Interstate 985 North

Interstate 985 commences along a 24.04 mile course from a wye interchange with I-85 in northeast Gwinnett County to Gainesville. Completed by Summer 2018, the I-85 Express Lanes Extension Project added a northbound bridge alongside the southbound overpass carrying the I-85 mainline beyond this shield assembly.

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Drivers cross Ivy Creek to the immediate north of Interstate 85 on a 1964-built bridge.

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Advancing north by the Morningview community, Interstate 985 enters the Buford city limits in 1.5 miles. Gainesville lies 23 miles to the northeast.

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U.S. 23 south and SR 20 (Buford Drive) meet I-985 at Exit 4 in one mile. The two overlap west 1.3 miles to SR 13 (Buford Highway) in the city of Sugar Hill.

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Buford Dam is located northwest of I-985 at the base of Lake Lanier in north Gwinnett County. The Chattahoochee River flows southwest from the dam toward the greater Atlanta area.

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SR 20 arcs south from Exit 4 along a heavily developed commercial arterial to the Mall of Georgia and the SR 316 freeway. The state route leads south from Buford to Lawrenceville and northwest to Cumming.

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Entering the diamond interchange (Exit 4) with U.S. 23 south and SR 20 (Buford Drive) on Interstate 985 north. U.S. 23 heads back west to Suwannee while SR 20 follows Nelson Brogdon Boulevard and Cumming Highway to the south of Buford Dam on Lake Lanier.

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The ensuing northbound exit joins Interstate 985 with SR 347 in north Buford. The state route follows Lanier Islands Parkway west and Friendship Road east from Exit 8.

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SR 347 along with Lanier Islands Parkway lead west to a chain of islands located in Lake Lanier. Several high end resorts dot the Lanier Islands.

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U.S. 23 accompanies I-985 north as the freeway continues through Buford by the Hamilton Mill Business Center, and into Hall County.

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One half mile ahead of the diamond interchange (Exit 8) with SR 347 on I-985/U.S. 23 north. SR 347 spurs four miles northwest to Lanier Islands Parkway before turning southward on McEver Road.

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East from Exit 8, SR 347 (Friendship Road) constitutes a six lane arterial for four miles through south Flowery Branch and the outskirts of Braselton.

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SR 347 ends at SR 211 eight miles to the east of I-985 / U.S. 23 by the northern wedge of Gwinnett County.

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Progressing north from Exit 8, I-985 passes between the Highland Park and Lexington Woods subdivisions in Buford.

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The next destination along I-985 / U.S. 23 north is the city of Flowery Branch in three miles. Gainesville is 11 miles further.

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Exit 12 connects I-985 / U.S. 23 with Phil Niekro Boulevard west and Spout Springs Road south in one mile.

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Phil Niekro Boulevard extends Spout Springs Road north to SR 13 (Atlanta Highway) and the Flowery Branch city center.

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An array of big box retail occupies land to the immediate east of Exit 12, anchored by Stonebridge Village shopping center.

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I-985 / U.S. 23 continue four miles northeast to the city of Oakwood and 11 miles to Gainesville. This shield assembly was gone by the end of 2014 and never replaced.

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Opened January 2020, I-985 / U.S. 23 next meet H.F. Reed Industrial Parkway at a diamond interchange (Exit 14).

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I-985 / U.S. 23 pass under SR 13 one half mile out from H.F. Reed Industrial Parkway. SR 13 curves northward to intersect H.F. Reed Industrial Parkway east of Exit 14.

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H.F. Reed Industrial Parkway travels northwest from I-985 / U.S. 23 to Thurman Tanner Parkway. Exit 14 joins the freeway with several distribution centers and industrial facilities.

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The succeeding exit along I-985 / U.S. 23 northbound is with SR 53 (Mundy Mill Road) in Oakwood.

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A rest area and tourist information center was previously located just south of the Plainview Road overpass.

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I-985 / U.S. 23 advance northeast from Exit 14 (H.F. Reed Industrial Parkway) and the abandoned rest area to SR 53 next.

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Back to back off-ramps depart the northbound freeway over the ensuing 1.25 miles for SR 53 (Mundy Mill Road) and SR 13 (Atlanta Highway) in Oakwood. Prior to 2006-09 road work, a diamond interchange connected I-985 with SR 53 alone.

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SR 53 travels 11 miles south from Exit 16 to Road Atlanta, Lanier National Speedway, and Interstate 85 at Braselton.

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SR 53 north circles around the west side of Gainesville from the University of North Georgia - Gainesville Campus to McEver Road and Dawsonville Highway.

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Exit 16 leaves I-985 / U.S. 23 north for a commercialized stretch of SR 53 (Mundy Mill Road).

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Exit 17 quickly follows from the freeway mainline beyond Exit 16 for SR 13 (Atlanta Highway).

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SR 13 (Atlanta Highway) intersects SR 53 just to the south of Exit 17, as it arcs north to south Gainesville.

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Ramps from SR 53 and SR 13 north combine along a distributor roadway leading through the parclo interchange with Atlanta Highway and Thurmon Tanner Road.

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A forested median separates traffic along Interstate 985 to the east of Chicopee Woods Golf Course and west of Walnut Creek.

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Elachee Drive spans I-985 / U.S. 23 in advance of SR 60 (Exit 20). The overpass was rebuilt by 2024, replacing the original one constructed in 1967. Part of the rebuild included adding sidewalks and decorative enhancements.

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The first of three Gainesville exits along I-985 north departs in one mile for SR 53 Connector (Queen City Parkway) and SR 60 (Candler Road).

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SR 53 Connector and SR 60 overlap two miles northward by Lee Gilmer Memorial Airport (GVL) to SR 369 (Jesse Jewell Parkway) near Downtown Gainesville. SR 53 Connector ties into SR 53 as it overtakes Dawsonville Highway west across northern reaches of Lake Lanier.

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South from the folded diamond interchange (Exit 20) with I-985, SR 60 (Candler Road) travels a mostly rural route 13 miles to SR 124 outside Braselton.

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Reassurance marker posted after I-985 crosses over a CSX Railroad line and Griffin Circle. Construction of the freeway on this stretch severed the old rout e of SR 60 (Hancock Avenue Extension north and Old Candler Road south).

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U.S. 129 (Athens Highway) north and U.S. 129 Business (E.E. Butler Parkway) south come together at a folded diamond interchange (Exit 22) with Interstate 985 in one mile.

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U.S. 129 Business forms an L-shaped route for 3.2 miles along E.E. Butler Parkway north and Jesse Jewell Parkway east to U.S. 129 at Limestone Parkway. U.S. 129 bypasses the city along I-985.

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Exit 22 leaves I-985 / U.S. 23 north for U.S. 129 south 18 miles to the Jackson County seat of Jefferson and U.S. 129 Business north to Downtown Gainesville.

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Athens Street, the former alignment of U.S. 129, spans Interstate 985 a third of a mile to the northeast of E.E. Butler Parkway.

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U.S. 129 dog legs west alongside SR 369 (Jesse Jewell Parkway) from forthcoming Exit 24 to continue north from Gainesville to Clermont and Cleveland.

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SR 369 commences a 36 mile route west to Lake Lanier, Coal Mountain and SR 20 in Cherokee County from I-985 / U.S. 23-129 at Exit 24.

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Old Cornelia Highway is the historic alignment of U.S. 23 / SR 13 northeast from New Holland to White Sulphur Springs.

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An advance end sign for I-985 north stands beside the Old Cornelia Highway overpass.

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A U.S. 129 marker precedes the off-ramp (Exit 24) to SR 369 west. U.S. 129 was relocated to bypass Gainesville along I-985 as approved by AASHTO on May 31, 2003. The same application included the establishment of U.S. 129 Business along SR 11 (old U.S. 129).

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U.S. 129 parts ways with U.S. 23 at Exit 24. U.S. 129 follows Limestone Parkway 2.1 miles north from SR 369 (Jesse Jewell Parkway) and New Holland Marketplace shopping center to SR 11 Business (Cleveland Highway). Jesse Jewell Parkway east transitions to Old Cornelia Highway in a half mile.

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Interstate 985 ends within the diamond interchange (Exit 22) at the Jesse Jewell Parkway underpass. U.S. 23 / SR 365 continue along a controlled access expressway 20.3 miles to U.S. 441 at Cornelia.

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