State Route5 (SR5) is a state highway that travels south-to-north through portions of Carroll, Douglas, Cobb, Cherokee, Pickens, Gilmer, and Fannin counties in the western and northern parts of the U.S. state of Georgia. The highway travels from its southern terminus at SR 48 at the Alabama state line, north-northwest of Ephesus, to its northern terminus at SR 60 and SR 68 at the Tennessee state line on the McCaysville–Copperhill line, bisecting the northwestern portion of the state.

Route description

SR5 starts at the Alabama state line just east of Graham and north-northwest of Ephesus, in Carroll County, where the highway continues west into Randolph County, Alabama as SR 48. In Carroll County, the highway initially travels northeast, but soon turns to the east, and bisects the southern portion of rural Carroll County. SR5 crosses U.S. Route 27/SR 1 (US27/SR1) in Roopville, and continues east until it nears the Chattahoochee River, where it turns northeast to parallel the river, and travels through Whitesburg. SR5 continues northeast, then cuts north into Douglas County, where it is locally known as Bill Arp Road, crosses Interstate 20 (I-20) in Douglasville.

Continuing northeast, and having picked up a concurrency with US 78/SR 8, the highway heads through Lithia Springs, crosses US 278/SR 6, and enters Cobb County and Austell. In Austell, SR5 splits from US78/SR8 and heads slightly northeast through the western parts of Smyrna to just west of Dobbins Air Reserve Base. Traveling concurrently with SR 280, the highways wind to the north around Dobbins as South Cobb Drive, and SR5 splits off and travels to the north by itself into Marietta as Atlanta Road. The highway then makes a sharp turn to the west and travels concurrently with SR 120 Loop, and both turn north again to just avoid the Marietta Square to its west.

Curving to the northeast past the square, SR5 leaves its concurrency with SR120 Loop behind and heads north yet again, first as Cherokee Street, then Church Street, and curves to the northeast as it crosses US 41/SR 3. Soon thereafter, SR5 merges with I-75 for a very short distance, and then splits off I-75 north of Marietta, together with its concurrency with I-575, and heads north and northeast into Cherokee County in the direction of Woodstock. From Marietta to Blue Ridge, the route parallels the Marietta and North Georgia Rail Line.

SR5 remains concurrent with I-575 for that route's entire length, as the two highways bisect Cherokee County, and bypass Holly Springs, Canton (crossing the Etowah River north of Canton), and Ball Ground. North of Ball Ground, near Nelson, I-575, as well as the freeway portion of the highway, terminates, and SR5, now concurrent with SR 515, enters Pickens County. The highways curve northwest around Jasper, then turn back to the north near Talking Rock on their way into Gilmer County and Ellijay. In East Ellijay, SR5 picks up a concurrency with US 76/SR 2, and heads northeast into the Chattahoochee National Forest in the direction of Blue Ridge in Fannin County. In Blue Ridge, US76/SR2/SR515 head off to the east, while SR5 heads northwest to McCaysville and its northern terminus at the Tennessee state line, where the route intersects the northern terminus of SR 60 (Toccoa Avenue) and continues into Tennessee as SR 68 (Ocoee Street).

National Highway System

The following portions of SR5 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:

• The entire concurrency with SR92 (on US78/SR8) in Douglasville

• The entire concurrency with US41/SR3 in Marietta

• From the southern end of the I-75 concurrency, in Marietta, to the Tennessee state line

Traffic

The Georgia Department of Transportation (GDOT) average annual daily traffic (AADT) numbers for the year 2011 show a variety of average daily traffic load numbers as the route travels across western and northern Georgia. At the route's western portion in rural Carroll County, daily vehicle load averages hover around 3,000, with a route low seen west of US27 at just over 1,000 vehicles per day. Averages quickly rise from about 7,500 vehicles north of SR 166 to reach numbers near 22,000 around I-20, then level off between 10,000 and 15,000 between Douglasville and Austell. Vehicle loads climb again north of Austell, reaching numbers between 27,000 and 38,000 between Austell and Marietta.

Once SR5 becomes concurrent with I-575, averages increase drastically, with a route high of 93,000 vehicles seen south of Woodstock, close to I-75. Numbers generally decrease as the route travels further north, going from the mark seen in Woodstock down to 59,000 in Holly Springs, around 55,000 in Canton, and further down to 26,000 near Ball Ground. Once the freeway portion of the route ends in Pickens County, averages fall further from around 24,000 to around 12,000, but stabilize in that vicinity from Talking Rock in Pickens County all the way through Ellijay in Gilmer County to Blue Ridge in Fannin County. As SR5 approaches its northern terminus, vehicle load decreases once more to a low of 7,200, and hovers around 9,000 as the Tennessee state line is reached.

"Old Highway 5"

With the construction of I-575 and other projects between Cobb and Gilmer counties, SR5 saw significant routing changes in the 1980s and 1990 (see History below for additional details). All of the former routing of SR5, parallel to I-575, and the new routing in Pickens and Gilmer counties, still exists today, and is utilized by local traffic.

From the northbound exit 267A on I-75, the old routing of SR5 follows what is today locally known as Canton Road Connector (and is signed as SR 5 Spur), which merges into Canton Road. This routing parallels I-575 very closely to its east as the old SR5 routing heads north through the heart of Woodstock. The local road name changes to Main Street through Woodstock, and to Holly Springs Parkway on its way to Holly Springs, where it crosses under I-575 to its west at exit 14. As the old route travels through Canton, it becomes briefly concurrent with SR140 (and is signed as SR 5 Bus.), then crosses under I-575 once more to its east again (at exit 20), and heads northeast as Ball Ground Highway. Rarely more than separate the old routing and I-575/SR5/SR515, as the old SR5 passes through the heart of Ball Ground (where it is again signed as SR5 Bus.), and it briefly becomes concurrent with SR372.

"Old Highway 5" continues north as Canton Road/Canton Highway, now somewhat further removed from the current SR5, and travels through Nelson, then becomes concurrent with SR 53 Bus. into Jasper. North of Jasper, the former routing of SR5 has become a minor roadway and is known as Talking Rock Road to Talking Rock, where it briefly becomes concurrent with SR136, then heads north as Ellijay Road, having crossed to the west of the current SR5 together with SR136. Paralleling SR5 very closely once more, the former routing travels through downtown Ellijay, crosses the Ellijay River, and merges into the current US76/SR5/SR515 north of East Ellijay.

History

1920s

SR5 was established at least as early as 1919 from SR3 in Marietta to the Tennessee state line north-northwest of Blue Ridge. SR8 was established at this time on the path of SR5 from Douglasville to Austell. By the end of 1926, US78 was designated on SR8 between Douglasville and Austell. The Pickens County portion of the Canton–Jasper segment of SR5 had a "completed hard surface". Two segments had a "completed semi hard surface": the Cherokee County portion of the Canton–Jasper segment and the southern half of the segment from Blue Ridge to the Tennessee state line. Two segments had a "sand clay or top soil": the Douglasville–Austell segment of US78/SR8 and the Cherokee County portion of the Marietta–Canton segment of SR5. Two segments were under construction: the Jasper–Ellijay segment and the northern half of the Blue Ridge–Tennessee segment. By the end of 1929, two segments had a completed hard surface: a small portion just north of the Cobb–Cherokee county line and from a point northeast of Canton to just north of the Pickens–Gilmer county line. Two segments had a completed semi hard surface: nearly the entire Gilmer County portion of the Jasper–Ellijay segment (except for the extreme southern part) and the northern half of the Blue Ridge–Tennessee segment. The Ellijay–Blue Ridge segment was under construction.

1930s

By the middle of 1930, the southern part of the Gilmer County portion of the Jasper–Ellijay segment had a completed hard surface. By the end of the year, the segment from Blue Ridge to the Tennessee state line also was completed. The entire Cobb County portion of the Marietta–Canton segment was under construction. By the end of 1931, the Douglasville–Austell segment of US78/SR8 had a completed hard surface. Three segments of SR5 also were completed: from Marietta to the halfway point between the Cobb–Cherokee county line and Canton, from northeast of Canton to Ellijay, and from northeast of Ellijay to Blue Ridge. The southern two-thirds of the Ellijay–Blue Ridge segment had a sand clay or top soil surface. Between April and August 1932, a portion south of Canton had a sand clay or top soil surface. A portion northeast of Canton was under construction. In August, the portion south of Canton was under construction. In October, a small portion at the northern terminus was under construction. By May 1933, the entire length of SR5 from Marietta to Ellijay had a completed hard surface. In May, the northern terminus had a completed semi hard surface. In July, the entire Blue Ridge–Tennessee state line had a completed hard surface. In the third quarter of 1935, the Ellijay–Blue Ridge segment was also completed. By the end of the year, a portion northeast of Ellijay was under construction. In the first quarter of 1937, SR5 was extended southwest from Marietta to SR6 in Powder Springs. The next year, a portion of the extension southwest of Marietta had completed grading, but was not surfaced. By the middle of 1939, the central portion of this extension was under construction. In the third quarter of the year, this portion had completed grading, but was not surfaced.

1940s

Between April and October 1940, SR5 was established on a segment from SR16 in Whitesburg to Douglasville. There was no indication if the two segments were connected via concurrencies with US78/SR8 from Douglasville to Austell and SR6 from Austell to Powder Springs. By the end of the year, SR5 was extended from Whitesburg west-southwest to US27/SR1 in Roopville, northwest to Bowdon, south-southwest on a concurrency with SR100, then southwest solely to the Alabama state line. Between the beginning of 1945 and November 1946, the portion north-northeast of Bucktown and the portion from the south-southeastern part of Bowdon to the Carroll–Douglas county line were indicated to be "projected mileage". Two segments of the highway were hard surfaced: a portion south-southwest of Bowdon and the northern part of the Powder Springs–Marietta segment. By February 1948, three segments had a sand clay or top soil surface: from the Alabama state line to a point south-southwest of Bowdon, the northern two-thirds of the McWhorter–Douglasville segment, and the southern part of the Powder Springs–Marietta segment. By April 1949, the segment from Alabama to Roopville was shifted southward to a more direct path.

1950s to 1970s

Between August 1950 and the beginning of 1952, the entire Powder Springs–Marietta segment had a completed hard surface. A portion north-northeast of McWhorter had a sand clay or top soil surface. In 1953, the northern two-thirds of the McWhorter–Douglasville segment was hard surfaced. A portion east of Roopville had a sand clay or top soil surface. Three segments had completed grading, but was not surfaced: from the Alabama state line to Roopville, the Carroll County portion of the Whitesburg–McWhorter segment, and a portion north-northeast of McWhorter. Between June 1955 and July 1957, a portion east of Roopville had completed grading, but was not surfaced. Between July 1957 and June 1960, three segments were paved: the central portion of the Bucktown–Roopville segment, the western half of the Roopville–Whitesburg segment, and from southwest of Whitesburg to north-northeast of McWhorter. By June 1963, the segment from west-northwest of Tyus to Roopville was paved. By the end of 1965, the segment from the Alabama to east-southeast of Lowell was hard surfaced. The segment from east-southeast of Lowell to south-southwest of Whitesburg had a "topsoil or gravel" surface. At this time, SR 5 Byp. was built and hard surfaced from US76/SR5 southwest of Blue Ridge to SR5 north of the city. In 1966, SR5 was hard surfaced from Alabama to Douglasville. In 1973, SR 705 was proposed from SR3 (Church Street) in Marietta to SR5 south of Blackwell, with an interchange with I-75. In 1977, I-575/SR 713 was proposed from I-75 north of Marietta to just south of the Cherokee–Pickens county line. It was completed from SR140 south of Canton to SR20 east of the city. The next year, the entire Cobb County portion (except for the southern end) of I-575/SR713 was under construction. SR5 through Blue Ridge was shifted westward, replacing the entire length of SR5 Byp. Its former path through the city was redesignated as SR 5 Bus. By the end of the decade, SR 733 was proposed between two intersections with US76/SR5 northeast of Ellijay. At this time, SR 734 was proposed from US76/SR5 south-southwest of Cherry Log, across US76/SR5 north-northeast of Cherry Log, and then to another intersection with US76/SR5 in Lucius.

1980s and 1990s

By March 1980, I-575/SR713 was completed to SR92 southwest of Woodstock and one exit to the south in the Canton area. SR713 was proposed to be extended northwest to SR5 in Talking Rock. SR 713 Spur was proposed from SR5 to SR713 at the northern terminus of I-575. SR 719 was proposed from SR5 south-southwest of Ellijay to US76/SR5 northeast of that city. Later that year, the southern completed part of I-575/SR713 was extended south to I-75. The next year, SR5's path from south of Nelson to southeast of Talking Rock was shifted westward, replacing SR713 Spur and the northern extension of SR713. The former path of SR5 was redesignated as SR 5 Alt. At this time, SR719 was under construction. In 1982, I-575/SR713 was under construction from SR92 southwest of Woodstock to south of Canton and from east of Canton to I-575's northern terminus north-northwest of Ball Ground. SR713 was proposed to be extended northwest to SR5 west-northwest of Talking Rock and north to the southern terminus of SR719 at SR5. The next year, SR5's path from Powder Springs to Marietta was shifted eastward, replacing SR 340. I-575/SR713 was completed from SR92 southwest of Woodstock to south of Canton. SR5 in the Ellijay area was shifted eastward. US76/SR282 was extended southeast to East Ellijay to rejoin it. This shifting of SR5 replaced SR719. The former path of SR5 was redesignated as SR 5 Alt. In 1985, SR5's path from Marietta to northeast of Canton was shifted westward, onto I-575. Its former path from Marietta to Lebanon was redesignated as SR 754. I-575 was completed northeast to a point southwest of Ball Ground. SR5's path from Talking Rock to south-southwest of Ellijay was shifted westward, replacing all of SR713. In 1986, all of I-575 was completed. SR5's path from northeast of Canton to north-northwest of Ball Ground was shifted westward, onto I-575. The northern part was redesignated as a northern extension of SR372. Between 1981 and 1986, SR5's path in the Ball Ground–Nelson area was shifted westward, onto I-575. Part of the former path was redesignated as a northern extension of SR372. In 1989, SR515 was designated on SR5 from I-575's northern terminus west of Nelson to Blue Ridge. Between 1984 and 1991, US76/SR5/SR515 was shifted onto the path of SR733 and SR734, replacing them.

Georgia designated roadways

On March 28, 1988, SR5 was designated as "Chieftains Trail" between Canton and Ellijay.

On April 28, 1999, SR5 was designated as "C. F. 'Coote' Mason Highway" between the end of its concurrency with SR 515 and its northern terminus.

In 2005, the interchange between SR5 and SR515 in Blue Ridge was designated as the "A. L. Stepp Interchange".

Major intersections

Special routes

Marietta spur route (1972–1983)

State Route5 Spur (SR5 Spur) was a spur route of SR5 that existed in the central part of Marietta. In 1969, it was proposed to be established from SR5 (Powder Springs Street) north-northwest to Polk Street. Between 1966 and 1973, it was actually established on this proposed path. By 1984, it was decommissioned.

Marietta spur route

State Route5 Spur (SR5 Spur) is a spur route of SR5 that exists mostly within the city limits of Marietta. It starts at Church Street in the north-central part of the city. It travels to the north-northeast and has a partial interchange with US 41/SR 3/SR5 (Cobb Parkway). It curves to the northeast and has an interchange with I-75/SR5. The freeway portion of the highway ends at an intersection with the northern terminus of Sandy Plains Road and the southern terminus of Guffin Lane. The highway curves to the north-northwest and intersects Canton Road. SR5 Spur travels on Canton Road for about one block. Just south of Kurtz Road, it reaches its northern terminus.

The roadway that would eventually become SR5 Spur was proposed between 1961 and 1966 as SR 705 from SR5 southwest of Marietta to SR5 in southern Cherokee County. By 1973, the interchange with I-75 and a short piece of SR705 northeast of it were built. In 1976, SR705 between I-75 and the northern intersection with SR5 was built as SR 5 Conn. In 1984, SR5 Conn. was redesignated as SR5 Spur. SR5's path north of Marietta was shifted westward, onto I-75 and I-575, replacing all of SR705. Between 2004 and 2013, SR5 Spur was extended to Church Street.

Marietta connector route

State Route5 Connector (SR5 Conn.) was a connecting route of SR5 that existed mostly in the north-central part of Marietta. Between 1954 and 1957, it was established from SR 3 (Church Street) in Elizabeth to US 41/SR 3E in Marietta. In 1984, it was decommissioned.

Cobb County connector route

State Route5 Connector (SR5 Conn.) was a connecting route of SR5 that existed in the central part of Cobb County. Between 1961 and 1966, SR 705 was proposed from SR5 southwest of Marietta to SR5 in the southern part of Cherokee County. By 1973, SR705's interchange with Interstate 75 (I-75) and a portion of the highway northeast of it was built. The proposed northern terminus was truncated to SR5 northeast of Marietta. In 1976, SR705's path from I-75 to its intersection with SR5 northeast of Marietta was built as SR5 Conn. In 1984, the same year that SR5 was shifted westward, onto I-75 and I-575, SR5 Conn. was redesignated as SR 5 Spur.

Kennesaw connector route

State Route5 Connector (SR5 Conn.) is a connecting route the partially exists in Kennesaw. It starts at the intersection of Barrett Parkway and US 41/SR 3 in Kennesaw, less than northwest of where the SR5 main line crosses the same two highways. SR5 Conn. heads northeast, locally known as Ernest W. Barrett Parkway on both sides of that intersection, and crosses Interstate 75 (I-75) just before passing by Town Center Mall. The connector terminates just east of its interchange with I-575/SR5, where the roadway continues east as Piedmont Road. The entire length of SR5 Conn. 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.

Canton spur route

State Route5 Spur (SR5 Spur) was a spur route of SR5 that existed in the central part of Cherokee County, mostly within the city limits of Canton. At least as early as 1940, it was established from SR5/SR 205 south-southwest of Canton to SR 20 in the city. By 1954, SR20 was rerouted in the area, replacing all of SR5 Spur.

Canton business loop

State Route5 Business (SR5 Bus.) is a business route of SR5 that exists in the central part of Cherokee County, entirely within the city limits of Canton. It begins at an interchange with I-575/SR5 in the southern part of the city. At this interchange, SR5 Bus. begins a concurrency with SR 20 and SR 140. The three highways travel to the east-northeast on a freeway. They curve to the northwest and split at Marietta Highway, with SR5 Bus./SR140 heading in a northerly direction. After crossing over the Etowah River, they pass Cherokee High School. After curving to the east-northeast, SR140 splits off to the north. SR5 Bus. passes the Riverplace Shopping Center and then intersects the northern terminus of SR 5 Conn. (Reinhardt College Parkway). It then has a second interchange with I-575/SR5, where it reaches its northern terminus. Between 1981 and 1986, it was established on its current path.

Canton connector route

State Route5 Connector (SR5 Conn.) is a connecting route of SR5 in the central part of Canton. It is known as Reinhardt College Parkway for its entire length. It is signed as a north–south highway, but it appears to be backward, since its "southern" terminus is north of its "northern" terminus. It begins at an intersection with SR 140. It travels to the east-southeast and curves to the east-northeast. It passes by some residential neighborhoods before curving to the south-southeast. It passes the Riverstone Village shopping center. It then curves to the southeast, passing the RiverStone Medical Center. Just before its northern terminus, it travels between the Mainstreet at RiverStone and RiverStone Plaza shopping centers. It meets its northern terminus, an intersection with SR 5 Bus. (RiverStone Parkway). At least as early as 1940, an unnumbered road was built on the current path of SR5 Conn. Between 1997 and 2009, it was established.

Ball Ground business loop

State Route5 Business (SR5 Bus.) is a business route of SR5 that exists in the northeastern part of Cherokee County and the south-central part of Pickens County. Part of it is in the city limits of Ball Ground. It starts at an interchange with I-575/SR5 in the southwestern part of Ball Ground. It travels east-southeast on Howell Bridge Road to the intersection with Ball Ground Highway and Canton Highway. Both of these roads are former portions of SR5. There, it turns left onto Canton Highway and travels to the north-northeast. It passes Ball Ground Elementary School before beginning a concurrency with SR 372 (A.W. Roberts Drive). The two highways continue to the north-northeast and leave Ball Ground. They turn to the left, onto Appalachian Highway, and curve to the northwest. After slipping through the southwestern corner of Nelson, they reach their northern terminus, an intersection with SR5/SR 515 at the northern terminus of I-575. The highway that eventually became SR5 Bus. was established at least as early as 1919 as part of SR5 from the southeastern part of Ball Ground to west of Nelson. By the end of 1926, the Pickens County portion of this segment had a "completed hard surface". The Cherokee County portion had a "completed semi hard surface". By the end of 1929, the entire aforementioned segment had a completed hard surface. Between the beginning of 1979 and March 1980, SR 713 Spur was proposed from SR5 south of Nelson to the proposed path of SR 713 at the proposed northern terminus of I-575 south-southwest of Nelson. In 1981, the path of SR5 in this area was shifted westward, replacing SR713 Spur and the northern extension of SR713. The former path of SR5 was redesignated as SR 5 Alt. In 1986, SR5's path from Canton to south of Nelson was shifted westward, onto I-575, replacing SR713. Part of its former path was redesignated as a northern extension of SR372. In 1990, SR5 Bus. was established on its current path.

Cherokee–Pickens County alternate route

State Route5 Alternate (SR5 Alt.) was an alternate route of SR5 that existed in the northeastern part of Cherokee County and the central part of Pickens County. In 1981, the path of SR5 from a point south of Nelson to a point southeast of Talking Rock was shifted westward. This replaced SR 713 Spur and part of SR 713. The former path of SR5 was redesignated as SR5 Alt. In 1985, SR5 replaced a little bit more of the proposed route of SR713 west-northwest of Talking Rock. SR5 Alt. was extended on the former path of SR5. In 1986, it was decommissioned.

Gilmer County alternate route

State Route5 Alternate (SR5 Alt.) was a short-lived alternate route of SR5 that existed in the central part of Gilmer County. In 1983, SR5 in the Ellijay area was shifted eastward. US 76/SR 282 was extended southeast to East Ellijay to rejoin it. This shifting of SR5 replaced SR 719. The former path of SR5 was redesignated as SR5 Alt. In 1985, it was decommissioned. Its southern portion was redesignated as an eastern extension of SR 382.

Ellijay spur route

State Route5 Spur (SR5 Spur) was a short spur route of SR5 that existed in the eastern part of Ellijay in the central part of Gilmer County. Between 1953 and 1960, it was established from SR 52 to US 76/SR5. Between 1977 and 1980, it was decommissioned.

Blue Ridge bypass route

State Route5 Bypass (SR5 Byp.) was a bypass route of SR5 that existed in the central part of Fannin County, mostly within the city limits of Blue Ridge. Between June 1963 and the end of 1965, it was established from US 76/SR5 south-southwest of the city to SR5 in the northern part of it. Between 1974 and 1977, SR5's path through the city was shifted westward, replacing SR5 Byp. Part of its former path was redesignated as SR 5 Bus.

Blue Ridge business loop

State Route5 Business (SR5 Bus.) was a business route of SR5 that existed in the central part of Fannin County, mostly within the city limits of Blue Ridge. Between 1974 and 1977, SR5's path through Blue Ridge was shifted westward, replacing all of SR 5 Byp. In 1982, US 76 Bus. was established on the path of SR5 Bus. In 1988, US76 Bus./SR5 Bus. was decommissioned.

See also

References

External links