Fall Line Freeway

State Route 540 marker

State Route 540
Fall Line Freeway
Route information
Maintained by GDOT
Length 215 mi[1] (346 km)
History Under construction as of 2016
Major junctions
West end Alabama state line near Columbus
  Macon, Milledgeville, Sandersville
East end South Carolina state line near Augusta
Highway system
  • Georgia State Routes
← SR 520SR 545 →

The Fall Line Freeway is a highway designed to span the width of the U.S. state of Georgia from the Alabama state line, in Columbus to Augusta, passing through several cities including Macon, Milledgeville, and Sandersville. It is planned to become part of the proposed eastern extension of Interstate 14.

Construction, design, and route

The highway is under construction. It will be designated State Route 540 upon completion. Contrary to its description as a "freeway," the Fall Line Freeway will be a four-lane divided highway, except a short section within Wrens and two freeway sections: following Interstate 75 (I-75) from Byron to Macon and the J.R. Allen Parkway, the bypass north of Columbus. The highway is designed to assist the flow of commercial traffic, providing an easier path for freight trucks carrying goods between Columbus and Augusta avoiding Atlanta. Much of the route follows existing U.S. Route 80 (US 80), Georgia State Route 24 (SR 24), SR 88, and US 1, while other parts will be newly-constructed roads, some of which, such as most of the portion from Milledgeville to Sandersville, are currently under construction or have not yet been built.

Status

As of August 2017, approximately 199 miles (320 km) (92 percent)[1][2][3][4] of the route is open to traffic or under construction, including the entirety of the route between Columbus and Macon and between Macon and Augusta. The highway will follow US 80 from Columbus eastward to Geneva, SR 96 from there to Fort Valley, and SR 49 Connector and SR 49 to Byron, where it joins I-75. It follows I-75 to Macon, then proceeds east along or near SR 57 as far as the Wilkinson County line. The Fall Line Freeway then will proceed northeastward mostly on new roadway until it reaches SR 24 just southeast of Milledgeville, and it then follows SR 24, SR 88, and US 1/SR 4 to Augusta, ending at I-520.[1]

The highway's final 9-mile-long (14 km) section of new roadway between SR 24 and US 441 south of Milledgeville in Baldwin and Wilkinson counties, as well of the 16-mile-long (26 km) widening of SR 24 to the Sandersville bypass, was awarded to Balfour Beatty Infrastructure, Inc. of Fleming Island, Florida in January 2013.[2][3][4]

It appears as though GDOT has delayed plans to address the highway's passage through the city of Wrens, where it reduces to a two-lane road through downtown with a center turn lane. According to GDOT's GRIP maps, the section through Wrens is considered complete.[5] Other documents suggest that GDOT has entertained the idea of a Wrens bypass, however.[6]

Macon route

The alignment near Macon was originally intended to follow a new extension of roadway from I-75 at US 80 in the southern part of Macon east and northeast to reunite with US 80 east of the city, providing Macon with a much-needed southeast bypass. However, this route was planned through the traditional cultural property of the Muscogee Indians in the Ocmulgee National Monument. Opposition to the project resulted in its cancellation, even after almost 1 mile (1.6 km) of the new highway, as part of Eisenhower Parkway, was built, ending at a stub and consisting of two long bridges, was constructed. The freeway now follows I-75 into Macon, then turn east on I-16, departing it at US 80 and following that highway eastward out of Macon. Despite this, Macon Mayor Robert Reichert has expressed interest in utilizing new highway in south Bibb County, connecting I-75 to US 129/SR 11, as a possible alignment for the Fall Line Freeway; this would require another highway extension across the swamps surrounding the Ocmulgee River.

Interstate 14

The Fall Line Freeway, including portions of US 80 is designated to be included in an extension of I-14, which would travel from West Texas to Augusta.

See also

References

  1. 1 2 3 "Fall Line Freeway" (PDF) (Press release). Georgia Department of Transportation. January 2015. Retrieved August 12, 2015.
  2. 1 2 Williams, Dave (January 2, 2013). "Fall Line Freeway gets final funding". Atlanta Business Chronicle. Retrieved July 24, 2013.
  3. 1 2 Mirshak, Meg (January 3, 2013). "Fall Line Freeway linking Augusta to Columbus nearing completion". The Augusta Chronicle. Retrieved July 24, 2013.
  4. 1 2 "Fall Line Freeway nears completion". The Union-Recorder. January 7, 2013. Retrieved July 24, 2013.
  5. ↑ "The Governor's Road Improvement Program (GRIP)" (PDF) (Press release). Georgia Department of Transportation. January 2015. Retrieved August 12, 2015.
  6. ↑ "Connect Central Georgia" (PDF) (Press release). July 2012. Retrieved August 12, 2015.
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