SR156 begins in Franklin County atop the western part of the Cumberland Plateau near Sewanee at an intersection with U.S.Route41A/SR15/SR56. It winds its way southeastward across a remote section of the plateau, passing through Franklin State Forest along the way and crossing into Marion County after straddling the county line for a few miles. After exiting the forest, the road veers eastward and intersects Orme Mountain Road, a gravel road connecting the highway with Orme in the valley to the south.[1][2]
Just beyond its intersection with Patton School Road, SR156 descends more than one thousand feet (300m) from the edge of the plateau into the Sequatchie Valley, where it enters South Pittsburg. It follows 2nd Street through the city's downtown area before briefly merging with the former route of U.S.Route72/SR27, veering north along Cedar Avenue for several blocks, and then turning eastward again to have an interchange with the current expressway alignment. SR156 crosses the Tennessee River via the steel arch Shelby Rhinehart Bridge.[1][2]
After crossing the bridge, SR156 enters New Hope, which it traverses from west-to-east, providing its main traffic artery. Shortly after crossing the bridge, it intersects SR422, which goes south to Long Island, Alabama. At this city's eastern limits, SR156 intersects SR377, which continues southward into Alabama (where it becomes Alabama State Route 73). Beyond this intersection, SR156 crosses a one-mile-long (1.6km) causeway across Nickajack Lake, with the Nickajack Cove inlet to the south, and the main body of the lake to the north. The road runs parallel to a stretch of CSX railroad tracks along the length of the causeway.[1][2]
After reaching the main lakeshore, SR156 turns northeastward, following the shore and the lower slopes of Sand Mountain before reaching an intersection with Interstate24 (Exit161). Just past this intersection, the highway again crosses a section of the lake before terminating at its intersection with SR134. From this point, SR134 continues northward into Haletown and eastward toward Whiteside and the northwestern part of the state of Georgia.[1][2]
Major intersections
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