Tennessee State Route 72
State Route 72 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
Map TN 72 in red | ||||
| Route information | ||||
| Maintained by TDOT | ||||
| Length | 43.3 mi[1] (69.7 km) | |||
| Existed | October 1, 1923[2]–present | |||
| Major junctions | ||||
| West end |  SR 58 near Midway | |||
 I-75 in Loudon
 US 411 in Vonore | ||||
| East end |  US 129 near Tallassee | |||
| Location | ||||
| Country | United States | |||
| State | Tennessee | |||
| Counties | Roane, Loudon, Monroe, Blount | |||
| Highway system | ||||
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State Route 72 (SR 72) is a 43.3-mile-long (69.7 km) state highway in the eastern portion of U.S. state of Tennessee. It travels through the towns of Vonore and Loudon.
Route description
Roane County
SR 72 begins in Roane County at an intersection with SR 58 just east of Midway. It then goes east as a narrow, curvy, 2-lane highway as it goes through Midway and then some mountains before entering Paint Rock and having a junction with SR 322, a loop route through Sweetwater. It stays curvy as it crosses more mountains and enters Loudon County.
Loudon County
It then begins paralleling the Tennessee River as it enters Loudon, and finally leaves the mountains and curves behind. SR 72 then has an interchange with I-75 before going through Loudon's main business district and having a junction with US 11/SR 2. It then bypasses downtown to the south before leaving Loudon and the Tennessee River to turn and go southeast. After that, it goes through farmland and has an intersection with SR 444 (Tellico Parkway), which provides access to Tellico Village, Tellico Lake, and Lenoir City.
Monroe and Blount Counties
SR 72 then crosses into Monroe County and enters Vonore, intersects with the other end of SR 322, and comes to an intersection with US 411/SR 33. It becomes concurrent with then and they travel east into downtown, where they intersect SR 360, which provides access to Fort Loudoun and Fort Loudoun State Park. They then cross the Little Tennessee River/Tellico Lake, before SR 72 separates and turns south. It then follows the banks of the lake, crossing into Blount County for a short distance, before ending at an intersection with US 129/SR 115 near Tallassee.
Junction list
| County | Location | mi[1] | km | Destinations | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Roane | Midway | 0.0 | 0.0 | SR 58 (Decatur Highway) – Kingston, Decatur, Chattanooga | Western terminus |
| Paint Rock | 5.4 | 8.7 |   SR 322 east (Sweetwater Road) – Sweetwater | Western terminus of SR 322 | |
| Loudon | Loudon | 13.8 | 22.2 | I-75 – Chattanooga, Knoxville | I-75 exit 72 |
| 16.2 | 26.1 |  US 11 (Mulberry Street/SR 2) – Loudon, Sweetwater | |||
| Tellico Village | 23.3 | 37.5 |  SR 444 east (Tellico Parkway) – Tellico Village, Lenoir City | Western terminus of SR 444 | |
| Monroe | No major intersections | ||||
| Loudon | No major intersections | ||||
| Monroe | Vonore | 27.1 | 43.6 |  SR 322 west (Sweetwater-Vonore Road) – Sweetwater | Eastern terminus of SR 322 |
| 29.3 | 47.2 |  US 411 south (Highway 411/SR 33) – Madisonville | Southern end of US 411/SR 33 concurrency | ||
| 31.7 | 51.0 |  SR 360 south (Unicoi Turnpike) – Fort Loudoun State Historic Park, Tellico Plains | Northern terminus of SR 360 | ||
| 34.3 | 55.2 |  US 411 north (Highway 411/SR 33) – Maryville | Northern end of US 411/SR 33 concurrency | ||
| Blount | No major intersections | ||||
| Monroe | Pumpkin Center | 43.3 | 69.7 | US 129 (Calderwood Highway/SR 115) – Maryville, Robbinsville | Eastern terminus of SR 72 |
1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi
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References
- ^ a b Google (July 13, 2015). "Tennessee State Route 72" (Map). Google Maps. Google. Retrieved July 13, 2015.
- ^ Highway Planning Survey Division (1925). Biennial Report of the Commissioner of the Department of Highways and Public Works State of Tennessee for the Years 1923 and 1924 (PDF) (Report). Nashville: Tennessee Department of Highways and Public Works. pp. 39–44. Retrieved May 19, 2023.