Interstate 675 saw construction in the mid-1980s and opened Fall of 1987. The 11.04-mile freeway alleviates Interstate 75 to the west for traffic bound to Interstate 285 (Atlanta Perimeter Highway) on its four-lane routing.
Originally Interstate 675 was to be numbered Interstate 475 as part of a longer unconstructed corridor through east Atlanta between Interstate 75 at Stockbridge and Interstate 85 near Buckhead. The numbering later was reserved for the Macon west bypass and thus Interstate 675 was chose for the east Atlanta freeway. 1960s opposition to freeway construction in Atlanta grew to a fever and several of the east Atlanta proposals such as unconstructed Interstate 420, unconstructed Interstate 485, and unconstructed Interstate 675 faced the chopping block. These routings remained on highway maps until the early 1980s, with unconstructed Interstate 675 still continuing north to meet Interstate 420 at Gresham Park. However the unpopularity of all these routes resulted in their mass cancellations and Interstate 675 today ends at Interstate 285, well short of its original planned northern terminus in northeast Atlanta.
Interstate 675 North
Interstate 675 northbound peels away from Interstate 75 north via a partial "Y" interchange near the suburb of Stockbridge. The freeway carries the designation of the Terrell Starr Parkway, named for Georgia State Senator who had a perfect attendance record between 1969 and 1995.1 Meeting the freeway ahead is Georgia 138 (Stockbridge Highway), an east-west route between U.S. 23 & Georgia 42 nearby and Georgia 92 near Fairburn. Photo taken 05/28/05.
This photograph looks at the first northbound reassurance shield for Interstate 675 (complete with button copy numbering). The freeway begins in Henry County but quickly enters Clayton County before encountering the Exit 1 diamond interchange with Georgia 138. Photo taken 12/23/00.
A companion begin shield for Interstate 675 resides along the left-hand side of the northbound freeway ahead of Exit 1. Photo taken 05/28/05.
Northbound at the ramp departure of Exit 1 to Georgia 138 (Stockbridge Highway) on Interstate 675. Stockbridge (pop. 9,863) entails a suburban community in western Henry County along U.S. 23 & Georgia 42. Stockbridge existed as early as 1829 when the Old Stockbridge Concord Methodist Church was organized and later as a crossroads community before the Civil War. Citizens living in the area applied for a post office and decided to name their community Stockbridge after a Yankee school teacher by the same name. The post office was established on April 5, 1847. By 1881 the Southern Railroad came to the village on its routing between Macon and Atlanta. In 1882, construction of a depot south of Old Stockbridge commenced and the town recentered itself around that location. Stockbridge later incorporated in 1895 as a town and as a city on August 6, 1920. The original railroad depot was dismantled around 1980.2 Photo taken 05/28/05.
The slow rolling hills of the southern Appalachian piedmont make their presence known along Interstate 675 between Stockbridge and Ellenwood. This scene looks at the freeway north of Georgia 138 (Exit 1). Photo taken 05/28/05.
Interstate 675 next encounters U.S. 23 & Georgia 42 (Macon Highway) at the Exit 2 diamond interchange. The tandem travel northwest from Stockbridge toward the Clayton County community of Rex. U.S. 23 parallels Interstate 675 northward to its junction with Interstate 285. Photo taken 05/28/05.
Posted near the Double Bridge Road overpass is the one-mile guide sign for Exit 5 (Ellenwood Road/Forest Parkway) on Interstate 675 north. Ellenwood Road comprises an east-west road between Forest Parkway at U.S. 23 & Georgia 42 and Panola Road at Bouldercrest Road in nearby Ellenwood. Photo taken 05/28/05.
Exit 5 serves the Clayton College & State University and the Georgia and National Archives. Situated just west of the Clayton University campus is Gateway Village, an economic development that began in 1999. The community houses the Morrow campus of the college, office space, a high tech executive conference center, student housing, and an intermodel transportation center. One of the Gateway Village centerpieces includes the 2005-opened National Archives and Records Administration's Southeastern Archives facility.3 Photo taken 05/28/05.
A diamond interchange joins Interstate 675 with Ellenwood Road at Exit 5. Ellenwood Road transitions into Forest Parkway west of U.S. 23 & Georgia 42 (Macon Highway) en route to Lake City (pop. 549) and Forest Park (pop. 21,447). Photo taken 05/28/05.
The next Interstate 675 diamond interchange serves Anvil Block Road (Exit 7) and Fort Gillem. Fort Gillem, named for Lieutenant General Alvan C. Gillem, Jr, was established in 1941 as the Atlanta General Depot. The facility entailed training and supply operations during conflicts ranging from World War II and the Vietnam War before shifting operations to that of a satellite installation of Fort McPherson. The shifting of duties occurred on June 28, 1973 to coincide with the renaming to Fort Gillem.4 Photo taken 05/28/05.
Fort Gillem doubles as the headquarters for the 8,000 person Georgia Army National Guard. The guard opened the Oglethorpe Armory within Fort Gillem during the 1990s as its headquarters.5 Photo taken 05/28/05.
Northbound at the Exit 7 ramp departure to Anvil Block Road on Interstate 675. Anvil Block Road travels east-west between U.S. 23 & Georgia 42 at Fort Gillem and Bouldercrest and Fairview Roads in the Ellenwood vicinity. Photo taken 05/28/05.
Attached to the Cedar Grove Road overpass is the first in a series of diagrammatical overheads for Interstate 285, the northern terminus of Interstate 675. Interstate 675 crosses into Dekalb County ahead of its end near Conley and Panthersville. Photo taken 05/28/05.
A non-stacked directional interchange facilitates the movements between Interstate 675 and the Atlanta Perimeter Highway. Interstate 285 travels west to Hartsfield International Airport and College Park, providing links to Interstates 75 & 85 (Downtown Connector) for central Atlanta. Interstate 285 northbound serves the eastern suburbs of Clarkston and Stone Mountain en route to junction Interstate 85 near Doraville. Photo taken 05/28/05.
A pair of end shields reside at the Henrico Road under crossing for Interstate 675. GADOT generally signs the end of Interstate highways well within the Peach State. Photos taken 05/28/05.
An auxiliary overhead touts the Interstate 285 north (outer loop) connections to Augusta via Interstate 20 (Exit 46) and Greenville via Interstate 85 (Exit 32). Interstate 285 interchanges with Interstate 675 at Exit 52. Photo taken 05/28/05.
A pair of lanes depart for both Interstate 285 west (inner loop) and Interstate 285 north (outer loop). Interstate 285 meets Interstate 75 within five miles and Interstate 85 ten miles to the west near the airport. Photo taken 05/28/05.
The Interstate 675 northbound merge onto the Interstate 285 Outer loop. Interstate 285 meets Bouldercrest Road nearby on its northeasterly turn toward eastern reaches of Atlanta. Photo taken 05/28/05.
Interstate 675 South
Interstate 675 southbound at Exit 7 (Anvil Block Road). The first mainline interchange for southbound serves the military installation Fort Gillem and the suburbs of Conley (pop. 6,188) and Forest Park (pop. 21,447). Anvil Block Road itself begins at U.S. 23 & Georgia 42 (Macon Highway) and ends at Fairview Road to the east. Photo taken 01/17/04.
Interstate 675 gently curves southward one mile north of the Exit 5 diamond interchange with Ellenwood Road. Ellenwood Road begins nearby at the intersection of U.S. 23 & Georgia 42 (Macon Highway) and Forest Parkway. Forest Parkway continues the alignment westward through Lake City (pop. 2,886) and Forest Park. Photo taken 01/17/04.
Exit 5 leaves Interstate 675 southbound for Ellenwood Road. Ellenwood Road travels a short distance to the east to the junction of Bouldercrest and Panola Roads at Ellenwood. Photo taken 01/17/04.
Nearing the Rex Road overpass on Interstate 675 southbound. Posted here is the one-mile guide sign of Exit 2 (U.S. 23 & Georgia 42). All four of the mainline exits of Interstate 675 north and south are handled by diamond interchanges. Photo taken 01/17/04.
Southbound at the Evans Road overcrossing and Exit 2 ramp departure for U.S. 23 & Georgia 42 (Macon Highway). The tandem shadows Interstate 675 from the northern terminus through to Exit 1 (Georgia 138). Connections with Lake Harbon Road allow motorists using Exit 2 to access the suburb of Morrow (pop. 4,882). Photo taken 01/17/04.
One-mile guide sign of Exit 1 for Georgia 138 (Stockbridge Highway) on Interstate 675 south. Motorists wishing to access Interstate 75 northbound must utilize Georgia 138 westbound to the Exit 228 diamond interchange nearby. Photo taken 01/17/04.
Motorists that do not depart Interstate 675 at Exit 1 are defaulted onto Interstate 75 southbound. Georgia 138 travels eastward from Fairburn (pop. 5,464) and Union City (pop. 11,621) to Jonesboro (pop. 3,829) and U.S. 23 & Georgia 42 (Macon Highway). U.S. 23 & Georgia 42 continue a short distance from there to Stockbridge (pop. 9,853). Photo taken 01/17/04.
A pair of button copy end signs are posted for Interstate 675 between Georgia 138 (Exit 1) and the southbound merge onto Interstate 75. A partial "Y" interchange exists at milepost 0. Two lane ramps to/from Interstate 75 provide high speed access between Interstate 675 and its parent. Photos taken 01/17/04.
Scenes Related to Interstate 675
Georgia 138 (Stockbridge Highway) eastbound approaching the Exit 1 diamond interchange of Interstate 675. A shopping center associated with Hanover Parkway fronts the road and interchange to the right. Photo taken 01/17/04.
Interstate 675 button copy shields with series E Highway Gothic Font are posted at the Georgia 138 (Stockbridge Highway) ramp to southbound. Georgia 138 merges with U.S. 23 & Georgia 42 (Macon Highway) one half mile to the east. From there the three routes travel two miles to
Stockbridge. The overlap entails 3.5 miles of pavement. Photo taken 01/17/04.
A third Interstate 675 button copy shield is posted at the southbound on-ramp facing Georgia 138 westbound motorists. The Stockbridge Highway otherwise continues 0.75 miles to the Exit 228 diamond interchange of Interstate 75. Photo taken 01/17/04.
