U.S. Route 45 | ||||
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Route information | ||||
Maintained by KYTC | ||||
Length: | 51.880 mi (83.493 km) | |||
Major junctions | ||||
South end: | US 45 / SR 3 at Tennessee state line | |||
US 45 Byp. in Mayfield Purchase Parkway near Mayfield I-24 in Paducah US 62 / KY 731 in Paducah US 60 in Paducah US 45 Bus. in Paducah I-24 Bus. / US 60 Bus. in Paducah |
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North end: | US 45 at Ohio River | |||
Highway system | ||||
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U.S. Route 45 Bypass |
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Location: | Mayfield, Kentucky |
Length: | 3.818 mi (6.144 km) |
U.S. Route 45 Business |
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Location: | Paducah, Kentucky |
Length: | 4.378 mi (7.046 km) |
U.S. Route 45 (US 45) enters Kentucky at Fulton in Fulton County and travels northeast through Hickman County, Graves County, and McCracken County. After passing through Mayfield in Graves County it heads directly north into Paducah as a four-lane highway. In Paducah, US 45 serves as a major artery, intersecting with Interstate 24 at Exit 7, and intersecting US 60 and 62. U.S. 45 leaves Kentucky from Paducah's northern border across the two-lane, metal-grate Brookport Bridge to Brookport, Illinois across the Ohio River.
US 45 enters Kentucky at Fulton in Fulton County where it travels around the west side and then north side of town before entering Hickman County. It travels just to the south and east of the Purchase Parkway as it passes briefly through Hickman County and into Graves County. In Graves County US 45 travels northeast and passes through the communities of Water Valley and Wingo. Roughly 7 miles (11 km) northeast of Wingo, US 45 passes through Mayfield where it forms an intersection with US 45 Bypass before passing through the heart of town. Just north of town, US 45 intersects US 45 Bypass and Purchase Parkway and becomes a four-lane divided highway as it turns toward the north. US 45 continues northward through rural sections of Graves County and into McCracken County. In McCracken County, US 45 passes through Lone Oak and then passes under I-24 as it enters Paducah. In Paducah, US 45 forms intersections with US 60, US 62, US 60 Business, I-24 Business, and US 45 Business as it passes through the western part of town. US 45 crosses the Ohio River via the Brookport Bridge into Illinois 51.880 miles (83.493 km) from the Tennessee state line.