U.S. Route 27 (US 27) is a

U.S. Highway The United States Numbered Highway System (often called U.S. Routes or U.S. Highways) is an integrated network of roads and highways numbered within a nationwide grid in the contiguous United States. As the designation and numbering of these h ...

in the U.S. state of

Georgia Georgia most commonly refers to: * Georgia (country), a country in the Caucasus region of Eurasia * Georgia (U.S. state), a state in the Southeast United States Georgia may also refer to: Places Historical states and entities * Related to the ...

. It travels south-to-north through the western part of the state near the

Alabama (We dare defend our rights) , anthem = "Alabama (state song), Alabama" , image_map = Alabama in United States.svg , seat = Montgomery, Alabama, Montgomery , LargestCity = Huntsville, Alabama, Huntsville , LargestCounty = Baldwin County, Al ...

state line. The whole route is Governor's Road Improvement Program (GRIP) corridor EDS-27, providing the bulk of the

Tallahassee, Florida Tallahassee ( ) is the capital city of the U.S. state of Florida. It is the county seat and only incorporated municipality in Leon County, Florida, Leon County. Tallahassee became the capital of Florida, then the Florida Territory, in 1824. In ...

–

Chattanooga, Tennessee Chattanooga ( ) is a city in and the county seat of Hamilton County, Tennessee, United States. Located along the Tennessee River bordering Georgia, it also extends into Marion County on its western end. With a population of 181,099 in 2020, ...

corridor. All of US 27 in Georgia runs concurrently with State Route 1 (SR 1) and is also designated as the Martha Berry Highway. It connects Bainbridge, Colquitt, Blakely,

Cuthbert Cuthbert of Lindisfarne ( – 20 March 687) was an Anglo-Saxon saint of the early Northumbrian church in the Celtic tradition. He was a monk, bishop and hermit, associated with the monasteries of Melrose and Lindisfarne in the Kingdom of Nort ...

, Lumpkin, Cusseta,

Columbus Columbus is a Latinized version of the Italian surname "''Colombo''". It most commonly refers to: * Christopher Columbus (1451-1506), the Italian explorer * Columbus, Ohio, capital of the U.S. state of Ohio Columbus may also refer to: Places ...

LaGrange Joseph-Louis Lagrange (born Giuseppe Luigi LagrangiaCarrollton,

Bremen Bremen (Low German also: ''Breem'' or ''Bräm''), officially the City Municipality of Bremen (german: Stadtgemeinde Bremen, ), is the capital of the German state Free Hanseatic City of Bremen (''Freie Hansestadt Bremen''), a two-city-state consis ...

, Cedartown,

Rome , established_title = Founded , established_date = 753 BC , founder = King Romulus (legendary) , image_map = Map of comune of Rome (metropolitan city of Capital Rome, region Lazio, Italy).svg , map_caption ...

, Summerville,

LaFayette Lafayette or La Fayette may refer to: People * Lafayette (name), a list of people with the surname Lafayette or La Fayette or the given name Lafayette * House of La Fayette, a French noble family ** Gilbert du Motier, Marquis de Lafayette (1757� ...

, Fort Oglethorpe, and Rossville.

Route description

US 27 starts at the

Florida Florida is a state located in the Southeastern region of the United States. Florida is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the northwest by Alabama, to the north by Georgia, to the east by the Bahamas and Atlantic Ocean, and to ...

state line, where Decatur and Grady counties meet, and where US 27 continues south into Florida. US 27 heads northwest through rural southwestern Georgia, crossing into Decatur County as a four-lane

divided highway A dual carriageway ( BE) or divided highway ( AE) is a class of highway with carriageways for traffic travelling in opposite directions separated by a central reservation (BrE) or median (AmE). Roads with two or more carriageways which are ...

, and passes Attapulgus to the east on its way to Bainbridge. South of Bainbridge, US 27 meets with and travels concurrent with US 84/ SR 38, and forms a

controlled-access A controlled-access highway is a type of highway that has been designed for high-speed vehicular traffic, with all traffic flow—ingress and egress—regulated. Common English terms are freeway, motorway and expressway. Other similar terms i ...

perimeter highway around the southern and western portion of the city, before splitting to the northwest into Miller County and through Colquitt into Early County and Blakely. Now heading north, the highway travels through Bluffton in

Clay County Clay County is the name of 18 counties in the United States. Most are named for Henry Clay, U.S. Senator and statesman: * Clay County, Alabama * Clay County, Arkansas (named for John Clayton, and originally named Clayton County) * Clay County, Flor ...

, then reaches

Randolph County Randolph County is the name of eight counties in the United States: *Randolph County, Alabama *Randolph County, Arkansas *Randolph County, Georgia *Randolph County, Illinois *Randolph County, Indiana *Randolph County, Missouri *Randolph County, Nort ...

, again passing the town to its east. US 27 reaches Lumpkin in Stewart County as its next destination. Still heading north, the highway reaches Cusseta in Chattahoochee County, where it travels concurrently with US 280 and SR 520 into

Muscogee County Muscogee County is a county located on the central western border of the U.S. state of Georgia; its western border with the state of Alabama is formed by the Chattahoochee River. As of the 2020 census, the population was 206,922. Its county se ...

. The highways head northwest into Columbus and cross I-185. Then, US 27 splits from US 280/SR 520 just before reaching the

state line, and heads north through downtown Columbus, crossing I-185 once again, just before also crossing US 80/ SR 22/ SR 540 on its way into Harris County. US 27 roughly parallels I-185 on its trek north through Harris County, and crosses I-185 once more shortly after crossing into

Troup County Troup County (pronounced ) is a county located in the west central portion of the U.S. state of Georgia. As of the 2020 census, the population was 69,426.US Census Bureau, 2020 Report, Troup County, Georgia The county seat is LaGrange. Troup ...

, where it also crosses

I-85 Interstate 85 (I-85) is a major Interstate Highway in the Southeastern United States. Its southern terminus is at an interchange with Interstate 65, I-65 in Montgomery, Alabama; its northern terminus is an interchange with Interstate 95, I ...

just south of

LaGrange Joseph-Louis Lagrange (born Giuseppe Luigi LagrangiaHeard County Heard County is a county located in the west central portion of the U.S. state of Georgia. At the 2020 census, the population was 11,412, down from 11,834 in 2010. The county seat is Franklin. The county was created on December 22, 1830. Hear ...

, and heads through the heart of Carrollton in Carroll County. Angling northwest, the highway crosses

I-20 Interstate 20 (I‑20) is a major east–west Interstate Highway in the Southern United States. I-20 runs beginning at an interchange with I-10 in Scroggins Draw, Texas, and ending at an interchange with I-95 in Florence, South Carolina. Between ...

south of

, and makes its way in a northerly direction through

Haralson County Haralson County is a county located in the northwestern part of the U.S. state of Georgia. As of the 2020 census, the population was 29,919, up from 28,780 2010. The county seat is Buchanan. The county was created on January 26, 1856, and was ...

into

Polk County Polk County is the name of twelve counties in the United States, all except two named after president of the United States James Knox Polk: * Polk County, Arkansas * Polk County, Florida * Polk County, Georgia * Polk County, Iowa * Polk Count ...

, where it travels through the eastern part of Cedartown. Entering Floyd County, US 27 briefly becomes a

controlled-access highway A controlled-access highway is a type of highway that has been designed for high-speed vehicular traffic, with all traffic flow—ingress and egress—regulated. Common English terms are freeway, motorway and expressway. Other similar terms i ...

with exits serving Darlington Drive/Old Lindale Road, Dean Avenue ( SR-101), and East 12th Street. Continuing through

as Turner McCall Blvd. and Martha Berry Blvd., the highway then angles west toward

Chattooga County Chattooga County is a county located in the northwestern part of the U.S. state of Georgia. As of the 2020 census, the population was 24,965. According to the World Population Review, as of 2021, it is estimated at 24,803. The county seat is ...

and Summerville. Turning sharply north again in Summerville, the highway travels through

in Walker County. At this point, US 27 becomes LaFayette Road and then passes back and forth twice between Walker County and Catoosa County, before meeting its northern terminus at the

Tennessee Tennessee ( , ), officially the State of Tennessee, is a landlocked state in the Southeastern region of the United States. Tennessee is the 36th-largest by area and the 15th-most populous of the 50 states. It is bordered by Kentucky to th ...

state line in Rossville. The following portions of US 27/SR 1 in Georgia are part of the National Highway System, a system of routes determined to be the most important for the nation's economy, mobility, and defense: *From the southern terminus at the Florida state line to the southern terminus of US 27 Bus./SR 1 Bus., southeast of Attapulgus *From the northern terminus of US 27 Bus./SR 1 Bus., north-northwest of Attapulgus, to the southern terminus of US 27 Bus./SR 1 Bus. in Blakely *From the northern terminus of US 27 Bus./SR 1 Bus., in Blakely, to the interchange with US 80/SR 22/SR 540 eastbound in Columbus, which is also the eastern terminus of Double Churches Road *From I-185 southeast of LaGrange to the southern terminus of US 27 Bus./SR 1 Bus. in Bremen *From the northern terminus of US 27 Bus./SR 1 Bus., north-northwest of Bremen, to the southern terminus of US 27 Bus./SR 1 Bus., southeast of Buchanan *From the northern terminus of US 27 Bus./SR 1 Bus., north of Buchanan, to the northern terminus at the Tennessee state line.

History

1920s to 1950s

SR 1 was established at least as early as 1919, traveling on mostly the same path as it does today, with the following differences: the southern terminus at the Florida state line was southeast of Bainbridge; it traveled through Brinson and then northward to Colquitt; from Colquitt, it traveled through

Edison Thomas Alva Edison (February 11, 1847October 18, 1931) was an American inventor and businessman. He developed many devices in fields such as electric power generation, mass communication, sound recording, and motion pictures. These invention ...

, and into Cuthbert; and from LaFayette, it traveled northwest to Trenton, then northeast to the Tennessee state line. By the end of 1921, the southern terminus was shifted west to a point south-southeast of Bainbridge. It was shifted E out of Brinson to a direct path from Bainbridge to Colquitt. The Colquitt–Cuthbert segment was shifted westward to travel through Blakely. At this time, the northern terminus was truncated to LaFayette. SR 53 was proposed just east of LaFayette, and an unnumbered road was built north-northwest to Fort Oglegthorpe and then north to Tennessee. By the end of 1930, US 41W was designated on SR 1 from Rome to LaFayette and possibly on the LaFayette–Tennessee segment of the unnumbered road. By the end of 1931, US 280 was designated on the Cusseta–Columbus segment. By the end of 1934, US 41W was decommissioned, and US 27 was designated on the entire length of SR 1. By the end of 1939, the entire length of US 27/SR 1 from Florida to just south of the Clay–Randolph county line was completed. Between the beginning of 1945 and November 1946, SR 1's path south-southwest of Rome was shifted eastward. Its former path on US 27 was redesignated as SR 1 Spur. Between the beginning of 1940 and the beginning of 1954, US 27/SR 1's path north of Trion was proposed to be shifted to a more eastern alignment. Between June 1954 and June 1955, SR 1's path south-southwest of Rome was reverted to its original path, replacing SR 1 Spur. Its former path was redesignated as SR 1E. Between the beginning of 1953 and the beginning of 1960, SR 1 was rerouted on a more direct path between Amsterdam and Attapulgus. This new path had a "soil surface".

1960s

Between July 1957 and June 1960, SR 1 was proposed to be rerouted on an eastern bypass of Summerville, from a point east-southeast of the city to Trion. Between 1957 and 1962, a southwestern bypass of the main part of Carrollton was proposed from US 27/SR 1 in the southern part of the city to US 27/SR 1/SR 166 in the west-central part. Between 1953 and 1964, the northern terminus of SR 1 Spur was truncated to its original northern terminus, an intersection with US 27/US 280/SR 1 north of Fort Benning. The former path of SR 1 Spur north of US 27/US 280/SR 1 on Fort Benning Road was redesignated as SR 357. Its path on Cusseta Road and Brown Avenue was redesignated as SR 103 Spur. US 280's path through Columbus was shifted onto SR 1 Spur. A freeway in the eastern part of Columbus was under construction from US 27/US 280/SR 1 southeast of Columbus to SR 357 (Buena Vista Road) in the eastern part of the city. It was proposed to be designated from that point to US 27/SR 1 south-southwest of Nankipooh. Between 1954 and 1965, SR 48 was extended eastward on US 27 to the southern terminus of SR 1's proposed eastern bypass of Summerville. SR 114 was extended north-northeast on US 27 to the northern terminus of this bypass. Between 1960 and 1965, US 27 (and possibly SR 1) in the Bainbridge area was shifted onto a freeway-grade bypass of the main part of the city, designated as SR 38 Loop. Its former path was redesignated as US 27 Bus. (and possibly SR 1 Bus.). Between June 1963 and the end of 1965, SR 1 was proposed to be rerouted on a southwestern bypass of Cusseta, from south of the city to west of it. Between 1962 and 1967, SR 1 (and possibly US 27) was shifted onto the bypass of Carrollton. In 1966, the freeway in Columbus was proposed to be part of an eastward rerouting of SR 1. Its former path through Columbus was redesignated as SR 1 Bus. SR 1 was proposed to be designated on an under-construction bypass south of the main part of Rome, from US 27/US 411/SR 53 north-northeast of Six Mile to US 411/SR 101/ SR 344 south-southeast of Rome. The northern terminus of SR 1's proposed Summerville bypass was shifted to a point east-northeast of Trion. The next year, 1967, the SR 1 freeway was under construction from SR 357 north to US 27/SR 1. US 80 in Columbus was shifted southeastward, onto US 27/SR 1, then on US 280 and the newer SR 1 Spur. In 1968, US 27/US 411/SR 1 was shifted onto SR 1's southern bypass of Rome. Between 1964 and 1970, the SR 1 freeway was completed to Airport Thruway in the northern part of Columbus.

1970s and 1980s

In 1971, SR 1's path in LaGrange was shifted westward, replacing SR 1 Spur. The next year, 1972, US 27/SR 1, as well as SR 55, was shifted onto the southwestern bypass of Cusseta. In 1975, the SR 1 freeway in Columbus was redesignated as I-185 (with the unsigned SR 411 designation). SR 1 was shifted onto its former path through the city, replacing all of SR 1 Bus. The next year, SR 38 Loop in Bainbridge was decommissioned. SR 38 was designated on SR 38 Loop's former path. SR 38 through the city was redesignated as SR 38 Bus. In 1977, the Summerville bypass of SR 1 was cancelled, with SR 48 and SR 114 reverted to their previous alignments. Five years later, in 1982, an eastern bypass of LaFayette, designated as SR 730, was proposed from southeast of the city to north-northeast of it. In 1987, an eastern bypass of Cedartown, designated as SR 744, was proposed from south-southwest of the city to north-northeast of it. The next year, SR 55 and the newer SR 1 Spur were redesignated as part of SR 520. US 80 in Columbus was shifted north, off of US 280/SR 520. A western bypass of Bremen, designated as SR 793, was proposed from south-southwest of the city to north-northwest of it. US 27/SR 1 in the LaFayette area was shifted eastward, onto the path of SR 730. Its former path was redesignated as US 27 Bus./ SR 1 Bus. In 1989, an eastern bypass of Attapulgus, designated as SR 831, was proposed from east-southeast of the city, to north-northwest of it. SR 811 was proposed from US 27/SR 1 south-southeast of Buchanan north-northwest across it and curved around the eastern side of the city to a point north-northwest of it.

1990s and 2000s

In 1991, US 27/SR 1 in the Cedartown area was shifted eastward, onto the path of SR 744, with US 278/SR 6, which was also shifted out of the main part of the city. The former path of US 27/SR 1 was redesignated as US 27 Bus./ SR 1 Bus. The next year, an eastern bypass of Blakely, designated as SR 838, was proposed from south-southeast of the city to north-northeast of it. US 27/SR 1 was rerouted onto the proposed path of SR 811 and shifted east of Buchanan. The former path of US 27/SR 1 in the Buchanan area was redesignated as US 27 Bus./ SR 1 Bus. The southern half of SR 793 in the Bremen area was built from US 27/SR 1 just north of I-20 to US 78/SR 8 in the city. In 1993, US 27/SR 1 in the Blakely area was shifted eastward, onto the path of SR 838. Its former path was redesignated as US 27 Bus./ SR 1 Bus. A southeastern bypass of Cuthbert, designated SR 847, was proposed from south-southwest of the city to north-northeast of it. US 27/SR 1 in the Bremen area was shifted westward, onto the path of SR 793. Its former path was redesignated as US 27 Bus./ SR 1 Bus. In 1994, US 27/SR 1 in the Cuthbert area was shifted eastward, onto the path of SR 847. Its former path was redesignated as US 27 Bus./ SR 1 Bus. That same year, a western bypass of the Chickamauga and Chattanooga National Military Park, designated SR 813, was proposed from US 27/SR 1 east-northeast of Chickamauga to SR 2 west-southwest of Fort Oglethorpe. The next year, US 27/SR 1 was shifted onto the path of SR 831. Its former path was redesignated as SR 1 Bus. In 2001, US 27/SR 1's path through the Chickamauga and Chattanooga National Military Park was shifted westward, onto the path of SR 813.

Georgia Road Designations

In 1935, the General Assembly of the State of Georgia designated the portion of US 27/SR 1 from Columbus to its northern terminus as "Tennessee-Columbus Military Highway". In 1941, the General Assembly of the State of Georgia designated the portion of US 27/SR 1 from its southern terminus to Colquitt as "De Soto Trail Highway". In 1952, the General Assembly of the State of Georgia designated the entirety of US 27 Bus/SR 1 as "Martha Berry Highway", honoring a pioneer in education. In 1992, the General Assembly of the State of Georgia designated the portion of US 27 Bus/SR 1 from the Chattahoochee-Muscogee county line to its intersection with I-185 as "Robert B. Nett Medal of Honor Highway", honoring a hero of

World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...

. In 1993, the General Assembly of the State of Georgia designated the US 27 Bus/SR 1 Bus bypass through Cedartown as "Syble W. Brannan Parkway", honoring a prominent Cedartown resident. In 1994, the General Assembly of the State of Georgia designated the portion of the US 27 Bus/SR 1 between Summerville and Trion in Chattooga County as "Ralph 'Country' Brown Highway Designation", honoring a prominent Chattooga resident and baseball player. In 2000, the General Assembly of the State of Georgia designated the US 27 Bus/SR 1 Bus bypass through Cuthbert as "Gerald Green Bypass", honoring a prominent resident of Georgia and member of the Georgia Legislature. In 2011, the General Assembly of the State of Georgia designated the entirety of US 27 Bus/SR 1 as "Scenic Hometown Highway", for 'tourism enhancement purposes'. Also in 2011, with the same designation, the portion of US 27/SR 1 between Shields Crossing (near

Chickamauga Chickamauga may refer to: Entertainment * "Chickamauga", an 1889 short story by American author Ambrose Bierce * "Chickamauga", a 1937 short story by Thomas Wolfe * "Chickamauga", a song by Uncle Tupelo from their 1993 album ''Anodyne (album), Ano ...

) was designated as "Roy Parrish Parkway", honoring a prominent resident of Walker County.

Major intersections

References

External links