PurchaseParkway

So namedbecause the far western part of Kentucky was part of the JacksonPurchase, the Purchase Parkway is a short limited-access route whichlinks Fulton with I-24.At Fulton, the route comes into Kentucky from Tennessee as US 51. Inthe Volunteer State, US 51 provides a four-lane, mostlylimited-access route to Memphis, with an intersection with I-155 atDyersburg. There, I-155 crosses the Mississippi River into Missouriand intersects I-55, allowing traffic heading southwest to bypassMemphis. Among the communities served by the Purchase Parkway areMayfield and Benton. A four-lane US 45 links the parkway with Paducah(and I-24westbound) while a four-lane US 641 brings traffic from Murray northto the parkway at Benton, and provides quick access to Murray fromI-24.The Purchase Parkway was built in the late 1960s and will probablybecome part of I-69 when that route is extended from Indiana toTexas. The tolls have been removed from this highway.

US 45W /US 51 South
Union City
Memphis
Right Lane
US 45E
Martin
Jackson
Left Lane

These signs in Kentucky indicate the first exit in Tennessee. Not mentioned on the signs is US 45. By taking the US 45W /US 51 exit, you can turn left onto US 45 back toward Fulton. This intersection is the northernmost split of US 45 into US 45E and 45W. US 51 south leads to Dyersburg (and I-155) and eventually Memphis.

Exit 0

KY 116 / KY 166
To KY 166

Exit 0

Weigh Station
Fulton
Hickman

The first exit in Kentucky is just north of the state line. All northbound trucks and commercial vehicles are directed to the weigh stations, while local traffic can access either KY 116 or KY 166. KY 116 is State Line Road in Fulton. KY 166 runs parallel to and just north of KY 116. The routes intersect several miles west, when KY 116 turns northwest from the state line. From there, KY 166 intersects KY 125, which leads to Hickman, the westernmost town in Kentucky.

Exit 1

US 51
US 51 North

Exit 1

Clinton
Fulton
Fulton
Clinton

Cairo, Ill.

US 51 is a primary route in western Kentucky and Tennessee, roughly paralleling the Mississippi River. Here, US 51 leaves the Purchase Parkway alignment and heads north to Clinton, Bardwell, where it collects US 62, and Wickliffe, where it collects US 60. All three routes cross the Ohio River into Cairo, Ill., where US 60 and US 62 cross the Mississippi River and head for I-57 and Sikeston, Mo.

Exit 2

KY 307
KY 307

Exit 2

Fulton
Fulton

KY 307 offers the northernmost access point to Fulton. It intersects US 45, then crosses the state line into Tennessee and becomes TN 43. Northbound, the route crosses KY 58 at Fulgham, KY 80 west of Fancy Farm, and ends at US 62 east of Bardwell.

Exit 14

KY 339
KY 339

Exit 14

Wingo
Clinton
Clinton
Wingo

This exit was the former location of a toll booth. From this exit, KY 339 eastbound crosses US 45 at Wingo and intersects KY 97 at Sedalia. Westbound, it crosses KY 58, which provides access to Clinton, then turns due north and runs through Fancy Farm.

Exit 21B

Bypass US 45 South
Purchase Parkway South

Exit 21

Fulton

Exit 21A

Purchase Parkway North
Bypass US 45 North
Bypass US 45 South

Mayfield
Paducah

This unusual interchange has the through route carrying an exit number in both directions. The US 45 bypass was built before the Purchase Parkway, and was incorporated into the parkway as a free route when the parkway was still a toll road. The bypass ends at US 45 just south of this exit.

Exit 22

KY 80
KY 80

Exit 22

Fancy Farm
Mayfield
Mayfield
Fancy Farm

Columbus-Belmont Battlefield State Park
Columbus-Belmont Battlefield State Park

KY 80 is the major through route across the southern part of Kentucky. This exit is very near the western terminus of the route. Taking KY 80 west goes through the community of Fancy Farm (famous for its political picnic sponsored by a local church) and on to US 51, and finally the Mississippi River at Columbus, where a ferry used to cross Old Man River to connect KY 80 with MO 80. East, through Mayfield, KY 80 intersects US 68 at Aurora, where the two routes go through the Land Between the Lakes Recreation Area and on to Cadiz (I-24), Hopkinsville (Purchase Parkway) and Bowling Green (I-65 and the William H. Natcher and Cumberland Parkways). From there KY 80 and its corresponding parkways give an express route to the southeastern part of Kentucky, crossing US 27, I-75 and US 23.

Exit 24

KY 121
KY 121

Exit 24

Wickliffe
Mayfield
Mayfield
Wickliffe

Murray

Much as the Purchase Parkway is the major southwest-to-northeast route through the Jackson Purchase region of Kentucky, KY 121 is the major northwest-to-southeast route. In fact, Mayfield is the crossroads of the region since the major east-west highway (KY 80) and major north-south highway (US 45) all intersect here. Taking KY 121 leads to Wickliffe, where US 51, US 60 and US 62 lead to Illinois and Missouri (I-55 and I-57). KY 121 south goes to Murray before the route crosses the state line into Tennessee.

Exit 25

US 45
US 45

Exit 25

Paducah
Mayfield
Mayfield
Paducah

Kentucky State Police
Kentucky State Police

From Fulton north to Mayfield, US 45 parallels the Purchase Parkway. At Mayfield, the highway turns due north to offer a four-lane route to Paducah where it intersects I-24, US 60 and US 62.

Exit 27

KY 131
KY 131

Exit 27

Airport
Airport

This exit provides access to Mayfield's local airport. To the north is the Kaler Bottom Wildlife Management Area.

Bypass US 641 South

Exit 41

Hardin
Murray

Murray State University

This is a partial exit; northbound traffic cannot exit, and traffic cannot enter heading southbound. The parkway provides a bypass around Benton, and southbound parkway traffic can use this exit to follow US 641 south to Murray.

Exit 43

KY 348
KY 348

Exit 43

Benton
Symsonia
Symsonia
Benton

This exit is the former location of a toll booth.

Exit 47

US 68 / Spur US 641
US 68

Exit 47

Draffenville
Aurora
Draffenville
Aurora

Kenlake State Resort Park


Kentucky Lake Recreation Area

Kenlake State Resort Park


Kentucky Lake Recreation Area

US 68 brings traffic west from Bowling Green and Hopkinsville to the Land Between the Lakes Area. At Aurora, a few miles to the southeast, US 68 intersects KY 80, where a long multiplex of the two routes begins eastward through Hopkinsville, Russellville and Bowling Green. At Draffenville, at this exit, US 68 intersects US 641. West of this interchange, US 68 intersects I-24 before ending at US 62 just east of Paducah.

Exit 52A

I-24 East, To Western Kentucky Parkway
I-24 East

Exit 52A

Nashville
Nashville

Kentucky Dam

Exit 52B

I-24 West
I-24 West

Exit 52B

Paducah
Paducah

I-24 is a northwest-to-southeast route which carries an increasing amount of traffic. It links St. Louis (with a little help from I-57 and I-64 in Illinois) with Nashville (I-40 and I-65) and Chattanooga (I-59 and I-75). In Kentucky, it serves Paducah and Hopkinsville and links the Purchase and Western Kentucky parkways.

US 62 West

Paducah
KY 1523
Calvert City
US 62 East
Eddyville
Kentucky Dam Village State Resort Park

The Purchase Parkway ends at an at-grade intersection (with a traffic light) at US 62 and KY 1523. US 62 west turns left, KY 1523 goes straight, and US 62 east turns right.

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Thispage created June 2, 1998
Last modified Jan. 7, 1999
© 1998, H.B. Elkins