
15/07/2025
U.S. Route 45 (US 45) in Tennessee is a significant north-south highway that spans the entire width of West Tennessee, connecting the Mississippi state line in the south to the Kentucky state line in the north.
This route travels through several notable cities and towns within Tennessee, including Selmer, Henderson, Jackson, and South Fulton.
Interestingly, between the towns of Three Way and South Fulton, US 45 splits into two distinct branches: US 45W and US 45E. Both of these split routes are considerable in length, with US 45W covering approximately 62.33 miles (100.31 km) and US 45E spanning about 61.23 miles (98.54 km).
US 45W serves communities such as Humboldt, Trenton, Rutherford, and Union City. For most of its path, it runs alongside the unsigned State Route 5 (SR 5).
On the other hand, US 45E passes through places like Milan and Martin. It primarily shares its route with the unsigned State Route 43 (SR 43), with some short segments in Martin and South Fulton being co-signed with SR 216 and SR 215, respectively.
Eventually, both US 45W and US 45E converge again in South Fulton, forming the unified US 45 before it continues its journey north into Kentucky. Throughout its course in Tennessee, US 45 and its branches are maintained by the Tennessee Department of Transportation (TDOT).