U.S. Highway 80
U.S. 80, which connects Dallas, Texas, with Tybee Island, passes through the middle of Georgia via Columbus, Macon, Dublin, Sawinsboro, Statesboro, and Savannah. The majority of the route east of Macon is paralleled closely by Interstate 16. The section west of Macon will be paralleled by the Fall Line Freeway (Georgia 540)1 and High Priority Corridor 6. The current routing of U.S. 80 overlaps Georgia 22 between the Alabama state line and Macon.
Coming from Alabama and crossing the Chattahoocheee River, U.S. 80 is a freeway. Known as the J.R. Allen Parkway, U.S. 80 travels this bypass freeway to the north of downtown Columbus. Beginning at U.S. 280-431 northwest of Phenix City, Alabama, the J.R. Allen Parkway features interchanges with Summersville Road, Georgia Connector 22, Georgia 219, Bradley Park Road, Interstate 185, U.S. 27, Moon Road, Schomburg and Blackmon Roads, and U.S. 27 Alternate. Completed in the 1980s, the freeway features four travel lanes with mixed asphalt/concrete surface. Exit numbers along the parkway remain sequential rather than mileage-based.
| U.S. 80 East
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| Situated between Exits 2 (Georgia 219) and 3A (Bradley Park Drive) is the first guide sign for the cloverleaf interchange of Interstate 185. The 40.39-mile Interstate links the Columbus metropolitan area with Atlanta by way of Interstate 85. Southward the freeway enters the Fort Benning military base. Photo taken 10/15/99.
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| The Exit 3A/B interchange of U.S. 80 eastbound is also a full cloverleaf. Intersecting the freeway at this junction is Bradley Park Drive, an east-west surface arterial between River and Whitesville Roads. Photo taken 08/22/03.
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| The first of several Exit 4 sign bridges on U.S. 80 eastbound. This particular assembly is posted within the Bradley Park Drive interchange. Featured for Exit 4 are connections with Interstate 185, Moon Road, and U.S. 27 & Georgia 1. A collector/distributor roadway serves these respective highways. Photo taken 08/22/03.
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| An auxiliary lane adds to U.S. 80 eastbound between Exits 3 and 4 for Interstate 185. The cloverleaf interchange itself features c/d roadways in all directions. The close proximity of U.S. 27 & Georgia 1 (Veterans Parkway), necessitates the c/d roadway to continue eastward to
the partial cloverleaf interchange that serves those overlapped highways. Photo taken 08/22/03.
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| The southbound Interstate 185 ramp departs the eastbound collector/distributor roadway. Interstate 185 carries six lanes of travel southward through east central Columbus. The pull-through panel includes Moon Road, a third interchange served by the c/d roadways only. Photo taken 08/22/03.
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| U.S. 80 c/d roadway eastbound at the Interstate 185 northbound cloverleaf ramp. Interstate 185 departs the metropolitan area in two miles. Ahead are the U.S. 27 & Georgia 1 (Veterans Parkway) and Moon Road off-ramps. The c/d roadway returns to U.S. 80 at the Moon Road diamond
interchange. Photo taken 08/22/03.
| | U.S. 80 West
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| The Interstate 185 southbound cloverleaf ramp departs the westbound U.S. 80 collector/distributor roadway at Exit 4. The designation itself ends 10 miles to the south at U.S. 27 & 280 and the north entrance to Fort Benning. Photo taken 08/22/03.
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| Merging onto the U.S. 80 westbound mainline from the Exit 4 c/d roadway. The J.R. Allen Parkway carries four lanes through to the Alabama state line. Thus the right-hand becomes exit-only for Bradley Park Drive west (Exit 3B). Photo taken 08/22/03.
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| Entering the Exit 3B/A cloverleaf interchange with Bradley Park Drive. U.S. 80 gradually turns southwestward to Phenix City, Alabama between Interstate 185 and the Alabama state line. Photo taken 08/22/03.
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| The Exit 3A Bradley Park Drive eastbound cloverleaf ramp departs the J.R. Allen Parkway. Ahead is a partial cloverleaf interchange with Georgia 219 (River Road). Photo taken 08/22/03.
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| J.R. Allen Parkway westbound at River Road (Exit 2). Georgia 219 composes a north-south highway between central Columbus and the city of LaGrange (pop. 25,998). Photo taken 08/22/03.
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| The final Georgia departure point of U.S. 80 & Georgia 22 westbound. A modified "X" interchange facilitates the movements between Georgia Connector 22 (2nd Avenue) and the J.R. Allen Parkway. Traffic departing the freeway southbound will intersect Georgia 85 in just three blocks. Photo taken 08/22/03.
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| Crossing the Chattahoochee River from Georgia into Alabama. The state line represents the boundary between Eastern and Central Time Zone. The freeway of U.S. 80 continues westward to U.S. 280 & 431, complete with an interchange at Summerville Road. Photo taken 08/22/03.
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Sources:
1 - Steve Williams.
Page Updated January 4, 2004.
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