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Transportation

Western Kentucky is connected by several major highways, two rail systems, and a river port. The Julian Carroll-Purchase Parkway and U.S. Highway 51 in TN are the future corridor for Interstate 69. These 4-lane highways provide excellent connections to several Interstate highways in the region. Once fully completed, I-69 will directly connect Canada to Mexico through the United States.

HIGHWAYS

Fulton and Hickman Counties have multiple connecting highways that run through the two counties. The Purchase Parkway, which is the future I-69, and U.S. 51 run through Fulton and Hickman Counties. These highways connect Fulton and Hickman counties to all major market areas, including St. Louis, Missouri, and Atlanta, Georgia.

Regional Truck Routes

COMMON CARRIERS

NATIONAL HUBS & OVERNIGHT DELIVERY SERVICE

There are multiple national hubs accessible through Fulton and Hickman counties. Kentucky serves as a major distribution hub for UPS and is close to the FedEx Hub in Tennessee.

RAILROADS

Canadian National Railroad (CN)

Headquartered in Montreal, Canadian National Railroad (CN) connects western Kentucky to both the Great Lakes to the Gulf of Mexico. The rail yard located in Fulton, KY, is part of the CN Southern Region. CN Eastern and Western Regions provide coast-to-coast connections. Canadian National has shipping and receiving services for automotive parts and finished vehicles, bulk commodities, coal, containers – international, domestic, retail, consumer products – finished goods, dimensional loads – oversized or overweight, Fertilizer, forest products – pulp, paper, lumber and panels, grain, hazardous materials or dangerous goods, metals and minerals – steel, non-ferrous metals and construction materials, petroleum products and chemicals, alternative energy – ethanol, biodiesel, wood pellets, wind towers, and turbine components.

Tennken Railroad Company

The Tennken Railroad Company is a Tennessee-operated railroad system that offers rail freight transportation services for coiled steel, steel pipe, petroleum coke, electro binder, plastics, synthetic resin, carbon black, fertilizer, and grains. The local Tennken Railroad connects the Riverport at Hickman, KY, to Dyersburg, TN, where the Canadian National Railroad also connects.

Amtrak

Amtrak services more than 500 destinations with more than 30 train routes in the United States and Canada. Amtrak service is available in Fulton, KY, through the Fulton Station.

Norfolk Southern Railway

Norfolk Southern operates over 20,000 miles of track in 22 states serving every major container port. The railway forms a “Mid-America Corridor” with CN Railroad between Chicago, St. Louis, Kentucky, and Mississippi for more efficient routes.

AIRPORTS

Fulton and Hickman counties have multiple passenger, cargo, and recreational options when it comes to airports. There is one domestic passenger airport within 50 miles of Fulton and Hickman counties. In addition, three major airports offering passenger and freight flights to domestic and international destinations are within 130 to 280 minutes of the area.

Fulton Airport-Craven Memorial Field (1 mile)

Fulton Airport-Craven Memorial Field is publicly owned by the city and county and offers general aviation services, fuel services, and shuttle service.

Barkley Regional Airport (50 miles)

Barkley Regional Airport is located 5 miles west of Paducah and has provided commercial airline service to the Jackson Purchase region of Kentucky and beyond for almost 70 years. The airport offers twice-daily United Express service to Chicago O’Hare Airport with Bombardier CRJ-200 regional jet aircraft. In addition, Fixed Base Operator (FBO) Midwest Aviation offers line service, complete maintenance, repair and avionics services, flight instruction, aircraft sales, and flight charters.

Everett-Stewart Regional Airport (14 miles)

Everett-Stewart Regional Airport, located five miles southeast of Union City TN, is a professionally operated regional airport with a full-service Fixed Base Operation (FBO) offering general aviation services, flight instruction, FAA testing, fuel services (100LL & Jet-A) and aerial photography.

COMMON CARRIERS

Memphis International Airport

Memphis, TN

130 Miles

Nashville International Airport

Nashville, TN

177 Miles

St. Louis Lambert International Airport

St. Louis, MO

280 Miles

RIVER PORTS

Hickman-Fulton County Riverport Authority

Since 1978, the Hickman-Fulton County Riverport has served as the only public port on the east side of the Mississippi River in Kentucky. This port is located on the lower Mississippi at Mile 922 in the Elvis J. Stahr Harbor, with no locks south of St. Louis, Missouri, creating a distinct advantage with regard to waterborne shipping costs. It is also located in the geographic center of a major grain-producing area.

International Port of Memphis

The International Port of Memphis is the second-largest inland port on the shallow draft portion of the Mississippi River and is the fourth-largest inland port in the United States. The International Port of Memphis covers the Tennessee and Arkansas sides of the Mississippi River from river Mile 725 to Mile 740. Within this 15-mile reach, there are 68 water-fronted facilities, 37 of which are terminal facilities moving products such as petroleum, tar, asphalt, cement, steel, coal, salt, fertilizers, rock and gravel, and grains.