U.S. Route 51 in Kentucky

This article is about the section of U.S. Route 51 in Kentucky. For the entire route, see U.S. Route 51.

U.S. Route 51
US 51 highlighted in red
Route information
Maintained by KYTC
Length	42.155 mi (67.842 km)
Major junctions
South end	Future I-69 / US 51 at South Fulton, TN
Major intersections	Future I-69 / Purchase Parkway in Fulton KY 94 north of Fulton KY 58 in Clinton KY 80 in Arlington US 62 in Bardwell KY 121 in Wickliffe US 60 in Wickliffe
North end	US 51 / US 60 / US 62 at Cairo, IL
Location
Country	United States
State	Kentucky
Counties	Fulton, Hickman, Carlisle, Ballard
Highway system
United States Numbered Highway System List Special Divided State Primary Road System Interstate US State Parkways
← KY 50 → US 52

U.S. Route 51 (US 51) in Kentucky runs 42 miles (68 km) through the western portion of the state from the Tennessee state line at Fulton to the Illinois state line at Cairo, Illinois. It is a mostly rural route, also serving the towns of Clinton, Arlington, Bardwell and Wickliffe. It also carries part of the Great River Road near the northern end of its route in Kentucky.

Route description

US 51 mainly runs through the Jackson Purchase region of Kentucky, spanning the four westernmost counties in Kentucky, beginning with a four-lane section crossing the state line, which begins a concurrency with the Purchase Parkway (Future I-69). US 51 follows that parkway's first two miles (3.2 km) to exit 1 north of Fulton.

North of Fulton, US 51 follows a path from Fulton County, and traverses Hickman, Carlisle and Ballard counties, including going through their respective county seats, Clinton, Bardwell, and Wickliffe. At Bardwell, US 62 begins running concurrently with US 51. US 60 joins in on the overlap just before crossing the Ohio River into Alexander County, Illinois just south of Cairo.

Portions of US 51/US 62 in Carlisle and Ballard counties are part of the Great River Road National Scenic Byway.

Major intersections

County	Location	mi	km	Destinations	Notes
Fulton	Fulton	0.000	0.000	Future I-69 south / US 51 south	Continuation south into Tennessee; southern terminus of Purchase Parkway; southern end of Purchase Parkway concurrency
		0.030	0.048	KY 116 / KY 166 – Fulton, Hickman	Purchase Parkway/Future I-69 exit 0
		1.424	2.292	Future I-69 north / Purchase Parkway north / KY 1648 – Mayfield	Northern end of Purchase Parkway/Future I-69 concurrency; northern terminus of KY 1648; Purchase Parkway/Future I-69 exit 1
		1.654	2.662	KY 2767 west (Holiday Lane)	To Parkway Regional Hospital
		1.721	2.770	KY 2149 west (Airport Road)	To Fulton Airport
	​	3.497	5.628	KY 94 Conn. south	Signed KY 94C; short connector road to KY 94
	​	3.924	6.315	KY 94 – Hickman, Murray
	​	5.944	9.566	KY 924 east	Southern end of KY 924 concurrency
Hickman	​	6.287	10.118	KY 924 west	Northern end of KY 924 concurrency
	​	6.968	11.214	KY 1070 north	Southern terminus of KY 1070
	​	9.145	14.717	KY 1529 (Moscow Water Valley Road)
	​	9.861	15.870	KY 2209 east (Gwynn Road)	Western terminus of KY 2209
	​	11.186	18.002	KY 780 east	Southern end of KY 780 concurrency
	​	11.288	18.166	KY 780 west	Northern terminus of KY 780 concurrency
	Clinton	13.256	21.333	KY 780 east	Western terminus of KY 780
		13.756	22.138	KY 58 east (Mayfield Road) – Mayfield	Southern end of KY 58 concurrency
		13.874	22.328	KY 58 west / KY 123 (East Clay Street/West Clay Street)	Northern end of KY 58 concurrency
		14.108	22.705	KY 1745 east (James Phillips Drive)	Western terminus of KY 1745
		14.153	22.777	KY 1826 west (Depot Street)	Eastern terminus of KY 1826
		14.318	23.043	KY 1728 west	Eastern terminus of KY 1728
		14.383	23.147	KY 703 east (Spring Street)	Western terminus of KY 703
	​	15.016	24.166	KY 1728 west	Eastern terminus of KY 1728
	​	16.416	26.419	KY 1540 west	Eastern terminus of KY 1540
	​	17.224	27.719	KY 1301 north	Southern terminus of KY 1301
	​	18.646	30.008	KY 288 east	Western terminus of KY 288
Carlisle	Arlington	22.473	36.167	KY 80 – Mayfield, Columbus, Columbus-Belmont State Park
		22.891	36.839	KY 877 west – Berkley	Eastern terminus of KY 877
	​	27.337	43.995	KY 1377 south – Carlisle County High School	Northern terminus of KY 1377
	​	27.828	44.785	KY 1181 north	Southern terminus of KY 1181
	Bardwell	28.697	46.183	KY 123 south (Elsey Avenue) – Columbus, Columbus-Belmont State Park	Northern terminus of KY 123
		29.076	46.793	US 62 east (Paducah Road) – Paducah	Southern end of US 62 concurrency
	​	31.840	51.242	KY 1022 south	Northern terminus of KY 1022
	​	32.055	51.588	KY 1203 south / Great River Road	Northern terminus of KY 1203; southern end of Great River Road concurrency
Ballard	Wickliffe	37.234	59.922	KY 121 south (Court Street) to KY 286	Northern terminus of KY 121
		37.502	60.354	US 60 east (4th Street) to I-24	Southern end of US 60 concurrency
Ohio River		41.251– 42.155	66.387– 67.842	Cairo Ohio River Bridge
				US 51 north / US 60 west / US 62 west / Great River Road (National Route)	Continuation into Illinois
1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi       Concurrency terminus