Georgia

[Eth]

Despite converting the Interstates to mileage-based exit numbers in 2000, SR-400 and the Albany bypass still have sequential exit numbers. I assume there are no plans to convert either road to mileage-based exit numbers. The Albany bypass could keep the numbers as-is, but I really think GA-400 should convert to mile-based.

They did, however, convert the Athens Perimeter in 2004. Not sure why that didn't carry over to any of the other non-Interstate freeways, but I agree that it should.

[emory]

Despite converting the Interstates to mileage-based exit numbers in 2000, SR-400 and the Albany bypass still have sequential exit numbers. I assume there are no plans to convert either road to mileage-based exit numbers. The Albany bypass could keep the numbers as-is, but I really think GA-400 should convert to mile-based.

They did, however, convert the Athens Perimeter in 2004. Not sure why that didn't carry over to any of the other non-Interstate freeways, but I agree that it should.

Maybe now they can start calling it SR 422.

[Gnutella]

Despite converting the Interstates to mileage-based exit numbers in 2000, SR-400 and the Albany bypass still have sequential exit numbers. I assume there are no plans to convert either road to mileage-based exit numbers. The Albany bypass could keep the numbers as-is, but I really think GA-400 should convert to mile-based.

They did, however, convert the Athens Perimeter in 2004. Not sure why that didn't carry over to any of the other non-Interstate freeways, but I agree that it should.

One weird thing about the exit renumbering on the Athens Perimeter is that the sequential numbers were numbered clockwise, but the mileage-based numbers are numbered counterclockwise.

GA 316 NEWS

The GA 81 interchange is coming along, with retaining walls being mostly complete on both sides of GA 316, and piers now being constructed in the GA 316 median for the GA 81 overpass. At this rate, I expect the overpass to be finished by the end of the year. There's still lots of work to do for the ramps, though. Only the westbound off-ramp appears to be taking any shape.

The big news, however, is that construction of the Harbins Road interchange is officially underway. The Waffle House and at least one home in the construction zone have been razed, and the trees have all been clear-cut in the right of way, which is now being plowed down to the dirt in places.

[US 89]

Despite converting the Interstates to mileage-based exit numbers in 2000, SR-400 and the Albany bypass still have sequential exit numbers. I assume there are no plans to convert either road to mileage-based exit numbers. The Albany bypass could keep the numbers as-is, but I really think GA-400 should convert to mile-based.

They did, however, convert the Athens Perimeter in 2004. Not sure why that didn't carry over to any of the other non-Interstate freeways, but I agree that it should.

One weird thing about the exit renumbering on the Athens Perimeter is that the sequential numbers were numbered clockwise, but the mileage-based numbers are numbered counterclockwise.

It's even weirder when you look at other circumferential routes in the US - almost all of them increase mileage in the clockwise direction. If I had to guess why Loop 10 is different, I'd suggest it's maybe because counterclockwise is the direction of increasing mileage on all four US highways the loop carries (29, 78, 129, 441). But who knows.

[Gnutella]

GA 316 NEWS

Last weekend, GDOT installed the GA 81 overpass beams over the eastbound lanes of GA 316, and I suspect they'll install them over the westbound lanes sometime this week, though probably not this weekend since there's a football game in Athens on Saturday. The most remarkable thing about the new GA 81 interchange is the long retaining wall for the westbound off-ramp. None of the other ramps have retaining walls.

I looked at the anticipated construction dates of various interchanges and improvements along GA 316 in the next 10 years, and they seem to be pretty random. GDOT could do a better job coordinating the schedule of these projects by location and traffic count. For example, with interchange construction for the new West Winder Bypass and GA 11 both imminent in the next year or two, simple overpasses for Carl-Bethlehem Road and Harry McCarty Road should become high priorities. That way, when both of the overpasses and both of the interchanges are open, there will be free-flowing traffic on GA 316 in Barrow County on a 13-mile segment from Kilcrease Road to GA 53.

The segment from U.S. 78 to the Athens Perimeter should be given higher priority. Traffic is heavy enough to stack up at the Jimmy Daniel Road intersection, the recent upgrade of the Oconee Connector intersection was a band-aid on a bullet wound, and the Perimeter interchange is functionally obsolete. Traffic is getting significantly worse on that entire segment, especially with all the new commercial development between Jimmy Daniel Road and the Perimeter. The very first piece of the project should be a flyover ramp from the "inner" (clockwise) Perimeter to GA 316 westbound.

The lowest priority should be the segment from GA 11 to U.S. 78. Traffic on that segment still flows pretty smoothly in spite of the two signalized intersections and nine at-grade crossings. Part of it is because Barrow County has never fucked around with the timing of the traffic signal at GA 53, like they have with other signals on the highway.

[roadman65]

Why is US 221 signed East and West between US 1 at Wrens to I-20 at Harlem?  I thought it was a typical error, but all reassurance shields going NB have both US 221 and SR 47 as going West!  Even the new roundabout south of I-20 has a diagramical sign showing both routes heading west.

The map shows the route going from SW to NE and even if SR 47 is signed E-W it makes more of a circle than a E-W directional heading.

[Alps]

I found all the button copy in Georgia. GA 141 service roads.

[afguy]

I found some of the alternatives being studied for the I-16/Jimmy Deloach Pkwy reconstruction. Personally I like the DDI.
I-16/Jimmy Deloach Pkwy Interchange Project-Savannah by brandon walker, on Flickr

I-16/Jimmy Deloach Pkwy Interchange Project-Savannah by brandon walker, on Flickr

I-16/Jimmy Deloach Pkwy Interchange Project-Savannah by brandon walker, on Flickr

[Tom958]

Anyone know the Estimated completion of the 400/285 interchange? Driving by it this week, it still looks like another 18 months until completion at the earliest because of the task of having to blast throw all that rock that is adjacent to 285 and Peachtree Dunwoody road...

according to the GDOT website for the project(yes, i knoooooow), sometime in 2020, but it has to be late '20 at best.  lot of work left to go. 

http://www.dot.ga.gov/BS/Projects/SpecialProjects/I285SR400

Anytime in 2020 is ridiculous. The entire 400 mainline is to cross under 285, with new bridges carrying 285 over. They can't be built until the 285 CD's are built as a detour, and the CD's can't be built until the existing 400 southbound bridge is removed. That can't happen until the southbound 400 CD bridge is built as a detour. I'll be surprised if it opens in 2021.

[Tom958]

Despite converting the Interstates to mileage-based exit numbers in 2000, SR-400 and the Albany bypass still have sequential exit numbers. I assume there are no plans to convert either road to mileage-based exit numbers. The Albany bypass could keep the numbers as-is, but I really think GA-400 should convert to mile-based.

They did, however, convert the Athens Perimeter in 2004. Not sure why that didn't carry over to any of the other non-Interstate freeways, but I agree that it should.

It's because non-Interstates in Georgia are mileposted by county. Milepost numbers on the Albany bypass would be nonsensical. I really don't understand why they don't go to full-length mileposting and the appropriate exit numbers on 400, though.

[Tom958]

Did we talk about this? US 29 was moved out of downtown Lawrenceville a few months ago. Northbound, it now turns left onto the Lawrenceville-Suwanee Road extension, then right onto GA 120, then left onto 316. Most of the route is decently signed by GDOT standards EXCEPT that they forgot to sign the turns between 120 and Lawrenceville-Suwanee in either direction, which pretty well screws the whole concept. Also, while this ought to have lead to the demise of the remaining button copy signs for the GA 120 exit from 316, they're still there. And in horrible shape, having lost virtually all of their reflectivity. Perhaps they could be left up if GDOT ever gets around to installing new signage. It's not as though they'd be distracting to drivers or anything.

[Eth]

Did we talk about this? US 29 was moved out of downtown Lawrenceville a few months ago. Northbound, it now turns left onto the Lawrenceville-Suwanee Road extension, then right onto GA 120, then left onto 316. Most of the route is decently signed by GDOT standards {b]EXCEPT[/b] that they forgot to sign the turns between 120 and Lawrenceville-Suwanee in either direction, which pretty well screws the whole concept. Also, while this ought to have lead to the demise of the remaining button copy signs for the GA 120 exit from 316, they're still there. And in horrible shape, having lost virtually all of their reflectivity. Perhaps they could be left up if GDOT ever gets around to installing new signage. It's not as though they'd be distracting to drivers or anything.

Welp, looks like I've gotta go reclinch that bit of US 29. The Lawrenceville-Suwanee Rd part, anyway, I already have the rest of it.

Am I correct that the old route through town has been removed from the state highway system entirely? What's the status of GA 120 past 316, does it have a hanging end in downtown Lawrenceville now?

[Tom958]

Welp, looks like I've gotta go reclinch that bit of US 29. The Lawrenceville-Suwanee Rd part, anyway, I already have the rest of it.

Am I correct that the old route through town has been removed from the state highway system entirely? What's the status of GA 120 past 316, does it have a hanging end in downtown Lawrenceville now?

It's been removed. Be careful on Lawrenceville-Suwanee Road. It features a tricky compound curve. That thrie beam median barrier isn't there for decoration.

[Finrod]

When they moved US 29, did they move SR 8 as well?

[Gnutella]

Did we talk about this? US 29 was moved out of downtown Lawrenceville a few months ago. Northbound, it now turns left onto the Lawrenceville-Suwanee Road extension, then right onto GA 120, then left onto 316. Most of the route is decently signed by GDOT standards EXCEPT that they forgot to sign the turns between 120 and Lawrenceville-Suwanee in either direction, which pretty well screws the whole concept. Also, while this ought to have lead to the demise of the remaining button copy signs for the GA 120 exit from 316, they're still there. And in horrible shape, having lost virtually all of their reflectivity. Perhaps they could be left up if GDOT ever gets around to installing new signage. It's not as though they'd be distracting to drivers or anything.

I need to take a picture of those old button-copy signs on GA 316 before they're replaced.

[Tomahawkin]

OT Anyone familiar with the gas station chain Buc'ees??? They are set to open its first location in the Warner Robbins area in early 2021. I love Buc'ees! It puts QT to shame! They are supposed to sell their Texas BBQ at their locations...

[Bobby5280]

Buc-ee's is awesome. Their BBQ is good. I love their beef jerky. The probably have the lowest fountain drink prices I've ever seen for current times. I always stop at the one next to Texas Motor Speedway (at I-35W & TX-114) when making road trips down to the Dallas area. They just opened a new location in Royse City just East of Dallas on I-30. That's the fifth location in the Dallas-Fort Worth area.

I wish they would build one of those mega stores here in Oklahoma. I can think of a few good locations in the OKC and Tulsa areas. A Buc-ee's store along I-35 in the Thackerville area, near the giant WinStar Casino might be a good idea.

I think Buc-ee's needs to build a few stores farther West in Texas too. If they can build a huge location at the turn-off from I-10 to Gulf Shores, Alabama they could certainly build a store on I-40 in Amarillo or I-10 in El Paso.

[Georgia]

They are building one in Leeds, AL off of 20 also.  Cant wait, love the one in Foley and stop there when I drive on 10. 

[Tomahawkin]

I heard about the one in Leeds. Do you know when its due to open? That's a perfect fill up spot between Atlanta and Memphis. I wish they would build one off of IH 22 that area in NW Alabama could use the revenue/jobs it could bring to those towns

[kevinb1994]

There is a Buc-ee's planned for I-95 and iGolf Parkway (that's International Golf Parkway for you non-area residents), as part of the whole World Commerce Center/World Golf Village area of nearby St. Johns County. Apparently, there have been plans to add HOT lanes between the I-95 Southbank-San Marco interchange complex area and this part of the metropolitan area (aka the First Coast, NE FL, SE GA, etc). It appears that this HOT lane project will be built in phases, with the SR 202 interchange being the halfway point.

[Tom958]

There's also gonna be a Buc-ee's in Calhoun.

[Tomahawkin]

Yes!!! Do you know when it is set to open? Looks like I will be going through Nashvegas on my annual trip to Memphis starting in a few years. Thanks for the 411

[adventurernumber1]

This will be really interesting to see, I've never heard of a travel stop with a scale quite like this before (in terms of the size of the property, and with so many fuel pumps), this is massive. I also like hearing about the good quality of the facilities, and the offering of good foods, so this sounds pretty cool.

There's also gonna be a Buc-ee's in Calhoun.

Interesting to hear one of these will be opening up in my neck of the woods (as I live in nearby Dalton), I'll have to check it out once it's opened.

Also on I-75's Exit 310 in Calhoun GA (Union Grove Rd.), (which sounds like will hold the Calhoun location of Buc-ee's), I saw that it appeared a new Love's Truck Stop was under construction there (on the northeast side of the exit) the last time I passed through. That is a new interchange anyway (up until a few years ago, it was just a overpass over the interstate with no exit), and there's a whole lot of industrial activity nearby, so that is the happening place for new development. It's very interesting to see all of this pop up.

[Bobby5280]

I read a recent article about the history on Buc-ee's. Georgia figures pretty strong in the company's expansion plans outside Texas. Details aren't 100% solid yet, but they are planning on at least six Buc-ee's locations in Georgia -with most being not too far a drive outside Atlanta.

[HTM Duke]

From an earlier trip I took this year to clinch US-1 in Georgia, it appears that GA-4 ALT has been decommissioned in Alma.  The shield assemblies posted at the US-1/23 junctions have been removed, and there was no reassurance signage along Dixon St.  I also checked the 2018 city map for Alma, and Dixon St isn't labeled as GA-4 ALT either.

GMSV:
Northern terminus: 2013 / 2018
Southern terminus: 2013 / 2018
City map