View source for U.S. Route 127

{{short description|Highway in the United States}}
{{Use American English|date=April 2025}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=April 2012}}
{{Infobox road
| country = USA
| type = US
| route = 127
| map = {{maplink-road|frame-height=320|from=U.S. Route 127.map}}
| map_custom = yes
| map_notes = US&nbsp;127 highlighted in red
| length_mi = 758
| length_round = 0
| length_ref = {{citation needed|date=February 2018}}
| established = 1926
| spur_type = US
| spur_of = 27
| direction_a = South
| terminus_a = {{Jct|country=USA|US|27}} at [[Chattanooga, Tennessee|Chattanooga, TN]]
| junction = *{{Jct|country=USA|I|40}} at [[Crossville, Tennessee|Crossville, TN]]
*{{Jct|country=USA|I|64}} at [[Frankfort, Kentucky|Frankfort, KY]]
*{{Jct|country=USA|I|71}} near [[Glencoe, Kentucky|Glencoe, KY]]
*{{Jct|country=USA|I|71|I|75}} at [[Cincinnati, Ohio|Cincinnati, OH]]
*{{Jct|country=USA|I|70}} near [[Eaton, Ohio|Eaton, OH]]
*{{Jct|country=USA|US|30}} at [[Van Wert, Ohio|Van Wert, OH]]
*{{Jct|country=USA|US|20}} at [[Fayette, Ohio|Fayette, OH]]
*{{Jct|country=USA|I|94}} at [[Jackson, Michigan|Jackson, MI]]
*{{Jct|country=USA|I|69|I|96|I|496}} at [[Lansing, Michigan|Lansing, MI]]
*{{Jct|country=USA|US|10}} at [[Clare, Michigan|Clare, MI]]
| direction_b = North
| terminus_b = {{Jct|country=USA|I|75}} near [[Grayling, Michigan|Grayling, MI]]
| states = [[Tennessee]], [[Kentucky]], [[Ohio]], [[Michigan]]
}}
'''U.S. Route&nbsp;127'''  ('''US&nbsp;127''') is a {{convert|758|mi|km|adj=mid|-long}} north–south [[U.S. Highway]] in the eastern half of the United States. The southern terminus of the route is at [[U.S. Route 27|US&nbsp;27]] in [[Chattanooga, Tennessee]]. The northern terminus is at [[Interstate 75]] (I-75) near [[Grayling, Michigan]]. Since 1987, it has been the core of the annual World's Longest Yard Sale, also known as the [[Highway 127 Corridor Sale]] (127 Yard Sale),  which now stretches {{convert|690|mi|km}} from [[Addison, Michigan]], to [[Gadsden, Alabama]]. The sale, held every August, was started to demonstrate that the older U.S. Highway System has something to offer that the [[Interstate Highway System]] does not.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.wbir.com/news/local/story.aspx?storyid=129274&catid=2 |title=Update: Vendors open shop early for World's Longest Yard Sale |first= Tonja |last= Burk |date=August 2, 2010 |publisher= [[WBIR-TV]] |location= Knoxville, TN |access-date=August 2, 2010}}</ref> In [[U.S. Route 127 in Michigan|Michigan]], US&nbsp;127 tripled in length in 2002, taking mileage from its parent, [[U.S. Route 27|US&nbsp;27]].

==Route description==
{{lengths table}}
|-
|[[U.S. Route 127 in Tennessee|TN]]
|{{convert|130|mi|km|disp=table}}
|-
|[[U.S. Route 127 in Kentucky|KY]]
|{{convert|208|mi|km|disp=table}}
|-
|[[U.S. Route 127 in Ohio|OH]]
|{{convert|194|mi|km|disp=table}}
|-
|[[U.S. Route 127 in Michigan|MI]]
|{{convert|212|mi|km|disp=table}}
|-
|Total
|{{convert|744|mi|km|disp=table}}
|}
===Tennessee===
{{Main|U.S. Route 127 in Tennessee}}
In [[Tennessee]], US&nbsp;127 traverses rural areas of the [[Cumberland Plateau]] in eastern [[Middle Tennessee]] and western [[East Tennessee]]. The route officially begins in the northern Chattanooga suburb of [[Red Bank, Tennessee|Red Bank]] at an interchange with US 27, where it overlaps [[Tennessee State Route 8]]. From there it runs primarily northwest as it passes [[Signal Mountain, Tennessee|Signal Mountain]], and later [[Walden Ridge]] before entering [[Dunlap, Tennessee|Dunlap]], where it turns northeast along [[Tennessee State Route 28]]. After TN 8 leaves at the interchange with [[Tennessee State Route 111|TN 111]], US 127/TN 28 follows through the [[Sequatchie Valley]], passing through the city of [[Pikeville, Tennessee|Pikeville]], then curves back to the northwest as it enters [[Crossville, Tennessee|Crossville]], only to return towards the northeast as it enters [[Jamestown, Tennessee|Jamestown]]. From that point on it returns towards the northwest one more time as it winds through the woods surrounding the [[Sgt. Alvin C. York State Historic Park]]. Finally in [[Static, Tennessee|Static]], the road runs along the Tennessee-Kentucky border where it makes a sharp turn at the northern terminus of TN 111 before entering Kentucky.

===Kentucky===
{{Main|U.S. Route 127 in Kentucky}}
In [[Kentucky]], US&nbsp;127 is cosigned with [[U.S. Highway 42|US 42]] through Cincinnati's Northern Kentucky suburbs until {{convert|5|mi|km|spell=in}} east of [[Warsaw, Kentucky|Warsaw]], then passes south through [[Owenton, Kentucky|Owenton]]. This was the road driven by [[Buddy Rich]] when he wrote "Blue Grass makes me Blue" in 1947.<ref>{{cite map |author= Kentucky Department of Highways |year= 1948 |url= http://www.uky.edu/KentuckyAtlas/maps/ghm1950/owen-1950.tiff  |title= General Highway Map: Owen County, Kentucky |scale= 1:125,000 |location= Frankfort |publisher= Kentucky Department of Highways |access-date= June 26, 2012}}</ref> At the state capital of [[Frankfort, Kentucky|Frankfort]], it becomes a four-lane highway, then skirts [[Lawrenceburg, Kentucky|Lawrenceburg]], [[Harrodsburg, Kentucky|Harrodsburg]], and [[Danville, Kentucky|Danville]]. It enters the hilly Knobs Region at [[Junction City, Kentucky|Junction City]], where it becomes a two-lane route, and continues through [[Hustonville, Kentucky|Hustonville]], crossing the drainage divide between the Kentucky and Green river watersheds and roughly following the scenic upper Green River valley through [[Casey County, Kentucky|Casey County]], crossing the river at [[Liberty, Kentucky|Liberty]]. South of [[Dunnville, Kentucky|Dunnville]] it climbs onto the Eastern Pennyroyal Plateau and cuts through [[Russell Springs, Kentucky|Russell Springs]] and [[Jamestown, Kentucky|Jamestown]]. It crosses [[Wolf Creek Dam]], which creates [[Lake Cumberland]].  It runs very briefly with KY 90 north of Albany and crosses into Tennessee at [[Static, Kentucky|Static]]. The new route through Clinton County includes a bypass west of Albany; the original plan for a more direct eastern route was abandoned because of historic and scenic concerns. In the county US&nbsp;127 runs through sinkhole plains along the escarpment that marks the western edge of the Cumberland Plateau, creating scenic views.

===Ohio===
{{Main|U.S. Route 127 in Ohio}}
US&nbsp;127 serves several cities and rural communities along the extreme western edge of [[Ohio]], including [[Cincinnati]],  [[New Miami, Ohio|New Miami]],  [[Seven Mile, Ohio|Seven Mile]], [[Somerville, Ohio|Somerville]], [[Camden, Ohio|Camden]], [[Eaton, Ohio|Eaton]], [[Greenville, Ohio|Greenville]], [[Celina, Ohio|Celina]], [[Van Wert, Ohio|Van Wert]], [[Paulding, Ohio|Paulding]] and [[Bryan, Ohio|Bryan]]. In Cincinnati, it shares a short concurrency with its parent route, US 27, along with [[U.S. Highway 42|US 42]]. From there, it heads north through [[Fairfield, Ohio|Fairfield]] and [[Hamilton, Ohio|Hamilton]]. The highway is a four-lane, divided [[bypass (road)|bypass]] around Greenville. US&nbsp;127 crosses the [[Ohio Turnpike]] near [[West Unity, Ohio|West Unity]], but does not intersect with it. It also joins with [[US 36]] for about {{convert|5|mi|0}}. The first city US&nbsp;127 enters after leaving Kentucky is Cincinnati. The last municipality that US&nbsp;127 goes through before reaching Michigan is West Unity.

Except for [[Defiance County, Ohio|Defiance County]], US 127 passes through the county seats of all nine counties in Ohio that share a border with Indiana. It also traverses a portion of [[Fulton County, Ohio|Fulton County]] before entering Michigan.

In total, US 127 traverses {{convert|194.2|mi|km}} across Ohio.

===Michigan===
{{main|U.S. Route 127 in Michigan}}
[[Image:Us127 east lansing.jpg|thumb|right|US&nbsp;127 through [[Lansing, Michigan]]. Much of the route is a four-lane freeway through this state.]]
In [[Michigan]], US&nbsp;127 runs from the Ohio border south of [[Hudson, Michigan|Hudson]] north to the junction with [[Interstate 75 in Michigan|I-75]], {{convert|4|mi|km|spell=in}} south of [[Grayling, Michigan|Grayling]], a distance of {{convert|212.12|mi}}.<ref name=PRFA>{{cite MDOT PRFA |link= yes |access-date= August 4, 2013}}</ref><ref name=MDOT14>{{cite MDOT map |year= 2014 |sections= G10–N11}}</ref>

The highway is the primary route connecting [[Lansing, Michigan|Lansing]] and central Michigan to Northern Michigan and the Mackinac Bridge; it serves the cities of [[Jackson, Michigan|Jackson]], [[Lansing, Michigan|Lansing]], and [[Clare, Michigan|Clare]].  From the south side of Jackson northerly, it is mostly a four-lane freeway, except for the notable exception of a {{convert|16|mi|km|0|adj=on}} stretch from north of St. Johns to just south of Ithaca, where access to the road is not limited.

Prior to 2002, US&nbsp;127 ran from [[Interstate 69 in Michigan|I-69]] north of [[East Lansing, Michigan|East Lansing]] southerly to the Ohio border near [[Hudson, Michigan|Hudson]], a total of {{convert|83|mi}}.<ref name=MDOT02>{{cite MDOT map |year= 2002 |sections= G10–L11 }}</ref><ref name=MDOT03>{{cite MDOT map |year= 2003 |sections= G10–L11}}</ref> From the Ohio border until Jackson, the highway follows the course (with minor deviations) of the [[Michigan Meridian]] used to [[Public Lands Survey System|survey]] Michigan in the early 19th century. That stretch is generally named Meridian Road.<ref name=baseline>{{cite journal |first= Daniel |last= Jacobson |date=July–August 1988 |title= Michigan Meridian and Base Line: A Teaching Formulation for the Secondary School |journal = Journal of Geography |volume= 87 |issue= 4 |pages= 131–40 |issn= 0022-1341 |doi= 10.1080/00221348808979779}}</ref>
In the non-freeway sections of the route, it is known as Bagley Road.

A proposed [[Interstate 73|I-73]] would incorporate US&nbsp;127 between Jackson and Grayling.<ref name="FHWA">{{cite web |author= ((Office of Planning, Environment, & Realty)) |date= June 18, 2012 |title= High Priority Corridors  |url=http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/planning/national_highway_system/hipricorridors/hpcor.html |work= National Highway System |publisher=[[Federal Highway Administration]] |access-date= June 26, 2012 }}{{dead link|date=August 2024|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}</ref> However, Michigan abandoned plans for building I-73 in 2001.

==History==

===Southern terminus===
US&nbsp;127 originally terminated at Toledo when it was commissioned in 1926. At that time, the southern portion ran from Somerset to Toledo along the route of present-day [[U.S. Route 223]]. In 1930 the southern terminus moved to Cincinnati, and in 1958 it was extended to its present southern terminus at Chattanooga.<ref>{{cite web |last= Sanderson |first= Dale |date= November 14, 2009 |title= End of US Highway&nbsp;127 |url= http://usends.com/20-29/127/127.html |work= US Ends.com |publisher= Self-published |access-date= June 26, 2012}}{{unreliable source? |date= June 2012}}</ref>

===Northern terminus===
[[File:U.S. Route 127 in Michigan southbound beginning.jpg|thumb|Southbound I-75 at the northern terminus of US 127 near Grayling, Michigan]]
The northern terminus of US&nbsp;127 was in or near [[Lansing, Michigan]], from its inception in 1926 to 2002. In 2002, the terminus was moved to an intersection with [[Interstate 75|I-75]] south of [[Grayling, Michigan|Grayling]] in [[Crawford County, Michigan]], replacing all of [[U.S. Route 27|US&nbsp;27]] north of Lansing.<ref name=MDOT02/><ref name=MDOT03/>

==Yard sale==
The [[127 Corridor Sale]], established in 1987, is named for U.S. Route 127.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Williams |first1=Paige |last2=Suryajaya |first2=Leonard |title=The Longest Yard Sale |url=https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2024/09/16/land-of-the-flea |access-date=17 September 2024 |work=The New Yorker |date=9 September 2024}}</ref>

==Major intersections==
;Tennessee
: {{jct|country=USA|US|27}} in [[Chattanooga, Tennessee|Chattanooga]]
: {{jct|country=USA|US|70}} in [[Crossville, Tennessee|Crossville]]
: {{jct|country=USA|US|70N}} in Crossville
: {{jct|country=USA|I|40}} in Crossville
;Kentucky
: {{jct|country=USA|US|150}} in [[Danville, Kentucky|Danville]]. The highways travel concurrently through Danville.
: {{jct|country=USA|US|68}} northeast of [[Harrodsburg, Kentucky|Harrodsburg]]
: {{jct|country=USA|US|62}} in [[Lawrenceburg, Kentucky|Lawrenceburg]]
: {{jct|country=USA|I|64}} in [[Frankfort, Kentucky|Frankfort]]
: {{jct|country=USA|US|60}} in Frankfort
: {{jct|country=USA|US|421}} in Frankfort. The highways travel concurrently through Frankfort.
: {{jct|country=USA|I|71}} in [[Glencoe, Kentucky|Glencoe]]
: {{jct|country=USA|US|42}} north-northeast of Glencoe. The highways travel concurrently to .
: {{jct|country=USA|I|71|I|75}} in [[Florence, Kentucky|Florence]]
: {{jct|country=USA|US|25}} in Florence. The highways travel concurrently to the [[Ohio]] state line.
: {{jct|country=USA|I|275|dab1=Ohio–Indiana–Kentucky}} in [[Crestview Hills, Kentucky|Crestview Hills]]
: {{jct|country=USA|I|71|I|75}} in [[Fort Mitchell, Kentucky|Fort Mitchell]]
: {{jct|country=USA|I|71|I|75}} in [[Covington, Kentucky|Covington]]
;Ohio
: {{jct|country=USA|US|27|US|52}} in [[Cincinnati]]. The highways travel concurrently through Cincinnati.
: {{jct|country=USA|I|75|US|50}} in Cincinnati
: {{jct|country=USA|I|75|US|50}} in Cincinnati
: {{jct|country=USA|US|22}} in Cincinnati
: {{jct|country=USA|I|74}} in Cincinnati
: {{jct|country=USA|I|75}} in Cincinnati
: {{jct|country=USA|I|275|dab1=Ohio–Indiana–Kentucky}} on the [[Pleasant Run, Ohio|Pleasant Run]]–[[Mount Healthy Heights, Ohio|Mount Healthy Heights]]–[[Forest Park, Ohio|Forest Park]] line.
: {{jct|country=USA|US|35}} in [[Eaton, Ohio|Eaton]]
: {{jct|country=USA|I|70}} exit 10 Eaton, OH (4 miles south)
: {{jct|country=USA|US|40}} west of Lewisburg
: {{jct|country=USA|US|36}} west-northwest of [[Jaysville, Ohio|Jaysville]]. The highways travel concurrently to [[Greenville, Ohio|Greenville]].
: {{jct|country=USA|US|33}} southeast of [[Rockford, Ohio|Rockford]]
: {{jct|country=USA|US|30|US|224}} in [[Van Wert, Ohio|Van Wert]]. US&nbsp;127/US&nbsp;224 travels concurrently to north-northeast of Van Wert.
: {{jct|country=USA|US|24}} east of [[Cecil, Ohio|Cecil]]
: {{jct|country=USA|US|6}} south of [[Bryan, Ohio|Bryan]]
: {{jct|country=USA|US|20}} east of [[Alvordton, Ohio|Alvordton]]. The highways travel concurrently to west of [[Fayette, Ohio|Fayette]].
;Michigan
: {{jct|country=USA|US|223}} southeast of [[Somerset, Michigan|Somerset]]
: {{jct|country=USA|US|12}} east of Somerset
: {{jct|country=USA|I|94}} northeast of [[Jackson, Michigan|Jackson]]. The highways travel concurrently to north-northwest of Jackson.
: {{jct|country=USA|I|96|I|496}} at [[Michigan State University]] south-southeast of [[Lansing, Michigan|Lansing]]. I-496/US&nbsp;127 travels concurrently to [[East Lansing, Michigan|East Lansing]].
: {{jct|country=USA|I|69}} north-northwest of East Lansing
: {{jct|country=USA|US|10}} in [[Clare, Michigan|Clare]]. The highways travel concurrently to north-northwest of Clare.
: {{jct|country=USA|I|75}} south of [[Grayling, Michigan|Grayling]]
<ref name=randmcnally>{{cite book |author = Rand McNally |year = 2014 |title = The Road Atlas |edition = Walmart |location = Chicago |publisher = Rand McNally |pages = 42-43, 50-51, 78, 80, 95|isbn = 978-0-528-00771-2}}</ref>

==See also==
*{{portal-inline|U.S. Roads}}

==References==
{{reflist|colwidth=30em}}

==External links==
{{Attached KML}}
* [http://usends.com/127.html Endpoints of US highway 127]

{{start srbox}}
{{ky browse|previous_type=KY|previous_route=126|route=list|next_type=KY|next_route=128}}
{{s-end}}
{{US 27}}

[[Category:U.S. Route 127| ]]
[[Category:U.S. Route 27|1]]
[[Category:United States Numbered Highway System|27-1]]
[[Category:Interstate 75]]