I-485

Georgia

Overview

Route Description

The routes used are: Freedom Parkway, a tunnel under a park, the main US-78 route, railway space, the Stone Mountain Freeway, a route through suburban areas mostly using power line space, a route following freeway segments of US 78, a portion of beltway around Athens, and a completely new route back to I-85.

Why it is needed. Atlanta Freeway revolts and the Growth of Athens.

Currently, two small segments of road consist of the once massive plan for I-485. While originally, I-485 would be entirely within Atlanta, which is not a good idea, another plan would connect to Athens. The Stone Mountain Freeway project was ended by strong revolts against the freeway, and out-of city projects ended as well. Now, the Freedom Parkway, originally built to transition to a freeway to Athens, carries traffic across Intown Atlanta, which could have been handled by city streets. This freeway forms a proposal to build I-485 from NE Georgia to Athens and then to Atlanta.

Block by Block Plan (less fine outside Atlanta)