U.S. Route 421 in Indiana

U.S. Route 421
US 421 highlighted in red
Route information
Maintained by INDOT
Length:	232 mi[1] (373 km)
Existed:	1951 – present
Major junctions
South end:	US 421 near Madison
	US 50 in Versailles I-74 Greensburg I-74 / I-465 in Indianapolis I-70 in Indianapolis I-69 in Indianapolis I-465 in Indianapolis US 24 in Monticello US 30 Wanatah I-80 / I-90 / Indiana Toll Road near Otis I-94 near Michigan City
North end:	US 20 in Michigan City
Location
Counties:	Jefferson, Ripley, Decatur, Shelby, Marion, Boone, Clinton, Carroll, White, Pulaski, Starke, LaPorte
Highway system
United States Numbered Highway System List Bannered Divided Replaced Indiana State Roads Interstate US State Former Scenic ← SR 364 SR 427 →

U.S. Route 421 (US 421) enters Indiana from Kentucky, proceeding northwest to Indianapolis, joining Interstate 465, and then continuing northwest to Michigan City.

US 421 winds through the southern part of Indiana as it runs from Madison, in the southeastern part of the state, to Indianapolis (the capital). North of Greensburg, US 421 intersects and merges with I-74 west, through the Shelbyville area en route to Indianapolis. Originally, US 421 followed Southeastern Ave. into downtown Indianapolis, where it merged with US 40 (Washington St.) to West Street, then turned north, following West Street, Northwestern Avenue (later Martin Luther King Jr. Street), and Michigan Road up to the northwest side of the city. US 421 passed an Indianapolis landmark, the Pyramids. North of Indianapolis, 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.

Route description

Madison to Indianapolis

US 421 enters Indiana from Kentucky over the Ohio River. After crossing the Ohio River US 421 has a short concurrency with State Road 56 (SR 56). After the concurrency with SR 56 ends US 421 becomes a four-lane highway. US 421 has an intersection with State Road 62 (SR 62). North of Madison US 421 becomes a two-lane highway, heading north then northeast. US 421 heads towards Versailles, passing through an intersection with State Road 250 (SR 250). In Versailles US 421 has a concurrency with State Road 129 that ends at U.S. Route 50 (US 50). US 421 heads west out of Versailles concurrenct with US 50. West of Varsailles US 421 heads northwest, towards Greensburg. US 421 passes through Osgood and Napoleon, passing through intersections with State Road 350 (SR 350) and State Road 48 (SR 48). US 421 enters Greensburg on the southeast side of town and heads to the northwest side of town. In Greensburg US 421 is concurrent with State Road 46 (SR 46) and intersects State Road 3 (SR 3). On the northwest side of Greensburg US 421 joins Interstate 74 (I-74). I-74/US 421 heads northwest towards Indianapolis, passing near Shelbyville. Near Shelbyville I-74/US 421 has interchanges with State Road 44 (SR 44) and State Road 9 (SR 9). I-74/US 421 enters Indianapolis on the southeast side of the city. US 421 heads north and west around Indianapolis, concurrenct with Interstate 465.

Indianapolis to Michigan City

US 421 is concurrent with I-465, until the northwest side of the city. US 421 leaves I-465 heading northwest. US 421 becomes a two-lane highway, heading through intersections with State Road 32 (SR 32), State Road 47 (SR 47), State Road 38 (SR 38), and State Road 29 (SR 29), and has a concurrency with State Road 28 (SR 28). US 421 and SR 28 enter Frankfort heading west; the concurrency ends when US 421 heads north concurrenct with State Road 38 (SR 38) and State Road 39 (SR 39). US 421/SR 38/SR 39 heads northwest out of Frankfort, and 5 miles (8.0 km) later SR 38 heads due west. US 421/SR 39 heads northwest towards Delphi passing through an intersection with State Road 26 (SR 26). In Delphi US 421/SR 39 are concurrenct with State Road 25 (SR 25). US 421/SR 39 heads northwest out of Delphi passing through Pittsburg. West of Pittsburg US 421/SR 39 heads due north towards Monticello. In Monticello the concurrency with SR 39 ends with SR 39 heading east on U.S. Route 24 and US 421 heading west on US 24. US 24/US 421 heads north towards Reynolds, where US 24 heads west and US 421 heads due north. US 421 heads north towards Michigan City, passing through Monon, Wanatah, and Westville. US 421 has intersections with State Road 16 (SR 16), State Road 114 (SR 114), State Road 143 (SR 143), State Road 8 (SR 8), and U.S. Route 30 (US 30). US 421 has concurrency with State Road 14 (SR 14), State Road 10 (SR 10), U.S. Route 6 (US 6), and State Road 2 (SR 2). US 421 has interchanges with Interstate 80/Interstate 90 and Interstate 94. US 421's northern terminus is at U.S. Route 20 (US 20) in Michigan City.

History

Before US 421 was commissioned in Indiana, the route from Madison to Boyleston was SR 29. This is why SR 129 and State Road 229 (SR 229) have concurrency or terminus at US 421. US 421 from Reynolds to Michigan City was originally State Road 43 (SR 43). This is the reason for SR 143 having its eastern terminus at US 421.

Madison

US 421 passed through downtown Madison and headed northwest out of Madison. A new route was built east of the old route. The old route was designated State Road 107 until it was decommissioned.

Indianapolis

US 421 entered Indianapolis on the southeast side of the city and went through downtown. US 421 was routed on Southeastern Avenue, Washington Street, Northwestern Avenue (now Martin Luther King Jr. Street), and Michigan Road.

Michigan City

US 421 went through Michigan City to U.S. Route 12 (US 12) near Lake Michigan. Then INDOT moved the northern terminus of US 421 south to US 20, on the south side of Michigan City.

Major intersections

County	Location	mi[1]	km	Exit[1]	Destinations	Notes
Ohio River		0	0.0	Milton-Madison Bridge US 421 south continues into Kentucky
Jefferson	Madison				SR 56 east – Aurora	Eastern end of SR 56 concurrency
					SR 56 west – Hanover	Western end of SR 56 concurrency
					SR 62 – Hanover, Dillsboro
Ripley	Versailles				SR 129 south – Vevay	Southern end of SR 129 concurrency
					US 50 east / SR 129 north – Lawrenceburg	Eastern end of US 50 concurrency; northern end of SR 129 concurrency
					US 50 west – North Vernon	Western end of US 50 concurrency
	Osgood				SR 350 east – Delaware	Western terminus of SR 350
	Napoleon				SR 48 east – Lawrenceburg	Western terminus of SR 48
Decatur	Greensburg				SR 46 east	Eastern end of SR 46 concurrency
					SR 46 west – Columbus	Western end of SR 46 concurrency
					SR 3 – North Vernon, Rushville
				132	I-74 east – Cincinnati	Eastern end of I-74 concurrency
Shelby	Liberty Township			119	SR 244 east	Western terminus of SR 244
	Shelbyville			116	SR 44 – Franklin, Rushville
				113	SR 9 – Shelbyville, Anderson
Marion	Indianapolis			94 49	I-74 / I-465 west / US 31 west / US 36 west US 40 west / SR 37 south / SR 67 south / Southeastern Ave.	Western end of I-74 concurrency; southern end of I-465/US 31/US 36/US 40/SR 37/SR 67 concurrency
				47	US 52 east	Southern end of US 52 concurrency
				46	US 40 east	Northern end of US 40 concurrency
				44	I-70 – Indianapolis, Dayton
	Lawrence			42	US 36 east / SR 67 north – Pendleton	Northern end of US 36/SR 67 concurrency
	Indianapolis			37 0	I-69 north / SR 37 north – Fort Wayne, Noblesville	Southern terminus of I-69; northern end of SR 37 concurrency
				31	US 31 north – Kokomo, South Bend	Northern end of US 31 concurrency
					I-465 west – Speedway	Northern end of I-465 concurrency
Boone	Zionsville				SR 334 west	Eastern terminus of SR 334
	Rosston				SR 32 – Lebanon, Noblesville
	Marion Township				SR 47
Clinton	Kirklin				SR 38
	Michigan Township				SR 28 east – Tipton	Eastern end of SR 28 concurrency
					SR 29 north – Logansport	Southern terminus of SR 29
	Frankfort				SR 28 west / SR 38 south / SR 39 south	Western end of SR 28 concurrency; southern end of SR 38/SR 39 concurrency
					SR 75 north	Southern terminus of SR 75
	Washington–Ross township line				SR 38 west	Northern end of SR 38 concurrency
	Rossville				SR 26
Carroll	Deer Creek Township				SR 18 east	Eastern end of SR 18 concurrency
	Delphi				SR 25 north – Logansport	Eastern end of SR 25 concurrency
					SR 25 south – Lafayette	Western end of SR 25 concurrency
	Tippecanoe Township				SR 18 west	Western end of SR 18 concurrency
White	Monticello				US 24 east / SR 39 north	Eastern end of US 24 concurrency; northern end of SR 39 concurrency
	Reynolds				US 24 west / SR 43 south	Western end of US 24 concurrency; northern terminus of SR 43
	Monon				SR 16
Pulaski	Salem Township				SR 114 west	Eastern terminus of SR 114
	White Post Township				SR 14 west	Southern end of SR 14 concurrency
					SR 14 east	Northern end of SR 14 concurrency
	Cass Township				SR 143 west	Eastern terminus of SR 143
LaPorte	LaCrosse				SR 8 – Hebron, Knox
	Wanatah				US 30 / Lincoln Highway – Merrillville, Valparaiso, Plymouth, Fort Wayne
	Westville				US 6 east – Walkerton	Southern end of US 6 concurrency
					US 6 west – Hobart	Northern end of US 6 concurrency
					SR 2 south – Valparaiso	Southern end of SR 2 concurrency
					SR 2 north – Laporte	Northern end of SR 2 terminus
	New Durham Township				I-80 / I-90 / Indiana Toll Road – South Bend, Gary, Chicago
	Coolspring Township				I-94 – Michigan City, Gary, Chicago, Detroit
	Michigan City	232	373		US 20 – Michigan City, South Bend, Gary	Northern terminus of US 421
1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi       Concurrency terminus

See also

• U.S. Roads portal

References

1. "INDOT Roadway Referencing System" (PDF). Indiana Department of Transportation.

External links

Route map: Bing / Google

• Media related to U.S. Route 421 at Wikimedia Commons