Tennessee State Route 78
Encyclopedia
State Route 78 is a 36.93 miles (59.4 km) long primary state highway in northwestern Tennessee
, USA. This highway carries a dual primary and secondary designation, however, the majority of this highway is signed as a Primary State Highway
. The only portion of SR 78 designated as secondary is between its southern terminus at SR 104 to US 51 in Dyersburg
.
/State Route 3
the road expands to a 7-lane urban highway and features the highest traffic counts in the Dyersburg area, frequently rising above 30,000 AADT. This section of SR 78 at one time featured 40 mi/h speed limits, however, due to excessive traffic this section has been reduced to a 30 mi/h speed limit. Locals in Dyersburg refer to the section between US 51 and Interstate 155 as 'Hamburger Alley' because of the number of fast food restaurants lining this section of the highway. North of Interstate 155
the highway quickly transitions from a 4-lane divided highway to a rural 2-lane highway carrying a 55 mi/h speed limit. There is also a short 4-lane undivided section within the Ridgely, Tennessee
city limits. SR 78 provides direct access to Reelfoot Lake State Park
via SR-213 on the west side of the lake, and the park's headquarters and visitor's center on the south end of the lake via SR 21/SR 22. Access to the Northwest Correctional Complex is accomplished via SR 212 north of Tiptonville.
SR 78 is bannered as a Tennessee Scenic Parkway from its southern terminus in Dyersburg, Tennessee
to Tiptonville, Tennessee
at the intersection of SR 78 and SR 21
/ SR 22
. SR 78 also carries the Great River Road
designation from its intersection with SR 79
all the way to its northern terminus at the Kentucky
/Tennessee
state line. This highway starts out in rolling, hilly terrain and descends the first Chickasaw Bluff
shortly before reaching Bogota, Tennessee
, from this point north, the highway traverses low-lying farmland and bottomland. The Obion River
crossing south of Bogota, Tennessee once held the distinction of being the oldest highway bridge in Tennessee
that was still in service. The old bridge at this river crossing has since been demolished and replaced by a modern concrete bridge featuring two lanes with full-width shoulders.
Tennessee
Tennessee is a U.S. state located in the Southeastern United States. It has a population of 6,346,105, making it the nation's 17th-largest state by population, and covers , making it the 36th-largest by total land area...
, USA. This highway carries a dual primary and secondary designation, however, the majority of this highway is signed as a Primary State Highway
State highway
State highway, state road or state route can refer to one of three related concepts, two of them related to a state or provincial government in a country that is divided into states or provinces :#A...
. The only portion of SR 78 designated as secondary is between its southern terminus at SR 104 to US 51 in Dyersburg
Dyersburg, Tennessee
Dyersburg is a city in and the county seat of Dyer County, Tennessee, United States, north-northeast of Memphis on the Forked Deer River. The population was 17,145 at the 2010 census.-Geography:Dyersburg is located at...
.
Route description
SR 78 begins as a 5-lane urban highway (with center turn lane) featuring a 40 mi/h speed limit. North of U.S. Route 51U.S. Route 51
U.S. Route 51 is a north–south United States highway that runs for 1,286 miles from the western suburbs of New Orleans, Louisiana to within of the Wisconsin-Michigan border. Much of the highway in Illinois and southern Wisconsin runs parallel to or overlaps Interstate 39...
/State Route 3
State Route 3 (Tennessee)
U.S. Route 51, mostly overlapped by the unsigned State Route 3 , is a north–south state highway in the U.S. state of Tennessee, that is 135.9 miles long. It begins in Shelby County and ends in Obion County...
the road expands to a 7-lane urban highway and features the highest traffic counts in the Dyersburg area, frequently rising above 30,000 AADT. This section of SR 78 at one time featured 40 mi/h speed limits, however, due to excessive traffic this section has been reduced to a 30 mi/h speed limit. Locals in Dyersburg refer to the section between US 51 and Interstate 155 as 'Hamburger Alley' because of the number of fast food restaurants lining this section of the highway. North of Interstate 155
Interstate 155
Interstate 155 is the designation for two Interstate Highways in the United States, all of which are related to Interstate 55:*Interstate 155 , a spur to Peoria*Interstate 155 , a spur to Dyersburg, Tennessee...
the highway quickly transitions from a 4-lane divided highway to a rural 2-lane highway carrying a 55 mi/h speed limit. There is also a short 4-lane undivided section within the Ridgely, Tennessee
Ridgely, Tennessee
Ridgely is a town in Lake County, Tennessee, United States. The population was 1,667 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Ridgely is located at .According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of , all of it land....
city limits. SR 78 provides direct access to Reelfoot Lake State Park
Reelfoot Lake State Park
Reelfoot Lake State Park is a state park in the northwest corner of Tennessee in the United States. It encompasses Reelfoot Lake and is situated in Lake and Obion counties. A major hunting and fishing preserve, it comprises , of which are water, and harbors almost every kind of shorebird, as well...
via SR-213 on the west side of the lake, and the park's headquarters and visitor's center on the south end of the lake via SR 21/SR 22. Access to the Northwest Correctional Complex is accomplished via SR 212 north of Tiptonville.
SR 78 is bannered as a Tennessee Scenic Parkway from its southern terminus in Dyersburg, Tennessee
Dyersburg, Tennessee
Dyersburg is a city in and the county seat of Dyer County, Tennessee, United States, north-northeast of Memphis on the Forked Deer River. The population was 17,145 at the 2010 census.-Geography:Dyersburg is located at...
to Tiptonville, Tennessee
Tiptonville, Tennessee
Tiptonville is a town in and the county seat of Lake County, Tennessee, United States. Its population was 2,439 as of the 2000 census. It is also home to the Northwest Correctional Complex, a maximum security prison, known for once housing mass murderer Jessie Dotson, Jr.-History:According to the...
at the intersection of SR 78 and SR 21
Tennessee State Route 21
Tennessee State Route 21 is a two lane highway that runs from the Mississippi River west of Tiptonville, Tennessee to U.S. Highway 51 in Troy, Tennessee. This road provides access to Reelfoot Lake State Park....
/ SR 22
Tennessee State Route 22
State Route 22 is a south to north highway in Tennessee that is 156.5 miles long, not counting its alternate and bypass sections...
. SR 78 also carries the Great River Road
Great River Road
The Great River Road is a collection of state, provincial, federal, and local roads which follow the course of the Mississippi River through ten states of the United States...
designation from its intersection with SR 79
Tennessee State Route 79
State Route 79 is a long state highway in southwestern Lake County, Tennessee. SR 79 has a dual primary & secondary designation and is one of a few state routes in Tennessee to have an aggregate road surface.-Route description:...
all the way to its northern terminus at the Kentucky
Kentucky
The Commonwealth of Kentucky is a state located in the East Central United States of America. As classified by the United States Census Bureau, Kentucky is a Southern state, more specifically in the East South Central region. Kentucky is one of four U.S. states constituted as a commonwealth...
/Tennessee
Tennessee
Tennessee is a U.S. state located in the Southeastern United States. It has a population of 6,346,105, making it the nation's 17th-largest state by population, and covers , making it the 36th-largest by total land area...
state line. This highway starts out in rolling, hilly terrain and descends the first Chickasaw Bluff
Chickasaw Bluff
The term Chickasaw Bluff refers to high ground rising about above the flood plain between Fulton in Lauderdale County, Tennessee and Memphis in Shelby County, Tennessee. Composed of eroded Pleistocene loess over Pliocene glacial gravel, they are slide prone...
shortly before reaching Bogota, Tennessee
Bogota, Tennessee
Bogota is a small farming community in Dyer County in the U.S. state of Tennessee. It is located ten miles northwest of Dyersburg. It was formerly home to Bogota Elementary School. Its zip code is 38007....
, from this point north, the highway traverses low-lying farmland and bottomland. The Obion River
Obion River
The Obion River system is the primary surface water drainage system of northwestern Tennessee.The Obion has four major forks, the North Fork, Middle Fork, South Fork and Rutherford Fork . The confluences of these forks are only a few miles above the mouth of the Obion's discharge into the...
crossing south of Bogota, Tennessee once held the distinction of being the oldest highway bridge in Tennessee
Tennessee
Tennessee is a U.S. state located in the Southeastern United States. It has a population of 6,346,105, making it the nation's 17th-largest state by population, and covers , making it the 36th-largest by total land area...
that was still in service. The old bridge at this river crossing has since been demolished and replaced by a modern concrete bridge featuring two lanes with full-width shoulders.
Counties traversed (South to North)
SR 78 traverses the following counties shown in the table below.| County | miles |
|---|---|
| Dyer | 13.60 |
| Obion | 1.00 |
| Lake | 22.33 |
Points of interest (South to North)
- Dyersburg State Community CollegeDyersburg State Community CollegeDyersburg State Community College is a Tennessee Board of Regents-operated community college located in Dyersburg, Tennessee. Dyersburg State was founded in 1969. Classes are held on the campus in Dyersburg and at centers in Covington and Trenton...
- Dyersburg Mall
- Reelfoot Lake State ParkReelfoot Lake State ParkReelfoot Lake State Park is a state park in the northwest corner of Tennessee in the United States. It encompasses Reelfoot Lake and is situated in Lake and Obion counties. A major hunting and fishing preserve, it comprises , of which are water, and harbors almost every kind of shorebird, as well...
- Reelfoot Airpark & Inn
- Reelfoot National Wildlife RefugeReelfoot National Wildlife RefugeReelfoot National Wildlife Refuge is a part of the U.S. system of National Wildlife Refuges consisting of an area of Northwest Tennessee and Western Kentucky that consists primarily of a buffer zone around Reelfoot Lake, Tennessee's only large natural lake, which formed after the New Madrid...