Interstate 85 in Georgia

This article is about the current Interstate Highway. For the current state highway, see Georgia State Route 85.
This article is about the section of Interstate 85 in Georgia. For the entire route, see Interstate 85.

Interstate 85 marker

Interstate 85
Route information
Maintained by GDOT
Length: 179.9 mi[1] (289.5 km)
Major junctions
South end: I85 at the Alabama state line
  I185 near LaGrange
I285 in College Park
I75 in Atlanta
I20 in Atlanta
I75 in Atlanta
SR 400 in Atlanta
I285 near Doraville
SR 316 near Lawrenceville
I985 in Suwanee
North end: I-85 at the South Carolina state line
Location
Counties: Harris, Troup, Meriwether, Coweta, Fulton, Clayton, DeKalb, Gwinnett, Barrow, Jackson, Banks, Franklin, Hart
Highway system
  • Georgia State Routes
SR 402SR 404

Interstate 85 (I-85) is a major Interstate Highway that travels northeast-to-southwest in the U.S. state of Georgia. It enters the state at the Alabama state line near West Point, and Lanett, Alabama, traveling through the Atlanta metropolitan area, and traveling to the South Carolina state line, where it crosses the Savannah River near Lake Hartwell. I-85 connects northern Georgia with Montgomery, Alabama to the southwest, and with South Carolina, North Carolina, and Virginia to the northeast. Within Georgia, I-85 is also designated as the unsigned State Route 403 (SR 403).

I-85 in Georgia usually travels roughly parallel with the route of U.S. Route 29 (US 29). However, from Atlanta northeast to South Carolina, I-85 ventures away from that route, traveling about half-way between US 29 and the combination of US 23 and US 123.

Within the City of Atlanta, I-85 has a concurrency with I-75 known as the "Downtown Connector".

Route description

Alabama state line to Interstate 185

Interstate 85 undergoing repairs near the Alabama state line

Interstate 85 enters Georgia from Alabama via twin bridges over the Chattahoochee River, and then it immediately skirts the town of West Point, with Kia's multi-billion dollar plant located adjacent to the freeway just east of West Point. After leaving West Point, I-85 enters the LaGrange area, the first large town in Georgia on its route to the northeast. Northeast of LaGrange, I-85 has an interchange with the long spur freeway, Interstate 185, to the Columbus, Georgia Metropolitan Area. This is the only connection between Columbus and the Interstate Highway System.

From Interstate 185 through Atlanta

From LaGrange, I-85 heads northeastward towards Atlanta. Before reaching Atlanta, the highway drives through a recently widened stretch that includes 6 to 8 lanes between exit 35 to exit 77, passing near the suburbs of Moreland, Newnan, Fairburn, Union City, College Park and East Point as well as intersecting Interstate 285 at its southwest end and providing access to Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport. I-85 then runs along the northwestern boundary of the Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport. (This airport is bounded on all sides by I-85, I-75, and I-285, all of which provide highway access to the airport.)

At the southwestern edge of Atlanta's city limits, I-85 merges with Interstate 75 to form the Downtown Connector, which is 12 to 14 lanes wide. At the southern edge of downtown Atlanta, this freeway has an interchange with the major east-west Interstate Highway, Interstate 20. The two freeways then skirt the eastern edge of downtown, running due north, passing through the Georgia Tech campus and Atlantic Station before the two highways split, with I-75 exits via the right three lanes and then heads northwest while I-85 uses the left three lanes and then heads northeast.

I-75 and I-85 signs near downtown Atlanta

Atlanta to South Carolina state line

Heading northbound after the Brookwood Interchange with I-75, I-85 is routed along a ten lane wide viaduct from the Buford Highway Connector (Exit 86) to Georgia 400 (Exit 87). Continuing northeast of Atlanta, Interstate 85 continues through the northeastern suburbs, bypassing Chamblee and Doraville, where there is another intersection with I-285 (nicknamed Spaghetti Junction). The interstate then travels through the northeastern suburbs of Atlanta, including Lilburn, Duluth, Lawrenceville. The Interstate has freeway interchanges with Georgia 316 in Norcross and Interstate 985 in Suwanee, which provides a link to Gainesville. Interstate 85 then leaves the Atlanta area, continuing to travel through rural northeast Georgia. At Lake Hartwell - which was formed by the damming of the Savannah River - I-85 crosses into South Carolina.

Express Lanes

Interstate 85 has the first and currently the only express/HOT lanes in Georgia, located in Gwinnett and Dekalb counties; they were originally HOV lanes. From Chamblee-Tucker Road (exit 94) to Old Peachtree Road (exit 109); travelers that utilize the converted 15.5-mile (24.9 km) lanes will be charged a toll varying from 10 to 90 cents per mile (6.2–55.9 ¢/km), depending on traffic conditions and usage. Though not signed on the freeway, they are HOT lanes, which means travelers with three or more occupants, vanpools, motorcycles, and buses are exempt from toll charges. Tolls are collected using an electronic toll collection system. All travelers that use the lane must have a Peach Pass sticker to avoid fines.[2][3] Starting in November 2014, SunPass (Florida) and NC Quick Pass (North Carolina) are interoperable with Peach Pass, allowing motorists with those transponders to use the express lanes.

Funds generated from the express lanes will be used to defray the costs of construction, operations and maintenance of the lanes. Long term revenue allocation is being studied and a decision about future excess revenues will be made later in the project process.[4]

Proponents for the express lanes say it is to provide commuters with a more reliable, free-flow commute option; complement the state’s multi-modal approach to managing traffic demand; and establish the vision for a future system of HOT lanes in the region.[2] Detractors point out that existing infrastructure was reused for the express lanes and that commute times on the non-paying travel lanes have doubled since implementation.[5][6]

Auxiliary routes

History

Interstate 75 co-signed with Interstate 85 in downtown Atlanta

Originally constructed as a four to six lane expressway in the 1950s, the stretch of I-85 between the southern merge with I-75 and North Druid Hills Road was reconstructed as part of the Georgia Department of Transportation's Freeing the Freeways program. This project included rebuilding all overpasses, new HOV-ready ramps (with the system implemented in 1996), and a widening of freeway capacity. Concurrent with this project was the construction of the Civic Center MARTA Station as part of the West Peachtree Street overpass, which opened in December 1981.

The portion of the highway from the Buford Highway Connector to GA 400 was constructed during the early 1980s, and was designed as a replacement for the original four-lane routing of I-85 (now GA 13). In addition, the new viaduct was designed to accommodate connections to the Georgia 400 tollway (then in planning), HOV lanes, and a bridge carrying the MARTA North Line (then under construction).[7]

Until 2000, the state of Georgia used the sequential interchange numbering system on all of its Interstate Highways. The first exit on each highway would begin with the number "1" and increase numerically with each exit. In 2000, the Georgia Department of Transportation switched to a mileage-based exit system, in which the exit number corresponded to the nearest milepost.[8][9]

On October 1, 2011, GDOT converted the 16.0-mile (25.7 km) HOV lanes in Northern Atlanta into express/HOT lanes.[2]

From Atlanta, Interstate 85 north was originally slated to be built through the city of Athens to provide an easy link between the capital city and the University of Georgia. However, then-Gov. Ernest Vandiver worked to make sure the highway traversed his home county of Franklin, a stretch that now bears his name. At the time, he promised equivalent access for Athens and Gainesville.[10] It was not until the completion of SR 316 in the 1990s that there was finally a relatively quick, multi-lane expressway connecting Athens and Atlanta, (US 78 is also multi-lane between Athens and Atlanta but it is not expressway-grade) although GA 316 still is largely at-grade.

Exit list

CountyLocationmikmOld exitNew exitDestinationsNotes
Alabama state line0.00.0 I85 continues south into Alabama
Harris
No major junctions
TroupWest Point12 SR 18 West Point, Pine Mountain
 6KIA BlvdTo Kia Car Plant
 213 SR 219 LaGrangeTo Pegasus Parkway, an industrial and recreational bypass around downtown LaGrange.
LaGrange314 US 27 / SR 1 LaGrangeSR 1 is unsigned with US 27
418 SR 109 Greenville, Warm Springs
 521 I185 south ColumbusTo Fort Benning
Hogansville628 SR 54 / SR 100 Hogansville
Meriwether
No major junctions
CowetaGrantville735 US 29 / SR 14 Grantville, MorelandSR 14 is unsigned with US 29
Newnan841
US 27 Alt. / US 29 / SR 14 Newnan
To SR 16
947 SR 34 Newnan, Peachtree CityTo business district
 1051 SR 154 (McCollum-Sharpsburg Road)
 1156Collinsworth Road, Palmetto, Tyrone
FultonFairburn1261 SR 74 FairburnTo Peachtree City
Union City1364 SR 138 (Jonesboro Road) Union City, Jonesboro
College Park1466Flat Shoals RoadTo GMC (Georgia Military College)
 1568 I285 (Atlanta Bypass) Birmingham, Chattanooga, International Terminal, MaconNorthbound exit and southbound entrance; Split into I-285 north (Birmingham, Chattanooga) and I-285 east (International Terminal, Macon)
 16A69A SR 14 Conn. (South Fulton Parkway)
College Park16B69B SR 279 (Old National Highway)
1770 I285 Macon, Birmingham, ChattanoogaSouthbound exit and northbound entrance; to Maynard Jackson International Terminal
Clayton 1871 SR 139 (Riverdale Road) Domestic Terminals
FultonCollege Park18A72 Camp Creek Parkway (SR 6) – Air Cargo, Domestic Terminals
East Point1973Virginia Avenue – Air Cargo, College ParkSigned as exits 73A (Air Cargo) and 73B (College Park) northbound
2074 Loop Road – International TerminalSouthbound exit and northbound entrance
Hapeville2175Sylvan Road, Central Avenue Hapeville
Atlanta2276Cleveland AvenueTo Atlanta Technical College
2377 US 19 / US 41 / SR 3 (Metropolitan Parkway)Southbound exit and northbound entrance
2477 SR 166 (Langford Parkway)Northbound exit and southbound entrance
87242 I75 south – International Terminal, MaconSouthern end of I-75 concurrency along the Downtown Connector; freeway uses I-75 mileposts and exit numbers; HOV lanes to and from I-75 to the south (no HOV ramps to or from I-85 to the south)
88243 SR 166 (Langford Parkway) East Point
89244University Avenue, Pryor Street
90245Abernathy Boulevard, Capitol Avenue Turner FieldNorthbound exit and southbound entrance
91246Fulton Street, Central Avenue Downtown
92247 I20 (Ralph D. Abernathy Freeway) Augusta, Birmingham
Memorial DriveHOV ramps for northbound exit and southbound entrance
93248AMartin Luther King Jr. Drive State CapitolSouthbound exit and northbound entrance
94248BEdgewood Avenue, Auburn Avenue, J.W. Dobbs AvenueNorthbound exit and southbound entrance
96248C SR 10 east (Freedom Parkway) / Andrew Young International Boulevard Carter Center
95248DJ.W. Dobbs Avenue, Edgewood AvenueSouthbound exit and northbound entrance
Piedmont AvenueHOV ramps for northbound exit and southbound entrance
97249ACourtland Street Georgia State UniversitySouthbound exit only
98249BPine Street, Peachtree Street Civic CenterNorthbound exit only
99249CWilliams Street Georgia World Congress Center, Georgia DomeNo northbound exit; additional HOV ramps for southbound exit and northbound entrance
100249DSpring Street, West Peachtree StreetNorthbound exit and southbound entrance
100249D US 29 / US 78 / US 278 / SR 8 (North Avenue) Georgia TechSouthbound exit and northbound entrance
10125010th Street, 14th Street Georgia TechNorthbound exit and southbound entrance
251A17th Street MidtownNorthbound exit only
268417th Street, 14th Street, 10th StreetSouthbound exit only, to Georgia Tech
2785 I75 north Marietta, ChattanoogaNorthern end of I-75 concurrency along the Downtown Connector
2886 SR 13 north (Buford Highway)Northbound exit and southbound entrance
Lindbergh DriveHOV-only ramps; southbound exit and northbound entrance
2987 SR 400 north Buckhead, CummingNorthbound exit and southbound entrance
2886 SR 400 north / SR 13 south Buckhead, Cumming, to Peachtree StreetSouthbound exit and northbound entrance
3088Cheshire Bridge Road, Lenox RoadSouthbound exit and northbound entrance
Dekalb 3189 SR 42 (North Druid Hills Road)To Oglethorpe University
 3291 US 23 / SR 155 (Clairmont Road)To DeKalb-Peachtree Airport and Emory University
 3393Shallowford Road, DoravilleTo Briarcliff Road
 3494Chamblee-Tucker Road, Mercer University
 3595 I285 Augusta, Macon, Chattanooga, BirminghamSigned as exits 95A (east – Macon, Augusta) and 95B (west – Chattanooga, Birmingham) southbound
 3696Northcrest Road, Pleasantdale Road
GwinnettNorcross3799 SR 140 west (Jimmy Carter Boulevard)
38101Indian Trail-Lilburn Road
 39102 SR 378 (Beaver Ruin Road) Lilburn
 39A103Steve Reynolds BoulevardNorthbound exit and southbound entrance
 40104Pleasant Hill RoadGwinnett Place Mall
 42105 SR 120 Duluth, LawrencevilleNorthbound exit only
 41106 SR 316 east Lawrenceville, AthensNo southbound exit; additional northbound exit and southbound entrance ramps for direct HOT/express lane access
 42107 SR 120 to SR 316 Duluth, LawrencevilleSouthbound exit only
 108Sugarloaf ParkwaySouthbound exit is combined with exit 109
 43109Old Peachtree Road
 44111 SR 317 north Suwanee
 45113 I985 north GainesvilleNorthbound exit and southbound entrance, to Buford Dam and Lake Lanier Islands
 46115 SR 20 Lawrenceville, BufordMall of Georgia
 47120Hamilton Mill Road, Hamilton Mill Parkway
BarrowBraselton48126 SR 211 Braselton, Winder
Jackson49129 SR 53 Braselton, Hoschton, Winder
Jefferson50137 US 129 / SR 11 Gainesville, Jefferson
 51140 SR 82 (Dry Pond Road, Holly Springs Road)
Commerce52147 SR 98 Commerce, Maysville
Banks 53149 US 441 Commerce, Homer, Banks Crossing
 54154 SR 63 (Martin Bridge Road) Toccoa
Franklin 55160 SR 51 Homer, Franklin Springs, Royston, Elberton
 56164 SR 320 Carnesville
 57166 SR 106 / SR 145 Carnesville, Toccoa
Lavonia58173 SR 17 Lavonia, Toccoa, Elberton
Hart 59177 SR 77 Elberton, Hartwell
South Carolina state line179.9289.5 I-85 north GreenvilleContinuation into South Carolina
1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi

See also

References

  1. Adderly, Kevin (January 27, 2016). "Table 1: Main Routes of the Dwight D. Eisenhower National System of Interstate and Defense Highways as of December 31, 2015". Route Log and Finder List. Federal Highway Administration. Retrieved May 5, 2016.
  2. 1 2 3 Georgia Department of Transportation. "I-85 Express Lanes". Georgia Department of Transportation. Retrieved November 19, 2011.
  3. "100,000th Peach Pass Issued for Controversial HOT Lanes". The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Retrieved November 19, 2011.
  4. Georgia Department of Transportation. "I-85 Express Lanes: FAQ". Georgia Department of Transportation. Retrieved November 19, 2011.
  5. McKee, Don. "Commuters getting hot about HOT lanes in metro Atlanta". The Marietta Daily Journal. Retrieved November 19, 2011.
  6. "HOT Lane Unhappiness: Some Drivers Say Congestion Worse". The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Retrieved November 19, 2011.
  7. "State Route 13 Page". Peach State Roads. Archived from the original on May 23, 2007. Retrieved May 27, 2007.
  8. Georgia Department of Transportation. "Georgia's Interstate Exit Numbers". Georgia Department of Transportation. Retrieved April 30, 2007.
  9. Georgia Department of Transportation. "Interstate 20 Exit Renumbering Page". Georgia Department of Transportation. Retrieved April 30, 2007.
  10. Lavender, Rick. "Interstate 85 Through Hall? It Very Nearly Was Gov. Ernest Vandiver Redirected Highway Plans in 1950s". The Times (Gainsville, GA). Retrieved May 5, 2016.

External links

Route map: Bing / Google

Interstate 85
Previous state:
Alabama
Georgia Next state:
South Carolina
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