U.S. Route 421 (also U.S. Highway 421, US 421) is a diagonal northwest–southeast

United States Numbered Highway The United States Numbered Highway System (often called U.S. Routes or U.S. Highways) is an integrated network of roads and highways numbered within a nationwide grid in the contiguous United States. As the designation and numbering of these hi ...

in the states of

North Carolina North Carolina () is a state in the Southeastern region of the United States. The state is the 28th largest and 9th-most populous of the United States. It is bordered by Virginia to the north, the Atlantic Ocean to the east, Georgia and So ...

Tennessee Tennessee ( , ), officially the State of Tennessee, is a landlocked state in the Southeastern region of the United States. Tennessee is the 36th-largest by area and the 15th-most populous of the 50 states. It is bordered by Kentucky to th ...

Virginia Virginia, officially the Commonwealth of Virginia, is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Southeastern regions of the United States, between the Atlantic Coast and the Appalachian Mountains. The geography and climate of the Commonwealth ar ...

Kentucky Kentucky ( , ), officially the Commonwealth of Kentucky, is a state in the Southeastern region of the United States and one of the states of the Upper South. It borders Illinois, Indiana, and Ohio to the north; West Virginia and Virginia to ...

, and

Indiana Indiana () is a U.S. state in the Midwestern United States. It is the 38th-largest by area and the 17th-most populous of the 50 States. Its capital and largest city is Indianapolis. Indiana was admitted to the United States as the 19th s ...

. The highway runs for from

Fort Fisher, North Carolina Fort Fisher was a Confederate fort during the American Civil War. It protected the vital trading routes of the port at Wilmington, North Carolina, from 1861 until its capture by the Union in 1865. The fort was located on one of Cape Fear River' ...

, to

US 20 U.S. Route 20 or U.S. Highway 20 (US 20) is an east–west United States Numbered Highway that stretches from the Pacific Northwest east to New England. The "0" in its route number indicates that US 20 is a major coast-to-coast route. S ...

Michigan City, Indiana Michigan City is a city in LaPorte County, Indiana, United States. It is one of the two principal cities of the Michigan City-La Porte, Indiana Metropolitan statistical area, which is included in the Chicago-Naperville-Michigan City Combined sta ...

. Along its routing, US 421 serves several cities including

Wilmington, North Carolina Wilmington is a port city in and the county seat of New Hanover County in coastal southeastern North Carolina, United States. With a population of 115,451 at the 2020 census, it is the eighth most populous city in the state. Wilmington is the ...

Greensboro, North Carolina Greensboro (; formerly Greensborough) is a city in and the county seat of Guilford County, North Carolina, United States. It is the third-most populous city in North Carolina after Charlotte and Raleigh, the 69th-most populous city in the Un ...

Bristol, Tennessee Bristol is a city in the State of Tennessee. Located in Sullivan County, its population was 26,702 at the 2010 census. It is the twin city of Bristol, Virginia, which lies directly across the state line between Tennessee and Virginia. The ...

Lexington, Kentucky Lexington is a city in Kentucky, United States that is the county seat of Fayette County, Kentucky, Fayette County. By population, it is the List of cities in Kentucky, second-largest city in Kentucky and List of United States cities by popul ...

, and

Indianapolis, Indiana Indianapolis (), colloquially known as Indy, is the state capital and most populous city of the U.S. state of Indiana and the seat of Marion County. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the consolidated population of Indianapolis and Mari ...

. US 421 is a

spur route A spur route is a short road forming a branch from a longer, more important road such as a freeway, Interstate Highway, or motorway. A bypass or beltway should not be considered a true spur route as it typically reconnects with another or the s ...

US 21 U.S. Route 21 or U.S. Highway 21 (US 21) is a major north–south United States Numbered Highway System, United States Numbered Highway in the Southeastern United States that travels . The southern terminus is in Hunting Island Sta ...

, which it meets west of

Yadkinville, North Carolina Yadkinville is a town in Yadkin County, North Carolina, United States. The population was 2,995 at the 2020 census. Located in the Piedmont Triad, it is the county seat and largest city of Yadkin County. History The area was chosen as the county s ...

Route description

, - , NC , , - , TN , , - , VA , , - , KY , , - , IN , , - , Total , US 421 begins at

, and heads generally to the northwest to

. Along the way, it passes through

, and

North Carolina

US 421 begins at

Fort Fisher Fort Fisher was a Confederate fort during the American Civil War. It protected the vital trading routes of the port at Wilmington, North Carolina, from 1861 until its capture by the Union in 1865. The fort was located on one of Cape Fear River' ...

and heads through North Carolina's southeastern beaches to Wilmington. It then heads in a northwesterly direction through Clinton, Dunn, Lillington, Sanford and Siler City to the

Piedmont Triad The Piedmont Triad (or simply the Triad) is a metropolitan region in the north-central part of the U.S. state of North Carolina anchored by three cities: Greensboro, North Carolina, Greensboro, Winston-Salem, North Carolina, Winston-Salem, and H ...

region. Major highway junctions between north of Wilmington and Greensboro are

North Carolina Highway 11 North Carolina Highway 11 (NC 11) is a primary state highway in the U.S. state of North Carolina. Traveling in a north–south alignment through Eastern North Carolina, it connects the towns and cities of Wallace, Kenansville, Ki ...

(NC 11),

Interstate 95 Interstate 95 (I-95) is the main north–south Interstate Highway on the East Coast of the United States, running from U.S. Route 1, US Route 1 (US 1) in Miami, Miami, Florida, to the Houlton–Woodstock Border Crossing between M ...

(I-95), US 401, US 1, US 64 and

I-85 Interstate 85 (I-85) is a major Interstate Highway in the Southeastern United States. Its southern terminus is at an interchange with Interstate 65, I-65 in Montgomery, Alabama; its northern terminus is an interchange with Interstate 95, I ...

. In Greensboro, it follows the

Greensboro Urban Loop The Greensboro Urban Loop is a Interstate Highway beltway that surrounds Greensboro, North Carolina, United States. The Urban Loop carries I-73, I-85, I-785, I-840, and US 421. It is primarily located within Greensboro city limits, though ...

paired with I-85 south of Greensboro, close to Pleasant Garden, and

I-73 Interstate 73 (I-73) is a north–south Interstate Highway, located within the US state of North Carolina. Currently, there is one continuous section of I-73, totaling , first traversing the U.S. Route 220 (US 220) freeway from ...

northwest of Greensboro, close to Colfax. It then departs the urban loop and connects to

I-40 Interstate 40 (I-40) is a major east–west Interstate Highway running through the south-central portion of the United States. At a length of , it is the third-longest Interstate Highway in the country, after I-90 and I-80. From west to ea ...

towards Forsyth County as it becomes its own freeway along the former Business Loop 40 alignment. Major intersections are NC 150, NC 66, NC 67, US 158 and US 52 between Greensboro and

Winston-Salem Winston-Salem is a city and the county seat of Forsyth County, North Carolina, United States. In the 2020 census, the population was 249,545, making it the second-largest municipality in the Piedmont Triad region, the 5th most populous city in N ...

. After Winston-Salem, it intersects I-40 once again but continues westerly passing through Lewisville,

Yadkinville Yadkinville is a town in Yadkin County, North Carolina, United States. The population was 2,995 at the 2020 census. Located in the Piedmont Triad, it is the county seat and largest city of Yadkin County. History The area was chosen as the county s ...

, Wilkesboro and Boone. Major highway junctions between Winston-Salem and Boone are US 601,

I-77 Interstate 77 (I-77) is a north–south Interstate Highway in the eastern United States. It traverses diverse terrain, from the mountainous state of West Virginia to the rolling farmlands of North Carolina and Ohio. It largely supplants the ...

, NC 16,

Blue Ridge Parkway The Blue Ridge Parkway is a National Parkway and All-American Road in the United States, noted for its scenic beauty. The parkway, which is America's longest linear park, runs for through 29 Virginia and North Carolina counties, linking Shenand ...

, US 221 and US 321. US 421 continues westerly into Tennessee towards

Mountain City, Tennessee Mountain City is a town in and the county seat of Johnson County, Tennessee, United States. The population was 2,383 at the 2000 census and 2,531 at the 2010 census. It is the northeasternmost county seat in Tennessee. In addition, at an elevatio ...

. US 421 is a limited-access freeway through Siler City northward. US 421 is a divided highway from north of NC 49 all of the way to Wilkesboro.

Tennessee

US 421 enters Tennessee from North Carolina at

Trade Trade involves the transfer of goods and services from one person or entity to another, often in exchange for money. Economists refer to a system or network that allows trade as a market. An early form of trade, barter, saw the direct excha ...

. It is the oldest crossroads community in Tennessee and is the easternmost part of the state. The road "as the crow would fly" is a short distance in Volunteer State but traverses through two mountain ranges. After Trade, it ventures into Mountain City through a zone while bypassing the downtown area. After Mountain City, begins the two mountain ranges and in between them is the area of Shady Valley. The two ranges are a popular motorcycle route known as "The Snake". More than 400 curves over an approximately ride. After the second mountain range, it flattens out after the

South Fork Holston River The Holston River is a river that flows from Kingsport, Tennessee, to Knoxville, Tennessee. Along with its three major forks (North Fork, Middle Fork and South Fork), it comprises a major river system that drains much of northeastern Tennessee, ...

heading towards

Bristol Bristol () is a city, ceremonial county and unitary authority in England. Situated on the River Avon, it is bordered by the ceremonial counties of Gloucestershire to the north and Somerset to the south. Bristol is the most populous city in ...

. US 421 enters Virginia on the Old Dominion side of Bristol. Major highway junctions between the NC and VA state lines are State Route 67 (SR 67) in Mountain City, SR 91 the new Mountain City bypass, SR-394, and US 11E.

Virginia

US 421 enters from Tennessee in

and goes west to Weber City, Duffield, and Pennington Gap in Southwest Virginia. The route goes through the Cumberland and Powell Mountains, and goes by

Natural Tunnel State Park Natural Tunnel State Park is a Virginia state park, centered on the Natural Tunnel, a massive naturally formed cave that is so large it is used as a railroad tunnel. It is located in the Appalachian Mountains near Duffield in Scott County, Virgi ...

near Duffield.

Kentucky

US 421 enters the Bluegrass State running from the Pennington Gap area in Virginia into Harlan County. For the distance between the Virginia state line and closer to

Hal Rogers Parkway The Hal Rogers Parkway, formerly named the Daniel Boone Parkway, connects Somerset and Hazard in southeastern Kentucky. This toll road opened in November 1971, and the tolls were removed June 1, 2003. The original extent of the highway was t ...

, it is a major north-south two-lane highway. However, its passing zones are largely limited to a stretch after the Virginia line, through Harlan and along US 119. US 421 then crosses Pine Mountain and enters Leslie County, turning west at Hyden and paralleling the Hal Rogers Parkway. Between

Manchester Manchester () is a city in Greater Manchester, England. It had a population of 552,000 in 2021. It is bordered by the Cheshire Plain to the south, the Pennines to the north and east, and the neighbouring city of Salford to the west. The t ...

and

McKee McKee is a surname of Scottish or Irish origin. The surname is derived from the Gaelic ''Mac Aodha'' ("son of ''Aodh''") a patronymic form of an old Gaelic personal name which means "fire". Similar surnames which also are derived from the same Ga ...

, US 421 functions as more of a local road with many curves. The roadway improves as it descends from the Cumberland Plateau into the Bluegrass Region at Big Hill in Madison County near Berea. It joins US 25 at the Blue Grass Army Depot south of

Richmond Richmond most often refers to: * Richmond, Virginia, the capital of Virginia, United States * Richmond, London, a part of London * Richmond, North Yorkshire, a town in England * Richmond, British Columbia, a city in Canada * Richmond, California, ...

and roughly parallels

I-75 Interstate 75 (I-75) is a major north–south Interstate Highway in the Great Lakes and Southeastern regions of the United States. As with most Interstates that end in 5, it is a major cross-country, north–south route, traveling from St ...

towards Lexington. Through Lexington, it is Richmond Road, Main Street and Leestown Road. The segment between Lexington and Frankfort was once designated

Kentucky Route 50 U.S. Route 62 (US 62) in Kentucky runs for a total of across 20 counties in western, north-central, and northeastern Kentucky. It enters the state by crossing the Ohio River near Wickliffe, then begins heading eastward at Bardwell, and ...

(KY 50). US 62 runs briefly with US 421 in this section. In Frankfort, US 421 runs with US 60 on the west side of town, then runs within the city's northern bypass, briefly joining US 127. US 421 then traverses the very hilly area northwest of Frankfort, then through

Henry Henry may refer to: People *Henry (given name) *Henry (surname) * Henry Lau, Canadian singer and musician who performs under the mononym Henry Royalty * Portuguese royalty ** King-Cardinal Henry, King of Portugal ** Henry, Count of Portugal, ...

and Trimble counties, exiting the state at

Milton Milton may refer to: Names * Milton (surname), a surname (and list of people with that surname) ** John Milton (1608–1674), English poet * Milton (given name) ** Milton Friedman (1912–2006), Nobel laureate in Economics, author of '' Free t ...

, crossing the

Ohio River The Ohio River is a long river in the United States. It is located at the boundary of the Midwestern and Southern United States, flowing southwesterly from western Pennsylvania to its mouth on the Mississippi River at the southern tip of Illino ...

into

Madison, Indiana Madison is a city in and the county seat of Jefferson County, Indiana, United States, along the Ohio River. As of the 2010 United States Census its population was 11,967. Over 55,000 people live within of downtown Madison. Madison is the larges ...

via the

Milton–Madison Bridge The Milton–Madison Bridge (also known as the Harrison Street Bridge) is a continuous truss bridge that connects Milton, Kentucky and Madison, Indiana. It carries approximately 10,000 cars a day. The old structure was replaced with a completely ...

Indiana

US421nRoad-NorthOfInt94-NearEnd (32357916096)

US 421 winds through the southern part of Indiana as it runs from Madison, in the southeastern part of the state, to

Indianapolis Indianapolis (), colloquially known as Indy, is the state capital and most populous city of the U.S. state of Indiana and the seat of Marion County. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the consolidated population of Indianapolis and Marion ...

. North of Greensburg, US 421 intersects and merges with

I-74 } Interstate 74 (I-74) is an Interstate Highway in the Midwestern and Southeastern United States. Its western end is at an interchange with I-80 in Davenport, Iowa (Quad Cities); the eastern end of its Midwest segment is at an interchange ...

west, through the Shelbyville area en route to Indianapolis. Originally, US 421 followed Southeastern Avenue into downtown Indianapolis, where it merged with US 40 ( Washington Street) to West Street, then turned north, following West Street, Northwestern Avenue (later MLK Street), and Michigan Road up to the northwest side of the city. US 421 went past the Pyramids, an Indianapolis landmark. North of

, US 421 continues to the north-northwest, providing a direct highway link between Indianapolis and Michigan City. US 421 ends at its junction with US 20 on the south side of Michigan City. Originally, the highway's end was a few miles north at the junction with US 12 near the shores of Lake Michigan.

History

North Carolina

US 421 mainly followed the same route between Clinton and Wilmington. However, there are several old alignments from Clinton to the Tennessee state line. *US 421 bypasses Clinton, old alignment uses local streets. *Between Dunn and Sanford, uses an old alignment, fully connected. *Between Goldston and Greensboro, uses several old alignments but not fully connected. *Between Greensboro and Wilkesboro, uses multiple old alignments of different alignments. In *addition, they are no longer connected consistently. *US 421 bypasses Wilkesboro, with a special US Business route. *Between Deep Gap and Boone, uses a new alignment. *Between Vilas and the Tennessee state line, uses an old alignment.

Future

US 421 is projected to be upgraded to a freeway in Indiana from Greensburg to Versailles. US 421 freeway will go near, or pass through

Napoleon Napoleon Bonaparte ; it, Napoleone Bonaparte, ; co, Napulione Buonaparte. (born Napoleone Buonaparte; 15 August 1769 – 5 May 1821), later known by his regnal name Napoleon I, was a French military commander and political leader who ...

and Osgood.

Major intersections

;North Carolina : Parking area in

Federal Point Federal Point is an unincorporated community in Putnam County, Florida, United States, located northwest of Hastings Hastings () is a large seaside town and borough in East Sussex on the south coast of England, east to the county town of ...

: in Wilmington : in Wilmington. The highways travel concurrently to Eagle Island. : on Eagle Island. US 17/US 421 travels concurrently to west of Wrightsboro. US 74/US 421 travels concurrently to southwest of Hightsville. : west of Wrightsboro : south-southeast of Clinton. The highways travel concurrently to Clinton. : in Spivey's Corner : in Dunn : in Dunn : in Lillington. The highways travel concurrently through Lillington. : in Sanford : in Siler City : in

Greensboro Greensboro (; formerly Greensborough) is a city in and the county seat of Guilford County, North Carolina, United States. It is the third-most populous city in North Carolina after Charlotte and Raleigh, the 69th-most populous city in the Un ...

. The highways travel concurrently to south-southwest of Greensboro. : south of Greensboro. I-73/US 421 travels concurrently to Greensboro. : south-southwest of Greensboro : in Greensboro. I-40/US 421 travels concurrently to west of Greensboro. : in

. The highways travel concurrently through Winston-Salem. : in Winston-Salem : in Winston-Salem : in

: in Brooks Crossroads : west-northwest of Hamptonville : north-northeast of Deep Gap. The highways travel concurrently to Boone. : in Boone. The highways travel concurrently to north-northwest of Vilas. ;Tennessee : in

. The highways travel concurrently to

Bristol, Virginia Bristol is an independent city in the Commonwealth of Virginia. As of the 2020 census, the population was 17,219. It is the twin city of Bristol, Tennessee, just across the state line, which runs down the middle of its main street, State S ...

. ;Virginia : in Bristol. US 11W/US 421 travels concurrently to the

–

state line on the Bristol, Tennessee–Bristol, Virginia city line. : in Bristol. US 58/US 421 travels concurrently to southeast of Woodway. : in Weber City. The highways travel concurrently to Duffield. ;Kentucky : in Baxter. The highways travel concurrently to northeast of Baxter. : at the

Blue Grass Army Depot Blue Grass Army Depot (BGAD) is a U.S. Army Joint Munitions Command storage facility for conventional munitions and chemical weapons. The facility is located in east central Kentucky, southeast of the cities of Lexington and Richmond, Kentucky. ...

south-southeast of

. The highways travel concurrently to Lexington. : in Richmond : south-southeast of Lexington. The highways travel concurrently to Lexington. : in Lexington. The highways travel concurrently through Lexington. : in Lexington : northwest of Lexington. The highways travel concurrently to Midway. : in Frankfort. The highways travel concurrently through Frankfort. : in Frankfort : in Frankfort. The highways travel concurrently through Frankfort. : west-southwest of Campbellsburg : in

Bedford Bedford is a market town in Bedfordshire, England. At the 2011 Census, the population of the Bedford built-up area (including Biddenham and Kempston) was 106,940, making it the second-largest settlement in Bedfordshire, behind Luton, whilst ...

. The highways travel concurrently through Bedford. ;Indiana : in

Versailles The Palace of Versailles ( ; french: Château de Versailles ) is a former royal residence built by King Louis XIV located in Versailles, about west of Paris, France. The palace is owned by the French Republic and since 1995 has been managed, u ...

. The highways travel concurrently through Versailles. : northwest of Greensburg. The highways travel concurrently to

. : in Indianapolis. I-465/US 36/US 40/US 421 travels concurrently through Indianapolis. US 31/US 421 travels concurrently to

Carmel Carmel may refer to: * Carmel (biblical settlement), an ancient Israelite town in Judea * Mount Carmel, a coastal mountain range in Israel overlooking the Mediterranean Sea * Carmelites, a Roman Catholic mendicant religious order Carmel may also ...

. : in Indianapolis. The highways travel concurrently through Indianapolis. : in Indianapolis : in Indianapolis : in

Monticello Monticello ( ) was the primary plantation of Founding Father Thomas Jefferson, the third president of the United States, who began designing Monticello after inheriting land from his father at age 26. Located just outside Charlottesville, V ...

. The highways travel concurrently to

Reynolds Reynolds may refer to: Places Australia *Hundred of Reynolds, a cadastral unit in South Australia *Hundred of Reynolds (Northern Territory), a cadastral unit in the Northern Territory of Australia United States * Reynolds, Mendocino County, Calif ...

. : in

Wanatah Wanatah is a town in LaPorte County, Indiana, United States. The population was 1,048 at the 2010 census. History The first settlements were made at Wanatah in the 1850s when the railroad was extended to that point. Wanatah was platted in 1865. ...

: south-southeast of Westville. The highways travel concurrently to Westville. : southeast of

Otis Otis may refer to: Arts and entertainment Characters * Otis (Superman), in the films ''Superman'' and ''Superman II'' and related DC Comics media ** Otis Graves, in the TV series ''Supergirl'' * Otis (The Walking Dead), Otis (''The Walking Dead' ...

: south of Michigan City : in Michigan City

Reference

External links

*
Endpoints of U.S. Highway 421
{{US 21 21-4 4

Route description

North Carolina

Tennessee

Virginia

Kentucky

Indiana

History

North Carolina

Future

Major intersections

See also

Reference

External links