U.S. Route 45 (US 45) enters Kentucky at Fulton in Fulton County and travels northeast through Hickman County, Graves County, and McCracken County. After passing through Mayfield in Graves County it heads directly north into Paducah as a four-lane highway. In Paducah, US 45 serves as a major artery, intersecting with Interstate 24 at Exit 7, and intersecting US 60 and 62. U.S. 45 leaves Kentucky from Paducah's northern border across the two-lane, metal-grate Brookport Bridge to Brookport, Illinois across the Ohio River.

Quick Facts Route information, Length ...

U.S. Route 45
Route information
Maintained by KYTC
Length	51.880 mi[1] (83.493 km)
Major junctions
South end	US 45 / SR 3 at Tennessee state line in Fulton
Major intersections	US 45 Byp. in Mayfield Purchase Parkway near Mayfield I-24 in Paducah US 62 / KY 731 in Paducah US 60 in Paducah US 45 Bus. in Paducah I-24 BL / US 60 Bus. in Paducah
North end	US 45 at Ohio River in Paducah
Location
Country	United States
State	Kentucky
Counties	Fulton, Hickman, Graves, McCracken
Highway system
United States Numbered Highway System List Special Divided Kentucky State Highway System Interstate US State Parkways
← KY 44 → KY 46

Close

US 45 enters Kentucky at Fulton in Fulton County where it travels around the west side and then north side of town before entering Hickman County. It travels just to the south and east of the Purchase Parkway as it passes briefly through Hickman County and into Graves County. In Graves County US 45 travels northeast and passes through the communities of Water Valley and Wingo. Roughly 7 miles (11 km) northeast of Wingo, US 45 passes through Mayfield where it forms an intersection with US 45 Bypass before passing through the heart of town. Just north of town, US 45 intersects US 45 Bypass and Purchase Parkway and becomes a four-lane divided highway as it turns toward the north. US 45 continues northward through rural sections of Graves County and into McCracken County. The previous routing between these two points is now designated Kentucky Route 1241. In McCracken County, US 45 passes through Lone Oak and then passes under I-24 as it enters Paducah. In Paducah, US 45 forms intersections with US 60, US 62, US 60 Business, I-24 Business, and US 45 Business as it passes through the western part of town. US 45 crosses the Ohio River via the Brookport Bridge into Illinois 51.880 miles (83.493 km) from the Tennessee state line.^[2]

US 45 was signed in Kentucky by 1928, although it was not yet paved.^[3] The entire route in Kentucky was paved by 1939.^[4]