Tennessee State Route 109

State Route 109
Route information
	Maintained by TDOT
Length	38.9 mi (62.6 km)
Major junctions
South end	I-840 / SR 265 in Lebanon
	I-40 in Lebanon; US 70 in Lebanon; US 31E in Gallatin; SR 174 / SR 386 in Gallatin; SR 25 in Gallatin; SR 52 in Portland; US 31W in Portland
North end	I-65 in Portland
Location
Counties	Wilson, Sumner
Highway system

State Route 109 (SR 109) is a primary state highway in Middle Tennessee. It runs from the intersection of SR 265 and I-840 (Exit 72) near Lebanon, north through Gallatin to the Kentucky state line and I-65 (Exit 121).

SR 109 is mentioned in several country music songs including "Church on the Cumberland Road" by Shenandoah and "Goodbye Earl" by the Dixie Chicks. The first Cracker Barrel Restaurant was opened by Dan Evins at the corner of I-40 and SR 109 in Lebanon, Tennessee, in 1969.[1]

History

SR 109 originally ended at its interchange with US Highway 70, but was extended Southward to connect with Interstate 40 in 1968 and in the early 2000s to connect with State Route 265 and I-840. The highway is a four lane divided highway from I-840/SR 265 to Interstate 40 where it becomes a four lane non-divided highway to US Highway 70. It then becomes a two-lane highway until it intersects with Airport Road and South Water Ave. in Gallatin. At that point, SR 109 becomes a four lane divided highway once again and continues as a four lane divided highway to just south of the intersection of SR 109 and SR 76 in Portland. The highway continues as a 4 lane, non-divided highway to 2 miles north of downtown Portland where it becomes 2 lanes to US Highway 31W.

A new interchange was constructed in the mid-2000s with US 70, allowing for the free flow of traffic on US 70 with traffic signals controlling the exits onto SR 109. Prior to the reconstruction, US 70 eastbound traversed a long down-sloping hill to the at-grade intersection, which was a four-way stop until the early 2000s, before being converted to one using a standard traffic signal.

A bypass of downtown Gallatin was constructed in the 1990s, allowing traffic to divert around the city proper to the West. Control of the former 109 through town reverted to the city. In 2010, a newly-constructed four-lane divided section of the highway opened between Gallatin and Portland to replace the original narrow, curvy two-lane portion through the Highland Rim.

A four-lane bridge over the Cumberland River replaced the old two-lane bridge that was constructed in the 1950s and demolished in 2014.

Plans are also underway for SR 109 to bypass downtown Portland and intersect with I-65. This project would extend SR 109 across US 31W to intersect with the interstate just south of the Tennessee-Kentucky border near Lake Springs Road in Robertson County. This project was completed on November 27, 2019.[2]

Route description

Tennessee State Route 109 in Martha, Tennessee

Wilson County

SR 109 begins in southern Wilson County at an interchange with I-840 and SR 265 (Exit 72) near Gladeville. The highway heads north as a 4-lane divided highway, concurrent with SR 265, for a few hundred feet before SR 265 splits off and goes west. SR 109 then heads north to enter Lebanon and have an interchange with I-40 (Exit 232) and pass through a small business district, where it passes by the original Cracker Barrel. The highway then becomes undivided and continues north through rural areas before entering an industrial area and having an interchange with US 70/SR 24 in the Martha area before leaving Lebanon and narrowing to 2-lanes. SR 109 then passes through LaGuardo before crossing the Cumberland River into Sumner County.

Sumner County

SR 109 immediately enters Gallatin and widens to a 4-lane undivided highway and passes through a business district before coming to an intersection with Airport Road, where it turns left onto a bypass of downtown, where it becomes a divided highway once again. SR 109 then passes several neighborhoods before having an interchange with US 31E/SR 6. It then has an interchange with SR 174/SR 386 before having an at-grade intersection with SR 25 and leave Gallatin. SR 109 then passes through the mountains of the Highland Rim before entering Portland, where it becomes undivided and has an intersection with SR 76. The highway passes by several homes and businesses before having an intersection with SR 52 and passing through downtown. SR 109 then passes through an industrial area before narrowing to 2-lanes. The highway then passes through farmland before widening to a 4-lane divided highway and coming to a junction with US 31W/SR 41. SR 109 comes to an end shortly thereafter at an interchange with I-65 (Exit 121).[3]

Future

SR 109 is slated to be widened to a four-lane highway, with a middle 12' turn lane from Gallatin to I-40 in Lebanon, primarily for the increased level of traffic from the industrial park just off the Interstate.

A plan to construct a four-lane, partial access controlled highway bypassing the town of Portland is currently being discussed by TDOT.[4]

Major intersections

County	Location	mi	km	Destinations	Notes
Wilson	Lebanon	0.0	0.0	I-840 / SR 265 east (Central Pike) – Murfreesboro, Watertown	Southern terminus of SR 109; Southern end of SR 265 concurrency; I-840 exit 72 westbound; exit 72 A/B eastbound
				SR 265 west (Central Pike) – Mount Juliet, Hermitage	Northern end of SR 265 concurrency
				I-40 – Nashville, Knoxville	I-40 exit 232 westbound; exit 232 A/B eastbound
				US 70 (Lebanon Road/SR 24) – Mount Juliet, Lebanon	Interchange
Sumner	Gallatin			South Water Avenue – Downtown Gallatin / Airport Road – Bledsoe Creek State Park, Sumner County Regional Airport	SR 109 turns westward, South Water Avenue and Airport Road are continuations
				US 31E (Nashville Highway/SR 6) – Hendersonville, Westmoreland	Interchange
				SR 386 south / SR 174 (Long Hollow Pike) – Hendersonville, Shackle Island	Interchange
				SR 25 – Gallatin, Cross Plains
	Portland			SR 76 west (Portland-White House Road) – White House	Eastern terminus of SR 76
				SR 52 (Maple Street) – Westmoreland, Orlinda
		38.3	61.6	US 31W (SR 41) – White House, Franklin, Kentucky
		38.9	62.6	I-65 – Nashville, Louisville	I-65 exit 121; northern terminus of SR 109; road continues as Vaughn Parkway; opened November 27, 2019.[5]
1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi Concurrency terminus

References

"Cracker Barrel's Founder Dan Evins Dies At 76". WTVF. 2012-01-15. Archived from the original on 2012-01-18. Retrieved 2011-01-28.
"Tennessee Department of Transportation announces New I-65 Interchange at SR 109 is Now Open". Clarksville Online. November 27, 2019. Retrieved 2020-05-05.
"Tennessee Department of Transportation announces New I-65 Interchange at SR 109 is Now Open". Clarksville Online. November 27, 2019. Retrieved 2020-05-05.
Tennessee Department of Transportation. "State Route 109 Portland Bypass - Sumner County". tn.gov. Government of the State of Tennessee. Retrieved December 15, 2020.
"Tennessee Department of Transportation announces New I-65 Interchange at SR 109 is Now Open". Clarksville Online. November 27, 2019. Retrieved 2020-05-05.

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[wtvf-1] "Cracker Barrel's Founder Dan Evins Dies At 76". WTVF. 2012-01-15. Archived from the original on 2012-01-18. Retrieved 2011-01-28.

[2] "Tennessee Department of Transportation announces New I-65 Interchange at SR 109 is Now Open". Clarksville Online. November 27, 2019. Retrieved 2020-05-05.

[3] "Tennessee Department of Transportation announces New I-65 Interchange at SR 109 is Now Open". Clarksville Online. November 27, 2019. Retrieved 2020-05-05.

[4] Tennessee Department of Transportation. "State Route 109 Portland Bypass - Sumner County". tn.gov. Government of the State of Tennessee. Retrieved December 15, 2020.

[5] "Tennessee Department of Transportation announces New I-65 Interchange at SR 109 is Now Open". Clarksville Online. November 27, 2019. Retrieved 2020-05-05.