Georgia State Route System

The **Georgia State Route System** is an intrastate system in the United States. It consists of a diverse mixture of roadways including interstates, business spurs, U.S. Highways, state routes, city streets, and county roads in Georgia. The highways are maintained by the Georgia Department of Transportation (GDOT). The Highway System ensures a well-connected network of high quality roads that comply with Georgia State Code and Federal law. Four categories of state routes are critical, high, medium, and low. In Georgia, every U.S. Highway is concurrent with a state route for their entire length. Every Interstate has a hidden 400-series state highway. Although 18% of the total lane mileage is only owned, 59% of the total vehicles miles traveled within the state are on these roadways  Some of the Governor's Road Improvement Program (GRIP) corridors are numbered from 500 to 599.

## Details

The Georgia State Route System consists of three groups of state highways: mainline, divided, and special routes. Georgia consists of 7 primary interstate highways, 8 auxiliary interstates, 14 primary U.S. highways, and 12 auxiliary routes. The total mileage of roads in Georgia is 125,429 miles (201,858 km). Major state routes are numbered 1-99. For some reason, not all multiplexed routes have their state route numbers signed. For example, on US-129/GA-44, there are US-129 signs, and not any GA-44 signs for 15 miles (24 km). The state uses the terminology "Route" for state highway name standards. All state highway designations are not the same though. SR-515 uses a uses a blue state highway designation rather the default black designation, because it is part of the Appalachian Development Highway System (ADHS). SR-520 route markers have a green background and numbers, because it is named Corridor Z, though it is not part of the ADHS.

### Priorities over the Highway System

The OTD categorized state routes into four priorities, and established a sequence of criteria therefore:

**Critical:**

* National freight corridors
* State freight corridors
* Interstates
* Intermodal connectors

**High:**

* STRAHNET connectors
* NHS (Other principal arterials)
* AADT (3,000 or more)
* U.S. routes
* Sole connections between county seats
* Emergency Management Agency nuclear power plant evacuation routes

**Medium**

* Hurricane evacuation routes
* NHS (principal arterials beginning or ending at a low priority state route)
* NHS (Other principal arterials)
* AADT < 3,000
* All other routes that not otherwise classified

**Low**

* Low AADT (<3,000)
* Low speed limit (<35 mph, 56 km/h)
* Low connectivity (i.e. spans a single county, does not connect an urban area)
* Short length (total mileage < 5 miles, 8 km that are not otherwise classified)

## History

### Pre-State Route System

The first official act in effect in the South was what was known as a statutory method was passed in the Colony of Georgia in 1755, which then it was only divided into nine districts. Each of these districts had six surveyors whose duty was to repair the roads and trails. The surveyors were authorized to assess a tax on every male within the road age of sixteen and sixty and the work itself was to be done by road hands to works as many as twelve days a year. There is no record available for the initial work under this arrangement, which, in any event was abrogated with the start of the War of Independence.

In 1764, however, following the termination of the war, the statutory method was renewed through acts passed by the newly-organized state legislature, and the various counties were divided into road districts. All males in the road age were called to work their roads from five to fifteen days a year. This road-working arrangement, with few changes, remained in force in Georgia until 1829, when the state legislature appropriated $70,000 for the purchase of negro slaves to be used throughout the state in construction. Most of the work accomplished through this act was in the vicinity of larger municipalities, however, and so much dissatisfaction thought the rural areas throughout the state that it subsequently was repealed.

Then followed the chartering numerous corporations for building toll roads. Aside from the original statutory method, which, had remained continuously in force, these toll road characters were the principal road construction activity throughout Georgia until the Civil War.

Following the war, the general assembly in 1866 refused to renew the these charters and the state reverted to the old statutory method. As a result, practically nothing was accomplished in 1891. In that year the legislature made its first move to improve the road by passing an act authorizing each county, upon recommendation by the County Grand Jury, to levy a tax of two mills on the dollar for road-building purposes. It also provided a communication tax of ¢50/day for each male for each day to road duty he was required to to work on the roads for each day. This act comprised the first authority given miles and equipment and to pay for construction roads.

Under a act passed in 1898 creating State Prison Commission, convicts in Georgia had been leased to corporations or private individuals for industrial purposes. The legislator abolished this leaning system in 1908, however, and authorized the counties and municipalities to use convicts in public works. Interests went popular in the building of roads and the way was paved for the subsequent enactment of legislation that revolutionize highway in Georgia.

### Formation of the Route System

The National Congress in 1916 wrote into law on Federal Aid Road Act. On that time, the State Highway Board of Georgia (known today as GDOT) was created. In 1919 the Board would construct 4,800 miles (7,700 km) of state highways connecting county seats. The originally proposed system consisted of 173.4 miles (274.2 km) of paved roads, 673.5 miles (1,084 km) of clay roads, 34.4 miles (55.4 km) of graded roads, and 28 bridges. In 1921 there were 5,500 miles (8,900 km) of roads in the System. Of this total there were 1,700 miles (2,700 km) of roads that were either completed of under construction in 1922.

### U.S. Route era

In 1926, the U.S. Numbered Highway System was established to connect important places, which absorbed the Dixie Highway. In 1929 there were 6 primary routes and 1 auxiliary route in the state. Pavement replaced clay as the principal material for roads. The Great Depression worsened an economic downturn that began in Georgia a decade earlier. During the 1920s, the falling price of cotton and the effects of the boll weevil to the crop had robbed many small farmers of any prospect of making a living. Not until the United States’ entry into World War II would the depression in the state fully recede. The state also benefitted from the Works Project Administration (WPA) which spent $14.4 million to help Georgia construct 3,201 miles (5,151 km) of roads and over 300 bridges from 1935 to 1942. By June 1938, four multi-state routes or trunk lines were completely paved from state line to state line from north to south, and four from east to west.

### World War II

Between 1941 and 1945, America was fighting the Nazis in World War II. Gas was rationed to two gallons per week and gas tax collections declined. As a result, manpower and materials were scarce and these factors curtailed road building. All construction programs involved in the federal aid program were cancelled by the Public Roads Administration with only essential projects approved - mainly access roads to military bases or war-related industry. Roadway maintenance was also minimal due to manpower and material shortages. In the 1930s and 1940s, politicians continued to use the promise of highway jobs to entice supporters and reward allies. Some workers lost their jobs during this period simply because they backed the wrong candidate. In 1949, the State Highway Department (SHD) was placed under the State Merit System of Personnel Administration, effectively removing politics from hiring and firing decisions. In 1943, a nationwide speed limit law known as the Victory Speed limit changed the way of roads in 1943, setting it to 35 mph (56 km/h) because of WWII. In late 1945, the national speed limit was abolished and Georgia sets a maximum speed of 55 mph (89 km/h)

### Post-war era

In 1946, work began on the Downtown Connector, a multi-lane highway running north-south with limited access. Atlanta was on the fast-track 10 years before the Federal Highway
Act of 1956. The effort was the result of a detailed transportation study by H.W. Lochner and Company, an engineering firm hired by the city. Atlanta’s phenomenal growth is often credited to this early expressway effort, but this also marked the state’s transition to long range planning and a shift toward more involvement in urban areas as cities began to expand beyond their boundaries. The Bureau of Public Roads claimed that 76% of roads in the United States were outdated, too narrow and too congested.

### Interstate era

In 1955 a proposal for an national system for controlled-access highways were approve by AASHTO. In 1956, the Interstate Highway System was established to connect cities with populations 50,000+. By 1958, establishment of rest areas on the interstate system began. These rest areas would include paved parking, water, and a bulletin board with maps. They were planned to be spaced 25 miles (40 km) apart. In 1959, Georgia’s first interstate marker, I-75, was unveiled by Governor Ernest Vandiver in the largest road dedication ceremony in the state’s history. Ribbon cutting ceremonies were held on the northern end of a 37-mile (60 km) segment of I-75 in Turner and Tift counties.

This decade has been called the Golden Age of Roads throughout the nation. Interstate construction had moved forward at a record pace, but this success, along with other upheavals of the times, caused an examination of the purpose of transportation. By the end of the 1960s, transportation decisions were not only aimed toward economic growth, but they also considered social impacts, beauty of highways and protection of the environment. At the beginning of the 1960s, the national press frequently reported claims of corruption and inefficiency in the implementation of the Interstate program. In 1969, A road meet was called on for a ribbon cutting on I-285's full completion.

The “mighty network of highways” planned by Congress and President Eisenhower was to be completed by October 1, 1972. On that date, 75 percent of Georgia’s proposed 1,150 mile Interstate System had been constructed and opened to the motoring public. Between November 22 and December 23, 1977, Interstates 20, 75, 85 and 95 were completed, making 1977 the “Year of the Interstate” in Georgia. Between 1970 and 1975, Georgia DOT spent $12 million in safety modifications and improvements. By 1976, Georgia ranked in the top 15 states in overall safety. Just 10 years earlier, the state had ranked 48th in the nation. From 1970-75, due to improved roads and safety features, along with the new 55 mph (89 km/h) speed limit, there was a 39 percent decrease in traffic fatalities. The Federal Highway Act of 1974 provided a uniform speed limit of 55 mph to decrease gasoline consumption, more stringent controls on outdoor advertising, a new funding category, and changes in the weight allowance for trucks in order to protect infrastructure on the Interstate System. In 1978, Interstate 16 was opened to traffic, completing the original Interstate System in Georgia.

### Freeway Reconstruction and the GRIP program

The impact of the oil crisis was still being felt in the early 1980s. Drastic price increases, fuel-efficient vehicles and fuel shortages negatively affected motor fuel tax revenues. Spiraling prices for all petroleum products took their toll on the Department’s expenses as resurfacing costs doubled from 1975 to 1980. Clearly the revenues from motor fuel tax alone could not support maintenance, resurfacing, safety improvements and capacity expansions. The General Assembly passed legislation which would effectively increase motor fuel tax and earmark interest earnings from the investment of these funds for highway use. Nearing the completion of Interstate construction, emphasis immediately began to shift to reconstruction and rehabilitation of the existing infrastructure. A massive reconstruction program called Freeing the Freeways took aim at widening the maturing Interstate system in the Atlanta metropolitan area. The widening of I-20, I-75, I-85, I-285, and the widening of the Downtown Connector was underway in 1976 and continued throughout the 1980s. The plan included 127 miles (204 km) at a cost of $1.4 billion. Interstates 985 (1984), I-675 (1986) and the Athens Perimeter Highway (1987) were completed during this decade. The Athens Perimeter Highway opened, after 28 years of work, making it the second circumferential highway in Georgia. Among rural counties, those on the Interstates had seen better economic growth due to improved access to employment and the relocation of industry and distribution centers. Wherever there was growth in the state, it was almost without question near an Interstate. In 1988, the seat belt law passed and rural Interstate speed limits increased to 65 mph (105 km/h). GRIP was initiated in 1989 and originally consisted of 12 corridors with 2,845 miles (4,579) of roadway, including 113 miles (214 km) of truck access routes.

### Modern System

By the late 20th century, transportation broadened beyond construction and maintenance of highways to focus on management and enhancement. Congestion and safety, along with the transport of freight, became big concerns, and construction began on numerous bypasses around cities and small towns in Georgia. NAVIGATOR was initiated in 1991 as the world’s first Advanced Transportation Management System to integrate management of the Interstates and arterials. The Georgia 400 Extension was completed in the summer of 1993. This project was marked by some of the most intense public scrutiny and media attention ever experienced by GDOT. The roadway included a 500-foot (150 m) tunnel built beneath the existing 18-story Atlanta Financial Center. GDOT also introduced Automatic Vehicle Identification (AVI) technology using a device known as the Georgia Cruise Card. The card could be used by motorists to automatically pay the road’s toll without having to stop. In November 1994, High Occupancy Vehicle (HOV) lanes were introduced to metro Atlanta on the east side of I-20. In 1996, the Summer Olympic Games were held in Atlanta. It was widely agreed that the traffic and transportation plan was the best managed of any Olympic venue to date.

The new and improved Sidney Lanier Bridge, located on US 17 in Glynn County opened to traffic April 7, 2003.

In 2004, three ramp meters were introduced on Atlanta’s Downtown Connector. By 2009, the program was expanded to all metro Interstates in an effort to enhance safety and relieve congestion on metro Atlanta Interstates. ln 2007, 511 service was introduced, placing traffic and travel information a phone call away, 24 hours a day, seven days a week. In late-2011, Georgia opened its first Express Lanes (Managed Lanes) on I-85 in DeKalb and Gwinnett counties.

## See also

* Interstate Highway System
* United States Numbered Highway System

## References

1. ↑ Georgia Traffic Data § Road Mileage Reports (400 Series) Georgia Department of Transportation
2. ↑ Governor’s Road Improvement Program (GRIP) Georgia Department of Transportation, Office of Transportation Data
3. ↑ Georgia Roads - Tripod
4. ↑ Georgia State Route Prioritization.pdf Georgia Department of Transpotaion
5. ↑ History of Highway Construction in the State of Georgia and of the State Highway Board - Georgia Department of Transportation
6. ↑ Centennial Booklet.pdf - Georgia Department of Transportation via GDOT Centennial
7. ↑ Report 438 - 2021 – Georgia Department of Transportation