State Road 7 in the U.S. State of Indiana is located in southeast Indiana. It runs from northwest-to-southeast connecting the cities of Columbus and Madison.
Route description
SR 7 begins at Main Street in Madison, of which it then travels in a northward direction along Cragmont Street. Along the way, SR 7 briefly meanders through hilly terrain. After leaving the hilly terrain, SR 7 briefly turns northwest on another road before turning west near a railroad crossing. As the road approaches the east side of Clifty Falls State Park, the road curves northwest again, becoming Lanier Drive. After that, the route intersects with SR 56/SR 62 (Clifty Drive). On its way toward Vernon, SR 7 travels northwest and reaching the following towns and state route: Wirt, Midway, SR 250 (western section), Dupont, Walnut Ridge, and Grayford.
Before the route enters Vernon, SR 3 begins to run concurrently with SR 7 through Vernon and North Vernon. After crossing the Muscatatuck River, the road enters the town of Vernon. In this town, the routes travel along Jackson and Poplar streets. Both routes leave the town limit as they approach the Muscatatuck County Park and the city of North Vernon. Both run along State Street through downtown North Vernon. Just before leaving the city limit, SR 3 turns northward, while SR 7 continues northwest. SR 7 then intersects with US 50.
For the remainder of the route, SR 7 travels northwestward, serving Country Squire Lakes, Queensville, Scipio, and Elizabethtown. As the route approaches the city of Columbus, SR 7 intersects with US 31. Shortly thereafter, the route ends at SR 46, where thru traffic continues toward downtown Columbus.[2]
History
Prior to 1926 the SR 7 designation was routed along the US 24 corridor. At this time modern SR 7 route was part of SR 26.[3] In 1926 the modern route of SR 7 was planned to become part of SR 11 designation.[4] Later in 1926 the SR 11 designation became SR 7, routed from Madison to Columbus.[5] Between 1931 and 1932 the entire route of SR 7 became a hard driving surface.[6][7] US 31 was rerouted onto SR 7 northwest of the modern intersection between the two roads between 1939 and 1941.[8][9] By 1942 US 31 was rerouted onto its modern route towards Columbus.[9][10] The northern end of SR 7 was moved to its current location, at SR 46, in either 1999 or 2000.[11][12]
Three bronze markers in Madison, North Vernon, and Columbus designate the road as the "Guthrie Trail". The markers were placed for former Indiana State Senator William Guthrie of Dupont in the 1920s, who was instrumental in the road becoming a state highway.
^ abIndiana Department of Transportation (July 2016). Reference Post Book(PDF). Indianapolis: Indiana Department of Transportation. Retrieved April 10, 2017.
^"Road Numbers to Be Changed". The Hancock-Democrat. The Indianapolis News. September 30, 1926. Retrieved June 2, 2017 – via Newspapers.com.
^Indiana State Highway Commission (1926). State Highway System of Indiana (Map). Indianapolis: Indiana State Highway Commission. Retrieved June 2, 2017 – via Indiana State Library and Historical Bureau.
^Indiana State Highway Commission (September 30, 1931). State Highway System of Indiana(PDF) (Map). Indianapolis: Indiana State Highway Commission. Retrieved June 2, 2017 – via Indiana University Bloomington Libraries.
^Indiana State Highway Commission (January 1, 1932). State Highway System of Indiana (Map). 1:660,000. Indianapolis: Indiana State Highway Commission. OCLC53092152. Retrieved June 2, 2017 – via Indiana State Library and Historical Bureau.
^Indiana State Highway Commission (1939). State Highway System of Indiana (Map). 1:633,600. Indiana State Highway Commission. OCLC64016573. Retrieved June 2, 2017 – via Indiana State Library and Historical Bureau.
^ abIndiana State Highway Commission (1941). State Highway System of Indiana (Map). 1:633,600. Indiana State Highway Commission. OCLC64574634. Retrieved June 2, 2017 – via Indiana State Library and Historical Bureau.
^Indiana State Highway Commission (1942). State Highway System of Indiana (Map). 1:720,000. Indiana State Highway Commission. OCLC64382867. Retrieved June 2, 2017 – via Indiana State Library and Historical Bureau.
^Indiana Department of Transportation (1999). Indiana Transportation Map (Map). 1:633,600. Indianapolis: Indiana Department of Transportation. OCLC47737740.
^Indiana Department of Transportation (2000). Indiana Transportation Map (Map). 1:650,000. Indianapolis: Indiana Department of Transportation. OCLC70269263.
