Tennessee State Route 87
Encyclopedia
State Route 87 is a secondary state highway
located in Lauderdale and Haywood counties in West Tennessee
. SR 87 runs west to east through mixed terrain of bluffs and rolling hills in Lauderdale County and mostly river bottoms in Haywood County. SR 87 is a two-lane facility throughout its length and features a 50-55MPH speed limit depending on terrain. This highway is also narrow and in poor condition in several locations. This highway provides direct access to West Tennessee State Penitentiary
and indirect access to Fort Pillow State Park
via Tennessee State Route 207. The western terminus of SR 87 is notable due to the extreme levels of erosion
from the Mississippi River
that has created a very sharp and unstable "cliff
" that forced TDOT
to erect a barricade to stop vehicles from driving over the edge and into the river.
State highway
State highway, state road or state route can refer to one of three related concepts, two of them related to a state or provincial government in a country that is divided into states or provinces :#A...
located in Lauderdale and Haywood counties in West Tennessee
West Tennessee
West Tennessee is one of the three Grand Divisions of the State of Tennessee. Of the three, it is the one that is most sharply defined geographically. Its boundaries are the Mississippi River on the west and the Tennessee River on the east...
. SR 87 runs west to east through mixed terrain of bluffs and rolling hills in Lauderdale County and mostly river bottoms in Haywood County. SR 87 is a two-lane facility throughout its length and features a 50-55MPH speed limit depending on terrain. This highway is also narrow and in poor condition in several locations. This highway provides direct access to West Tennessee State Penitentiary
West Tennessee State Penitentiary
West Tennessee State Penitentiary is a Tennessee Department of Correction prison located in unincorporated Lauderdale County, Tennessee, near Henning. Site #1 of WTSP formerly housed the Cold Creek Correctional Facility....
and indirect access to Fort Pillow State Park
Fort Pillow State Park
Fort Pillow State Park is a state park in western Tennessee that preserves the American Civil War site of the Battle of Fort Pillow. The 1,642 acre Fort Pillow, located in Lauderdale County on the Chickasaw Bluffs overlooking the Mississippi River, is rich in both historic and archaeological...
via Tennessee State Route 207. The western terminus of SR 87 is notable due to the extreme levels of erosion
Erosion
Erosion is when materials are removed from the surface and changed into something else. It only works by hydraulic actions and transport of solids in the natural environment, and leads to the deposition of these materials elsewhere...
from the Mississippi River
Mississippi River
The Mississippi River is the largest river system in North America. Flowing entirely in the United States, this river rises in western Minnesota and meanders slowly southwards for to the Mississippi River Delta at the Gulf of Mexico. With its many tributaries, the Mississippi's watershed drains...
that has created a very sharp and unstable "cliff
Cliff
In geography and geology, a cliff is a significant vertical, or near vertical, rock exposure. Cliffs are formed as erosion landforms due to the processes of erosion and weathering that produce them. Cliffs are common on coasts, in mountainous areas, escarpments and along rivers. Cliffs are usually...
" that forced TDOT
Tennessee Department of Transportation
The Tennessee Department of Transportation is a multimodal agency with statewide responsibilities in aviation, public transit, waterways and railroads...
to erect a barricade to stop vehicles from driving over the edge and into the river.
Counties traversed (West to East)
SR 87 traverses the following counties shown in the table below.| County | miles |
|---|---|
| Lauderdale | 28.44 |
| Haywood | 10.74 |
Points of interest (South to North)
- Fort Pillow State ParkFort Pillow State ParkFort Pillow State Park is a state park in western Tennessee that preserves the American Civil War site of the Battle of Fort Pillow. The 1,642 acre Fort Pillow, located in Lauderdale County on the Chickasaw Bluffs overlooking the Mississippi River, is rich in both historic and archaeological...
- West Tennessee State PenitentiaryWest Tennessee State PenitentiaryWest Tennessee State Penitentiary is a Tennessee Department of Correction prison located in unincorporated Lauderdale County, Tennessee, near Henning. Site #1 of WTSP formerly housed the Cold Creek Correctional Facility....