2003 map showing the original Interstate 26 and 181 configuration that lasted just two years.
On August 5, 2003, Interstate 26 saw extension from the city of Asheville, North Carolina to the Tri-Cities region of northeastern Tennessee. The lengthening overtook U.S. 23 and friends from Asheville northward to Mars Hill, North Carolina. From there a new alignment travels west of existing U.S. 23 to the Tennessee state line at Sams Gap. U.S. 23 rejoins Interstate 26 to the north with both sharing pavement northward to Erwin. At Erwin U.S. 19W ties in for an overlap through Johnson City to U.S. 11E. The extension of Interstate 26 overtook the original Interstate 181 routing from U.S. 321 northward initially to Interstate 81. On August 5, 2005, the American Association of State Highway Transportation Officials (AASHTO) approved a second extension of Interstate 26 northward over the final nine mile segment of Interstate 181. This extends Interstate 26 55 miles from the state line northward through Kingsport toward the Virginia state line.
The extension of Interstate 26 beyond Interstate 81 was sought by the city of Kingsport. An earlier proposal would have renumbered Interstate 181 into Interstate 126, but that was turned down in June of 2003. By March of 2007, all references to Interstate 181 were replaced in eastern Tennessee. The sign changes accompany a complete renumbering of the freeway interchanges to a mile based system starting at the western (northern) terminus. Since technically Interstate 26 travels east/west, milepost zero lies at the U.S. 11W interchange at Kingsport.
New Exit Number
Old Exit Number
Intersecting Road
1
55
U.S. 11W (Stone Drive)
3
52
Meadow View Parkway
4A
4
51A
Tennessee 93 South
4B
51B
Tennessee 93 North (Wilcox Dr)
6
49
Tennessee State Secondary 347 (Rock Spring Road)
8B
46A
Interstate 81 North Bristol
8A
46B
Interstate 81 South Knoxville
10
45
Eastern Star Road
13
42
Tennessee State Secondary 75 Gray (Bobby Hicks Highway)
17
38
Tennessee State Secondary 354 Boones Creek
19
36
Tennessee 381 (State of Franklin Rd )
20A
20B
35A
35B
U.S. 11E & 19W (North Roan Street)
22
33
Tennessee State Secondary 400 (Unaka / Watauga Avenues)
23
32
Tennessee State Secondary 91 (Market Street)
24
31
U.S. 321 Elizabethton
27
28
Tennessee State Secondary 359 (N Okalona Road)
32
23
Tennessee State Secondary 173 (Unicoi Road)
34
21
Tinker Road
36
19
Main Street Erwin
37
18
Tennessee 81 / Tennessee State Secondary 107 Erwin-Jonesborough
40
15
Jackson-Love Highway
43
12
U.S. 19W / Tennessee State Secondary 352 (Temple Hill Road)
Boones Creek Road eastbound at the westbound Interstate 26 & U.S. 23 northbound on-ramp (Exit 38). Rather than replacing the Interstate 181 shield here, TDOT placed a cutout Interstate 26 shield above. Several Interstate 181 shields south of Interstate 81 remained as of late August 2003, but all were removed by March 2007. Photo taken 08/23/03.
Boones Creek Road westbound at the Interstate 26 eastbound & U.S. 23 southbound on-ramp. The original Interstate 181 shield was simply replaced with an Interstate 26 shield. Since Interstate 181 was signed north-south, and Interstate 26 is east-west, an East placard was attached to the guide sign above. Photo taken 08/23/03.
