Interstate 185 Georgia
Overview
Interstate 185 in Georgia is a 49 mile long freeway that links Columbus and Fort Moore with I-85 at LaGrange. The route doubles as unsigned Georgia State Route 411, with the southernmost ten miles comprising an urban route with six lane sections, and the remainder north across Harris and Troup Counties as a four lane rural freeway.
Lindsey Creek Parkway extends south from I-185 as a freeway into Fort Moore, with three additional interchanges. The route is restricted to military traffic south of U.S. 27-280/SR 520 (Victory Drive).
The Georgia State Transportation Board designated 39 miles of I-185, from Exit 12 northward to Interstate 85, as a “Scenic Byway” on October 18, 2007.1 Within Harris County in November 1997, the Georgia Department of Transportation (GDOT) named Interstate 185 as the “Chet Atkins Parkway”, in honor of the legendary country guitarist who lived in the area during his teenage years.
The north end of Interstate 185 includes provisions for an extension. Plans in 1995 involved constructing a five-mile bypass route for U.S. 27, between I-85 and eastern reaches of West Point Lake. $70 million in highway improvements scheduled for the LaGrange area in 1999 included building the bypass and redesigning the exchange between I-85 and I-185 at a cost of $17.7 million.2 Those plans never moved forward however and by 2007, GDOT indicated that the LaGrange Bypass no longer had a projected date.3
Efforts from Albany business and government leaders in 2006 involved lobbying GDOT for an extension of Interstate 185 south from Fort Moore to Monticello, Florida by way of Albany. Benefits cited included the generation of jobs and economic growth for southwest Georgia in addition to traffic relief on Interstate 75. The suggested corridor utilized SR 520 (Corridor Z) south from Columbus to Albany, and U.S. 19 from there to Camilla, Pelham, Thomasville and Interstate 10, south of Monticello.4,5
Fort Benning was renamed to Fort Moore by the U.S. Army as part of a national effort to remove references of the Confederate States of America. A ceremony rededicating the Army training base for Lt. General Harold “Hal” G. Moore, Jr.. and Julia “Julie” Moore took place at Doughboy Stadium near Columbus on May 11, 2023.6 Signs showing Fort Benning for Interstate 185 were amended to display Fort Moore by July 2023.
History
Designated by the American Association of State Highway Officials (AASHO) on June 23, 1969, Interstate 185 was constructed between September 1964 and February 1981.7,8 The route was formally extended southward from SR 22 to U.S. 27 by the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) on December 7, 1984 over what was previously signed as just State Route 411.
$60 million in construction upgraded a 2.3 mile long stretch of Interstate 185 north from U.S. 27-280/SR 520 (Victory Drive) to St. Marys Road / Exit 3. The six lane expansion project ran from 2007 to July 2011.9 Freeway widening was underway in conjunction with a $17.6 million contract to replace the loop ramp from Victory Drive east to I-185 north with a two lane directional ramp.10
Route Information
Source: December 31, 2021 Interstate Route Log and Finders List
Interstate 185 overtook the original Lindsey Creek Bypass of Columbus. The freeway was built as a new alignment for Georgia State Route 1, the counterpart of U.S. 27 throughout Georgia.
The final segment of I-185 under construction between Exit 14 / Smith Road and Exit 42 / U.S. 27. 1979 Georgia Official Highway Map
An additional $6.8 million in enhancements at the south end of I-185 redesigned the directional cloverleaf interchange with aesthetic improvements including four towering monuments, 20 water fountains and twenty 50 foot high flag poles that are illuminated at night. The monuments represent the Infantry and Armor Schools at the Maneuver Center of Excellence located in Fort Moore. Statues adorning the tops of the 50 foot towers include two American eagles, the Follow Me Soldier and the Trooper on the Plains. A ribbon cutting ceremony for the completed project was held at the National Infantry Museum & Soldier Center on October 13, 2011.10 An aerial photograph of the improved interchange graced the cover of the 2013-14 Georgia Official Highway and Transportation Map.
 Photo Guides
North End
– LaGrange, Georgia
North at
South at
A third southbound lane opens along I-85 south at the Hines Road overpass for Exit 21 / I-185. A set of sign brackets remains from what would have been an overhead for the unbuilt ramp to the LaGrange bypass (U.S. 27). U.S. 27 travels along a four lane corridor from north of LaGrange to Franklin, Carrollton and Rome. 12/31/12
North at
North End Throwback
North at
South End
/ Lindsey Creek Parkway – Fort Moore, Georgia
South at
SouthÂ
East atÂ
NorthÂ
West at
Lindsey Creek Parkway – North at
South End Throwback
South at
This ground level sign was posted for the original loop ramp (Exit 1 A) onto U.S. 27 south / U.S. 280-SR 520 east. 08/22/03
North at
A pair of begin shields were posted at the Lindsey Creek Parkway transition to Interstate 185 below Victory Drive. These were removed during work to add the new ramp from SR 520 east to I-185 north. 10/15/99
South
East at
Sources:
- “‘Scenic Byway’ created off I-185.” Times-Herald, The (Newnan, GA), October 21, 2007.
- “Will Bypass Lead LaGrange Down The Right Road? – City Officials Worry About Losing Business To Proposed U.S. 27 Bypass New Highway Would Also Affect Columbus Drivers Using I-85/I-185 Interchange.” Columbus Ledger-Enquirer (GA), September 5, 1999.
- “City mulls DOT plans.” LaGrange Daily News (GA), February 11, 2007.
- “How would you like to take I-185 from LaGrange to Florida?.” Times-Herald, The (Newnan, GA), November 30, 2006.
- “Albany leaders campaign for an interstate highway.” WALB 10 News, November 28, 2006.
- “Georgia’s Fort Benning renamed Fort Moore.” ABC News, May 11, 2023.
- “Would Four Lanes Drive Away Rural Lifestyle?, Supporters of Widening Georgia 85 Say it would Promote Safety, Business, but some along Road are Skeptical.” Columbus Ledger-Enquirer, September 18, 1994.
- “Happy Birthday to the open road.” Gwinnett Daily Post (Lawrenceville, GA), June 25, 2006.
- “I-185 construction : After years, end is in sight.” Ledger-Enquirer (Columbus, GA), June 15, 2011.
- “DOT Awards $69M in Contracts for I-185 – Columbus and Fortson Firms Win Project Bids.” Ledger-Enquirer (Columbus, GA), June 16, 2007.
- “Fort Benning completes $6.8 million gateway project; ribbon cutting today.” Ledger-Enquirer (Columbus, GA), October 13, 2011.
Page updated January 29, 2024.