U.S. Route 78 Business (Athens, Georgia)

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U.S. Highway 78 Business in Athens is a Bannered U.S. Highway in Athens, Georgia, concurrent with S.R. 10, with its western terminus beginning at S.R. 316 in Oconee County, Georgia, and its eastern terminus at S.R. 10 Loop.

Prior to the completion of the Paul Broun Parkway/Athens Perimeter and Georgia 316, the Broad Street and Atlanta Highway portions of Highway 78 Business carried U.S. Highways 78 and 29 through Athens' downtown and commercial west side. US 29 entered Athens via North Avenue and Thomas Street, joining US 78 at the Broad Street-Thomas Street-Oconee Street intersection downtown. The combined highways continued to the Pepsi bottling plant in Bogart, where US 78 turned left onto the Moina Michael Highway and US 29 continued straight into Bogart.

1 Names of Business 78 in Athens
2 Related U.S. routes
3 See also

[edit] Names of Business 78 in Athens

[edit] Moina Michael Highway

Business 78 retains the Moina Michael Highway designation between Georgia State Route 316 and Atlanta Highway.

[edit] Atlanta Highway

Business 78 has become known worldwide as part of the route to the Love Shack by The B-52's. Atlanta Highway is the main suburban commercial strip in Athens, with Georgia Square Mall and a multitude of big box stores and car dealerships. Epps Bridge Parkway, an extension of Georgia State Route 316, forms an interchange with Atlanta Highway just west of the Middle Oconee River.

[edit] Broad Street

The highway changes its name to Broad Street as it approaches the city center. Landmarks include The Varsity restaurant, a Nuwaubian temple, and the University of Georgia. Monuments to Confederate soldiers and Elijah Clarke line the median strip opposite the University. At Thomas Street, Broad Street continues east, while Business 78 follows Oconee Street southeast.

[edit] Oconee Street and Oak Street

Oconee Street is signed as Business 78 for only several blocks, as Oconee Street goes up Carr's Hill just east of the North Oconee River. Business 78 follows Oak Street to go around the hill.

When Business 78 rejoins the primary route of 78 (which follows the S.R. 10 Loop to the south of the city), the road changes name again, to Lexington Road.