Just got back from a roadtrip across Georgia and north to Chattanooga, Tennessee and west to Gadsden, Alabama. The trip afforded the opportunity to reshoot the ends of several three digit Interstates in the region, and take new shield photos for I-185, I-516 and I-759.
First stop was Savannah, Georgia and the opportunity to rephotograph Interstate 516 (W.F. Lynes Parkway). Widening construction is underway along I-16 west from I-516, and associated work expands the overpasses taking I-16 over Lynes Parkway. The six lane expansion along I-16 however does not include other improvements at the exchange with I-516. As it remains under environmental review until 2025, nothing new regarding Project DeRenne, which would greatly improve traffic at the east end of I-516.
Headed west on Interstate 16 from I-516/U.S. 17-80/SR 21-26 at Savannah to the end at I-75 in Macon, Georgia. The seemingly unending I-16/75 Interchange construction resulted in some recent sign changes, some of which are bad. The new traffic pattern from I-75 south at I-16 shifted Exit 165 from the left to the right and the I-75 mainline onto the future c/d roadway for the ramps with U.S. 41BU/SR 19 to Downtown Macon.
For Interstate 185 at Columbus, Georgia photographed the south end from all directions, filling in the gap of coverage from U.S. 27/280-SR 520 eastbound. Heading south along Lindsey Creek Parkway from the exchange joining I-185 and U.S. 27/280, the freeway extends into Fort Benning beyond the Fort Benning Visitor Center. The center’s parking area allows one to make a U-turn without committing to entering the base. Heading east from I-185, there are no U-turns available for 5.2 miles, as the succeeding three exits are restricted to base traffic.
Sign changes were made recently at the north end of Interstate 185, with all panels replaced on I-185 northbound within the last four months. Overheads along I-85 for Interstate 185 south remain unchanged from 2012, but all ground level signs were updated sometime between 2019 and 2021.
Continuing north from I-185 and LaGrange, swapped out 2012 photos covering I-85 north at Interstate 285 (Atlanta Perimeter Highway). Also added new coverage from the c/d roadway linking I-85 southbound and SR 139 (Riverdale Road) near ATL Airport with I-285 and SR 14CO (S Fulton Parkway), and S Fulton Parkway east back into the exchange with I-85/285.
Took Interstate 575 northbound from Marietta, Georgia to SR 515 (APD Highway) for the first time since 2010. The first sign for I-575/SR 5 on I-75 north is still missing an exit tab, two years after we last photographed it. The signs at the north end remain unchanged, except that one of the “End Limited Access” signs is gone.
Heading into Chattanooga, Tennessee, it appears that the improvements made at the exchange joining I-75 with Interstate 24 west are not enough to alleviate traffic congestion. Ramps from both directions of I-75 onto I-24 were were clogged, mostly with freight traffic, with delays extending well outward. Looking at the same interchange as of the writing of this post, and the same scenario is playing out, with the back up along I-75 stretching southward beyond the first exit in Georgia. Updated the Interstate 24 page with photos of the new signs added along I-75 north from the adjacent distributor roadway built as part of the 2019-21 improvement project.
The U.S. 27 Reconstruction in Downtown Chattanooga project completed by early 2021 modernized the portion of freeway designated by unsigned Interstate 124. Finally had a chance to photograph this, as the project was still incomplete during a previous visit in September 2020 with few permanent signs posted and construction remaining underway. The new signs at the south end added “TO I-59” and “TO I-75” on overheads for I-24 but continue to omit the continuation of U.S. 27 south, which joins I-24 for two miles before shifting onto Rossville Boulevard.
Drove southwest along Interstate 59 from I-24 to Gadsden. Signs on I-24 west remain unchanged from 2020. Also the first confirming marker posted ahead of Exit 17 was missing.
The last time Interstate 759 in Gadsden, Alabama was photographed for the site was 2012. Not a lot has changed since then, with the exception of two sign replacements made at the cloverleaf interchange with U.S. 411, where Clearview font was used on signs omitting exit tabs. Future work extends SR 759 east as an at-grade boulevard from SR 291 to U.S. 278/431.
