Tennessee State Route 160
{{short description|State highway in Tennessee}}
{{Use American English|date=May 2025}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=April 2021}}
{{Infobox road
|state=TN
|type=Dual
| map={{maplink-road|from=Tennessee State Route 160.map}}
|map_custom=yes
|map_notes=SR 160; primary in red, secondary in blue
|route=160
|length_mi=27.1
|direction_a=North
|terminus_a={{Jct|state=TN|US|11E}} in Morristown
|junction={{plainlist|
- {{Jct|state=TN|SR|66}} in Morristown
- {{jct|state=TN|US|25E}} in Morristown
- {{Jct|state=TN|I|81}} in Lowland
}}
|direction_b=South
|terminus_b={{Jct|state=TN|US|321}} near Newport
|previous_type=TN
|previous_route=159
|next_type=Sec
|next_route=161
}}
State Route 160 (SR 160) is a state highway in East Tennessee that has both four-lane expressway and two-lane rural collector sections. It serves as an arterial bypass route of US 11E/SR 34 in the city of Morristown in Hamblen County.{{cite web |title = Intersection Improvement: State Route 160 at Commerce Boulevard. Morristown, Hamblen County |url = https://www.tn.gov/content/dam/tn/tdot/documents/government-how-do-i-documents/Studies/StatewidePlanning/studies-HambleCountyTPR-SR160atCommerceBlvd-107902.pdf |publisher = Tennessee Department of Transportation |author = ((Mattern and Craig Inc.)) |access-date = April 2, 2021 }}
Route description
=Hamblen County=
SR 160 begins as a primary highway at an intersection with US 11E/SR 34 (W Andrew Johnson Highway) in a concurrency with SR 342 in Morristown, heading southeastward as a 4-lane divided highway, serving essentially as a southern bypass of Morristown. SR 342 (Alpha Valley Home Road) exits after SR 160 curves more eastwardly, and has an intersection with SR 66 (Merchants Greene Boulevard) shortly afterwards. SR 160 continues east to have an interchange with SR 343 (S Cumberland Street) before coming to an interchange with US 25E/SR 32 (S Davy Crockett Parkway; Exit 1 on US 25E). SR 160 then leaves Morristown and has an intersection with SR 113 before coming to an interchange with Interstate 81 (Exit 12 on I-81) in Lowland, where it turns secondary, narrows to 2-lanes, and continues through farmland before crossing the Nolichucky River into Cocke County.
=Cocke County=
SR 160 enters the mountains and passes by Briarwood Ranch Safari Park before passing through Bybee as it exits the mountains and re enters farmland. The highway then winds its way southeast along the banks of the French Broad River to enter Community Newport and come to an end at an intersection with US 321/SR 35 east of downtown.{{google maps |title = Morristown, TN |url = https://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&geocode=&q=morristown,+tn&ie=UTF8&ll=36.015227,-83.182297&spn=0.259927,0.4319&z=11 |accessdate=September 30, 2013}}
History
Prior to the extension of the highway, SR 160's original northern terminus was at TN State Route 343, also known as South Cumberland Street and Old US Highway 25E. Construction of the four-laned section began in 1990 and it took roughly two years to complete, passing through a number of hills and valleys, requiring extensive bridges. The first few miles of the highway took over part of Tennessee State Route 342. The four lane section goes from US 11E in Morristown to 1.7 miles south of Interstate 81.{{cite web |title = Hamblen County: SR 160 from End of Bridge over Nolichucky River |url = http://www.tdot.state.tn.us/construction/2007/Plans/Aug%2031/STP_160(4).pdf |publisher = Tennessee Department of Transportation |author = Bureau of Engineering |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20081113141557/http://www.tdot.state.tn.us/construction/2007/Plans/Aug%2031/STP_160(4).pdf |archive-date = November 13, 2008 }}
Junction list
{{jcttop}}
{{TNint
|county=Hamblen
|cspan=7
|location=Morristown
|lspan=5
|mile=0
|road={{jct|state=TN|US|11E|Sec|342|dir2=west/begin|name2=W Andrew Johnson Highway/SR 34|city1=Jefferson City|city2=Morristown}}
|notes=Northern terminus and Eastern terminus of SR 342; at-grade intersection with traffic signal}}
{{TNint
|mile=1.8
|road={{jct|state=TN|Sec|342|dir1=east|name1=Alpha Valley Home Road}}
|notes=Southern end of SR 342 concurrency
|type=former
}}
{{TNint
|mile=3.2
|road={{jct|state=TN|TN|66|name1=Merchants Greene Boulevard|city1=White Pine|city2=Dandridge|city3=Morristown}}
|notes=Diamond interchange
}}
{{TNint
|mile=7.3
|road={{jct|state=TN|Sec|343|name1=South Cumberland Street|city1=Morristown}}
|notes=Former northern terminus, interchange; access to downtown Morristown
}}
{{TNint
|mile=8
|road={{jct|state=TN|US|25E|name1=S Davy Crockett Parkway/SR 32|city1=Bean Station|city2=Tazewell|city3=White Pine|city4=Newport}}
|notes=Partial cloverleaf interchange; US 25E exit 1
}}
{{TNint
|location=none
|mile=10
|road={{jct|state=TN|Sec|113|name1=Springvale Road|city1=White Pine|city2=Whitesburg}}
|notes=at-grade un-signalized intersection
}}
{{TNint
|location=Lowland
|mile=11.4
|road={{jct|state=TN|I|81|city1=Knoxville|city2=Bristol}}
|notes=I-81 exit 12; southern end of expressway, primary highway classification; northern end of secondary classification
}}
{{TNint
|county=Cocke
|location=none
|mile=27.1
|road={{jct|state=TN|US|321|name1=SR 35|city1=Newport|city2=Greeneville}}
|notes=Southern terminus
}}
{{jctbtm|keys=concur}}
References
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