Savannah @ SoutheastRoads
Savannah is one of the oldest cities in the Southeastern United States with a rich history. Boasting over 1,100 historical buildings, the seat of Chatham County lies along the Savannah River within the region of Georgia's Gold Coast. With an economic base in industry, tourism, shipping and the Port of Savannah, Savannah is the economic center of southern Georgia. Profiled here are the important roads serving the metropolitan area including the freeways, arterials, and numbered routes.
Savannah was discovered by English General James Edward Oglethorpe in 1733. Oglethorpe landed his craft along the Savannah River in February of that year and thus claimed the land as England's 13th colony. He named the land Georgia after King George II of England. Savannah was the first city and Oglethorpe planned it to entail a grid of wide streets complimented by 24 public squares and parks. The squares and other public land would act as meeting places for residents and merchants.
45 years later Savannah was seized by the British during the American Revolution. The occupancy lasted four years between 1778 and 1782, even withstanding a failed liberation attempt by the American and French forces in 1779. After the war's end, Savannah prospered as an agricultural center with rice and cotton representing the staple crops. Beautiful victorian homes rose in the city that reflected the economic prominence of area residents as farming increased. Trade bloomed as well with the invention of the cotton gin thus giving rise to Savannah's port as a commercial hub.
Misfortunes were not avoided in Savannah however. Two major fires leveled portions of the city in 1796 and 1820 and Savannah again faced challenges in the years leading up to the Civil War. Trade blockades and other setbacks sent the city economy into a downward spiral. When the war itself broke out, nearby Fort Pulaski was captured in 1862 and by 1864 General William Sherman arrived on his conquering rampage of destruction. Residents of the city evacuated before his arrival thus sparing Savannah the fiery fate that leveled Atlanta. Sherman fell in love with the city and spared it any harm. He presented it to President Abraham Lincoln as a gift on December 22, 1864 and thus the war was over for Savannah.
The years following the Civil War saw a slow rebuilding and resettling. Cotton again emerged as the agricultural staple for the city and the port thrived with exports of rosin and lumber. African American slaves freed by the Civil War also settled in the city, establishing churches, schools, and neighborhoods. Everything went well until World War I and the Great Depression with its economic hardship.
After World War II, Savannah reinvented itself as a historical city and thus shunned many urban renewal concepts. The modernistic architectural movement that pervaded many American cities never took its full course in Savannah thanks to the efforts of the Historic Savannah Foundation and other groups. The foundation helped Savannah's Historic District obtain National Historic Landmark status in 1966. Nowadays Savannah continues to capitalize on its history in the form of tourism. People come from around the world to see the city's architecture, Victorian-style houses, ornate ironworks, the shady squares, and the many fountains that dot the city.1
Freeways
Guides:
Interstate 16 Eastbound
Interstate 16 Westbound
| Interstate 16 - James Gillis Savannah Parkway
|
|
Interstate 16 comprises a 167-mile route between downtown Macon and downtown Savannah. The freeway is vastly rural outside of the two urban centers, but provides an important route for the Port of Savannah and commerce to Atlanta. Within Chatham County, Interstate 16 serves the growing western suburbs of Bloomingdale and Pooler while also providing a feeder route into the central business district from Interstate 95, Savannah / Hilton Head International Airport, and Interstate 516 (Lynes Parkway).
The eastern 28 miles of Interstate 16, including all of the freeway in Chatham County, opened to traffic on November 24, 1967. The freeway replaced U.S. 80 (Louisville Road) as the main route between Savannah and Statesboro to the west. Historically speaking, the 1960 Rand McNally Road Atlas's Savannah inset showed Interstate 16 proposed along an alignment north of U.S. 80. It is unclear if this was a guess, planned projection, or an error.
|
|
Guides:
Interstate 516
| Interstate 516 - W.F. Lynes Parkway
|
|
Georgia 26 Loop was built as a freeway bypass for Savannah during the 1970s between Garden City and DeRenne Avenue in midtown Savannah. The designation stemmed from the Georgia 26 co-signing with U.S. 80 as the through route for the city. Georgia 21 joined the route along the four-lane freeway for the portion of its route between Georgia 204 (Abercorn Street) and Garden City.
By 1985, Interstate 516 was christened to replace the entire Georgia 26 Loop designation. Signed as an east-west route, Interstate 516 provides a through-route for interests between Garden City, Port Wentworth, Savannah midtown, and Hunter Army Airfield. The upgrade from Georgia 26 Loop to Interstate 516 entailed new signage only and the freeway exists today similarly to how it was in the 1970s. Additionally exit numbers count upward as one travels north, contrary to the east-west designation. Each interchange was renumbered during the 1990s shift from sequential-based to mileage-based exit numbers.
|
Guides:
Interstate 95 Northbound
Interstate 95 Southbound
| Interstate 95 - Tom Gordon Highway
|
|
Staying well west of the city of Savannah, Interstate 95 serves the growing western suburbs of Richmond Hill in Bryan County and Pooler in western Chatham County. The freeway bypasses Savannah completely and mainly serves through-traffic interests throughout southeastern Georgia. Veterans Parkway in conjunction with Georgia 204 (Abercorn Street Extension), Georgia 21 (Augusta Road), and Interstate 16 provide the most direct routes to Savannah from the north-south freeway. However with all of that stated, development continues at a rapid pace in the Pooler area with land on all four quadrants of the Interstate 16 and 95 full-cloverleaf interchange planned or under construction.
All of Interstate 95 in Georgia was completed by December of 1977.
|
Harry S. Truman Parkway
Originally named the Casey Canal Parkway for which the canal it parallels, the Truman Parkway represents a north-south freeway through the eastern portions of Savannah. Beginning at President Street east of downtown, the freeway meanders southward to U.S. 80 (Victory Drive), DeRenne Avenue, Eisenhower Boulevard, and Montgomery Cross Road within the city limits. During September 2005 the parkway grew further south to Georgia 204 Spur (Whitfield Avenue) in the south suburbs and planning underway will extend the highway west to Georgia 204 (Abercorn Street Extension) at Southside Savannah. Planned during the 1970s and 1980s, the parkway was originally touted as a multi-lane surface arterial. However at the urging of local residents, the project was upgraded and constructed as a freeway.
Guide: Georgia @ SouthEastRoads - Truman Parkway
Veterans Parkway
Like the Truman Parkway, Veterans Parkway is also a county-maintained facility. The county maintenance is the reason why neither route receives a numbered designation of any kind. Veterans Parkway, originally named the Southwest Bypass, provides a high-speed route between Georgia 204 (Abercorn Street Extension) and Interstate 516 (W.F. Lynes Parkway) to the northwest of Hunter Army Airfield. The freeway coupled with Interstate 95 provides a fast route to Richmond Hill and points south.
Veterans Parkway opened as the Southwest Bypass in the mid-1990s.
Guide: Georgia @ SouthEastRoads - Veterans Parkway
The Savannah, Georgia metropolitan area stretches from Tybee Island along the coast to Bloomingdale and Pooler west of Interstate 95.
U.S. Highways
Two federal highways serve the greater Savannah area: U.S. 17 follows joins Savannah with Brunswick to the south and Hardeeville, South Carolina to the north. U.S. 80 represents the originally east-west route between Macon, Dublin, Statesboro, and Savannah. The highway still acts as the only route between Savannah and Tybee Island. For a brief time after the inception of the U.S. Highway system in 1926, U.S. 280 also served Savannah along a shared routing with U.S. 80 east from Statesboro.
U.S. 17 - Coastal Highway, Ogeechee Road
U.S. 17 constitutes the Coastal Highway from north Florida to Savannah. The Coastal Highway is a touring route that predates the Interstate system along the Atlantic Seaboard. The designation entails U.S. 17 and U.S. 13 through the Southeastern and Mid-Atlantic states. U.S. 17 shares pavement with Georgia 25 northward from the Florida state line through Brunswick, Richmond Hill, and Savannah. The pair merge with Interstate 516 and U.S. 80 and Georgia 21 between Ogeechee Road and Interstate 16. At Interstate 16, U.S. 17 turns east toward the Eugene Talmadge Bridge across the Savannah River. Georgia 25 remains overlapped along Interstate 516 & U.S. 80 northwest to Garden City and the original U.S. 17 alignment along the Houlihan Bridge.
U.S. 17 originally followed Georgia 25 through Garden City and Port Wentworth to the Houlihan Bridge. That designation lasted until 1988, when U.S. 17 saw relocation to replace U.S. 17 Alternate across the Savannah River along the Talmadge Bridge. U.S. 17 Alternate followed an in-city routing to the original two-lane Talmadge Bridge. The designated existed because of tolls charged on the original bridge until 1975. The 1991 opening of the new cable-stayed Talmadge Bridge was the rational for relocating U.S. 17 from its circuitous path northwest of Savannah onto Interstate 16 and a new freeway, Georgia 404 Spur, to the bridge.
U.S. 80 - Louisville Road / Victory Drive
U.S. 80 enters Chatham County into the city of Bloomingdale with Georgia 17 and 26 co-signed. The federal highway follows Main Street through the central business district area. From Bloomingdale, U.S. 80 & Georgia 26 continue east to Pooler along Louisville Road. Louisville Road skims the areas between Interstate 16 and Garden City as a five-lane arterial. At Interstate 516, U.S. 80 merges onto the freeway for a bypass route to Victory Drive, the main east-west arterial through central Savannah. Victory Drive links the city with Thunderbolt and the coastal areas including Tybee Island. U.S. 80 ends officially at the intersection of Butler Avenue and 17th Street on Tybee Island.
State Highways
Georgia 17
A rural route linking Interstate 16 with Bloomingdale and U.S. 80 with Guyton, Georgia 17 stays well west of U.S. 17 to avoid confusion. The state highway ends at its interchange with Interstate 16 and shares a brief overlap with U.S. 80 & Georgia 26 at downtown Bloomingdale.
Georgia 21 - Augusta Road, DeRenne Avenue
Georgia 21 begins at the intersection of DeRenne Avenue and Abercorn Street within the city of Savannah. DeRenne Avenue comprises a major arterial route between Truman Parkway and Interstate 516 (Lynes Parkway) through middle Savannah. DeRenne Avenue upgrades to the Lynes Parkway west of Montgomery Street. Georgia 21 and Interstate 516 share all seven miles of pavement between there and Garden City. The north end of the freeway directly transitions into Georgia 21 for its northwesterly route to Interstate 95 and Springfield in Effingham County.
| Georgia 21 North
|
 |
Georgia 21 (DeRenne Avenue) departs Georgia 204 (Abercorn Street) and quickly intersects White Bluff Road and Montgomery Street. The six-lane arterial upgrades to Interstate 516 (W.F. Lynes Parkway) beyond the signalized intersection with Montgomery Street. Montgomery Street stems north from the Duncan Road gate of Hunter Army Airfield to U.S. 80 (Victory Drive) at midtown Savannah. Photo taken 05/29/05. |
 |
Georgia 21 departs the W.F. Lynes Parkway with Interstate 516 as a four-lane divided highway (Augusta Road) at Garden City. Augusta Road constitutes the main commercial arterial through Garden City on its routing toward Interstate 95 (Exit 109). Photo taken 05/29/05. |
 |
Signalized intersection between Georgia 21 (Augusta Road) and Minus Avenue in Garden City. Georgia 21 carries four overall lanes northward to Interstate 95 and the Effingham County line. Minus Avenue travels between residences to the west and Georgia 25 (Main Street) to the east. Photo taken 05/29/05. |
| Georgia 21 South
|
 |
Georgia 21 southbound transitions from Interstate 516 (W.F. Lynes Parkway) onto DeRenne Avenue at the signalized intersection with Montgomery Street. Pictured here is the last reassurance shield for the state highway as it ends two blocks ahead at Abercorn Street. Photo taken 05/29/05. |
 |
DeRenne Avenue eastbound at White Bluff Road. Both sides of the six-lane arterial feature commercial frontage and the road is heavily traveled. Photo taken 05/29/05. |
 |
Junction Georgia 204 shield assembly posted ahead of the DeRenne Avenue intersection with Abercorn Street. The upcoming junction is one of the busiest cross roads in the entire Savannah metropolitan area. Photo taken 05/29/05. |
 |
An end assembly for Georgia 21 resides at the intersection of DeRenne Avenue east with Abercorn Street. Georgia 204, like Georgia 21 in Savannah, represents a heavily traveled commercial corridor. Georgia 204 links downtown with Southside. Photo taken 05/29/05. |
Georgia 25 - Coastal Highway
Georgia 25 represents the state route counterpart for U.S. 17 throughout most of Georgia. The highway however diverts from its federal counterpart at the Interstate 16 interchange with Interstate 516. There U.S. 17 travels east on Interstate 16 to Georgia 404 Spur and the Eugene Talmadge Bridge. Georgia 25 meanwhile continues north along the original U.S. 17 alignment to Garden City, Port Wentworth, and the Houlihan Bridge. U.S. 17 & Georgia 25 shared the same path northwest of Savannah until the 1988 relocation of U.S. 17 onto U.S. 17 Alternate. That switch left Georgia 25 on the old alignment.
Georgia 25 Connector - Bay Street
The newest Chatham County route, Georgia 25 Connector joins Interstate 516, U.S. 80, and Georgia 21-25 at Garden City with U.S. 17 & Georgia 404 Spur (Eugene Talmadge Bridge) at downtown Savannah. The highway follows Oglethorpe Avenue east from the bridge to Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard. Bay Street carries the designation west to Interstate 516 at Augusta Road from Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard.
| Georgia 25 Connector
|
 |
A loop ramp departs U.S. 17 & Georgia 404 south from the Eugene Talmadge Memorial Bridge onto Oglethorpe Avenue eastbound as the southbound beginning of Georgia 25 Connector. Photo taken 05/29/05. |
 |
Georgia 25 Connector follows the four-lane divided Oglethorpe Avenue east between the Talmadge Bridge and Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard. Pictured here is the first reassurance marker posted ahead of the intersection with Fahm Street. Photo taken 05/29/05. |
 |
Oglethorpe Avenue eastbound at Fahm Street. A Greyhound bus station resides on the northeast corner of the signalized intersection. Photo taken 05/29/05. |
 |
Approaching the intersection with Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard on Georgia 25 Connector (Oglethorpe Avenue) eastbound. Traffic interests to both Interstate 16 and 95 are directed southward onto MLK Boulevard for its on-ramp to the westbound beginning of Interstate 16. Interstate 16 provides a limited-access route to Interstate 95 at Pooler. Photo taken 05/29/05. |
 |
Georgia 25 Connector southbound actually turns north onto Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard for the connection between Oglethorpe Avenue and Bay Street. The movement overall loops the state highway between the bridge and Garden City. Photo taken 05/29/05. |
 |
Georgia 25 Connector departs Oglethorpe Avenue for the five block jaunt north to Bay Street west. The state highway southbound travels north along Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard. Photo taken 05/29/05. |
 |
Southbound reassurance shield posted along northbound Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard. The Chatham County Courthouse and Jail facility lie along the east side of the street. Photo taken 05/29/05. |
 |
Georgia 25 Connector southbound turns west onto Bay Street for the westward push toward Garden City. Bay Street enters the intersection as the main route to downtown and the Savannah Riverfront. Photo taken 05/29/05. |
 |
Now facing west, Georgia 25 Connector follows Bay Street and intersects the southbound direction of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard. Trailblazers for Interstate 95 direct downtown traffic toward the MLK Boulevard on-ramp to Interstate 16 west 13 blocks to the south. Photo taken 05/29/05. |
 |
A second trailblazer mentions Interstate 16 at the Georgia 25 Connector (Bay Street) southbound intersection with Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard. MLK Boulevard stems two blocks south from River Street to the intersection with Bay Street. Photo taken 05/29/05. |
 |
Leaving the downtown Savannah area on Georgia 25 Connector (Bay Street) south. The connector is signed north-south solely for the connections between Georgia 25 and U.S. 17, both of which are north-south routes. The highway otherwise travels east-west overall. Photo taken 05/29/05. |
 |
Bay Street elevates along a highway viaduct over railroad tracks associated with the Port of Savannah Ocean Terminal. The Eugene Talmadge Memorial Bridge rises high above Georgia 25 Connector otherwise. Photo taken 05/29/05. |
Georgia 26
Like Georgia 25, Georgia 26 represents a state highway counterpart for a U.S. highway. Georgia 26 follows U.S. 80 throughout its Chatham County routing. Also like Georgia 25, Georgia 26 is well marked along its overlap.
Georgia 30
Georgia 30 travels east-west between Georgia 17 in southern Effingham County to Georgia 21 at Port Wentworth in northern Chatham County. The highway is rural in nature and serves no major population settlements.
| Georgia 21 & 30
|
 |
Georgia 21 south & 30 eastbound overlap for 3.2 miles between Monteith and Port Wentworth in southeastern Georgia. The state highway tandem interchange with Interstate 95 (Exit 109) before parting ways outside of Savannah. Georgia 30 turns east one mile to its end at junction Georgia 25 (Coastal Highway) at Port Wentworth. Photo taken 08/28/04. |
 |
The split of Georgia 30 east from Georgia 21 southbound at Port Wentworth. A CSX Railroad line crosses over Georgia 21 ahead for Port Wentworth itself. Georgia 21 continues southeast two miles to junction Georgia 307 (Dean Forest Road) and 4.4 miles to Garden City where the highway joins Interstate 516 at Georgia 25 (former U.S. 17). Photo taken 08/28/04. |
Georgia 204 - Abercorn Street, 37th Street
Georgia 204 follows the main commercial corridor through the metropolitan area of Savannah. The state highway travels through rural western Chatham County to junction Interstate 95 near Richmond Hill. There Georgia 204 upgrades into a four to six lane divided highway en route to Southside Savannah. Known as the Abercorn Street Extension, Georgia 204 curves northeast and avoids Hunter Army Airfield through the suburban landscape of southern Savannah. Once at DeRenne Avenue (Georgia 21), Abercorn Street transitions from a commercial arterial route into a surface street routing to downtown. Georgia 204 itself turns west onto 37th Street for the 37th Street Connector to Interstate 16. Abercorn Street shifts in its role north of 37th Street from an important through route to a standard city street.
| Georgia 204 East
|
 |
Approaching Veterans Parkway (former Southwest Bypass) on Georgia 204 (Abercorn Street Extension) eastbound. Veterans Parkway provides a limited access highway connection from Georgia 204 to Interstate 516, U.S. 80, and Georgia 21 for midtown and downtown Savannah. Photo taken 05/29/05. |
 |
A two-lane off-ramp departs Georgia 204 (Abercorn Street Extension) eastbound for the northbound beginning of Veterans Parkway. Formerly a signalized intersection, the junction between the two divided highways was upgraded to a high-speed trumpet interchange between 2000 and 2002. Veterans Parkway features interchanges with Chatham Parkway and Interstate 516 (W.F. Lynes Parkway) on its northeasterly jaunt. Photo taken 05/29/05. |
 |
Continuing east along Georgia 204 (Abercorn Street Extension) to Southside Savannah and the Savannah Mall. Georgia 204 crosses the Little Ogeechee River and intersects Rio Road ahead. Photo taken 05/29/05. |
| Georgia 204 West
|
 |
Georgia 204 (Abercorn Street) westbound after the intersection with Georgia 21 (DeRenne Avenue). Abercorn Street represents the main commercial corridor from DeRenne Avenue through to Southside Savannah. The arterial varies between four and six lanes. Photo taken 05/29/05. |
 |
Georgia 204 westbound near the southern terminus of Veterans Parkway west of the Little Ogeechee River. Veterans Parkway joins Abercorn Street Extension from the northwest side of Hunter Army Airfield and western Savannah. The four-lane freeway provides direct access to Interstate 516 south of its junctions with U.S. 17, U.S. 80, and Interstate 16. Photo taken 05/29/05. |
 |
Drawing closer to the elevated trumpet interchange with Veterans Parkway on Georgia 204 (Abercorn Street Extension) west. The interchange replaced a signalized intersection when it opened in October of 2002. Photo taken 05/29/05. |
 |
Traffic interests to the Savannah area Interstate system are partitioned into Veterans Parkway north for Interstates 516 and 16, and Georgia 204 west to Interstate 95 at Richmond Hill. Photo taken 05/29/05. |
 |
Westbound at the ramp departure for Veterans Parkway northbound. Veterans Parkway interchanges with Chatham Parkway before ending at Interstate 516 & Georgia 21. Photo taken 05/29/05. |
 |
Georgia 204 continues west of Veterans Parkway to the Georgetown community. A signalized intersection awaits motorists at the crossroad with King George Boulevard. The six-lane highway proceeds west to interchange U.S. 17 & Georgia 25 (Coastal Highway) and Interstate 95 from Georgetown. Photo taken 05/29/05. |
Georgia 204 Spur - Waters Avenue, Whitfield Avenue, Diamond Causeway
Signed in 1990, Georgia 204 Spur represents an eight-mile route from Georgia 204 (Abercorn Street Extension) in south Savannah to Skidaway Island through the inland marshes. Georgia 204 Spur follows Montgomery Cross Road, Waters Avenue, Whitfield Avenue, and Diamond Causeway.
| Georgia 204 Spur East
|
 |
Crossing the Skidaway Narrows double-leaf bascule bridge between the Isle of Hope and Skidaway Island on Georgia 204 Spur (Diamond Causeway) eastbound. The two-lane bridge represents the only route onto the developed Skidaway Island. Photo taken 05/29/05. |
 |
Georgia 204 Spur (Diamond Causeway) touches down on Skidaway Island, an island with a population of around 7,000. Photo taken 05/29/05. |
 |
Reassurance shield posted after the Diamond Causeway intersection with the entrance to Skidaway Island State Park. Photo taken 05/29/05. |
 |
Developers added a shopping center to compliment The Landings subdivisions built on Skidaway Island during the late 1980s. The complex received a traffic light soon thereafter and is the only signal on the island. An entrance to Phase III of The Landings ties into the intersection from the south. Photo taken 05/29/05. |
 |
Georgia 204 Spur draws to a close at the Diamond Causeway intersection with Mc Whorter Drive north, Green Island Road east, and Landings Way east. Mc Whorter Drive heads north to the Skidaway Institute of Oceanography and Skidaway Ocean Museum. Landings Way enters the main gate of The Landings community. Green Island Road ventures south to the South Harbor subdivision along Delegal Creek. An end sign for Georgia 204 Spur was posted here in 2004. Photo taken 05/29/05. |
| Georgia 204 Spur West
|
 |
The second shield for Georgia 204 Spur (Diamond Causeway) resides beyond the entrance to Skidaway Island State Park on Skidaway Island. Diamond Causeway initially begins as a divided highway between Mc Whorter Drive/Green Island Road before narrowing into a two-lane road. Photo taken 05/29/05. |
 |
Georgia 204 Spur (Diamond Causeway) spans Skidaway Narrows between Skidaway Island and Isle of Hope. The two-lane bridge includes a double-leaf bascule for sailboats that use the river. Photo taken 05/29/05. |
 |
Diamond Causeway lives up to its name across Isle of Hope. The areas between Skidaway Narrows and the Moon River are very low and marshy. Small tributaries called "The Branches" segregate Isle of Hope from Pigeon Island south of the causeway. Waters rise very close to the causeway during spring tides. Photo taken 05/29/05. |
 |
Spanning the Moon River on Georgia 204 Spur (Diamond Causeway) between Isle of Hope and Pin Point. Photo taken 05/29/05. |
 |
Georgia 204 Spur westbound at the junction with Fergusen Avenue near Pin Point. Fergusen Avenue travels north from Montgomery to Skidaway Road at Sand Fly. Photo taken 05/29/05. |
 |
Georgia 204 Spur (Diamond Causeway) turns northwest from Fergusen Avenue toward its merge with Whitfield Avenue. Photo taken 05/29/05. |
 |
Georgia 204 Spur becomes Whitfield Avenue on its northward trek toward Savannah. Pictured here is a reassurance marker posted after the merge with Whitfield Avenue. Photo taken 05/29/05. |
 |
Georgia 204 Spur (Whitfield Avenue) westbound on the approach to the Truman Parkway diamond interchange. Phase IV of the Truman Parkway opened in Summer 2005 between Whitfield Avenue and Montgomery Cross Road. Photo taken 05/29/05. |
 |
A partial-diamond interchange joins Georgia 204 Spur (Whitfield Avenue) with Truman Parkway at the present time. A stub end on the Truman Parkway awaits the Phase V extension west to Georgia 204 (Abercorn Street) on the South Side of Savannah. Completion of the two-mile link involves the completion of a high level bridge over the navigable Vernon River. The Vernon River flows south from Honey Creek into Green Island Sound and the Atlantic Ocean. Photo taken 05/29/05. |
 |
Span wires await traffic lights to govern the movements between Georgia 204 (Whitfield Avenue) westbound and the Truman Parkway southbound off-ramp. Truman Parkway will meet Georgia 204 at its westward turn at Holland Road. Photo taken 05/29/05. |
 |
The widening of Georgia 204 Spur (Whitfield Avenue) encompasses the approaches to the Truman Parkway diamond interchange (Exit 2). Pictured here is Whitfield Avenue westbound as it leaves the interchange near Hess Elementary School. Georgia 204 Spur (Waters Avenue) crosses the Vernon River after its split with Whitfield Avenue and before the turn onto Montgomery Cross Road west. Photo taken 05/29/05. |
 |
Georgia 204 Spur splits with Whitfield Avenue south of the Vernon River near the Savannah city line. The roadway widens to five lanes and becomes Waters Avenue after the partition. Photo taken 05/29/05. |
 |
Once north of the Vernon River, Georgia 204 Spur (Waters Avenue) enters the city of Savannah. The complexion of the landscape shifts to a commercial setting on the Waters Avenue approach to Montgomery Cross Road. Georgia 204 Spur turns west onto Montgomery Cross Road toward Georgia 204 (Abercorn Street Extension). Photo taken 05/29/05. |
 |
 |
 |
| Georgia 204 Spur (Waters Avenue) northbound at Montgomery Cross Road. Montgomery Cross Road comprises an east-west arterial between Georgia 204 (Abercorn Street Extension) and Skidaway Road. The road was widened during the late 1980s to accommodate commercial growth along the corridor. Waters Avenue meanwhile heads north as a commercial corridor of its own to DeRenne Avenue. Photos taken 05/29/05. |
Georgia 307 - Dean Forest Road
Georgia 307 follows Dean Forest Road in a north-south fashion between U.S. 17 & Georgia 25 (Coastal Highway) and U.S. 80 & Georgia 26 (Louisville Road) at Garden City. The state highway served the Savannah International Airport terminal until the mid 1990s construction of a new terminal facility at the end of Airways Avenue. See Georgia State Route 307 @ Peach State Roads for a detailed history and more information on Georgia 307.
Decommissioned State Highways
Georgia 167 - Chatham Parkway
Chatham Parkway represents a four-lane divided highway between Veterans Parkway and U.S. 80 & Georgia 26 (Louisville Road). The north-south route is county maintained by was originally planned as Georgia 167. The designation appears on 1970s official state maps and signs for Chatham Parkway on both Veterans Parkway and Interstate 16 still include space allocations for the state highway.
Georgia 367 - Johnny Mercer Boulevard
Georgia 367 followed the original U.S. 80 alignment (Johnny Mercer Boulevard) on Whitemarsh and Wilmington Islands between Thunderbolt and Fort Pulaski National Monument. The two-lane routing was decommissioned in 1984.
Savannah Highway Scenes
| Bay Street |
 |
Bay Street eastbound in downtown Savannah at Montgomery Street. Bay Street represents the historic alignment of U.S. 80 Toll, an alternate route to Victory Drive from downtown east to Oatland Island. The tolled section of U.S. 80 entailed the Islands Expressway, a controlled-access facility from the Wilmington River bridge east to U.S. 80 & Georgia 26 (Saffold Drive). Tolls were removed on the facility during the early 1980s and U.S. 80 Toll was subsequently decommissioned as a result. Photo taken 05/29/05. |
 |
Continuing eastbound on Bay Street to the intersection with Broad Street. Broad Street provides a north-south through route along the east edge of the Savannah central business district. Photo taken 05/29/05. |
 |
Bay Street maintains four overall lanes on its trek between President Street Extension and junction Georgia 25 Connector (Martin Luther King Boulevard). Pictured here is the westbound intersection with Lincoln Street. Photo taken 05/29/05. |
 |
Bay Street westbound at the intersection with Abercorn Street. Abercorn Street is a well known arterial throughout midtown and Southside Savannah, however through downtown it's a slow moving street bisected by four of the 21 squares. Photo taken 05/29/05. |
 |
Westbound Bay Street at the north end of Bull Street. Bull Street heads south through five of the downtown squares to Forsyth Park. Access to River Street is provided for pedestrians to the right. Photo taken 05/29/05. |
| Broad Street |
 |
Broad Street travels north-south along the eastern edge of the Savannah central business district. The multi-lane street travels between Bay Street and U.S. 80 (Victory Drive) through residential areas. Pictured here is the southbound intersection with President Street near downtown. Photo taken 05/29/05. |
| Broughton Street |
 |
Broughton Street eastbound at Jefferson Street. Broughton Street cuts an east-west swath through downtown Savannah between the city squares along Congress and State Streets. Pedestal mounted traffic lights govern many of the intersections on the street. Photo taken 05/29/05. |
 |
Eastbound at the intersection with Whitaker Street. Whitaker Street is one of the few streets that travel a straight path through the central business district. The road travels between U.S. 80 & Georgia 26 (Victory Drive) and Bay Street. Photo taken 05/29/05. |
 |
Entering the heart of downtown along Broughton Street east at Bull Street. Photo taken 05/29/05. |
 |
One block east of Bull Street at Drayton Street on Broughton Street. Drayton Street ends at Bull Street and the ramps to River Street. River Street travels along the banks of the Savannah River and is lined with shops, restaurants, pubs, and other tourist attractions. The street is made of cobblestone and generally is not open to vehicular traffic. Photo taken 05/29/05. |
 |
The intersection of Broughton Street and Lincoln Street in downtown Savannah. The northeast corner of the intersection is home to the Savannah College of Art & Design Trustees Theater. Photo taken 05/29/05. |
 |
Broughton Street transitions into a residential street from business thoroughfare at Price Street. Broughton Street meets Broad Street two blocks ahead and ends at President Street Extension. Photo taken 05/29/05. |
| Liberty Street |
 |
Liberty Street comprises an east-west divided boulevard between Louisville Road and Wheaton Street along the southern edge of the Savannah central business district. Pictured here is the westbound intersection with Price Street. Photo taken 05/29/05. |
 |
Westbound Liberty Street at the intersection with Habersham Street. Liberty Street is one of the canopy streets that add charm to southern cities. Photo taken 05/29/05. |
 |
One of the few high-rise builds in Savannah resides near the intersection of Liberty and Abercorn Streets. Photo taken 05/29/05. |
 |
One block further west along Liberty Street at Drayton Street. Photo taken 05/29/05. |
 |
Continuing west to the Liberty Street intersection with Whitaker Street. Mast arm traffic lights are used in the downtown area and nowhere else in metro Savannah. Photo taken 05/29/05. |
 |
Westbound at Montgomery Street. A trailblazer for Interstate 16 directs motorists onto Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard southbound at the next block. Photo taken 05/29/05. |
 |
Liberty Street splits with Louisville Road at the intersection with Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard. Local traffic continues straight while the majority of motorists partition for Louisville Road west to Garden City and MLK Boulevard south to Interstate 16 west and midtown Savannah. Photo taken 05/29/05. |
| Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard |
 |
Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard forms a one-way street couplet with Montgomery Street between Oglethorpe Avenue (Georgia 25 Connector) and Exchange Street. The southbound direction meets the westbound beginning of Interstate 16 between Jones and Taylor Streets southwest of downtown Savannah. Pictured here is the signalized intersection with Jones Street along MLK Boulevard southbound. Photo taken 05/29/05. |
| President Street |
 |
President Street overtakes General McIntosh Boulevard as the de facto route east to Oatland Island and Tybee Island. Known as President Street Extension from here there on, the four-lane divided highway continues east to the Truman Parkway and Islands Expressway. Photo taken 05/29/05. |
 |
President Street Extension westbound as it leaves the partial-cloverleaf interchange with the north end of the Truman Parkway. Ahead is the split with General McIntosh Boulevard to Bay Street. Photo taken 05/29/05. |
 |
Drivers continuing west along President Street must pass through a traffic light as the Extension turns northwest as General McIntosh Boulevard for Bay Street. Photo taken 05/29/05. |
 |
Westbound approaching the intersection with Broad Street near the east end of downtown Savannah. Broad Street provides a through route for motorists bound for Bay Street to the north and U.S. 80 (Victory Drive) to the south. Motorists bound for Interstate 16 are advised to take Broad Street north to Bay Street west to Martin Luther King Boulevard (Georgia 25 Connector). Photo taken 05/29/05. |
 |
Mast arm supported dog-house signals govern the movements of President Street westbound at Broad Street. Passenger vehicles may use Broad Street south to Liberty Street west for Martin Luther King Boulevard and Interstate 16. Photo taken 05/29/05. |
| White Bluff Road |
 |
The Savannah Globe or World Globe Gas Storage Tank lies along 73rd Street between White Bluff Road and Abercorn Street (Georgia 204). This locally famous landmark originally resembled a standard globe with a world map adorned with "Savannah is here". It was originally built as a natural gas storage tank in 1956-57 by the Savannah Gas Company and painted two years later to resemble a globe. Measuring 60 feet in diameter, the tank remained in operation until the 1970s and remained under the ownership of the Savannah Gas Company (later Atlanta Gas Company) until the early 1990s. Rusting and deteorating by the late 1990s, A to Z Coating & Sons purchased the structure and embarked on repainting the globe for the year 2000.2 The new paint job features simulated satellite photography complete with a hurricane bound for Savannah! By September of 2005 the globe was again sold to the Savannah Mortgage Co. at a cost of around $450,000.3 Photo taken 05/29/05. |
 |
White Bluff Road northbound at the intersection with Georgia 21 (DeRenne Avenue). Faded signs point motorists toward DeRenne Avenue westbound for Georgia 21 north to Interstate 516. DeRenne Avenue upgrades to Interstate 516 one block to the west at Montgomery Street. White Bluff Road otherwise straddles the eastern reaches of Hunter Army Airfield between Oglethorpe Mall and Hampstead Avenue. The highway between Montgomery Cross Road (Georgia 204 Spur) and Stephenson Avenue was upgraded from a two-lane route into a four to five-lane surface arterial during the 1980s. Photo taken 05/29/05. |
Sources:
- Savannah Convention & Visitors Bureau - www.savannahvisit.com.
- "Landmark globe on the southside is finally getting spruced up." Savannah Morning News, October 20, 1999.
- "Community landmark is sold." Savannah MorningNews, September 20, 2005.
Page Updated February 15, 2006
|
