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Regional Boards => Southeast => Topic started by: Tom958 on January 07, 2017, 06:21:54 PM

Title: US 278 in Rockdale and Newton Counties, Georgia
Post by: Tom958 on January 07, 2017, 06:21:54 PM
I'm embarrassed for just now thinking about this, but after some discussion on Facebook last night... The fifteen mile stretch of I-20 between Sigman Road and the western interchange for Covington is the earliest, longest, and most deliberate of Georgia's three US-Interstate highway concurrencies. It's also one of only two stretches of Interstate in Georgia with a full complement of frontage roads, at least for the twelve miles east of Sigman Road. Like a spaz I'd somehow gotten it into my head that I-20 had been built alongside 278 and that old 278 was relegated to being a frontage road. But... the old highway is plainly visible on maps, mostly along the railroad and some distance from I-20. The only place where the old road isn't visible is just east of Almon Road (https://www.google.com/maps/@33.6156662,-83.9152937,778m/data=!3m1!1e3), where... there's briefly only one frontage road, carried on a bridge built in 1937-- the Interstate is from the early sixties.

My first thought was that I-20 was simply, inexplicably, built with frontage roads, in a departure from Georgia's usual practice. However, I'm also told that there were commercial structures predating the Interstate along the frontage road(s), and that locals sometimes referred to the route along the railroad corridor as "old Highway 12." So, US 278 must've been relocated before the Interstate was built.

Can anyone here explain when 278 was relocated, what type of facility it was. and whether any provision was made for future expansion, whether as a freeway or as a lesser road?

Title: Re: US 278 in Rockdale and Newton Counties, Georgia
Post by: NE2 on January 07, 2017, 06:37:26 PM
http://historicaerials.com/?layer=1962&zoom=16&lat=33.6079&lon=-83.8798
Title: Re: US 278 in Rockdale and Newton Counties, Georgia
Post by: Tom958 on January 07, 2017, 07:32:37 PM
Ha, I knew I was forgetting something.  :bigass:

It was there in 1955, too. Thanks.
Title: Re: US 278 in Rockdale and Newton Counties, Georgia
Post by: Tomahawkin on January 08, 2017, 04:19:25 PM
Both sides of I 20 are outdated and need to be redone especially with all the truck traffic. Why this wasn't addressed by the backward a.as state gov't. 25 years ago makes me SMH. Its crazy that Alabama addressed their I 20 widening issue before Georgia? With I 20 serving the west Suburbs of Atlanta...
Title: Re: US 278 in Rockdale and Newton Counties, Georgia
Post by: Tom958 on January 08, 2017, 10:09:26 PM
Recovering from my embarrassment... US 278 was relocated prior to the Interstate era, being visibly completed in the 1955 aerials, though not noted on the poor quality 1955 topo. It was a two-lane highway, essentially what later became the eastbound roadway of I-20, but with numerous intersections. The aerial photos clearly show enough right of way for addition of a westbound roadway, but... looking at this spot (http://historicaerials.com/?layer=1962&zoom=16&lat=33.6079&lon=-83.8798) where the highway cut through a neighborhood on the outskirts of Conyers, it's apparent that the initial right of way didn't include room (or, at least, enough room) for the frontage roads. So, apparently, the new US 278 was intended as a new terrain four-lane highway like US 41 north and south of Atlanta, until the Interstate fairy waved her magic wand.

At the West Avenue interchange in Conyers (http://historicaerials.com/?layer=1962&zoom=16&lat=33.6079&lon=-83.8798), you can cycle through two-lane highway in 1955 and '60, Interstate under construction in '62, and finished product in '68. It's pretty neat.