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 ...
, is a north–south
United States 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 hi ...
North Carolina
North Carolina () is a state in the Southeastern region of the United States. The state is the 28th largest and 9th-most populous of the United States. It is bordered by Virginia to the north, the Atlantic Ocean to the east, Georgia and So ...
state highways
A state highway, state road, or state route (and the equivalent provincial highway, provincial road, or provincial route) is usually a road that is either ''numbered'' or ''maintained'' by a sub-national state or province. A road numbered by a ...
Alma
Alma or ALMA may refer to:
Arts and entertainment
* ''Alma'' (film), a 2009 Spanish short animated film
* ''Alma'' (Oswald de Andrade novel), 1922
* ''Alma'' (Le Clézio novel), 2017
* ''Alma'' (play), a 1996 drama by Joshua Sobol about Alma ...
Chauncey Chauncey may refer to:
*Chauncey (name), both a given name and a surname.
Places in the United States
* Chauncey, Georgia
* Chauncey, Illinois
* Chauncey, Michigan
* Chauncey, Ohio
* Chauncey, West Virginia
* Chauncey Peak, a mountain near Meride ...
Empire
An empire is a "political unit" made up of several territories and peoples, "usually created by conquest, and divided between a dominant center and subordinate peripheries". The center of the empire (sometimes referred to as the metropole) ex ...
Jackson
Jackson may refer to:
People and fictional characters
* Jackson (name), including a list of people and fictional characters with the surname or given name
Places
Australia
* Jackson, Queensland, a town in the Maranoa Region
* Jackson North, Qu ...
Druid Hills
Druid Hills is a community which includes both a census-designated place (CDP) in unincorporated DeKalb County, Georgia, United States, as well as a neighborhood of the city of Atlanta. The CDP's population was 14,568 at the 2010 census. The ...
Chamblee
Chamblee ( ) is a city in northern DeKalb County, Georgia, United States, northeast of Atlanta. The population was 30,164 as of the 2020 census.
History
The area that would later become Chamblee was originally dairy farms. During the late nin ...
line, SR 13 from the Brookhaven–Chamblee line to the Sugar Hill–
Buford Buford may refer to:
Places
United States
*Buford, Arkansas
*Buford, Colorado, an unincorporated community
* Buford, Georgia
*Buford Highway corridor, in Fulton, DeKalb, and Gwinnett Counties in Georgia
* Buford, North Dakota
*Buford, Ohio
*Bufo ...
North Carolina
North Carolina () is a state in the Southeastern region of the United States. The state is the 28th largest and 9th-most populous of the United States. It is bordered by Virginia to the north, the Atlantic Ocean to the east, Georgia and So ...
state line, and SR 2 in Clayton.
Concurrencies of US 23 with U.S. Highways in Georgia are US 1 from Florida to north of Alma, US 301 from Florida to the Folkston–Homeland line, US 82 in Waycross, US 84 in Waycross, US 221 Truck in Hazlehurst, US 341 from Hazlehurst to Eastman, US 129 Alt. from north of Cochran to Macon, US 80 from East Macon to Macon, US 129 in Macon, US 278 from Atlanta to Druid Hills,
US 29
U.S. Route 29 (US 29) is a north–south United States highway that runs for from Pensacola, Florida to the western suburbs of Baltimore, Maryland in the Southern United States, connecting the Florida Panhandle to the Baltimore-Washington ...
/ 78 from Atlanta to Decatur, US 129 in Gainesville, US 441 from northwest of Cornelia to the North Carolina state line, and US 76 in Clayton. Between Buford and Gainesville, it also has a concurrency with
Interstate 985
Interstate 985 (I-985) is a auxiliary Interstate Highway in Northeast Georgia. It links the Atlanta metropolitan area to the city of Gainesville via Suwanee. I-985 is also known as the Sidney Lanier Parkway, after the musician and poe ...
(I-985).
Route description
Entering Georgia with US 1
US 23 enters
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 ...
from Florida
concurrent
Concurrent means happening at the same time. Concurrency, concurrent, or concurrence may refer to:
Law
* Concurrence, in jurisprudence, the need to prove both ''actus reus'' and ''mens rea''
* Concurring opinion (also called a "concurrence"), a ...
with US 1/ US 301, also designated as SR 4/ SR 15, on a bridge over the St. Marys River. In Folkston, the routes have their first encounter with another state route, specifically the western terminus of
Georgia State Route 40
State Route 40 (SR 40) is a state highway in the southeast part of the U.S. state of Georgia. The highway travels from US 1/ US 23/ US 301/ SR 4/ SR 15 in Folkston east to Church Street in St. Marys. SR&nb ...
at Main Street. On the opposite side of SR 40, Main Street leads to a former
Atlantic Coast Line Railroad
The Atlantic Coast Line Railroad was a United States Class I railroad formed in 1900, though predecessor railroads had used the ACL brand since 1871. In 1967 it merged with long-time rival Seaboard Air Line Railroad to form the Seaboard Coast L ...
Homeland
A homeland is a place where a cultural, national, or racial identity has formed. The definition can also mean simply one's country of birth. When used as a proper noun, the Homeland, as well as its equivalents in other languages, often has ethni ...
, US 301/SR 23 heads northeast at an interchange into the woods of northeastern Charlton County towards Nahunta, Jesup,
Claxton Claxton may refer to:
Places
*Claxton, County Durham, England
*Claxton, Norfolk, England
*Claxton, North Yorkshire, England
*Claxton, Georgia, USA
** the Claxton meteorite of 1984, which fell in Georgia, United States (see meteorite falls)
* Claxto ...
, Statesboro, and Sylvania, while US 23 continues to the northwest in the concurrency with US 1/SR 4/SR 15/SR 121, but not before both lanes run over bridges over the
CSX
CSX Transportation , known colloquially as simply CSX, is a Class I freight railroad operating in the Eastern United States and the Canadian provinces of Ontario and Quebec. The railroad operates approximately 21,000 route miles () of track. ...
Nahunta Subdivision
The Nahunta Subdivision is a railroad line owned by CSX Transportation in Florida and Georgia. The line runs along CSX's A Line from Ogeechee, Georgia, to Dinsmore, Florida, for a total of . At its north end it continues south from the Savannah ...
, which runs along US 301 through Jesup. After Homeland, US 1/23 and SRs 4/15/121 run through sparse communities such as Uptonville, and then Mattox, where another railroad line from Folkston runs along the west side and both pass through another community named Cypress Siding. Later in Racepond, SR 15/SR 121, branch off to the northeast, while the US 1/23/SR 4 concurrency remains running to the northwest, and then crossing into
Ware County
Ware may refer to:
People
* Ware (surname)
* William of Ware (), English Franciscan theologian
Places Canada
*Fort Ware, British Columbia
United Kingdom
*Ware, Devon
*Ware, Hertfordshire
*Ware, Kent
United States
* Ware, Elmore County, Al ...
along the edge of the Ware- Brantley County Line. From this point on the road is named Jacksonville Highway. The Brantley County line turns straight north somewhere in Dixon Memorial State Forest. After leaving the forest, the road starts to move away from the tracks before the intersection of
Georgia State Route 177
State Route 177 (SR 177) is a state highway in the southeastern part of the U.S. state of Georgia. It exists in two distinct sections, split by the Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge, Okefenokee Swamp, and Okefenokee Wilderness, that ...
and the gateway to
Okefenokee Swamp Park
Okefenokee Swamp Park is located 12 miles south of Waycross, Georgia, United States. The park is accessed by taking the Vereen Bell Memorial Highway (Highway 177 South, Okefenokee Trail) to the southern side of the Cowhouse Island. This is the no ...
.
Right after a Georgia State Trooper barracks and DMV office, the routes officially enter Waycross, as the run between two local motels. Passing by some automotive dealerships, hotels, fast foot restaurants and other commercial development, the road approaches
US 82
U.S. Route 82 (US 82) is an east–west United States highway in the Southern United States. Created on July 1, 1931 across central Mississippi and southern Arkansas, US 82 eventually became a 1,625-mile (2,615 km) route extending from ...
/ SR 520 and then turns west onto a concurrency with these routes while US BUS 1/23/SR BUS 4 continues northwest along Memorial Drive. After running along a bridge over the
CSX
CSX Transportation , known colloquially as simply CSX, is a Class I freight railroad operating in the Eastern United States and the Canadian provinces of Ontario and Quebec. The railroad operates approximately 21,000 route miles () of track. ...
US 84
U.S. Route 84 (US 84) is an east–west U.S. Highway that started as a short Georgia–Alabama route in the original 1926 scheme. Later, in 1941, it had been extended all the way to Colorado. The highway's eastern terminus is a short distan ...
/ SR 38 also joins this concurrency at McDonald Street, but not before crossing another railroad bridge over the
CSX
CSX Transportation , known colloquially as simply CSX, is a Class I freight railroad operating in the Eastern United States and the Canadian provinces of Ontario and Quebec. The railroad operates approximately 21,000 route miles () of track. ...
Fitzgerald Subdivision, more than a block away to the west. The concurrency ends at Victory Drive and the southwest corner is the site of
Waycross College
Waycross College was a two-year unit of the University System of Georgia. The College's philosophy was to provide opportunities for those who need special preparation for regular college-level courses while giving well-prepared students immediate a ...
. West of the city limits, US 82 becomes a divided highway as it takes US 1/23 from west to northwest as they cross
Georgia State Route 122
State Route 122 (SR 122) is a state highway that travels west-to-east through portions of Thomas, Brooks, Lowndes, Lanier, Clinch, and Ware counties in the southern part of the U.S. state of Georgia. The highway connects the cities o ...
, and later crosses another bridge over the second railroad line from Waycross Junction. The road starts to curve west, and before reaching Waresboro, US 1/23 breaks away from US 82 onto a bypass across from a local street named Fulford Road. Using a former segment of Fulford Road and later Scapa Road, the bypass winds through forestland and some farmland west of northern Deenwood and northwest of Waycross. The bypass ends at the northern terminus of US BUS 1/23/SR BUS 4, then rejoins its former segment along Alma Highway to approach a series of bridges over Cox Creek and then over the
Satilla River
The Satilla River rises in Ben Hill County, Georgia, United States, near the town of Fitzgerald, and flows in a mostly easterly direction to the Atlantic Ocean. Along its approximately U.S. Geological Survey. National Hydrography Dataset high- ...
. After this, it passes through a small community called Dixie Union, where it intersects a local road named Telmore-Dixie Union Road to the west and Dixie Union Road to the east. North of Bickley Highway, the road curves to the north-northeast and winds around a former segment so that it can go over a pair of bridges over another railroad line. Right after the Ware- Bacon County line and then the intersection of Old Alma-Waycross Highway/Jamestown Road, the road runs over a pair of bridges over Little Hurricane Creek before the intersection with Plant Road where it curves from the northeast to the north-northwest.
The divided highway, which at some point gained the name South Pierce Street, ends at Dogwood Avenue, replaced by a four-lane undivided highway with a center-left turn lane; it enters
Alma
Alma or ALMA may refer to:
Arts and entertainment
* ''Alma'' (film), a 2009 Spanish short animated film
* ''Alma'' (Oswald de Andrade novel), 1922
* ''Alma'' (Le Clézio novel), 2017
* ''Alma'' (play), a 1996 drama by Joshua Sobol about Alma ...
after it passes by the Bacon County High School and Middle School property. Immediately after the intersection with Radio Station Road, Georgia Alternate Route 4 branches off to the northwest onto South Dixon Street, while the main road curves slightly to the northeast. Nearly several blocks after this the US 1/23/SR 4 has a major intersection with
Georgia State Route 32
State Route 32 (SR 32) is a state highway that travels west-to-east through portions of Terrell, Lee, Worth, Turner, Irwin, Coffee, Bacon, Pierce, Brantley, and Glynn counties in the southern part of the U.S. state of Georgia. The h ...
(16th Street), and South Pierce Street becomes North Pierce Street. Among the structures along this segment, it passes by a former school converted into a welcome center, then curves to the northwest after Sixth Street. After passing through the preserved land around the Bear Branch of Hurricane Creek, the road encounters the northern terminus of SR 4 Alt. at North Dixon Street, replacing the straight north trajectory of the business route. US 1/23/SR 4 turns from straight north to north-northeast where it leaves the Alma City Limits as it crosses the Curtis Lee Marion Bridge over the Hurricane Creek, evidently resuming its former name as Alma Highway, then curves straight north again to cross the Jauquion R. "Rab" Tanner Bridge over the Hurricane Creek Overflow, and remains that way for the next . After the road becomes a divided highway again north of a dirt road named Tadpole Trail, US 23 splits off to the northwest onto
Georgia State Route 19
State Route 19 (SR 19) is a state highway that travels southeast-to-northwest through portions of Bacon, Jeff Davis, Appling, Telfair, Wheeler, Laurens, Twiggs, Bibb, and Monroe counties in the central part of the U.S. state of ...
, while US 1/SR 4 continues in a northeasterly direction, and crosses into Appling County. Alma Highway follows the US 23/SR 19 designation, in fact the former right-of-way for Alma Highway can be found in the back yard of a gas station/convenience store named for the split between the two routes.
North from Bacon County
Throughout much of this segment, US 23/SR 19 has standard rural Georgia surroundings, with its mix of wooded areas, local farmland, and intersections with mostly dirt roads. These routes also cross the Bacon-Appling County line, and then the Appling- Jeff Davis County Line. The routes return to the Jeff Davis County again where they later they cross a bridge over the
Little Satilla Creek
The Little Satilla Creek is a U.S. Geological Survey. National Hydrography Dataset high-resolution flowline dataThe National Map, accessed April 21, 2011 tributary of the Little Satilla River in the U.S. state of Georgia. It is part of the Satilla ...
, and another bridge over the Big Satilla Creek before entering community of Satilla. No major intersections exist within this community, and very few other paved roads exist. Nearing Hazlehurst, Alma Highway continues into the southern terminus of US 23 Bus./ SR 135 Conn., while US 23/SR 19 turns right onto Larry Contos Boulevard, taking part of US Truck Route 221/ SR 135 Truck with it. From there, it passes by a power plant on the west side. The route officially enters the Hazlehurst City Limits between Currie Street and a railroad crossing for a former Southern Railway line (now the
Norfolk Southern Railway
The Norfolk Southern Railway is a Class I freight railroad in the United States formed in 1982 with the merger of Norfolk and Western Railway and Southern Railway. With headquarters in Atlanta, the company operates 19,420 route miles (31 ...
US 341
U.S. Route 341 (US 341) is a U.S. highway entirely in the U.S. state of Georgia. It travels diagonally across southern Georgia (but is signed as north–south) from Brunswick at US 17/ SR 25 to Barnesville at US 41/ ...
/ SR 27 (a divided four-lane highway Designated the Golden Isles Parkway), and US 23/SR 19 turns northwest along this route. The first notable site along this segment is the combined Hazlehurst Fire Department and the Hazlehurst — Jeff Davis County Chamber of Commerce building on the northeast corner of Oak Street. Two block later, it crosses another railroad line just east of Walnut Street. Two blocks after this, it intersects with northbound
US 221
U.S. Route 221 (US 221) is a spur of U.S. Route 21. It travels from Perry, Florida, at US 19/ US 98/ US 27 Alternate to Lynchburg, Virginia, at US 29 Business (Lynchburg Expressway). It travels through the states ...
and the north end of US BUS 23, and the truck routes for US 221/ SR 135 officially comes to an end. US 23/341 and northbound US 221 run for one block until the routes curve to the north at East Coffee ( SR 19 Conn.) and West Jamar Streets, and northbound US 221 finally joins the southbound road once again at North Tallahassee Street, while southbound US 221 continues southbound along South Tallahassee Street.
The routes cross the Jeff Davis- Telfair County line by passing over the Dr. C. R. Youmans Memorial Bridge over the
Ocmulgee River
The Ocmulgee River () is a western tributary of the Altamaha River, approximately 255 mi (410 km) long, in the U.S. state of Georgia (U.S. state), Georgia. It is the westernmost major tributary of the Altamaha.Lumber City.
Georgia State Route 19
State Route 19 (SR 19) is a state highway that travels southeast-to-northwest through portions of Bacon, Jeff Davis, Appling, Telfair, Wheeler, Laurens, Twiggs, Bibb, and Monroe counties in the central part of the U.S. state of ...
leaves the US 23/341/SR 27 concurrency at Victory Boulevard. Shortly afterwards at Main Street, it has another intersection with the southeastern terminus of
Georgia State Route 117
State Route 117 (SR 117) is a state highway that runs southeast-to-northwest in an upside down question mark around McRae. It travels through portions of Telfair, Dodge, and Laurens counties in the central part of the U.S. state of Geo ...
, across from Burns Street. The routes then curve more towards the west as they cross the same railroad line that US 23 encountered near the Hazlehurst border. Curving back to the northwest, it becomes a divided highway once again. Beyond that, it winds through farms and forestland of Georgia with few landmarks of any significance other than intersections with former Georgia State Route 134, and later
Georgia State Route 149
State Route 149 (SR 149) is a state highway that travels south-to-north through rural portions of Telfair and Wheeler counties in the central part of the U.S. state of Georgia.
Route description
The route begins at an intersection ...
. West of SR 149 is the Talmadge Home (a.k.a. "Sugar Creek Plantation"), which is now a restaurant and catering hall. It also passes the Telfair County Elementary School, and then the broadcast home of WYSC and WYIS. The divided highway ends at a Husqvarna plant along the border of McRae where after the intersection with East Avenue, the route later splits onto a pair of one way streets. Though the northbound lanes are still considered part of the Golden Isles Parkway, street name signs still refer to it as Railroad Street, as they do to the local street on the opposite side of the railroad tracks. Though the historic Telfair County Courthouse and Jail can be seen from both northbound and southbound US 23/341, it is officially located only on the southbound street. The northbound street passes a former Southern Railway station across from an agricultural seed and feed store at the intersection of Second Street, which has a former grade crossing that was closed, and then intersects with
US 280
U.S. Route 280 (US 280) is a spur of U.S. Highway 80. It currently runs for 392 miles (631 km) from Blichton, Georgia at US 80 to Birmingham, Alabama at I-20/I-59. For much of its route, US 280 travels through rural areas and smaller cities ...
- 319- 441. The one-way split ends between Fifth and Sixth Avenues. US 23/341/SR 27 crosses the former McRae-Helena border at a shopping center called the Telfair Plaza. A few blocks after this, it encounters a former Seaboard Air Line railroad crossing west of Forsyth Avenue. The divided highway resumes just west of the city limits.
After the intersection with Red Barn Road (Telfair CR 88), US 23/341/SR 27 crosses the Telfair- Dodge County line through Achord, where it curves more to the west. The road for which the community was named is a dirt road that only has access to the northwest-bound lanes. The first official median opening within the community is at Clarence Brown Road, for a local lumber yard. Little else exists northwest of there besides random private houses, and churches, one of which contains a cemetery in its back yard along the railroad tracks. The divided highway briefly ends again as the routes enter
Chauncey Chauncey may refer to:
*Chauncey (name), both a given name and a surname.
Places in the United States
* Chauncey, Georgia
* Chauncey, Illinois
* Chauncey, Michigan
* Chauncey, Ohio
* Chauncey, West Virginia
* Chauncey Peak, a mountain near Meride ...
, where it has a short wrong-way concurrency with
Georgia State Route 165
State Route 165 (SR 165) is a state highway that runs south-to-north, with a west-to-east middle section, through portions of Telfair, Dodge, and Laurens counties in the central part of the U.S. state of Georgia.
Route description
SR&nbs ...
, and becomes a divided highway once again at the Langdale Forest Products driveway. US 23/341/SR 27 tries to curve more towards the north but still remains northwest as it eventually enters Eastman where US 23 leaves US 341 onto two-lane wide College Street, but has another concurrency with US BUS 341 and SR 27 Business. Here the road passes an open-air flea market at the intersections of Pine Ridge Road and Industrial Boulevard, and then a local pond named Harrell Pond. After the routes shift from College Street to Oak Street, it gets a new concurrency with SR 87/ 117 at Griffin Avenue, but shortly at SR 46 (Fifth Avenue), SR 117 leaves eastbound, while US BUS 341/SR BUS 27 leaves westbound. US 23 and SR 87 will continue to overlap each other throughout most of Central Georgia. North of a cemetery near the city limits, the name of the street changes from Oak Street to Eastman Cochran Highway, but still remains two lanes wide from that point on, although construction is underway on widening the road to a four-lane highway (partially divided, partially with a center turn lane) between SR 87 Conn. north of Eastman to the community of
Empire
An empire is a "political unit" made up of several territories and peoples, "usually created by conquest, and divided between a dominant center and subordinate peripheries". The center of the empire (sometimes referred to as the metropole) ex ...
at the Dodge- Bleckley County line. At Empire the route intersects SR 257 (including a brief wrong-way concurrency) and becomes a four-lane highway with a continuous center turn lane.
Cochran area through Macon
US 23 continues to overlap SR 87 and both routes have auxiliary routes that travel through Cochran. The business route in Cochran is two lanes wide, while the bypass route was widened in 2019 from two lanes to have four lanes and a center turn lane. The northern terminus of US 23 Bus./ SR 87 Bus. is also the beginning of the US 129 Alt./ SR 112 concurrency. From that point, the center turn lane ends and the route becomes a four-lane undivided highway through the rest of the county and for the next . North of the Cochran area, in Royal, SR 112 leaves to the northeast across from Coley Station Road. US 23/US 129 Alt./SR 87 remains an undivided four-lane highway through the
Twiggs County
Twiggs County is a county located in the central portion of the U.S. state of Georgia. As of the 2020 census, the population was 8,022. The county seat is Jeffersonville. The county was created on December 14, 1809, and named for American Rev ...
line to the intersection with SR 96 in Tarversville, then narrows down to two lanes for the next . Within this vicinity, US 23/US 129 Alt./SR 87 travels through communities such as Bullard, South Twiggs,
Huber
Huber is a German-language surname. It derives from the German word ''Hube'' meaning hide, a unit of land a farmer might possess, granting them the status of a free tenant. It is in the top ten most common surnames in the German-speaking world, ...
, and later Reids with no major intersections, especially as it travels through the Bond Swamp National Wildlife Refuge, and has occasional entrances to the refuge. After traveling between some antenna fields for some Macon-area television and FM radio stations, the highways pass one more entrance to the wildlife refuge before crossing the Twiggs– Bibb County line, and widens to a three and then four-lane undivided highway. In Smithsonia, the highways use the name Ocmulgee East Boulevard, and then become a four-lane divided highway for the first interchange under
Interstate 16
Interstate 16 (I-16), also known as Jim Gillis Historic Savannah Parkway, is an east–west Interstate Highway located entirely within the US state of Georgia. It carries the hidden designation of State Route 404 (SR 404) for its ...
(I-16) west of old
Camp Wheeler
Camp Wheeler was a United States Army base near Macon, Georgia. The camp was a staging location for many US Army units during World War I and World War II. It was named for Joseph Wheeler, a general in the Confederate States of America's Army and ...
, then travels over the
Georgia Central Railway
The Georgia Central Railway operates about of former Seaboard Coast Line track from Macon, Georgia through Dublin, Georgia and Vidalia, Georgia to Savannah, Georgia. It also operates about of trackage between Savannah and Riceboro, Georgia, swi ...
bridges before narrowing back down to an undivided two-lane highway as it travels through East Macon along the western edge of the
Macon Downtown Airport
Macon Downtown Airport is a city-owned public-use airport located three nautical miles (3.5 mi, 5.6 km) southeast of the central business district of Macon, in Bibb County, Georgia, United States. It is also known as Herbert Smart Downtown ...
. Just after a small power line right of way, the road curves to the right, then turns left as Emery Highway while Ocmulgee East Boulevard becomes SR 87 Conn. leading towards US 80/ SR 19/ SR 540 and Jeffersonville Road. Emery Highway is later joined by US 80/SR 19/SR 540, and all six highways (US 23/US 80/US 129 Alt./SR 19/SR 87/SR 540) continue to the northwest. Within Macon, they first enter the city limits by traveling beneath a former
Central of Georgia Railway
The Central of Georgia Railway started as the Central Rail Road and Canal Company in 1833. As a way to better attract investment capital, the railroad changed its name to Central Rail Road and Banking Company of Georgia. This railroad was cons ...
bridge, and then travels under a power line right-of-way before crossing a pair of old bridges over Walnut Creek, where it travels along the northern edge of the
Ocmulgee National Monument
Ocmulgee Mounds National Historical Park (formerly Ocmulgee National Monument) in Macon, Georgia, United States preserves traces of over ten millennia of culture from the Native Americans in the Southeastern Woodlands. Its chief remains are majo ...
. US 80, SR 87, and SR 540 turn left at Colesium Drive and US 129 Alt. turns right onto northbound Second Street ( SR 22), while bi-directional west-to-south and north-to-east turning lanes exist at the southwest corner. US 23 turns left again as Spring Street in a
wrong-way concurrency
A concurrency in a road network is an instance of one physical roadway bearing two or more different route numbers. When two roadways share the same right-of-way, it is sometimes called a common section or commons. Other terminology for a concurre ...
with US 129 at another interchange with I-16, where it instantly crosses the W.L. "Young" Stribling Memorial Bridge (formerly known as the Spring Street Bridge) over the
Ocmulgee River
The Ocmulgee River () is a western tributary of the Altamaha River, approximately 255 mi (410 km) long, in the U.S. state of Georgia (U.S. state), Georgia. It is the westernmost major tributary of the Altamaha.NRHP
The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the United States federal government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures and objects deemed worthy of preservation for their historical significance or "great artistic v ...
I-75
Interstate 75 (I-75) is a major north–south Interstate Highway in the Great Lakes and Southeastern regions of the United States. As with most Interstates that end in 5, it is a major cross-country, north–south route, traveling from St ...
at the interchange with SR 540 and the western terminus of I-16, but has no connecting ramps to or from either highway. North of that bridge, the road travels along the southwest side of I-75, and this is the only place that US 23 travels west of I-75 until many miles to the north, in
Perrysburg, Ohio
Perrysburg is a city located in Wood County, Ohio, Wood County, Ohio, United States, along the south side of the Maumee River. The population was 25,041 at the 2020 United States Census, 2020 census. Part of the Toledo metropolitan area, the city i ...
(near Toledo). Access to the interstate is available from US 23 in this area, though. The first point is from SR 247 whose northern terminus is at exit 167. The next is with Arkwright Road at exit 169. Finally, US 23/SR 87 only has an interchange with I-75 at exit 171 north of Macon, and travels more toward the north, passing by The Shoppes at River Crossing and narrowing down to a two-lane undivided highway, although a long stretch of right-of-way for new northbound lanes can be found along the east side as it travels through the intersection of the northwest end of Arkwright Road and former SR 361. This right-of-way shows up at random moments even as it travels through its last miles within Bibb County.
Metro Macon through Flovilla
US 23/SR 87 briefly curves straight north and enters
Monroe County Monroe County may refer to seventeen counties in the United States, all named for James Monroe:
* Monroe County, Alabama
*Monroe County, Arkansas
* Monroe County, Florida
* Monroe County, Georgia
*Monroe County, Illinois
*Monroe County, Indian ...
between Wesleyan Drive and Trey Terrace, north of the Brickyard Golf Club. Most of the surroundings along this segment are of the pine forests of
Central Georgia
Central Georgia is the area containing the metropolitan region surrounding the city of Macon, in Bibb County in the U.S. state of Georgia. It abuts the Atlanta metropolitan area, just to the north.
Similar and coextensive names for this region ...
. Aside from two gravel mines owned by
Vulcan Materials Company
Vulcan Materials Company () is an American company based in Birmingham, Alabama. It is principally engaged in the production, distribution and sale of construction materials. Vulcan is the largest producer of construction materials, primarily gra ...
, the route encounter little else until reaching a traffic circle with
Georgia State Route 18
State Route 18 (SR 18) is a state highway that travels west-to-east through portions of Troup, Harris, Meriwether, Pike, Lamar, Monroe, Jones, Wilkinson, and Twiggs counties in the western and central parts of the U.S. state of G ...
(Dames Ferry Road). Roughly later, it makes a slight curve to the northwest and then runs along the east bank of Lake Juliette, although most of the lake is hidden from the road with pine trees. A park owned by
Georgia Power
Georgia Power is an electric utility headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia, United States. It was established as the Georgia Railway and Power Company and began operations in 1902 running streetcars in Atlanta as a successor to the Atlanta Consolida ...
called the "Dames Ferry Public Use Area at Lake Juliette" can also be spotted. After running under a railroad bridge, it encounters the entrance to the
Plant Scherer
The Robert W. Scherer Power Plant (also known as Plant Scherer) is a coal-fired power plant in Juliette, Georgia, just north of Macon, Georgia, in the United States. The plant has four generating units, each capable of producing 930 megawatt ...
Steam Power Plant. Later it passes by a manufacturing company specializing in erosion control products called ErosionTech just before entering the western edges of Juliette. At the 4-way stop intersection with the road for which the community was named, which is also a blinker-light intersection, a local convenience store can be found on the northwest corner, and the southwest corner has a homemade sign leading to the "Whistle Stop Café," the site of the filming of the 1991 movie "
Fried Green Tomatoes
''Fried Green Tomatoes'' is a 1991 American comedy-drama film directed by Jon Avnet and based on Fannie Flagg's 1987 novel ''Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistle Stop Cafe''. Written by Flagg and Carol Sobieski, and starring Kathy Bates, Jessic ...
." North of there, the road has few landmarks other than the Juliette Baptist Church, and the Elbert L. Jackson Memorial Bridge over the
Towaliga River
The Towaliga River is a U.S. Geological Survey. National Hydrography Dataset high-resolution flowline dataThe National Map accessed April 21, 2011 tributary of the Ocmulgee River in central Georgia. The Towaliga begins in Henry County and passes ...
. Practically every other intersection in this segment is a dead end street, until it reaches another blinker-light intersection with a four-way stop at
Georgia State Route 83
State Route 83 (SR 83) is an state highway that travels southwest to northeast, with a southeast–to–northwest section, within portions of Monroe, Jasper, Morgan, and Walton counties in the central part of the U.S. state of Georg ...
. Just after the gas station on the northeast corner of this intersection is a local street named Lower Martin Road, and further up, the intersection with another dirt road named Berner Loop, closely followed by Martin Road on the opposite side. The culvert over Lee Creek is barely visible, as are the driveways to an antenna and one common driveway nearby. These are what passes for landmarks before US 23/SR 87 intersects Watson and Mount Pleasant Church Roads (Monroe CR 88), and then just 200 feet away Lassiter Road.
The bridge over Big Sandy Creek is where US 23/SR 87 enters Butts County, and after running beneath a power line right-of-way, the segment runs through forestland below ground level, cut like a sunken trace. Very few intersections and residencies exist after this segment. The road enters the Flovilla City Limits just south of the first intersection of Beaty Circle and Floyd Street. An abandoned section of Lamar Street branches off to the northeast before the intersection with Lee Street which leads to the local post office. The next intersection that follows is the second intersection with Beaty Circle and Beaty Street which is also a blinker-light intersection. US 23 becomes a divided highway again before the intersection with Higgins Road, but instantly approaches an at-grade interchange with
Georgia State Route 42
State Route 42 (SR 42) is a state highway that runs southeast-to-northwest through portions of Peach, Crawford, Monroe, Butts, Henry, Clayton, and DeKalb counties in the central and north-central parts of the U.S. state of Georgia. The ro ...
, replacing SR 87 as the overlapping state route as SR 87 comes to an end. US 23/SR 42 continues northwest in the same trajectory, and ceases to remain a divided highway north of Watkins Road. A railroad line that US 23 previously ran above when it crossed the bridge over the Ocmulgee River in Macon is encountered again when it approaches the road on the east side, only to curve away and cross a private dirt road named McCoy Road that terminates at the routes. The highway begins to curve in a more westerly direction and the forestland begins to thin out as it runs under some power lines running southwest to northeast between a barbeque restaurant and a self-storage warehouse. Another set of power lines running directly west to east can be found between two dirt roads named Rodeo Drive and Valley Hills Road.
Jackson through Atlanta
Right after a gas station/pawn shop, US 23/42 officially enters
Jackson
Jackson may refer to:
People and fictional characters
* Jackson (name), including a list of people and fictional characters with the surname or given name
Places
Australia
* Jackson, Queensland, a town in the Maranoa Region
* Jackson North, Qu ...
. The railroad line that US 23 ran over when it crossed the bridge in Macon is encountered again at the intersection with Eighth Street. The road curves away from the tracks and then back near the intersections with Indian Springs Street and then Railroad Street, then curves away from them again as it approaches Georgia Route 16 and joins it in another concurrency along East Third Street heading west. At the intersection with Covington Street and College Street, the routes are also joined by SR 36 until they reach Mulberry Street at the historic
Butts County Courthouse
The Butts County Courthouse is an historic former government building designed by Bruce & Morgan and constructed in 1898 by J.H. McKenzie & Son in Jackson, Butts County, Georgia, United States.
The courthouse is located on West Third Street (US 2 ...
. SR 16 continues west onto West Third Street, while US 23/SR 42 makes a right turn to the north-northwest onto Brookwood Avenue. The route approaches the same railroad line it flanked north of Flovilla, and curves to the northwest along the west side of those tracks. Just south of Old Bethel Road it moves away from the side of the tracks, and curves more towards the west again before entering Jenkinsburg, where that same railroad line now runs along the north side of the road. Along the way, it passes by a
Scotts
Scotts or Scott's may refer to:
Businesses and brands
*Scott's (restaurant), in London
*Scott's Food & Pharmacy, an American supermarket chain
*Scotts Miracle-Gro Company, an American multinational corporation
*Scott's Porage Oats, a Scottish bre ...
mulch mill and the local post office. After Sihloh Road it turns southwest, but curves back towards the northwest again at the intersection with County Line Road and McGough Road where it obviously crosses the Butts- Henry County line. Here the road is named "State Route 42" and varies between two and three lanes. At some point within the county the routes enter Locust Grove. The road runs close to the southwest side of the previously mentioned railroad line across from South Singley Drive (which at one time crossed the tracks), then again across from Beulah Lane and Southridge Drive, and once again east of Grove Road, remaining along that side. The road and the railroad track curve more toward the northwest between LG Griffin and Indian Creek Roads, but on the opposite side of the tracks approaches the Locust Grove Recreational Center, and then the NRHP-listed Locust Grove Institute Academic Building, on the southwest corner of Bill Gardner Parkway. Before the intersection with South Gardner Lane and North Jackson Street the tracks move away from the road, which itself passes through an industrial zone. North of Bethlehem Road, US 23/SR 42 climbs an embankment for a bridge over the railroad line it frequently encountered, and now runs along the east side of those tracks. The road moves away from the tracks at an industrial cul-de-sac, and then passes by a self-storage warehouse that has a former jet fighter used as a sign. Further north after the intersection with King Mill Road, it gains the name Macon Street and passes by a pair of now closed warehouses.
Just after crossing a culvert over a tributary of Tusshaw Creek and entering the McDonough City Limits, US 23/SR 42 has an intersection with SR 155. After another signalized intersection, this time with a local street named Racetrack Road, the routes split into a one-way pair with northbound traffic remaining along Macon Street, and southbound traffic running along Griffin Street, just south of the McDonough Memorial Cemetery on Macon Street. Sites along this segment also include the McDonough Municipal Courthouse, the Shiloh Baptist Church, the First United Methodist Church of McDonough, the NRHP-listed Brown House. Both streets enter the McDonough Historic District where they encounter another one-way pair with SR 20/ 81, the westbound segment of this having a one-block overlap with southbound US 23/SR 42. The north side of this district, as well as the rest of McDonough Square is dominated by the Henry County Courthouse, which runs along westbound SR 20/81 and spans between northbound and southbound US 23. The northbound street enters the Lawrenceville Street Historic District when the street the district was named for briefly joins it for one block, then branches off to the northeast across from Maxwell Street and the street name resumes as Macon Street. Meanwhile, southbound US 23 is named Atlanta Avenue north of McDonough Square. Macon Street and then Atlanta Street curve to the northwest, as the one way pair ends at the historic James and Bertha Hooten House. North of there, the road is only a two-lane undivided highway, though it widens briefly at a cluster development named North Valley and the Huntington Ridge Housing Development which leads to the McDonough Children's Specialists Hospital. US 23/SR 42 intersects the unfinished and unmarked McDonough Parkway before finally leaving the city limits at the bridge over Walnut Creek, although many businesses north of there are still are addressed as being in McDonough. Among these businesses are some churches, a veterinary hospital, and a treatment center for traumatic brain injuries. The road becomes a four lane divided highway before approaching the intersection with Eagles Landing and East Lake Parkways. After a Henry County Fire Station, it narrows down to two lanes before approaching a power line right-of-way and a bridge over Little Cotton Indian Creek, and later curves toward the north. A former right of way for the road curves to the northwest while US 23/SR 42 curves straight north to approach
Georgia State Route 138
State Route 138 (SR 138) is a state highway in the northwestern part of the U.S. state of Georgia. The highway is a west-to-east route that travels within portions of Fulton, Fayette, Clayton, Henry, Rockdale, Newton, and Walton counti ...
, and runs in a westbound overlap with this route. From here, the road is named North Henry Boulevard and is entirely four lanes with a continuous center-left turn lane as it enters Stockbridge. Just west of the Stockbridge City Hall and former site of the Walden-Turner House, US 23/SRs 42/138 runs above a bridge over the same railroad line it encountered near Flovilla, Jackson, and Locust Grove. Gradually curving to the northwest, SR 138 leaves US 23/SR 42 as the routes curve back north again then runs along the east side of Interstate 675 until making another brief curve to the west and enters
Clayton County Clayton County is the name of two counties in the United States:
* Clayton County, Georgia in the Atlanta Metropolitan Area
* Clayton County, Iowa
It was also the former name of Clay County, Arkansas
Clay County is a county located in the U.S. ...
where the name changes from Henry Boulevard to Macon Highway, and has a diamond interchange with that interstate in Rex at Exit 2, only to curve back to the north and run along the west side for the rest of its journey.
The name of the road changes from Macon Highway to
Moreland Avenue
The City of Merri-bek is a local government area in metropolitan Melbourne, Australia. It comprises the inner northern suburbs between 4 and 11 kilometres from the Melbourne CBD. The Merri-bek local government area covers , and in June 2018, ...
, as it passes over a culvert for Tar Creek and enters Ellenwood, and the first signalized intersection just happens to be Rex Road, which leads to the Historic Rex Village. North of Forest Parkway US 23/SR 42 eventually runs along the eastern edge of the former site of
Fort Gillem
Fort Gillem was a United States Army Post located in Forest Park, Georgia, on the southeast edge of Atlanta in Clayton County. Founded in 1941, it was a satellite installation of nearby Fort McPherson. The base housed different supply and suppor ...
. Housing within the former base has been converted into a local housing development. After the intersection of Old Toney Road it passes under a two-lane bridge for an abandoned railroad spur to the base. The Main Gate to Fort Gillem can be found across from Anvil Block Road, the southeast corner of which includes a warehouse for the YRC Worldwide affiliated trucking company called USF Holland. This company is the beginning of an industrial trend along the routes. North of two automotive repair shops US 23/42 enters
Conley
Conley (from ''O′Conghaile'', Ó Conghalaigh) is a surname of Irish origin. It is a variant spelling of Connelly and Connolly. It is listed in the census of 1659 as coming from the city of Dublin. O'Connolly was a principal name of County Mon ...
. Within the community, an extraordinarily large number of trucking companies, and related businesses are gathered around or near US 23, even as that and SR 42 cross the
DeKalb County DeKalb County may refer to one of several counties in the United States, all of which were named for Baron Johan DeKalb:
* DeKalb County, Alabama
* DeKalb County, Georgia
* DeKalb County, Illinois
* DeKalb County, Indiana
* DeKalb County, Missouri
...
line, where the name Moreland Avenue continues. Within this segment, the road serves as the northeastern terminus of SR 54 Conn. (formerly Georgia State Route 160). After passing more truck, bus, and construction related businesses on the west side and the Hickory Ridge Landfill on the east side, the road encounters Interstate 285 at Exit 53, which also has ramps leading back to I-675. Even with the proximity of the Lake Charlotte Nature Preserve, truck-related businesses continue to run alongside US 23 as it enters
Atlanta
Atlanta ( ) is the capital and most populous city of the U.S. state of Georgia. It is the seat of Fulton County, the most populous county in Georgia, but its territory falls in both Fulton and DeKalb counties. With a population of 498,715 ...
. Along the
city limit
City limits or city boundaries refer to the defined boundary or border of a city. The area within the city limit can be called the city proper. Town limit/boundary and village limit/boundary apply to towns and villages. Similarly, corporate limi ...
and then fully within the city of Atlanta, it runs for several miles in a perfectly straight and due north/south line, which is also the
Fulton
Fulton may refer to:
People
* Robert Fulton (1765–1815), American engineer and inventor who developed the first commercially successful steam-powered ship
* Fulton (surname)
Given name
* Fulton Allem (born 1957), South African golfer
* Fult ...
/
DeKalb DeKalb or De Kalb may refer to:
People
* Baron Johann de Kalb (1721–1780), major general in the American Revolutionary War
Places Municipalities in the United States
* DeKalb, Illinois, the largest city in the United States named DeKalb
**DeKal ...
county line.
Along this segment the road runs over a railroad bridge, and then passes by the Moreland Flea Market, and later the Chestnut Hill Cemetery and Starlight Six Drive-In Theatre just before the southeastern terminus of Spur Route 42. The cluster of trucking related businesses finally ends at Custer Avenue Southeast, and is replaced by more general commercial development. North of East Confederate Avenue, US 23/SR 42 runs along the neighborhood line between
Ormewood Park Ormewood Park is a neighborhood on the east side of Atlanta, Georgia, United States.
History
This area was the territory of the Creek Indian Nation until approximately 1825 when the Treaty of Indian Springs was signed under Governor George Troup. ...
-
East Atlanta
East Atlanta is a neighborhood on the east side of Atlanta, Georgia, United States The name East Atlanta Village primarily refers to the neighborhood's commercial district.
Geography
East Atlanta lies entirely within DeKalb County and is bounde ...
and commercial development along the routes is replaced by residential development until it reaches Delaware Avenue, where the commercial zoning resumes. Residencies are restored again between Hall Street Southeast and Portland Avenue Southeast. The next block is the Western terminus of
Georgia State Route 260
State Route 260 (SR 260) is a west–east State highway (US), state highway located in the north Georgia, northern part of the U.S. state of Georgia (U.S. state), Georgia. Its route is entirely within DeKalb County, Georgia, DeKalb Coun ...
and shortly afterwards the unmarked section of Glenwood Avenue Southeast, diagonally across from there. Commercial development remains along the road as it approaches
Interstate 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 Interstate 10, I-10 in Scroggins Draw, Texas, and ending at an interchange with Interstate 95, I-95 in Flo ...
at Exit 60 where it crosses the
East Atlanta
East Atlanta is a neighborhood on the east side of Atlanta, Georgia, United States The name East Atlanta Village primarily refers to the neighborhood's commercial district.
Geography
East Atlanta lies entirely within DeKalb County and is bounde ...
–
Edgewood Edgewood may refer to:
Places Canada
*Edgewood, British Columbia
South Africa
*Edgewood, a University of KwaZulu-Natal campus in Pinetown, South Africa
United States Cities and towns
*Edgewood, California
*Edgewood, Florida
*Edgewood, Illinois, a ...
neighborhood line, more accurately running along the
Reynoldstown
Reynoldstown is a historic district and intown neighborhood on the near east side of Atlanta, Georgia, located two miles from downtown. The neighborhood is gentrifying and attracting new families, empty-nesters, Atlantans opposed to long comm ...
-Edgewood line when it instantly encounters
Georgia State Route 154
State Route 154 (SR 154) is a State highway (US), state highway in the area around Atlanta in the U.S. state of Georgia (U.S. state), Georgia. It begins in Sharpsburg, Georgia, Sharpsburg and ends just to the east of Avondale Estates, Georg ...
. Between Arkwright Place and Wylie Street, the road runs through some residencies that are raised above ground by stone embankments. North of Hardee Street Northeast, the road becomes a divided highway, as it approaches a bridge under a railroad freight line shared by the MARTA
Blue
Blue is one of the three primary colours in the RYB colour model (traditional colour theory), as well as in the RGB (additive) colour model. It lies between violet and cyan on the spectrum of visible light. The eye perceives blue when obs ...
Candler Park
Candler Park is a 55-acre (223,000 m2) city park located at 585 Candler Park Drive NE, in Atlanta, Georgia, United States. It is named after Coca-Cola magnate Asa Griggs Candler, who donated this land to the city in 1922. The park features a nin ...
briefly passing through the
Little Five Points
Little Five Points (also L5P, LFP, Little Five, or Lil' Five) is a district on the east side of Atlanta, Georgia, United States, east of downtown. It was established in the early 20th century as the commercial district for the adjacent In ...
area, but then runs along the eastern edge of Poncey-Highland, where it encounters the eastern terminus of SR 42 Conn., which was originally intended to be part of the
Stone Mountain Freeway
Stone Mountain Freeway is a freeway in the north-central part of the U.S. state of Georgia. It connects Interstate 285 (I-285) east of Atlanta, with the suburbs of Stone Mountain and Snellville before transitioning into an arterial road that co ...
. On the Poncey-Highland–
Atkins Park
Atkins Park is an intown neighborhood of Atlanta, Georgia, nestled against the southeast corner of the neighborhood of Virginia-Highland, west of Briarcliff Avenue and north of Ponce de Leon Avenue ("Ponce"). It consists of just three streets - ...
neighborhood line, US 23 turns east on
US 29
U.S. Route 29 (US 29) is a north–south United States highway that runs for from Pensacola, Florida to the western suburbs of Baltimore, Maryland in the Southern United States, connecting the Florida Panhandle to the Baltimore-Washington ...
- 78- 278/ SR 8- 10 (Ponce de Leon Avenue), while SR 42 continues north along Briarcliff Road.
Atlanta through Buford
South Ponce de Leon Avenue immediately splits off to the southeast, but US 23/29/78/278 only runs along the main Ponce de Leon Avenue along the northern edges of Springdale Park, Virgilee Park, and Brightwood Park, while South Ponce de Leon runs along the south side of these parks. This pattern ends at Lullwater and Fairview Roads, but is repeated again shortly afterwards at Shady Side Park and Dellwood Park, where the routes enter
Druid Hills
Druid Hills is a community which includes both a census-designated place (CDP) in unincorporated DeKalb County, Georgia, United States, as well as a neighborhood of the city of Atlanta. The CDP's population was 14,568 at the 2010 census. The ...
. On the opposite side, a North Ponce de Leon Avenue runs along the northern edge of Deepdene Park while US 23/29/78/SR 8 runs along the south side of that park, but
US 278
U.S. Route 278 (US 278) is a parallel route of U.S. Route 78, US 78. It currently runs for from Hilton Head Island, South Carolina, to Wickes, Arkansas at U.S. Route 71, US 71/U.S. Route 59, US 59, passing through five states in the ...
/ SR 10 branches off to the southeast towards East Lake, Kensington, I-20 from Lithonia to Covington, and ultimately to Hilton Head Island in South Carolina, only for North Ponce de Leon Avenue to reunite with its parent street. After crossing under a stone arch railroad bridge and entering Decatur, Ponce de Leon Avenue becomes a local street, while US 23/29/78/SR 8 branches off to the northeast onto Scott Boulevard. This concurrency comes to an end when US 29/78/SR 8 encounters
Georgia State Route 155
State Route 155 (SR 155) is a state highway that travels south-to-north through portions of Spalding, Henry, Rockdale, and DeKalb counties in the north-central part of the U.S. state of Georgia.
Route description Spalding County
...
(Clairemont Avenue), and US 23 makes a left turn onto that street. Entering North Decatur the street name changes to Clairmont Road and eventually approaches
Interstate 85
Interstate 85 (I-85) is a major Interstate Highway in the Southeastern United States. Its southern terminus is at an interchange with I-65 in Montgomery, Alabama; its northern terminus is an interchange with I-95 in Petersburg, Virginia, n ...
at Exit 91, where US 23/SR 155 crosses into the Brookhaven City Line. The routes curve to the northeast then SR 155 ends at
Georgia State Route 13
State Route 13 (SR 13) is a state highway in the north-central part of the U.S. state of Georgia, that travels through portions of Fulton, DeKalb, Gwinnett, and Hall counties.
It begins at West Peachtree Street and Spring Street ( ...
, but US 23 turns right onto
Buford Highway
Buford Highway (also Buford Highway Corridor), a.k.a. the DeKalb International Corridor, and in the 1990-2000's as the DeKalb County, Georgia, DeKalb County International Village district, is a community northeast of the city of Atlanta, celebra ...
. Clairmont Road continues north as an unmarked route toward SR 141 in
Chamblee
Chamblee ( ) is a city in northern DeKalb County, Georgia, United States, northeast of Atlanta. The population was 30,164 as of the 2020 census.
History
The area that would later become Chamblee was originally dairy farms. During the late nin ...
. Along the way, US 23/SR 13 passes along the southern border of DeKalb Peachtree Airport, although Clairmont Road runs along the western edge of that airport, providing direct access to it. Entering
Doraville
Doraville is a city in DeKalb County, Georgia, United States northeast of Atlanta. As of the 2020 census, the city had a population of 10,623.
History
Doraville was incorporated by an act of the Georgia General Assembly, approved December 15, 1 ...
, the route encounters Interstate 285 again at Exit 32 just north of the
Tom Moreland Interchange
Tom Moreland Interchange, colloquially known as ''Spaghetti Junction'', is the interchange of Interstate 85 (I-85) and I-285, along with several access roads, in northern DeKalb County, Georgia, northeast of Atlanta and just to the south of No ...
.
US 23/SR 13 crosses the
Gwinnett County
Gwinnett County ( ) is located in the north central portion of the U.S. state of Georgia. It forms part of the Atlanta metropolitan area. In 2020, the population was 957,062, making it the second-most populous county in Georgia (after Fulton C ...
Buford Buford may refer to:
Places
United States
*Buford, Arkansas
*Buford, Colorado, an unincorporated community
* Buford, Georgia
*Buford Highway corridor, in Fulton, DeKalb, and Gwinnett Counties in Georgia
* Buford, North Dakota
*Buford, Ohio
*Bufo ...
where US 23 turns on to SR 20, while SR 13 continues northeast to SR 369 in Gainesville. US 23 overlaps SR 20 as another four-lane divided highway, this time with random unfinished frontage roads. Though signed eastbound while US 23 is signed northbound, it actually runs southeast and winds through the landscape descending as it approaches a bridge over Suwanee Creek then climbs a hill as it approaches the interchange with I-985 ( SR 365) at Exit 4, where it finally turns left onto the northbound on-ramp, joining that route in another concurrency eventually crossing the Gwinnett- Hall County line.
Hall County to North Carolina
The first interchange along I-985/US 23/SR 365 in Hall County is Exit 8 at
Georgia State Route 347
State Route 347 (SR 347) is a west-to-east state highway in the northeastern part of the U.S. state of Georgia. It travels from the Lake Lanier Islands north of Buford to a point on the northern edge of Braselton. Its routing is ent ...
. Though signed only for Sprout Springs Road, the
Rankin Smith
Rankin M. Smith Sr. (October 29, 1925 – October 26, 1997) was an American businessman and philanthropist. A longtime resident of Atlanta, Georgia, Smith was very active in the Atlanta community. Smith served as president of the Life Insurance ...
Interchange (Exit 12) in
Flowery Branch
Flowery Branch is a city in Hall County, Georgia, United States. As of the 2020 census, the city had a population of 9,391. It is part of the Gainesville, Georgia metropolitan area, and lies on the shores of Lake Lanier.
History
Flowery Branch wa ...
also includes
Phil Niekro
Philip Henry Niekro ( ; April 1, 1939 – December 26, 2020), nicknamed "Knucksie", was an American baseball pitcher who played 24 seasons in Major League Baseball, 20 of them with the Atlanta Braves, Milwaukee / Atlanta Braves. Niekro's 31 ...
Boulevard. Former rest areas also exists west of Exit 16 ( SR 53), which is so close to Exit 17 (SR&13), that southwest-bound ramps are separated by a frontage road, and the northeast-bound on-ramp from Exit 16 goes over the northeast-bound off-ramp from Exit 17. Within Gainesville,
US 129
U.S. Route 129 (US 129) is an auxiliary route of US 29, which it intersects in Athens, Georgia. US 129 currently runs for from an intersection with US 19/ US 27 ALT/ US 98 in Chiefland, Florida, to an interchange ...
once again joins the concurrency at Exit 22 which is also shared by the southern terminus of US BUS 129. At Exit 24
US 129
U.S. Route 129 (US 129) is an auxiliary route of US 29, which it intersects in Athens, Georgia. US 129 currently runs for from an intersection with US 19/ US 27 ALT/ US 98 in Chiefland, Florida, to an interchange ...
leaves across from the unmarked Old Cornelia Highway, and I-985 ends. However, the US 23/SR 365 concurrency continues north as an at-grade highway that has potential to be upgraded to interstate standards. Signage was missing from Buford Highway north (at turn onto SR 20), but returned at the controlled access end of I-985, continuing north on SR 365 also known as Cornelia Highway.
This segment of US 23/SR 365 is an example of an unfinished freeway. Various intersections and features embankments along the sides of the road resemble the potential for an upgrade of the road to limited-access highway. Among the more important though not necessarily designated routes intersecting this segment are White Sulphur Road which connects the communities of White Sulphur to the north and White Sulphur Springs to the south. The next community it runs near is Lula where it intersects
Georgia State Route 52
State Route 52 (SR 52) is a state highway that travels west to east through portions of Whitfield, Murray, Gilmer, Dawson, Lumpkin, Hall, Banks, and Jackson counties in the northern part of the U.S. state of Georgia. The highway ex ...
, a west-east state highway spanning from Dalton to Maysville. Beyond this point it continues to run up and down the hills of Hall County passing through more minor intersections. As the road crosses the Hall-
Habersham County
Habersham County is a County (United States), county located in the Northeast Georgia, northeastern part of the U.S. state of Georgia (U.S. state), Georgia. As of the 2010 United States Census, 2010 census, the population was 43,041. The county s ...
line, it gains the name Tommy Irwin Parkway. The first intersection in the county is Yonah Post Road in Raoul and most other minor intersections beyond that point are minor, including those north of
Alto
The musical term alto, meaning "high" in Italian (Latin: ''altus''), historically refers to the contrapuntal part higher than the tenor and its associated vocal range. In 4-part voice leading alto is the second-highest part, sung in choruses by ...
and the northwestern edges of Baldwin, the latter of which also includes a more important intersection, specifically the southern terminus of
Georgia State Route 384
State Route 384 (SR 384) is a state highway in the northeast part of the U.S. state of Georgia. It travels southeast-to-northwest along Duncan Bridge Road from US 23/ SR 365 in the western part of Baldwin to SR 75 so ...
which continues south as an unmarked local street name Duncan Bridge Road. After the intersection with Kudzu Hill Road, the road enters Cornelia, passing a bridge over J. Warren Road with no access. One last diamond interchanges can be found just before a wye interchange with
US 441
U.S. Route 441 (US 441) is a auxiliary route of U.S. Route 41. It extends from US 41 in Miami, Florida to US 25W in Rocky Top, Tennessee. Between its termini, US 441 travels through the states of Florida, Georgia, North ...
becomes the beginning of a concurrency that exists through the
North Carolina
North Carolina () is a state in the Southeastern region of the United States. The state is the 28th largest and 9th-most populous of the United States. It is bordered by Virginia to the north, the Atlantic Ocean to the east, Georgia and So ...
state line as far north as Dillsboro. In the process, it also rejoins SR 15.
The first crossing along the US 23/441 multiplex is the interchange with US BUS 441, which is also known as "Old Historic US 441," running south into Baldwin and north through Demorest and Clarkesville. Most intersections from that point on are strictly local street built at grade, however a single connecting ramp from both directions of US 23/441 runs down to the southwest corner of the bridge over the southern terminus of SR 197. Crossing three more local intersections, the routes enter Mount Airy, where SR 365 leaves at a flyover interchange with
US 123
U.S. Route 123 (US 123) is a spur of US 23 in the U.S. states of Georgia and South Carolina. The U.S. Highway runs from US 23, US 441, SR 15 and SR 365 near Clarkesville, Georgia, north and east to Interstate 385 Business (I-385 Business) in ...
and directly afterwards US 23/441/SR 15 has an intersection with SR 17. Winding north through Mount Airy, the north end of BUS 441 is encountered again, across from SR 17 Alt., although historic US 441 still runs along the west side as an unmarked route. Later the road passes through Turnerville, but encounters no routed intersections. Unmarked Historic US 441 ends just before the routes passes through
Tallulah Falls
:''This article refers to the waterfalls and gorge. For the state park, see Tallulah Gorge State Park, for the town, see Tallulah Falls, Georgia, for the lake, see Lake Tallulah Falls and for the river, see Tallulah River.''
The Tallulah Gorge ...
, where they intersect another former section that is marked as Georgia State Route 15 Loop on the east side which is a scenic overlook for the falls.Shortly afterward the road enters
Tallulah Gorge State Park
Tallulah Gorge State Park is a Georgia state park adjacent to Tallulah Falls, Georgia, along the county line between Rabun and Habersham Counties. The park surrounds Tallulah Gorge, a deep gorge formed by the action of the Tallulah River, whic ...
before entering
Rabun County
Rabun County () is the north-easternmost county in the U.S. state of Georgia. As of the 2020 census, the population was 16,883, up from 16,276 in 2010. The county seat is Clayton. With an average annual rainfall of over , Rabun County has the ...
.
Here, the road briefly leaves the park and runs along the side of it as it passes by the former namesake station for the
Tallulah Falls Railway
The Tallulah Falls Railway, also known as the Tallulah Falls Railroad, "The TF" and "TF & Huckleberry," was a railroad based in Tallulah Falls, Georgia, U.S. which ran from Cornelia, Georgia to Franklin, North Carolina. It was commissioned by t ...
then crosses over the Riley C. Thurmond Memorial Bridge before reentering the park. From there it passes through the
Blue Ridge Mountain
Blue Ridge Mountain, also known as Blue Mountain, is the colloquial name of the westernmost ridge of the Blue Ridge Mountains in northern Virginia and the Eastern Panhandle of West Virginia. The Appalachian Trail traverses the entire length of th ...
communities of
Wiley
Wiley may refer to:
Locations
* Wiley, Colorado, a U.S. town
*Wiley, Pleasants County, West Virginia, U.S.
* Wiley-Kaserne, a district of the city of Neu-Ulm, Germany
People
* Wiley (musician), British grime MC, rapper, and producer
* Wiley Mill ...
Tiger
The tiger (''Panthera tigris'') is the largest living cat species and a member of the genus '' Panthera''. It is most recognisable for its dark vertical stripes on orange fur with a white underside. An apex predator, it primarily preys on u ...
, the divider comes to an end and US 23/441/SR 15 remains undivided through the rest of the state with either three or four lanes as it enters Clayton. Beginning here, it is primarily a four-lane undivided highway, In Clayton it meets
US 76
U.S. Route 76 (US 76) is an east–west U.S. highway that travels for approximately from Chattanooga, Tennessee, to Wrightsville Beach, North Carolina.
Route description
, -
, TN
, 8.9
, 14.3
, -
, GA
, 150.7
, 242.5
, -
, SC
, 297.9
, 479.4
, ...
North Carolina
North Carolina () is a state in the Southeastern region of the United States. The state is the 28th largest and 9th-most populous of the United States. It is bordered by Virginia to the north, the Atlantic Ocean to the east, Georgia and So ...
, and
SR 15
Route 15, or Highway 15, can refer to:
For roads named A15, see A15 roads.
International
* Asian Highway 15
* European route E15
* European route E015
Australia New South Wales
* Hunter Expressway
* New England Highway and other local Ne ...
comes to an end.
National Highway System
The following portions of US 23 in Georgia is part of the National Highway System, a system of routes determined to be the most important for the nation's economy, mobility, and defense:
*The entire concurrency with US 1/SR 4 from the Florida state line to a point north of Alma
*The entire concurrency with US 341/SR 27 from Hazlehurst to Eastman
*From the intersection with SR 87 Conn. in East Macon to SR 247 in Macon
*A small portion in Woodhaven Estates and Stockbridge
*The entire length between the I-285 interchanges, from south of Constitution to Doraville
*From the northern end of the SR 13 concurrency (on the Sugar Hill–Buford line) to the North Carolina state line.