State Route 137

The freeway was first authorized by the Appalachian Regional Development Act of 1965, which created the ADHS, and the stretch between Johnson City and the Virginia state line was constructed in segments between 1968 and 1986. In addition to US 23, this freeway was designated as State Route 137 (SR 137) and later Interstate 181 (I-181), and was commonly referred to as "Appalachian Highway" in its early years.
The controlled-access highway that ran between Johnson City and Kingsport was initially established as Tennessee State Route 137 (SR 137), with this designation extended as new sections were completed. In 1982, US 23 was rerouted onto the freeway from its original alignment with SR 36, forming a concurrency with SR 137.[35] On December 4, 1985, the stretch between I-81 and US 11W in Kingsport was renumbered Interstate 181 (I-181). The I-181 designation was extended south to US 321/SR 67 in Johnson City on June 10, 1986. Both of these redesignations replaced SR 137 but kept the US 23 designation, and exits were numbered according to US 23's mileage. This reduced SR 137 to its present-day designation between US 11W and the Virginia state line, all within Kingsport.​

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Length of Route
3.02 mi.

Begins:
I-26/US 11W/US 23/SR 1 in Kingsport​

Ends:
US 23 at the Virginia state line in Kingsport​

Counties Covered:
Unicoi, Carter, Washington, Sullivan​

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