Interstate 675 (I-675) is an

auxiliary Interstate Highway Auxiliary Interstate Highways (also called three-digit Interstate Highways) are a subset of highways within the United States' Interstate Highway System. The 323 auxiliary routes generally fall into three types: spur routes, which connect to or i ...

in the southeast part of the

Atlanta metropolitan area Metro Atlanta, designated by the United States Office of Management and Budget as the Atlanta–Sandy Springs–Roswell metropolitan statistical area, is the most populous metropolitan statistical area in the U.S. state of Georgia and the sixt ...

. It travels from

I-75 Interstate 75 (I-75) is a major north–south Interstate Highway System, Interstate Highway in the Great Lakes region, Great Lakes and Southeastern United States, Southeastern regions of the United States. As with most Interstates that end ...

in Stockbridge in the south to I-285 in the north. I-675 is also designated as the Terrell Starr Parkway and also has the unsigned internal state route designation of State Route 413 (SR 413).

Route description

Beginning at its southern terminus with I-75, I-675 is a four-lane highway with a grassy median and frequently with

cable barrier A cable barrier, sometimes referred to as guard cable or wire rope safety barrier (WRSB), is a type of roadside or median safety traffic barrier/guard rail. It consists of steel wire ropes mounted on weak posts. As is the case with any roadside ...

s. Between Ellenwood Road/Forest Parkway and the route's northern terminus at I-285 and Moreland Avenue, the freeway expands with three lanes in each direction. The southern end of I-675 includes reversible

high-occupancy toll A high-occupancy toll lane (HOT lane) is a type of traffic lane or roadway that is available to high-occupancy vehicles and other exempt vehicles without charge; other vehicles are required to pay a road pricing, variable fee that is adjusted in ...

(HOT) and express toll lanes built within the median, the

South Metro Express Lanes The South Metro Express Lanes is a completed Georgia Department of Transportation (GDOT) project which has put Peach Pass-only reversible toll lanes along the medians of Interstate 75 (I-75) and I-675 in the southern suburbs of the Atlant ...

, which opened January 28, 2017. The entire length of I-675 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.

History

At one time, I-675 was to connect with I-485/ State Route 400 (SR 400) east of

Downtown Atlanta Downtown Atlanta is the central business district of Atlanta, Georgia, United States. The largest of the city's three commercial districts (Midtown Atlanta, Midtown and Buckhead being the others), it is the location of many corporate and region ...

. However, this would have destroyed many neighborhoods including

Inman Park Inman Park is an intown neighborhood on the east side of Atlanta, Georgia, and its first planned suburb. It was named for Samuel M. Inman. History Today's neighborhood of Inman Park includes areas that were originally designated: * Inman Par ...

. Because it was thought that the road was unnecessary due to three other existing north–south Interstates across and around the city and due to community opposition, the highway was stopped by then-Governor of Georgia

Jimmy Carter James Earl Carter Jr. (October 1, 1924December 29, 2024) was an American politician and humanitarian who served as the 39th president of the United States from 1977 to 1981. A member of the Democratic Party (United States), Democratic Party ...

in 1975. After I-485 was canceled, it was then planned to end at once proposed I-420 near Gresham Park. However, in 1986, I-420 was canceled for the same reason. So, its northern terminus is at I-285 instead. What would have been the

interchange Interchange may refer to: Transport * Interchange (road), a collection of ramps, exits, and entrances between two or more highways * Interchange (freight rail), the transfer of freight cars between railroad companies * Interchange station, a rai ...

between this road and I-485 is now the location of the

Jimmy Carter Library and Museum The Jimmy Carter Library and Museum in Atlanta, Georgia, houses U.S. President Jimmy Carter's papers and other material relating to the Carter administration and the Carter family's life. The library also hosts special exhibits, such as Carter's ...

. In 1982, the entire length of the highway began construction. After several delays, the expressway opened 3 years late and $10 million over budget in 1987.

Future

In 2006, a

Reason Foundation The Reason Foundation is an American Libertarianism in the United States, libertarian think tank that was founded in 1978. The foundation publishes the magazine ''Reason (magazine), Reason''. Based in Los Angeles, California, it is a nonprofit, ...

report suggested a tunnel connecting I-675 to SR 400 and completing the originally proposed Interstate 420 estimating a cost of $4.8 billion. In 2009, the idea of connecting I-675 and SR 400 had been officially resurrected, being put on an official list of

Georgia Department of Transportation The Georgia Department of Transportation (GDOT) is the organization in charge of developing and maintaining all state and federal roadways in the U.S. state of Georgia (U.S. state), Georgia. In addition to highways, the department also has a li ...

(GDOT) priorities. This would extend I-675 north to

I-20 I20, I 20 or I-20 may refer to: * Interstate 20, a highway in the southeastern United States * I-20 (form), a United States government document that provides supporting information for the issuance of a student visa or change of status * I-20 (rap ...

with a surface road, then go underground with a road tunnel. This would displace some neighborhoods and industrial areas to the south. The tunnel would protect other areas north of I-20; however, there would still be ventilation buildings. In 2010, the proposal faced opposition from then-Atlanta mayor

Kasim Reed Mohammed Kasim Reed (born June 10, 1969) is an American lawyer and politician who served as the 59th List of mayors of Atlanta, mayor of Atlanta, Georgia (U.S. state), Georgia's state capital and List of municipalities in Georgia (U.S. state), ...

and many residents of the areas it would pass through. An August 2010 GDOT feasibility study found that "no physical constraints exist along the proposed alignment that would preclude construction of a tunnel" and over a 75 year period, it would be expected to save 2.8 billion hours. After the 2017 Interstate 85 bridge collapse, the plan received temporary interest. As of August 2022, it is not on

GDOT The Georgia Department of Transportation (GDOT) is the organization in charge of developing and maintaining all state and federal roadways in the U.S. state of Georgia. In addition to highways, the department also has a limited role in developi ...

's Major Mobility Investment Project list.

Exit list

References

External links