SR 78 begins in Dyersburg as a 5-lane urban highway (with center turn lane) featuring a 40 mph (65 km/h) speed limit.

North of US 51/SR 3 the road expands to a 7-lane urban highway and features the highest traffic counts in the Dyersburg area, frequently rising above 30,000 AADT.

Access to the Northwest Correctional Complex is accomplished via SR 212 north of Tiptonville.

This highway starts out in rolling, hilly terrain and descends the first Chickasaw Bluff shortly before reaching Bogota, from this point north, the highway traverses low-lying farmland and bottomland.

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