Russell–Brasstown Scenic Byway
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The Russell–Brasstown Scenic Byway is a
National Scenic Byway A National Scenic Byway is a road recognized by the United States Department of Transportation for one or more of six "intrinsic qualities": archeological, cultural, historic, natural, recreational, and scenic. The program was established by Co ...
in the
U.S. The United States of America (USA), also known as the United States (U.S.) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It is a federal republic of 50 states and a federal capital district, Washington, D.C. The 48 contiguous ...
state of
Georgia Georgia most commonly refers to: * Georgia (country), a country in the South Caucasus * Georgia (U.S. state), a state in the southeastern United States Georgia may also refer to: People and fictional characters * Georgia (name), a list of pe ...
that includes parts of
Georgia State Route 17 State Route 17 (SR 17) is a state highway that travels northwest–southeast in the east-central and northeastern parts of the U.S. state of Georgia. The highway connects the Savannah metro area to the North Carolina state line, no ...
(SR 17), SR 75, SR 180, and SR 75 Alternate, as well as the entire length of SR 348. Surrounded by the beauty of the Chattahoochee-Oconee National Forest, the byway winds through the valleys and mountain gaps of the southern
Appalachian Mountains The Appalachian Mountains, often called the Appalachians, are a mountain range in eastern to northeastern North America. The term "Appalachian" refers to several different regions associated with the mountain range, and its surrounding terrain ...
. From the vistas atop
Brasstown Bald Brasstown Bald is the highest point in the U.S. state of Georgia. It is located in the northeastern part of the state in the Blue Ridge Mountains on the border between Towns and Union counties south of the city of Hiawassee. The mountain is kn ...
to the cooling mists of waterfalls, scenic wonders fill this region.


Route description

The byway forms a loop starting northwest of Helen, at the junction of SR 17/ SR 75 and SR 75 Alternate. From there, it follows SR 17/SR 75 north to a junction with SR 180 in the Chattahoochee-Oconee National Forest. The byway turns west on SR 180 with an optional detour to the Brasstown Bald Visitor Center on SR 180 Spur. It follows SR 180 westward and southwestward to SR 348 (Richard B. Russell Scenic Highway) in Choestoe and then southeast back to SR 75 Alternate before turning northeast, back to SR 17/SR 75. Russell–Brasstown Scenic Byway is not part of the National Highway System, a system of roadways important to the nation's economy, defense, and mobility.


History

As stated above, the Russell–Brasstown Scenic Byway is composed of parts or entire lengths of numbered routes. The portion of SR 75 included in the byway was established between May and August 1932 along the same alignment as it travels today. By July 1939, this section of SR 75 was converted from "completed grading, not surfaced" to "completed semi-hard surface". By 1941, a short section northwest of the SR 75 Alternate was paved. By July of that year, the former southern segment of SR 66 was established from the current SR 17/SR 75/SR 180 intersection to the current SR 180/SR 180 Spur intersection. Also, SR 180 was established from the latter intersection westward to an intersection with US 19/ US 129/ SR 11 west of Choestoe. By the end of 1946, the above-mentioned segment of SR 75 was paved. Between 1950 and 1952, SR 17 was designated along SR 75. Between 1960 and 1963, SR 66 from SR 17/SR 75 to SR 180 was paved. By 1966, the byway's entire segment of SR 180 was paved. Also, SR 348 was established in two parts. The southern part began at an intersection with SR 356 (what is now SR 75 Alternate) to the White–Union county line. The northern part existed south and southeast of Choestoe, intersecting with SR 348 in Choestoe. Later that year, both parts of SR 348 were connected, and the entire byway was paved. By 1982, SR 356 was redesignated as SR 75 Alternate. Later that year, upon the decommissioning of SR 66, that segment of the bypass was redesignated as an eastward extension of SR 180. The Russell–Brasstown Scenic Byway was designated as a National Forest Scenic Byway on June 5, 1989. It was later named a Georgia State Scenic Byway in 1992 and a National Scenic Byway on June 15, 2000.


Major intersections


See also

* * *
North Georgia mountains Northeast Georgia is a region of Georgia (U.S. state), Georgia in the United States. The northern part is also in the North Georgia mountains or Georgia mountain region, while the southern part (east of metro Atlanta) is still hilly but much fla ...


References


External links

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USDA Forest Service Chattahoochee-Oconee National Forest site
{{DEFAULTSORT:Russell-Brasstown Scenic Byway National Scenic Byways Transportation in White County, Georgia Transportation in Towns County, Georgia Transportation in Union County, Georgia National Forest Scenic Byways Tourist attractions in White County, Georgia Chattahoochee-Oconee National Forest