northern terminus of the route is not far to the northeast at Virginia 381 in Bristol, Virginia. Photo taken by Alex Nitzman & Justin Cozart (08/23/03). End of the U.S. 23 freeway approaching the Virginia state line. Exit 57 is the final exit with Tennessee State Secondary 36. This is not the actual terminus, but two miles to the north of the northern terminus at U.S. 11W. Photo taken by Chris Curley (10/00). Perspective from U.S. 23 south U.S. 23 southbound, one mile north of the Interstate 26 (former Interstate 181) beginning. The freeway enters the Kingsport city limit before reaching the U.S. 11W/Tennessee 1 partial-cloverleaf interchange. Photo taken by Chris Patriarca (04/03). Interstate 26 begins as traffic for Exit 55/U.S. 11W/Tennessee 1 departs. U.S. 23 and Interstate 26 reach Interstate 81 and the historic southern terminus of 181 in nine miles near Colonial Heights. Photo taken by Chris Patriarca (04/03). Perspective from U.S. 11W/Tennessee 1 west U.S. 11W/Tennessee 1 westbound on West Stone Drive at the Interstate 26 eastbound & U.S. 23 southbound cloverleaf ramp. The first southbound interchange of the Interstate highway is three miles to the south at Reservoir Road. U.S. 11W/Tennessee 1 continues southwestward 85 miles to Knoxville where Tennessee 1 downgrades to a State Secondary Route. Photo taken by Chris Patriarca (04/03).

Sources:

1. Frist, Alexander, Jenkins applaud new designation of I-26. Press Release, August 2, 2005.
2. "I-181 to become I-26 in Tennessee, March 1, 2007, News Channel 11 (www.tricities.com)

Page Updated July 19, 2007.