National Starting Point: Mobile, AL, at US 98
National Ending Point: Ontonagon, MI, on the shore of Lake Superior
Total Distance: 1,297 miles
States: AL, MS, TN, KY, IL, WI, MI
Mississippi Starting Point: Alabama border at State Line, MS
Mississippi Ending Point: Tennessee border north of Corinth, MS
Official Length (MDOT): 265.46 miles
Mississippi Counties: Greene, Wayne, Clarke, Lauderdale, Kemper,
Noxubee, Lowndes, Monroe, Lee, Prentiss, Alcorn
Cities/towns over 5,000 pop served: Waynesboro, Meridian, Columbus,
Aberdeen, Tupelo, Booneville, Corinth
Multiplexes:
2.2 miles with MS 18 in Clarke County and Quitman
4.0 miles with US 82 in Lowndes County and Columbus
4.0 miles with MS 50 in Columbus
2.0 miles with MS 25 in Aberdeen
5.8 miles with MS 8 in Aberdeen
20 miles with US 278 in Monroe and Lee Counties
NHS: Entire length
Freeway Segments:
On the Meridian bypass, from MS 145 north to the Old US 45 N
"pseudo-interchange", about 10.9 miles. Exit List.
On multiplex with US 82 in Lowndes County, about 4.0 miles. Full US 82 Exit List.
On the Verona/Tupelo bypass from north junction with US 45 Alt near Shannon north to MS
145 near Saltillo. Exit List.
On the Corinth bypass, from MS 145 north to the Tennessee line. Exit List.
Other Multilane Segments:
On the Waynesboro Bypass.
From just south of DeSoto north (including the Meridian bypass) to just north
of MS 388 near Brooksville.
From US 82 in Columbus north (including the Verona/Tupelo and Corinth
bypasses) to the Tennessee line.
Average Daily Traffic (1998): Ranges from 2,100 at State Line to 30,000 in Columbus.
Notes:
Before the 1987 Highway Program began, only the Verona/Tupelo and Corinth bypasses
existed, along with small 4-lane sections in Lauderdale, Lowndes, and Monroe Counties.
The 1987 Program advocates 4-laning all of US 45 except the section between
Brooksville and US 82. Instead of this section, all of US 45 Alt will be 4-laned,
although MDOT still plans to 4-lane this gap along US 45 as a separate project.
Sections of US 45 that were replaced by new roadway, but which the state still wishes to
maintain are marked MS 145. There are about 87 miles of roadway listed as such
(though not necessarily marked).
The newest section to open is the Quitman bypass, running between DeSoto and Clarke County State Park. This 4-lane section is on new alignment and was opened during the
summer of 2001. Old US 45 through here is now marked MS 145.
Froggie Suggests:
Add full shoulders, milemarkers, and exit numbers to the entire route.
Traffic in Columbus is to the point where a bypass may be needed. I'd also
add interchanges (or at least grade separations similar to what exists at MS
511 on the Quitman bypass) at MS 14 in Macon, MS 16 in Scooba, and MS 145 near Clarkdale to get rid of two existing 4-way stops (at MS
14 and MS 16) and a dangerous intersection (MS 145). I'd also upgrade to a
freeway from Tupelo north to at least Booneville if not all the way to the TN line.