State Route520 (SR520), also known as the South Georgia Parkway, is a state highway in the southern part of the U.S. state of Georgia. It travels from the Alabama state line at the Chattahoochee River, along the Phenix City, Alabama–Columbus, Georgia line, to Jekyll Island. It has many concurrencies along its path, including U.S. Route 280 (US280) from the Alabama state line to Richland; US 27 from Columbus to Cusseta; and especially US 82 from Dawson to a point southwest of Brunswick. SR520 serves as CorridorZ, a high-priority corridor to the Coastal Georgia Regional Development Center and a GRIP (Governor's Road Improvement Program) corridor, but not an Appalachian Regional Development highway, despite its green shield.

Route description

While not part of the Appalachian Development Highway System, SR520 is nevertheless designated as Corridor Z. To emphasize the special designation, SR520 route markers have a green background and numbers as opposed to black, which is normally used on state Route markers. Some markers also feature the small abbreviation "CORR Z" near the top of the state outline, though this practice is being phased out.

All of SR520 from the Alabama state line to at least the eastern intersection with US17/SR25 near Jekyll Island is part of the National Highway System (NHS), a system of routes determined to be the most important for the nation's economy, mobility and defense.

Columbus to Tifton

SR520 begins at the Alabama state line concurrent with US280. On the Alabama side of the state line, US280 is concurrent with unsigned Alabama State Route 38. On the Georgia side of the state line, US280/SR520 head east through Columbus to an intersection with US 27/SR 1. The four highways head east through the city, along Victory Drive to an interchange with Interstate 185 (I-185), and through Fort Benning. Southeast of Fort Benning, the four highways have an intersection with SR 26 just prior to entering Cusseta. In town, US27/SR1 split from the concurrency, toward Lumpkin, while US280/SR520 head southeast to Richland. Here, the two highways intersect SR 27, with US280 heading east along SR27. SR520 heads southeast alone, intersecting SR 41 in Weston, before reaching Dawson. In Dawson, there is an intersection with SR 45, which begins a short concurrency with SR520. A short distance later is an intersection with SR 32, followed by US82/SR45/SR 50, where the concurrency with SR45 ends and the one with US82 begins. Just before leaving town, US82/SR520 intersect SR 55. The two highways head east until they reach Albany.

Upon entering Albany, the two highways become a freeway known as Liberty Expressway. At the intersection with US 19/SR 3, which join the concurrency, US 19 Business/US 82 Business/SR 520 Business head south into downtown Albany. At the next exit is SR 91/SR 133. SR133 joins the concurrency at this point. The five highways curve to the south, where US82/SR520 head east along with SR 300. Here, US19/SR3/SR133/SR300 continue south on the expressway. Just east of Albany, SR300 leaves the concurrency to the northeast. US82/SR520 then intersect US82 Business/SR520 Business, where they both meet their eastern terminus. The concurrency heads to Sylvester. There, they meet SR 313, SR 33, and SR 112. The two routes continue easterly to Tifton.

Tifton to Jekyll Island

Just after entering Tifton, the two routes meet I-75, before intersecting US 319/SR 35. The two highways join the concurrency for about . In the downtown part of the town is US 41/SR 7/SR 125. After leaving the town, US319/SR35 leave the concurrency, while US82/SR520 continue to the east-southeast. Prior to entering Alapaha, the concurrent highways intersect US 129/SR 11. These highways join the concurrency until they leave in town about later. Farther to the east, in Willacoochee, US82/SR520 intersect SR 90 and then have a very brief concurrency with SR 135. In Pearson, the concurrency intersects US 221/US 441/SR 31/SR 64. SR64 joins the concurrency for less than . Just prior to entering Waresboro is an intersection with SR 158. About later, US 1/US 23/SR 4 join the concurrency for about . About after the beginning of the US1/US23/SR4 concurrency is SR 122. Then, the concurrency enters Waycross.

In Waycross, the concurrency meets US 84/SR 38, which join for about . Approximately later, US1/US23/SR4 depart to the southeast, while US82/SR520 head to the east. At this same intersection, US 1 Business/US 23 Business/SR 4 Business head to the northwest. Southeast of Waycross is SR 177, which leads to Laura S. Walker State Park and the Okefenokee Swamp. In Hoboken, is an intersection with SR 15/SR 121. Farther to the east, in Nahunta is US 301/SR 23. In Atkinson is an intersection with SR 259 and a very brief concurrency with SR 110. Approximately later, US82/SR520 meet the western terminus of SR 99. Then, just before meeting I-95, is an intersection with US 17/SR 25, along with SR 303. This intersection marks the eastern terminus of US82. US17/SR25/SR520 head southeast until SR520 splits to the southeast, along Jekyll Island Causeway, while US17/SR25 head north to Brunswick. SR520 crosses the Jekyll River onto Jekyll Island and terminates at Beach View Drive.

History

Prior to designation

The roadway that would eventually become SR520 was established in 1920 as SR1 from Columbus to Cusseta, SR32 from Dawson to Sylvester, and SR 46 from Sylvester to Tifton. In 1921, SR 55 was established along a route from Louvale, at an intersection with SR1 to Dawson, and SR 50 was established along a stretch of highway from Dawson in the west, to at least as far as Waynesville, at an intersection with SR 27, in the east. Nearly all of SR55, and all of that stretch of SR50, were eventually utilized by SR520. By 1926, a portion of SR1 southeast of Columbus and a portion of SR50 west of Sylvester were paved. Also, US84 was designated along the portion of SR50 east of Waycross. Sometime around 1926, SR27 was redesignated as SR25. By January 1932, US280 was designated along SR1 from Columbus to Cusseta and SR55 from Cusseta to Richland. All of US280/SR1 and nearly all of US280/SR55 were paved. Also, a portion of SR55 northwest of Dawson was paved. Almost all of SR50 from Dawson to Tifton was paved, along with a portion west of Waycross, and the entirety of US84/SR50 east of the city. During October of that year all of US280/SR55 was paved. By May 1933, a portion of SR55 between Alapaha and Willacoochee was paved. In June, a small portion of SR55 southeast of Richland was paved. By October 1934, a portion of SR50 east of Tifton, as well as one west of Alapaha, was paved. By January 1935, US27 was designated along US280/SR1 from Columbus to Cusseta. By October 1935, all of SR55 between Richland and Dawson was paved. By July 1936, all of SR50 from Tifton to Willacoochee was paved. Also, nearly all of SR50 east of Pearson was paved. By July 1937, all of the highway that would eventually become SR520 between Columbus and Willacoochee was paved. By October 1939, the last pieces of the highway were paved. In 1948, US82 entered the state, running concurrent with SR50 only as far east as Waycross. In addition, SR50 was extended, and paved, east to Jekyll Island.

After designation

In 1988, SR520 was designated along its entire current length, with SR55 between Richland and Dawson and SR50 from Dawson to Jekyll Island being decommissioned. In 1989, the sections of US82 and US84 east of Waycross were swapped, presumably to make travel less confusing for drivers.

On May 5, 2006, the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) Special Committee on U.S. Route Numbering designated the portion of SR520 east of US17 as Interstate 50 for one day, May 7. AASHTO held their Spring 2006 meeting on Jekyll Island and approved the I-50 designation in conjunction with a vintage car ride to be held on May 7 in celebration of the 50th anniversary of the Interstate Highway System.

Major intersections

Related routes

Cusseta business loop

State Route520 Business (SR520 Bus.) was a business route of SR520 that existed entirely within the city of Cusseta. It followed Broad Street through the city.

The road that would become SR520 Bus. was established in 1972 as SR55 Business, when the road that is now SR520 was established as part of SR 55. In 1988, the same year that SR520 was designated in Georgia, and SR55 was decommissioned, SR55 Bus. was redesignated as SR520 Bus. In 2004, SR520 Bus. was removed from the state highway system.

Albany business loop

State Route520 Business (SR520 Bus.) is a business route of SR520 that exists almost entirely within the city limits of Albany. It follows North Slappey Boulevard and East Oglethorpe Boulevard through the city, and Sylvester Road east of the city. SR520 Bus. travels entirely concurrently with US 82 Bus. and also has a concurrency with both US 19 Bus. and, briefly, with SR 234.

See also

References

External links

• Corridor Z - South Georgia Parkway (State Route 520) on The Unofficial Georgia Highways Web Page

• Georgia State Route 520 on State-Ends.com