135-458: Interstate 75 ( I-75 ) in the US state of Georgia travels north–south along the U.S. Route 41 (US 41) corridor in the central part of the state, traveling through the cities of Valdosta , Macon , and Atlanta . It is also designated—but not signed—as State Route 401 ( SR 401 ). I-75 is the only Interstate to traverse the full length of the state from north to south, from
270-546: A primary language , while 7.82% (795,646) spoke Spanish, and 6.55% (666,849) spoke languages other than English or Spanish at home, with the most common of which were Vietnamese, Chinese, and Korean. In total, 14.38% (1,462,495) of Georgia's population age 5 and older spoke a mother language other than English. According to the Pew Research Center , the composition of religious affiliation in Georgia
405-557: A welcome center south of the state line. Exit 131 has a single facility accessible from both travel directions on I-75, as well as the intersecting highway. Exit 161 had a rest stop at the interchange's southeast quadrant, but it closed in 2015 because of low usage. Exit 191 also had a rest stop at the interchange's northeast quadrant that closed in the 1990s. Each rest area has restrooms, vending machines, picnic tables, dog walk areas, and nighttime security. The welcome center also has travel information and free orange juice ,
540-642: A AAA rating. If Georgia were a stand-alone country, it would be the 28th-largest economy in the world, based on data from 2005. Alligator Alley Interstate 75 ( I-75 ) is a part of the Interstate Highway System that runs from the Hialeah – Miami Lakes border, a few miles northwest of Miami , to Sault Ste. Marie in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan . I-75 begins its national northward journey near Miami, running along
675-627: A British royal colony , making it the last and southernmost of the original Thirteen Colonies . Named in honor of King George II of Great Britain , the Georgia Colony extended from South Carolina down to Spanish Florida and westward to French Louisiana along the Mississippi River . On January 2, 1788, Georgia became the fourth state to ratify the United States Constitution . Between 1802 and 1804,
810-531: A coastline on the Atlantic Ocean, Georgia is also vulnerable to hurricanes , although direct hurricane strikes were rare during the 20th century. Georgia often is affected by hurricanes that strike the Florida Panhandle , weaken over land, and bring strong tropical storm winds and heavy rain to the interior, a recent example being Hurricane Michael , as well as hurricanes that come close to
945-708: A diversity of landscapes, flora, and fauna. The northern part of the state features the Blue Ridge Mountains , which are part of the broader Appalachian Mountain range. Moving south, the Piedmont plateau stretches from the foothills of the Blue Ridge to the Fall Line , an escarpment that marks the transition to the Coastal Plain in the southern region of the state. The highest elevation in
1080-552: A freeway. Florida's state government first proposed to build a West Coast Turnpike in 1964 from the Tampa Bay area south to Naples. Plans for the West Coast Turnpike (which would have been tolled) were canceled in 1968, when it was announced that US Secretary of Transportation Alan S. Boyd had approved an extension of I-75 south to Naples and then east to Miami. The federal government would pay for 90 percent of
1215-926: A general southeast–northwest trajectory, which is sustained to the Georgia state line and beyond. I-75 passes beneath the Cross Florida Greenway , which contains a land bridge built across the highway in 2001 between exits 341 and 350, before entering the city of Ocala , and passing by the cities of Gainesville and Lake City and crosses I-10 at an interchange before entering the state of Georgia, near Valdosta . I-75 runs closest to US 41 except between Tampa and High Springs . It runs closer to US 301 between Ellenton and Temple Terrace , and again from Dade City to Sparr . From Belleview to Lake City, it runs closest to US 441 . Original plans for I-75 called for its southern terminus to be in Tampa , where it would terminate at I-4 (at
1350-649: A governor appointed by the king of Great Britain . The Province of Georgia was one of the Thirteen Colonies that revolted against British rule in the American Revolution by signing the 1776 Declaration of Independence . The State of Georgia's first constitution was ratified in February 1777. Georgia was the 10th state to ratify the Articles of Confederation on July 24, 1778, and was
1485-552: A lane widening project completed in 2011, allowing the entirety of the Interstate in Georgia to be three lanes in each direction. On January 28, 2017, the new Peach Pass -only South Metro Express Lanes from SR 155 to SR 138 and I-675, opened. On September 8, 2018, new Northwest Corridor Express Lanes from the I-285/I-75 interchange to Hickory Grove Road and from I-75/I-575 interchange to Sixes Road have opened,
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#17327912253951620-835: A national leader in the civil rights movement . King joined with others to form the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC) in Atlanta in 1957 to provide political leadership for the Civil Rights Movement across the South. The civil rights riots of the 1956 Sugar Bowl would also take place in Atlanta after a clash between Georgia Tech 's president Blake R. Van Leer and Governor Marvin Griffin . On February 5, 1958, during
1755-505: A population of more than 6.3 million people in 2023, is the sixth most populous metropolitan area in the United States and contains about 57% of Georgia's entire population. Other major metropolitan areas in the state include Augusta , Savannah , Columbus , and Macon . The Province of Georgia was established in 1732, with its first settlement occurring in 1733 when Savannah was founded. By 1752, Georgia had transitioned into
1890-683: A portion of I-75 in Ooltewah (except a four-lane overpass on I-475 over a railroad track in Macon). I-75 is the only Interstate to traverse the full length of the state from north to south. The entire length of I-75 in Georgia 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. The Georgia Department of Transportation operates two welcome centers at both ends of Interstate 75 and nine rest areas,
2025-592: A portion of western Georgia was carved out to create the Mississippi Territory , which eventually became the U.S. states of Alabama and Mississippi . Georgia declared its secession from the Union on January 19, 1861, joining the ranks of the original seven Confederate States . After the Civil War , it was the last state to be readmitted to the Union on July 15, 1870. In the late 19th century, during
2160-432: A somewhat literal meaning. The state moved to officially adopt the "Alligator Alley" name in 1966. As a two-lane road, Alligator Alley suffered from poor construction and environmental planning. It was also notorious for high-speed accidents including both head-on collisions and collisions with wildlife. The need to improve the road was one of the factors considered in the decision to reroute I-75 onto Alligator Alley, which
2295-531: A state-wide office. Julian Bond , a noted civil rights leader, was elected to the state House in 1965, and served multiple terms there and in the state senate. Atlanta Mayor Ivan Allen Jr. testified before Congress in support of the Civil Rights Act, and Governor Carl Sanders worked with the Kennedy administration to ensure the state's compliance. Ralph McGill , editor and syndicated columnist at
2430-509: A toll collector who was murdered on the job on January 30, 1974. In April 2008, FDOT proposed a 72-mile (116 km) section of Alligator Alley to be leased to private operators. The additional revenue the state would receive was one of primary motives to privatize this section of Alligator Alley. However, the motion failed in May 2009 when no bids were received that met the required terms. FDOT contracted Prince Contracting in 2015 to construct
2565-714: A toll road that runs from the Collier Boulevard (exit 101) toll plaza to the U.S. Highway 27 (US 27) toll plaza (exit 23). It was originally constructed as a two-lane highway before it was converted to a four-lane highway meeting Interstate Highway standards. At this point, I-75 loses a lane in each direction, heading west, losing another lane west of the US ;27 interchange. The Alligator Alley section of I-75 runs due east–west between exit 19 in Sunrise and exit 101 just east of Naples and
2700-690: A training mission flown by a B-47 , a Mark 15 nuclear bomb , also known as the Tybee Bomb , was lost off the coast of Tybee Island near Savannah. The bomb was thought by the Department of Energy to lie buried in silt at the bottom of Wassaw Sound . By the 1960s, the proportion of African Americans in Georgia had declined to 28% of the state's population, after waves of migration to the North and some immigration by whites. With their voting power diminished, it took some years for African Americans to win
2835-404: A transportation hub, in 1991 UPS established its headquarters in the suburb of Sandy Springs . In 1992, construction finished on Bank of America Plaza , the tallest building in the U.S. outside of New York or Chicago. On February 19th, 2003, Georgia adopted its current state flag , resembling the state's first official flag. In 2024, it was announced that Atlanta would host multiple games during
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#17327912253952970-506: A variety of pines, oaks, hollies, cypress , sweetgum , scaly-bark and white hickories , and sabal palmetto . East Georgia is in the subtropical coniferous forest biome and conifer species as other broadleaf evergreen flora make up the majority of the southern and coastal regions. Yellow jasmine and mountain laurel make up just a few of the flowering shrubs in the state. White-tailed deer are found in nearly all counties of Georgia. The northern mockingbird and brown thrasher are among
3105-495: Is 112 °F (44 °C) in Louisville on July 24, 1952, while the lowest is −17 °F (−27 °C) in northern Floyd County on January 27, 1940. Georgia is one of the leading states in frequency of tornadoes , though they are rarely stronger than EF1 . Although tornadoes striking the city are very rare, an EF2 tornado hit downtown Atlanta on March 14, 2008, causing moderate to severe damage to various buildings. With
3240-464: Is currently entirely within Central Texas and is proposed to be extended to Augusta . Note: exit numbers along Georgia Interstates were renumbered in 1999 and 2000 to be mileage based instead of being sequential. There are three auxiliary Interstate Highways related to I-75 in Georgia and a fourth that was proposed. I-175 was a proposed spur from Albany northeast to Cordele . The road
3375-499: Is felt chiefly in the mountainous areas of the northern part of the state, which are farther away from the ocean and can be 4,500 feet (1,400 m) above sea level. The USDA plant hardiness zones for Georgia range from zone 6b (no colder than −5 °F (−21 °C)) in the Blue Ridge Mountains to zone 8b (no colder than 15 °F (−9 °C) ) along the Atlantic coast and Florida border. The highest temperature ever recorded
3510-417: Is now named Hartsfield–Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL). The busiest and most efficient airport in the world, it accommodates more than a hundred million passengers annually. Employing more than 60,000 people, the airport became a major engine for economic growth. With the advantages of cheap real estate, low taxes, right-to-work laws and a regulatory environment limiting government interference,
3645-656: Is one of only two sections along the Interstate's entirety that is tolled (the other is the Mackinac Bridge in northern Michigan). Tolls are $ 3.75 for a two-axle vehicle as of July 1, 2023, and are collected in both directions. The highway's toll plazas accept both cash and transponders in the SunPass network and are located at either entrance to Alligator Alley. The toll facilities along Alligator Alley and toll revenue collected from them are overseen by Florida's Turnpike Enterprise (FTE). There are two interchanges along
3780-516: Is one of the longest continuous multi-state six-lane freeways in the US (some segments along this corridor have as many as 16 lanes). Due to recent lane widening in southern Georgia completed in 2011, the only four-lane section of I-75 in Georgia is bypassed by six-lane I-475; along this route, there are at least six lanes from the Alligator Alley portion of I-75 in Naples, Florida , to
3915-499: Is proposed to be extended to Augusta . What would become the general routing of I-75 in Georgia was initially used by the western routing of the Dixie Highway beginning in 1916. Established in 1926, the Interstate's direct predecessor in Georgia is US 41, a national highway that has been largely supplanted in favor of the federally-funded freeway built under the Interstate Highway System —though limited-access elements of
4050-549: The Atlanta Constitution , earned admiration by writing in support of the Civil Rights Movement. In 1970, newly elected Governor Jimmy Carter declared in his inaugural address that the era of racial segregation had ended. In 1972, Georgians elected Andrew Young to Congress as the first African American Congressman since the Reconstruction era . In 1980, construction was completed on an expansion of what
4185-421: The 1980 census , 1,584,303 people from Georgia claimed English ancestry out of a total state population of 3,994,817, making them 40% of the state, and the largest ethnic group at the time. Today, many of these same people claiming they are of "American" ancestry are actually of English descent, and some are of Scots-Irish descent; however, their families have lived in the state for so long, in many cases since
Interstate 75 in Georgia - Misplaced Pages Continue
4320-773: The 2020 United States census . This was an increase of 1,024,255, or 10.57% over the 2010 figure of 9,687,653 residents. As of 2010 , the number of illegal immigrants living in Georgia more than doubled to 480,000 from January 2000 to January 2009, according to a federal report. That gave Georgia the greatest percentage increase among the 10 states with the biggest undocumented immigrant populations during those years. Georgia has banned sanctuary cities . In 2018, The top countries of origin for Georgia's immigrants were Mexico , India , Jamaica , Korea , and Guatemala . There were 743,000 veterans in 2009. According to HUD 's 2022 Annual Homeless Assessment Report , there were an estimated 10,689 homeless people in Georgia. In
4455-692: The 2026 FIFA World Cup , which further substantiated the economic investment and growth in the city and state. Beginning from the Atlantic Ocean, the state's eastern border with South Carolina runs up the Savannah River , northwest to its origin at the confluence of the Tugaloo and Seneca Rivers . It then continues up the Tugaloo (originally Tugalo) and into the Chattooga River , its most significant tributary . These bounds were decided in
4590-545: The American Civil War , were almost exclusively enslaved. The Great Migration of hundreds of thousands of blacks from the rural South to the industrial North from 1914 to 1970 reduced the African American population. Georgia had the second-fastest-growing Asian population growth in the U.S. from 1990 to 2000, more than doubling in size during the ten-year period. Indian people and Chinese people are
4725-990: The Apalachicola , the Chatot , the Yuchi , the Chiaha, the Chickasaw , the Okmulgee, the Shawnee and the Timucua . Today there are no federally recognized tribes in Georgia, but there are three state-recognized tribes. Many inhabitants of Georgia identify as being Native American alone (32,151 people in 2010 census and 50,618 in 2020) or Native American in combination with one or more other races (51,873 people in 2010 census and 163,423 in 2020). Many Georgians also reported belonging to various Native American tribes in 2010 census,
4860-579: The Chattahoochee River near West Point . It continues downriver to the point where it joins the Flint River (the confluence of the two forming Florida's Apalachicola River ); the southern border goes almost due east and very slightly south, in a straight line to the St. Mary's River , which then forms the remainder of the boundary back to the ocean. The water boundaries are still set to be
4995-563: The Confederacy (with secessionists having a slight majority of delegates) and became a major theater of the Civil War . Major battles took place at Chickamauga , Kennesaw Mountain , and Atlanta . In December 1864, a large swath of the state from Atlanta to Savannah was destroyed during General William Tecumseh Sherman 's March to the Sea . 18,253 Georgian soldiers died in service, roughly one of every five who served. In 1870, following
5130-627: The Downtown Connector . In 1996, HOV lanes were also added from I-285 on the south side of Atlanta to I-285 on the north side of Atlanta. In 1998, the portion of I-75 that from the Chattahoochee River north to the Tennessee state line was named the Larry McDonald Memorial Highway . Larry McDonald , a conservative Democratic representative to Congress , was aboard Korean Air Lines Flight 007 when it
5265-615: The Eastern Continental Divide , has been Georgia's capital city since 1868. It is the most populous city in Georgia, with a 2020 U.S. census population of just over 498,000. The state has seventeen cities with populations over 50,000, based on official 2020 U.S. census data. Along with the rest of the Southeast, Georgia's population continues to grow rapidly, with primary gains concentrated in urban areas. The U.S. Census Bureau lists fourteen metropolitan areas in
5400-544: The Homestead Extension of Florida's Turnpike before crossing into Broward County . There, it continues through the western suburbs of Pembroke Pines , Weston , Miramar , Davie , and Southwest Ranches . At the junction of SR 869 (Sawgrass Expressway) and I-595 , I-75 (while maintaining its south–north status) enters a west–east trajectory as it crosses the Everglades by way of Alligator Alley,
5535-514: The Interstate Highway System . Construction of the original route from the Georgia border to Tampa via Gainesville and Ocala lasted through most of the 1960s. The first segment of I-75 to open in Florida was from the Georgia border to SR 6 just south of Jennings , which opened in 1963. It would reach US 90 in Lake City later that year. By mid-1964, I-75 opened from Lake City to
Interstate 75 in Georgia - Misplaced Pages Continue
5670-556: The Lee Roy Selmon Expressway (SR 618) and I-4 . Within the Tampa Bay metropolitan area, many interchanges are far more complex than mere diamond , cloverleaf , or even single-point urban interchanges. Aside from the large turbine interchange with I-4 (exit 261), there are interchanges with SR 582 (Fowler Avenue; exit 265) and SR 579 (Fletcher Avenue/Morris Bridge Road; exit 266) that contain both loops and flyovers. A flyover ramp
5805-479: The North Georgia mountains , receives moderate to heavy precipitation, which varies from 45 inches (1,100 mm) in central Georgia to approximately 75 inches (1,900 mm) around the northeast part of the state. The degree to which the weather of a certain region of Georgia is subtropical depends on the latitude, its proximity to the Atlantic Ocean or Gulf of Mexico , and the elevation. The latter factor
5940-538: The Reconstruction era , Georgia became the last Confederate state to be restored to the Union . With white Democrats having regained power in the state legislature, they passed a poll tax in 1877, which disenfranchised many poor black (and some white) people, preventing them from registering. In 1908, the state established a white primary ; with the only competitive contests within the Democratic Party, it
6075-766: The Southern Baptist Convention with 1,759,317; the United Methodist Church with 619,394; and the Roman Catholic Church with 596,384. Non-denominational Evangelical Protestant had 566,782 members, the Church of God (Cleveland, Tennessee) has 175,184 members, and the National Baptist Convention, USA, Inc. has 172,982 members. The Presbyterian Church (USA) is the largest Presbyterian body in
6210-673: The Tampa Bay area metropolis consisting of Tampa and St. Petersburg . North of Ellenton , I-275 splits from I-75 to serve St. Petersburg and Pinellas County via the Sunshine Skyway Bridge and Tampa via the Howard Frankland Bridge . I-75 parallels the eastern shore of Tampa Bay as a bypass route of the Tampa Bay area , as it passes by the communities of Brandon , Temple Terrace , and New Tampa . Two expressways access Downtown Tampa from I-75:
6345-692: The Tennessee River . Georgia consists of five principal physiographic regions : The Cumberland Plateau , Ridge-and-Valley Appalachians , Blue Ridge Mountains , Piedmont , and the Atlantic coastal plain . Each region has its own distinctive characteristics. For instance, the region, which lies in the northwest corner of the state, includes limestone, sandstone, shale, and other sedimentary rocks, which have yielded construction-grade limestone, barite, ocher, and small amounts of coal. The state of Georgia has approximately 250 tree species and 58 protected plants. Georgia's native trees include red cedar ,
6480-407: The civil rights movement . Atlanta was chosen to host the 1996 Summer Olympics , celebrating the centennial of the modern Olympic Games . Since 1945, Georgia has experienced significant population and economic expansion, aligning with the larger Sun Belt trend. Between 2007 and 2008, 14 of Georgia's counties were listed among the 100 fastest-growing in the United States. Georgia is defined by
6615-571: The 160 bird species that live in the state. Reptiles include the eastern diamondback , copperhead , and cottonmouth snakes as well as alligators; amphibians include salamanders , frogs and toads . There are about 79 species of reptile and 63 amphibians known to live in Georgia. The Argentine black and white tegu is currently an invasive species in Georgia. It poses a problem to local wildlife by chasing down and killing many native species and dominating habitats. The most popular freshwater game fish are trout , bream , bass , and catfish , all but
6750-420: The 1797 Treaty of Beaufort , and tested in the U.S. Supreme Court in the two Georgia v. South Carolina cases in 1923 and 1989. The border then takes a sharp turn around the tip of Rabun County , at latitude 35°N , though from this point it diverges slightly south (due to inaccuracies in the original survey, conducted in 1818). This northern border was originally the Georgia and North Carolina border all
6885-562: The 18th century from rice-growing regions of West Africa led to the development of Gullah -Geechee language and culture in the Low Country among African Americans. They share a unique heritage in which many African traditions of food, religion and culture were retained. In the creolization of Southern culture, their foodways became an integral part of Low Country cooking. Sephardic Jews, French-speaking Swiss people, Moravians, Irish convicts, Piedmont Italians and Russian people immigrated to
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#17327912253957020-410: The 4th state to ratify the United States Constitution on January 2, 1788. After the Creek War (1813–1814) , General Andrew Jackson forced the Muscogee (Creek) tribes to surrender land to the state of Georgia, including in the Treaty of Fort Jackson (1814) , surrendering 21 million acres in what is now southern Georgia and central Alabama, and the Treaty of Indian Springs (1825) . In 1829, gold
7155-470: The 75-mile (121 km) tolled portion of Alligator Alley in addition to three rest areas and a number of scenic outlook points as the highway crosses the Everglades. I-75 enters Collier County along Alligator Alley just west of the Snake Road exit (exit 49) and passes through the Big Cypress National Preserve between the Collier County border and SR 29 (exit 80). Several small bridges along Alligator Alley allow wildlife to pass safely under
7290-426: The Atlanta metropolitan area became a national center of finance, insurance, technology, manufacturing, real estate, logistics, and transportation companies, as well as the film, convention, and trade show businesses. As a testament to the city's growing international profile, in 1990 the International Olympic Committee selected Atlanta as the site of the 1996 Summer Olympics . Taking advantage of Atlanta's status as
7425-461: The Dolphin Expressway, with its left exits and narrow lanes, was not being built to Interstate Highway standards , with the costs to upgrade it being too expensive. By using this route, I-75 would run along the alley to the proposed Port Everglades Expressway, where it would turn south along a new freeway through the western suburbs of Weston and Pembroke Pines to Miami. It was still planned to continue east to I-95, but, due to local opposition, I-75
7560-492: The Georgia coastline, brushing the coast on their way north without ever making landfall. Hurricane Matthew of 2016 and Hurricane Dorian of 2019 did just that. Due to anthropogenic climate change , the climate of Georgia is warming. This is already causing major disruption, for example, from sea level rise (Georgia is more vulnerable to it than many other states because its land is sinking) and further warming will increase it. Atlanta , located in north-central Georgia at
7695-546: The I-75 and SR 826 (Palmetto Expressway) corridors, from just south of the SR 836 (Dolphin Expressway), in Miami-Dade County , to I-595 in Broward County . The project completed another section of the South Florida managed lanes network for all motorists and improves mobility, relieves congestion, provides additional travel options, and accommodates future growth in the area. The 75 Express Lanes project extends 15 miles (24 km) along I-75 from Northwest 170th Street, in Miami-Dade County, to I-595, in Broward County. Work
7830-478: The Interstate existed as early as 1951. With a length of 355.1 miles (571.5 km), I-75 is the longest Interstate Highway in Georgia. It enters the state near Valdosta , and it continues northward through the towns of Tifton and Cordele until it reaches the Macon area, where it intersects with I-16 eastbound toward Savannah . For northbound traffic, I-475 provides a relatively straight bypass west of that city and I-75's route. After Macon, I-75 passes
7965-418: The Interstate south to Miami began in 1968 after massive growth in Southwest Florida , which resulted in I-75 being realigned to travel on the eastern fringes of the Tampa Bay area, and the last portion of the highway was opened in 1993. For Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) inventory purposes, it is designated as State Road 93 (SR 93) for most of its length in Florida (with exception to
8100-520: The Palmetto Expressway in 1986. The Alligator Alley segment of I-75 extends from a toll plaza just east of Naples to an interchange with I-595 and the Sawgrass Expressway (SR 869) in Sunrise just west of Fort Lauderdale . The highway previously existed as a two-lane tollway connecting the two coasts of Florida. Initially known as the Everglades Parkway ( SR 84 ), it opened for traffic on February 11, 1968, after four years of construction. Built by H. L. Mills Construction Company, it had been called
8235-465: The Supreme Court's ruling in Worcester v. Georgia (1832) that U.S. states were not permitted to redraw Indian boundaries, President Jackson and the state of Georgia ignored the ruling. In 1838, his successor, Martin Van Buren , dispatched federal troops to gather the tribes and deport them west of the Mississippi . This forced relocation, known as the Trail of Tears , led to the death of more than four thousand Cherokees. In early 1861, Georgia joined
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#17327912253958370-511: The Tampa Bay area, where SR 93 follows I-275 , while SR 93A travels with I-75 in the latter's bypass of the area). I-75 begins its northward journey at an interchange with SR 826 (Palmetto Expressway) and SR 924 (Gratigny Parkway) on the Hialeah – Miami Lakes border, near Miami. As it curves around the border of Miami Lakes, I-75 serves some of the western fringes of South Florida as an eight-lane highway. After an exit with SR 860 , I-75 has an interchange with
8505-437: The United States, the BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir Atlanta , located in the suburb city of Lilburn . Georgia is home to large Sikh religion population with 4 gurudwaras (Sikh religious worship places). Georgia is home to several historic synagogues including The Temple (Atlanta) , Congregation Beth Jacob (Atlanta) , and Congregation Mickve Israel (Savannah) . Chabad and the Rohr Jewish Learning Institute are also active in
8640-482: The Withlacoochee State Forest itself. The Withlacoochee State Trail runs beneath I-75 between US 98 / SR 50 (exit 301) and the Hernando–Sumter county line, where it also crosses over the Withlacoochee River . All of I-75 from the Georgia border to Tampa is three lanes in each direction, unless closed for construction. This is to accommodate for the immense number of tourists and vacationers that come to Florida. After Florida's Turnpike, I-75 changes into
8775-437: The adjoining interchange with Florida's Turnpike (exit 328). This included adding a collector–distributor ramp in each direction along I-75 leading to the interchange northbound, and leading from SR 44 to the southbound Turnpike, as well as widening I-75 to six lanes in each direction leading to the interchange, and adding another access point from the northbound Turnpike to SR 44 (exit 307). The project, which
8910-408: The central business district of Atlanta. The two Interstates intersect I-20 in downtown. Several miles north of the I-20 interchange, the two Interstates split, I-75 heads in a general northwest direction while I-85 heads northeast, crossing outside the I-285 Perimeter and heading toward the major suburban city of Marietta . This section of I-75 just north of I-285 has 16 through lanes, making it
9045-423: The colonial period, that they choose to identify simply as having "American" ancestry or do not in fact know their own ancestry. Their ancestry primarily goes back to the original thirteen colonies and for this reason many of them today simply claim "American" ancestry, though they are of predominantly English ancestry. Historically, about half of Georgia's population was composed of African Americans who, before
9180-399: The colony's settlement, known as the Oglethorpe Plan , which envisioned an agrarian society of yeoman farmers and prohibited slavery. The colony was invaded by the Spanish in 1742, during the War of Jenkins' Ear . In 1752, after the government failed to renew subsidies that had helped support the colony, the Trustees turned over control to the crown . Georgia became a crown colony , with
9315-418: The converted Alligator Alley was the final link of the I-75 extension. The segment was signed I-75 on November 25, 1992, completing the highway from Miami to Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan . The highway is well known for its predominantly flat character and the extraordinarily linear path the highway follows. In January 2000, the west end toll plaza of Alligator Alley was dedicated to the memory of Edward J. Beck,
9450-399: The current interchange between I-4 and I-275, with I-4, which was completed in the Tampa Bay area by 1962, continuing west along what is now I-275 over the Howard Frankland Bridge into St. Petersburg ). Plans for I-75 from Tampa to Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan , were authorized as part of the Federal-Aid Highway Act of 1956 , signed into law by President Dwight D. Eisenhower , which created
9585-404: The decision to shift I-75's proposed route to cross the Everglades along Alligator Alley over environmental concerns related to upgrading the Tamiami Trail, which runs along the northern border of Everglades National Park . Additionally, Alligator Alley itself needed upgrading, as the then-narrow toll road was dangerous to both motorists and wildlife (most notably the Florida panther ) alike, and
9720-556: The depressed sections of the Downtown Connector which were completed in 1988. I-75 widening from I-285 and Aviation Boulevard to the Downtown Connector was completed by late 1984. I-75 widening from the Brookwood Interchange to the Chattahoochee River and Cobb County line was widened in the early 1980s and completed by 1985. Work on the Downtown Connector portion began in 1984, and included redesigning
9855-494: The extension using funds allocated by the Federal-Aid Highway Act of 1968 , which was signed into law by President Lyndon B. Johnson . In preparation for the extension, I-75's designation was extended along the preexisting route of I-4 over the Howard Frankland Bridge into St. Petersburg by the end of 1969 (I-4's designation would be truncated to its current terminus at this time). From St. Petersburg, I-75
9990-574: The flat Atlantic Coastal Plains in southeast Georgia to the rolling mountains of North Georgia . In Downtown Atlanta , I-75 runs concurrently with I-85 as the Downtown Connector . The segment from SR 49 in Byron to I-16 in Macon is part of the Fall Line Freeway and may be incorporated into the eastern extension of I-14 , which is currently entirely within Central Texas and
10125-716: The freeway, especially along the Florida Panther National Wildlife Refuge east of SR 29. Extensive fencing also prevents wildlife from interfering with traffic. As it approaches Naples at County Road 951 (exit 101), Alligator Alley ends. The interstate is toll-free for the rest of its length in Florida and makes a sharp turn north, resuming its south–north trajectory, and as it parallels Florida's west coast, it becomes six lanes. As it continues north, I-75 passes near Bonita Springs , Fort Myers , Punta Gorda , Port Charlotte , Venice , Sarasota , and Bradenton before reaching
10260-407: The highway was under construction from University Avenue to Glenn Street. It was open from Williams Street to US 41/SR 3E in the central part of Atlanta. By mid-1957, the highway was opened from University Avenue to Glenn Street. It was also open from Williams Street to US 41/SR 3E in the northwest part of Atlanta. By the middle of 1960, a short segment southeast of Williams Street
10395-478: The junction with Florida's Turnpike (exit 328, accessible from southbound I-75 only (although northbound travelers can access the Turnpike from I-75's exit 329 and follow SR 44 to the Turnpike's exit 304)). Widened median segments exist in northern Pasco, Hernando, and Sumter counties north of County Road 476B (exit 309). Some of these median segments are actually considered part of
10530-400: The lanes require a Peach Pass to use. The I-75/I-16 interchange is being revamped with extra ramps to and from US 23/US 129/SR 49. GDOT estimates that the final portion of the project will be bid on in 2023. The segment of I-75 from SR 49 in Byron to I-16 in Macon is part of the Fall Line Freeway and may be incorporated into the eastern extension of I-14 , which
10665-400: The largest Asian groups in Georgia. In addition, according to census estimates, Georgia ranks third among the states in terms of the percent of the total population that is African American (after Mississippi and Louisiana ) and third in numeric Black population after New York and Florida. Georgia also has a sizeable Latino population. Many are of Mexican descent. Georgia is the state with
10800-691: The largest of which was the Cherokee (21,525 people). Other tribes reported in Georgia in 2010 included for example the Muscogee (2,370 people), the Choctaw (1,419), the Sioux (1,027), the Seminole (664) and more. Georgia's 2018 total gross state product was $ 602 billion. For years Georgia as a state has had the highest credit rating by Standard & Poor's (AAA) and is one of only 15 states with
10935-441: The last of which are produced in state hatcheries for restocking. Popular saltwater game fish include red drum , spotted seatrout , flounder , and tarpon . Porpoises , whales, shrimp , oysters , and blue crabs are found inshore and offshore of the Georgia coast. The majority of the state is primarily a humid subtropical climate . Hot and humid summers are typical, except at the highest elevations. The entire state, including
11070-498: The massive interchange between I-20 and I-75/I-85 and the design and construction of 55 bridges over the connector portion alone. The project was completed in November 1988. In addition to the general-purpose lanes added in the 1980s, provisions for high-occupancy vehicle lanes (HOV lanes) and dedicated onramps at Williams Street, Piedmont Avenue , and Memorial Drive were built and were subsequently converted to HOV usage in 1996 on
11205-531: The morning of January 18, 2023. Another diverging diamond interchange with SR 56 (exit 275) was initially proposed in May 2018; construction on the revamped intersection began in February 2019, and it was completed in 2022. Several rest area facilities exist along I-75 throughout the state. In addition, there are separate facilities for each direction of the Interstate in Hamilton and Suwannee counties, southbound and northbound, respectively, and
11340-501: The most controversial roadway ever built in Florida during its initial construction. The name "Alligator Alley" was given by the American Automobile Association (AAA) while it was being planned as they believed it would be useless to cars and merely an "alley for alligators ". However, as alligators often frequent the waterways beside the road, and occasionally the roadway itself, the nickname has developed
11475-728: The most of any interstate highway within the state. The northbound welcome center is located between exits 2 and 5 The southbound welcome center is located between exits 353 and 350. The other rest areas include two in Cook County, two in Turner County, two in Dooly County, one southbound rest area in Monroe County, and two in Gordon County. The general routing of I-75 within Georgia was originally developed as
11610-606: The newly completed Florida's Turnpike (known then as the Sunshine State Parkway) in Wildwood . Segments of the original route that are now part of I-275 near Tampa would begin opening in 1966, and construction of the full route would be completed by 1969. Due to major growth in Southwest Florida (particularly Fort Myers and Naples), it was becoming clear that this part of the state would soon need
11745-598: The northwest part of Atlanta to its northern interchange with I-285. It was also under construction from SR 53 in Calhoun to the Tennessee state line. Between 1963 and 1965, it was open from US 41/SR 7 in Unadilla to Hartley Bridge Road south-southwest of Macon. It was proposed from Hartley Bridge Road to I-16 in Macon. It was under construction from I-16 to its northern interchange with I-475 near Bolingbroke. It
11880-530: The northwest, North Carolina to the north, South Carolina to the northeast, the Atlantic Ocean to the southeast, Florida to the south, and Alabama to the west. Of the 50 United States , Georgia is the 24th-largest by area and eighth most populous . According to the U.S. Census Bureau , its 2023 estimated population was 11,029,227. Atlanta , a global city , is both the state's capital and its largest city. The Atlanta metropolitan area , with
12015-551: The number "1" and increase numerically with each exit. In 2000, the Georgia Department of Transportation (GDOT) switched to a mileage-based exit system, in which the exit number corresponded to the nearest milepost. In March 2007, I-75's HOV ramp serving Northside Drive in Atlanta was the site of the Bluffton University bus crash where 7 out 35 people on board the bus were killed. The highway had
12150-571: The option of renumbering I-75E into I-75W was scrapped, with the I-75E designation instead being renumbered to what is known today as I-275, and both the I-75 and I-275 designations were swapped into their current configuration in 1973. I-75 reached as far south as 38th Avenue North in St. Petersburg when the designations were switched. Despite the designation switch, both freeways' hidden designations still reflect
12285-548: The original thalweg of the rivers. Since then, several have been inundated by lakes created by dams, including the Apalachicola/Chattahoochee/Flint point now under Lake Seminole . An 1818 survey erroneously placed Georgia's border with Tennessee one mile (1.6 km) south of the intended location of the 35th parallel north. State legislators still dispute this placement , as correction of this inaccuracy would allow Georgia access to water from
12420-875: The originally planned routing, with I-75's SR 93 designation following I-275, and the current route of I-75 on the bypass being designated SR 93A. Construction on the bypass segment of I-75 began in 1979. The initially favored proposal for I-75 to reach Miami from Naples was to have I-75 run along the Tamiami Trail (US 41) across the Everglades to just east of the SR ;826 (Palmetto Expressway) where it would continue along SR 836 (Dolphin Expressway) and terminate at I-95 and I-395 in Downtown Miami . However, in 1973, planners made
12555-476: The post- Reconstruction period, Georgia's economy underwent significant changes, driven by a coalition of influential politicians, business leaders, and journalists, notably Henry W. Grady , who promoted the " New South " ideology focused on reconciliation and industrialization . In the mid-20th century, several notable figures from Georgia, including Martin Luther King Jr. , emerged as key leaders in
12690-426: The rising maintenance cost and the availability of newer technology. Intelligent transportation systems (ITS) are used throughout the Interstate. ITS is a fiber optic system of traffic cameras, overhead message signs, microwave vehicle detectors, travel time sensors, road and weather information sensors, and highway advisory radios. FDOT has a data-share agreement with Waze which provides real-time information for
12825-503: The second-highest total of these extralegal executions of any state in the South. The overwhelming number of victims were black and male. Political disfranchisement persisted through the mid-1960s, until after Congress passed the Voting Rights Act of 1965 . An Atlanta-born Baptist minister who was part of the educated middle class that had developed in Atlanta's African-American community, Martin Luther King Jr. , emerged as
12960-696: The segment from US 301 in Manatee County south to River Road near Venice opened, which would be completed south to the southern segment in Punta Gorda later that year. It would reach Alligator Alley in Naples by 1984. The route from Tampa to Naples would be complete by 1986 as segments of the Tampa bypass were opened from 1982 to 1986. In the Miami area, I-75 was opened from US 27 to its terminus at
13095-461: The small town of Forsyth . The freeway reaches no major junctions again until in the Atlanta metropolitan area . The first metropolitan freeway met is I-675 , then followed by the Atlanta "Perimeter" bypass, I-285 . It crosses inside the Perimeter and heads north several miles toward the Atlanta city center. I-75 then runs concurrently with I-85 due north over the Downtown Connector through
13230-477: The state and entering Georgia . I-75 runs for 471 miles (758 km) in Florida, making it the longest Interstate in the state and also the longest in any state east of the Mississippi River . The Interstate's speed limit is 70 mph (110 km/h) for its entire length in Florida. The portion of I-75 from Tampa northward was a part of the original 1955 Interstate Highway plans, with I-75's southern terminus at I-4 's current western terminus. Planning to extend
13365-489: The state during the colonial era. As of 2011 , 58.8% of Georgia's population younger than 1 were minorities (meaning they had at least one parent who was not non-Hispanic white) compared to other states like California with 75.1%, Texas with 69.8%, and New York with 55.6%. The largest European ancestry groups as of 2011 were: English 8.1%, Irish 8.1%, and German 7.2%. As of 2021 , 85.62% (8,711,102) of Georgia residents age 5 and older spoke English at home as
13500-489: The state is Brasstown Bald , reaching 4,784 feet (1,458 m) above sea level, while the lowest point is at the Atlantic Ocean . Except for some elevated areas in the Blue Ridge, Georgia predominantly experiences a humid subtropical climate . Among the states located entirely east of the Mississippi River, Georgia ranks as the largest in terms of land area . Before settlement by European colonists , Georgia
13635-605: The state's first diverging diamond interchange at the University Parkway (exit 213) interchange. The $ 74.5-million (equivalent to $ 91.1 million in 2023 ) project started construction in August 2015 and completed in September 2017. The interchange handles more than 80,000 vehicles per day and reduced intersection delays by 50 percent. FDOT implemented express lanes along 28 miles (45 km) of
13770-440: The state's official state beverage . Motorist-aid call boxes were installed starting in 1973, initially from the Georgia line to Lake City, eventually being installed on both outside shoulders of the road every one mile (1.6 km) to allow drivers to indicate the need for gasoline, repair (tire or engine), or emergency services (police, ambulance, or fire). The majority of the call boxes were removed in late 2013 because of
13905-595: The state, with 300 congregations and 100,000 members. The other large body, Presbyterian Church in America , had at its founding date 14 congregations and 2,800 members; in 2010 it counted 139 congregations and 32,000 members. The Roman Catholic Church is noteworthy in Georgia's urban areas, and includes the Archdiocese of Atlanta and the Diocese of Savannah . Georgia is home to the second-largest Hindu temple in
14040-423: The state. By the 2022 Public Religion Research Institute 's study, 71% of the population were Christian; throughout its Christian population, 60% were Protestant and 8% were Catholic. Jehovah's Witnesses and Mormons collectively made up 3% of other Christians according to the study. Judaism , Islam , Buddhism , and Hinduism collectively formed 4% of the state's non-Christian population; New Age spirituality
14175-616: The state. The first I-75 Business Loop (I-75 BL) runs through central Valdosta mostly concurrent with US 221 . The second I-75 BL runs through downtown Tifton mostly concurrent with US 41 , and a third one that runs through Cordele . There was a former I-75 BL in Adel – Sparks . Georgia (U.S. state) Georgia is a state in the Southeastern region of the United States . It borders Tennessee to
14310-561: The state. The population of the Atlanta metropolitan area added 1.23 million people (24%) between 2000 and 2010, and Atlanta rose in rank from the eleventh-largest metropolitan area in the United States to the ninth-largest . The Atlanta metropolitan area is the cultural and economic center of the Southeast ; its official population in 2020 was over 6 million, or 57% of Georgia's total population. The United States Census Bureau reported Georgia's official population to be 10,711,908 as of
14445-462: The third-lowest percentage of older people (65 or older), at 12.8 percent (as of 2015 ). The colonial settlement of large numbers of Scottish American , English American and Scotch-Irish Americans in the mountains and Piedmont, and coastal settlement by some English Americans and African Americans, have strongly influenced the state's culture in food, language and music. The concentration of African slaves repeatedly "imported" to coastal areas in
14580-470: The way to the Mississippi River , until Tennessee was divided from North Carolina , and the Yazoo companies induced the legislature of Georgia to pass an act, approved by the governor in 1795, to sell the greater part of Georgia's territory presently comprising Alabama and Mississippi . The state's western border runs in a straight line south-southeastward from a point southwest of Chattanooga , to meet
14715-488: The western parts of the Miami metropolitan area before traveling westward across Alligator Alley (also known as Everglades Parkway ), resuming its northward direction in Naples , running along Florida's Gulf Coast , and passing the cities of Fort Myers , Punta Gorda , Venice , and Sarasota . The freeway passes through the Tampa Bay area before turning inward toward Ocala , Gainesville , and Lake City before leaving
14850-467: The western routing of the Dixie Highway . The western route of the Dixie Highway as designated in 1916, followed present-day US 41 south from the Tennessee border through Atlanta and Macon south to Echeconnee, Georgia . The section that would become US 41, I-75's direct predecessor, from Echeconnee south through Perry and Valdosta to the border with Florida was paved beginning in 1919 and
14985-581: The widest roadway anywhere in the Interstate Highway System . North of Marietta, the final major junction in the Atlanta metropolitan area is the I-575 spur. I-75 then traverses the hilly North Georgia terrain as it travels toward Chattanooga, Tennessee . The 190-mile-long (310 km) section of I-75 from the northern I-475 intersection to the US ;11 / US 64 intersection in Ooltewah, Tennessee ,
15120-418: The work to widen interstates across Atlanta including I-75 from six to eight lanes and the Downtown Connector to 10 lanes including the elimination of sharp curves and grades, left-hand exits, excessive interchanges, and short acceleration/deceleration lanes, took place in the 1980s. Construction began with widening I-285 first, beginning in 1976, continued to the radiating expressways, and concluded with
15255-819: Was 2% of the religious population. Approximately 23% of the state was irreligious . Population percentage of Georgia in the United States 2010: 3.14% 2020: 3.23% Tribes which historically lived in what is now Georgia include the Muscogee (including the Hitchiti subgroup), the Cherokee , the Oconi , the Guale , the Yamasee and the Apalachee . Other tribes which at various times lived in or migrated through Georgia include
15390-533: Was 70% Protestant, 9% Catholic, 1% Mormon, 1% Jewish, 0.5% Muslim, 0.5% Buddhist, and 0.5% Hindu. Atheists , deists , agnostics, and other unaffiliated people make up 13% of the population. Overall, Christianity was the dominant religion in the state, as part of the Bible Belt . According to the Association of Religion Data Archives in 2010, the largest Christian denominations by number of adherents were
15525-537: Was an unnamed expressway that was open in 1951 from the southern part of Atlanta to University Avenue. It was projected from University Avenue to Williams Street in Downtown Atlanta. This expressway was open from Williams Street to what is now the northern end of the Downtown Connector. It was also proposed from the Downtown Connector to the northwest part of Atlanta. By late 1953, this expressway
15660-561: Was another way to exclude black people from politics. They constituted 46.7% of the state's population in 1900, but the proportion of Georgia's population that was African American dropped thereafter to 28%, primarily due to tens of thousands leaving the state during the Great Migration . According to the Equal Justice Initiative 's 2015 report on lynching in the United States (1877–1950), Georgia had 531 deaths,
15795-576: Was built from southbound SR 581 (Bruce B. Downs Boulevard; exit 270) to southbound I-75. At the Hillsborough – Pasco county line (south of SR 56 (exit 275)), I-275 rejoins I-75 (at exit 274, southbound only) and I-75 changes into a southwest–northeast trajectory as it passes through Pasco, Hernando , and Sumter counties where it runs through parts of the Withlacoochee State Forest on its way to
15930-480: Was built, but not as a freeway ; it is SR 300 , the Florida–Georgia Parkway. I-475 is a western bypass of Macon , shortening the trip for through I-75 traffic. I-575 is a spur from near Marietta north to Canton and Nelson , and I-675 is a cutoff from I-75 south of Atlanta north to I-285 (Atlanta's perimeter )—east of I-75. Additionally, there are three business routes of I-75 in
16065-549: Was completed in four segments to minimize the effects on the public. Construction began in early 2014 and was completed in 2018. The total project cost $ 481 million (equivalent to $ 575 million in 2023 ). In 2015, the Central Florida Expressway Authority (CFX), FDOT, and FTE announced a $ 68.5-million (equivalent to $ 86.1 million in 2023 ) project to make several improvements to I-75's interchange with SR 44 (exit 329) and
16200-566: Was determined that maintaining the main route of I-75 through Downtown Tampa would eventually require major improvements to the existing infrastructure to handle through traffic. As a result, it was decided that I-75 would be re-routed and instead follow the bypass route. FDOT could have renumbered I-75E into what could have possibly been Interstate 75W ( I-75W ), but, due to a 1973-based American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) rule indicating that suffixed routes were to be renumbered to reduce motorist confusion,
16335-763: Was discovered in the North Georgia mountains leading to the Georgia Gold Rush and establishment of a federal mint in Dahlonega , which continued in operation until 1861. The resulting influx of American settlers put pressure on the federal U.S. government to take land from the Cherokee Nation . In 1830, President Andrew Jackson signed into law the Indian Removal Act , sending many eastern Indian nations to reservations in present-day Oklahoma, including all of Georgia's tribes. Despite
16470-506: Was handled by Middlesex Construction, began construction in September 2016. The new northbound offramp to SR 44 was completed on September 19, 2019, and the new southbound onramps to the Turnpike and I-75 were completed in early November 2019. The project overall was completed in January 2020. An additional interchange was planned for Overpass Road north of SR 54 , connecting to County Road 530 . The interchange opened to traffic
16605-581: Was inhabited by the mound building cultures. The Province of Georgia was founded by British General James Oglethorpe at Savannah on February 12, 1733, a year after its creation as a new British colony. It was administered by the Trustees for the Establishment of the Colony of Georgia in America under a charter issued by (and named for) King George II . The Trustees implemented an elaborate plan for
16740-462: Was later designated as a part of the Dixie Highway in 1924. In 1926, the western route of the Dixie Highway following the newer Perry and Valdosta route was officially designated as US 41. By October 1929, the majority of US 41 was paved in Georgia, the only sections that were not paved at that point were between Fort Oglethorpe and Ringgold , and another on the south side of Calhoun . The highway that would eventually become I-75 in Georgia
16875-720: Was not built past its current terminus at SR 826 (Palmetto Expressway) in Hialeah . With this new route, the Port Everglades Expressway was then planned to be built as an Interstate highway designated I-595 to provide an Interstate connection between I-75 and I-95. The first piece of the south extension of I-75 to open was a short segment just east of Fort Myers from SR 78 south to Corkscrew Road in 1979. This piece would extend north to Tucker's Grade just south of Punta Gorda in early 1980 and south to Immokalee Road in North Naples by 1981. Also in 1981,
17010-631: Was open US 23/SR 42 near Forsyth to SR 20 in McDonough. It was under construction from McDonough to SR 54 in Morrow. It was open from Morrow to Allgood Road in Marietta. It was under construction from US 411 / SR 61 near Cartersville to SR 140 in Adairsville. In 1969, the highway was under construction from its southern interchange with I-475 to I-16 in Macon. It
17145-516: Was open from Bolingbroke to near Forsyth. It was under construction from there to SR 155 south of McDonough . It was proposed from there to SR 54 in Morrow . It was under construction from Morrow to US 19/US 41 west of Morrow. It was proposed from that interchange to SR 331 in Forest Park . It was open from Forest Park to West Paces Ferry Road in northwest Atlanta. It
17280-400: Was open from Forest Park to its northern interchange with I-285. In 1967, it was under construction from US 80 / SR 74 to I-16 in Macon. It was under construction from near Forsyth to the US 19/US 41 interchange west of Morrow. It was open from Forest Park to SR 120 in Marietta. It was under construction from SR 120 to Allgood Road in Marietta. In 1968, the highway
17415-480: Was open from I-16 to Allgood Road in Marietta. In 1971, it was open from the Florida state line to Allgood Road in Marietta. In 1973, it was under construction from Marietta to SR 92 in Acworth . In 1974, the highway was under construction from Emerson to US 411/SR 61 near Cartersville. The last segment of I-75 in Georgia, located between Emerson and Cartersville, opened on December 21, 1977. Much of
17550-613: Was open. By mid-1963, I-75 was signed. It was open from the Florida state line to US 41/ SR 7 in Unadilla . It was under construction from Unadilla to just north of the Crawford – Bibb county line. It was open from SR 148 in Bolingbroke to US 23 /SR 42 north-northwest of Forsyth. It was open from Glenn Street to Washington Street in Downtown Atlanta. It was under construction from US 41/ SR 3 in
17685-496: Was proposed to continue south over the Sunshine Skyway Bridge and continue south along a new freeway roughly parallel to the Tamiami Trail ( US 41 ) along the lower Gulf Coast to Naples. As the extension was planned in 1968, plans were also made for a freeway bypassing Tampa Bay to the east. The bypass was initially planned to be designated Interstate 75E ( I-75E ), and was to split from I-75 near Wesley Chapel and rejoin it just north of Ellenton . However, in 1972, it
17820-400: Was rebuilt as a four-lane Interstate Highway between 1986 and 1992. Many bridges and culverts designed to let water and wildlife pass underneath the roadway and permit the natural flow of the Everglades' waters were built as part of the upgrade. This helped to reduce the environmental impact of the highway somewhat, especially upon the severely endangered Florida panther . The completion of
17955-497: Was shot down by the Soviet Union on September 1, 1983. He was the only sitting Congressperson to be reportedly killed by the Soviets during the Cold War . I-75 was also designated as the Horace E. Tate Freeway between I-85 to I-285 northwest of Downtown Atlanta, in honor of Horace Tate , who was a state senator in 1974. Until 2000, the state of Georgia used the sequential interchange numbering system on all of its Interstate Highways. The first exit on each highway would begin with
18090-448: Was signed as US 19 /US 41 as far north as Lakewood Avenue. It was under construction from the Downtown Connector to Howell Mill Road. It was proposed from Howell Mill Road to the northwest part of Atlanta. By mid-1954, the expressway was signed as SR 295 from Lakewood Avenue to University Avenue. It was under construction from the Downtown Connector to US 41/ SR 3E , just north of West Paces Ferry Road. By mid-1955,
18225-426: Was under construction from there to SR 120 in Marietta . It was proposed from Marietta to SR 140 in Adairsville . It was under construction from Adairsville to SR 53 in Calhoun. It was open from Calhoun to the Tennessee state line. In 1966, the highway was open from the Florida state line to its southern interchange with I-475 near Macon. It was open from I-16 to US 23/SR 42 near Forsyth. It
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