U.S. Route 78

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U.S. Route 78

US 78 highlighted in red
Route information
Length847 mi (1,363 km)
Existed1926–present
Major junctions
West end US 67 / AR 226 near Cash, AR
Major intersections
East endLine Street at Charleston, SC
Location
CountryUnited States
StatesArkansas, Tennessee, Mississippi, Alabama, Georgia, South Carolina
Highway system
← US 77US→ US 79
← AR 78AR→ US 79
← SR 77TN→ SR 78
← MS 76MS→ US 80
← SR 3SR 4→ SR 5
← SR 277SR 278→ SR 279

U.S. Route 78 (US 78) is an east–west United States Numbered Highway that runs for 847 miles (1,363 km) from Cash, Arkansas, to Charleston, South Carolina. From Byhalia, Mississippi to Birmingham, Alabama, US 78 runs concurrently with Interstate 22 (I-22). The highway's western terminus is at US 67/Arkansas Highway 226 near Cash, and its eastern terminus is on Line Street, in Charleston.

Route description

Lengths
  mi km
AR[1] 143.3 230.6
TN[2] 15.9 25.6
MS 118.0 189.9
AL 194.0 312.2
GA 233.3 375.5
SC 142.2 228.8
Total 847.4 1,363.8

Arkansas

See also: Arkansas Highway 226, Arkansas Highway 18, and Interstate 55 in Arkansas

US 78 runs concurrently with other highways along its entire route in Arkansas. US 78 begins at US 67 exit 102 south of Walnut Ridge. The route follows Arkansas Highway 226 (AR 226) east through Cash. East of Cash, US 78 meets with US 49 and US 63 at an intersection, becoming concurrent with both highways. East of the intersection with US 49/US 63, AR 226 diverges and heads north. Upon reaching Jonesboro, US 63 diverges to the northwest, towards Walnut Ridge, while US 49 and US 78 follow Interstate 555 (I-555) east. At the junction with AR 1, US 49 diverges north towards Paragould. US 78 leaves I-555 at exit 39, following AR 18S north to AR 18.[1][3]

East of Jonesboro, US 78 runs concurrently with AR 18 east, through Lake City, Monette, Manila and Dell to Blytheville. At I-55 exit 67, US 78 leaves AR 14 and follows the Interstate south past Burdette and Osceola, running parallel to US 61. In Turrell, US 61 joins I-55 and US 78, forming an unsigned concurrency. I-55, US 61 and US 78 are joined by US 64 in Marion, which is also an unsigned concurrency. At the interchange with I-40 in West Memphis, I-55, US 61, US 64 and US 78 meet I-40 and an unsigned US 79, and establish a concurrency for a short distance. I-40 diverges from I-55, US 61, US 64, US 78 and US 79 on the eastern outskirts of West Memphis at exit 279B. At exit 3A/3B, the multiplex of highways intersects and begin a concurrency with US 70. I-55, US 61, US 64, US 70, US 78 and US 79 continue east across the Mississippi River into Tennessee.[1][3]

Tennessee

US 78 enters Tennessee on I-55, along with US 61, US 64, US 70 and US 78, into downtown Memphis. I-55 heads south at the interchange with Riverside Drive and E.H. Crump Boulevard, where US 61, US 64, US 70, US 78 and US 79 continue east past the interchange onto E. H. Crump Boulevard. At Third Street, US 61 heads south on Third while, US 64, US 70 and US 79 head north on Third. US 78 continues east along E.H. Crump Boulevard and Lamar Avenue through the remainder of Memphis. In Tennessee, US 78 is historically known as Pigeon Roost Road, and some aborted sections of the highway in Mississippi also claim that name as well as Lamar Avenue. Throughout the Tennessee portion, US 78 is overlapped in its entirety, by State Route 1 (SR 1) and State Route 4 (SR 4) along the W.B. Fowler Senior Expressway, E. H. Crump Boulevard and Lamar Avenue. Previously, US 78 used Somerville Street and Doctor M.L. King Junior Avenue (previously Linden Avenue), between US 64, US 70 and US 79 and E.H. Crump Boulevard. The former route also carries the unsigned designation of State Route 278 (SR 278).[2]

Mississippi

See also: Interstate 22

US 78 is a freeway for its entire length in Mississippi. The section from its intersection with Interstate 269 in Byhalia, Mississippi to the Alabama state line is concurrent with Interstate 22. The highway runs across the northeastern rural part of the state, connecting several population centers. Mississippi's portion of US 78 is defined in Mississippi Code Annotated § 65-3-3. The old routing of US 78 through the state is signed as MS 178.

Alabama

See also: U.S. Route 78 in Alabama and Interstate 22

US 78 is a major east–west U.S. highway across the central part of Alabama. It is internally designated State Route 4 (SR 4) by the Alabama Department of Transportation, though the only section of State Route 4 that is signed is along portions mainly west of Jasper. The section from the Mississippi state line to near Graysville is concurrent with Interstate 22; from Graysville south to Birmingham, US 78 takes its original routing. East of Birmingham to the Georgia state line, US 78 has been replaced as a major through-route by Interstate 20. The two routes roughly parallel each other, with junctions at Leeds and Pell City.[4]

West of Jasper, old US 78 is signed as AL 118 to Guin, and the segment from Guin northward to I-22 at Hamilton is signed as US 43/US 278.

Georgia

Main article: U.S. Route 78 in Georgia

US 78 enters Georgia in Haralson County, and then proceeds through Carroll County and Douglas County. In Douglasville, located in Douglas County, US 78 runs through the downtown, historical part of the city. It is the original thoroughfare for these Georgia counties.

The route then continues eastward through Cobb and Fulton counties into Atlanta. After crossing Peachtree Street, where US 78 marks a boundary between downtown and Midtown, US 78 is largely conterminous with Ponce de Leon Avenue. As it proceeds due east, this section of the route passes Ponce City Market and crosses the Eastside Trail of the BeltLine before skirting a number of Frederick Law Olmsted-designed parks in the Druid Hills Historic District at the eastern edge of the city.

After entering Decatur in DeKalb County, US 78 departs from Ponce de Leon Avenue to head northeast. South of the site of North DeKalb Mall, another short freeway portion begins — leading from just inside the eastern rim of Interstate 285 (the Perimeter) to the suburbs of Clarkston, Tucker, Stone Mountain, and Snellville. This portion is named the Stone Mountain Freeway, and provides an excellent view of Stone Mountain for eastbound motorists.

The route then proceeds east across Gwinnett, Walton, and Oconee counties. In Oconee County, US 78 leaves Moina Michael Highway at the SR 316 interchange, turning right and running concurrent with SR 316/US 29. (From this point, Moina Michael Highway is signed as US 78 Business, which follows the original route of US 78 through Athens, Ga.) At the terminal eastern interchange of SR 316 both US 78 and US 29 turn right and join with SR 10 Loop, a mostly interstate-grade bypass that rings Athens-Clarke County. US 78 exits the bypass and turns right at the Lexington Road interchange. From there US 78 passes through Oglethorpe, Wilkes, McDuffie and Columbia Counties into Augusta and then onto one of the twin bridges across the Savannah River into South Carolina.[5]

South Carolina

Main article: U.S. Route 78 in South Carolina

US 78 provides the most direct route between Augusta and Charleston, through the South Carolina Lowcountry. Crossing Savannah River into the state, it goes northeast into Aiken before going southeasterly through the cities and towns of Williston, Blackville, Denmark, Bamberg, Branchville, and St. George. East of Dorchester, it parallels Interstate 26 into downtown Charleston, where it ends.[6]

History

U.S. Route 78 (US 78) was one of the original U.S. Highways designated on November 11, 1926, with a western terminus in Memphis Tennessee, and an eastern terminus in Charleston, South Carolina.[7] In western Alabama, the historical name of US 78 is Bankhead Highway. It is also known by this name in portions of Georgia, including Atlanta, and the Bankhead neighborhood takes its name from that stretch of road. Also, the old section of US 78 (now MS 178) that travels through downtown New Albany, Mississippi, is named Bankhead Street.

Throughout the 2000s, US 78 has been gradually upgraded into a four-lane freeway in Mississippi and Alabama and signed as I-22. US 78 is concurrent with I-22 from Byhalia, Mississippi to just outside of Birmingham, Alabama, only branching off just outside of Graysville, Alabama with I-22 traveling about 11 miles (18 km) eastward to its terminus at I-65.[8]

From 1926 to 2023, US 78 ended in downtown Memphis at 3rd Street, and was later extended two blocks west to 2nd Street, when both streets became a one way pair. Both 2nd Street and 3rd Street are part of US 64, US 70 and US 79.[9] On October 25, 2023, the Arkansas Highway Commission voted unanimously to extend the US 78 designation west from Memphis to US 67 near Cash, Arkansas. From Memphis, the route will follow US 61/US 64/US 70/US 79 to I-55 and then follow I-55 across the Mississippi River on the Memphis & Arkansas Bridge. US 78 will follow I-55 north to Blytheville, where it will turn west and follow Arkansas Highway 18 (AR 18) and AR 18S to I-555 in Jonesboro. The route will then follow I-555, US 49, and AR 226 west to US 67. This extension of the US 78 route designation is intended to provide economic growth to Northeast Arkansas by providing a single route number to the roads that it will follow.[10] The proposed extension into Arkansas was approved by the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) in November 2023, during the Fall Meeting of the U.S. Route Numbering Committee.[3] As of 2023, the eastern terminus of US 78 remains in downtown Charleston.[9]

Future

US 78 and SR 4 in Memphis, Tennessee is currently being upgraded between the Mississippi state line and SR 176, a distance of about 5.1 miles (8.2 km). The route, Lamar Avenue, sees heavy freight traffic and has "crippling congestion." The work includes expanding the road from four to six lanes, adding three new interchanges, and upgrading additional ones. The work is being done in three segments with the first one starting in 2018.[11]

Major intersections

Arkansas
US 67 / AR 226 in Cash
US 49 / US 63 near Jonesboro. US 49/US 63/US 78 travels concurrently to Jonesboro.
I-555 / US 63 in Jonesboro. I-555/US 78 travels concurrently through Jonesboro.
US 49 in Jonesboro.
I-555 in Jonesboro.
US 61 in Blytheville
I-55 in Blytheville. I-55/US 78 travels concurrently to Memphis, Tennessee.
I-555 / US 61 in Turrell and Gilmore. US 61/US 78 travels concurrently to Memphis.
US 64 in Marion. US 64/US 78 travels concurrently to Memphis.
I-40 / US 79 in West Memphis. I-40/US 78 travels concurrently through West Memphis only. US 78/US 79 travels concurrently to Memphis.
I-40 in West Memphis.
US 70 in West Memphis. US 70/US 78 travels concurrently to Memphis.
Tennessee
I-55 in Memphis.
US 61 / US 64 / US 70 / US 79 in Memphis.
I-240 in Memphis
US 51 in Memphis
I-240 in Memphis
Mississippi
I-22 / I-269 west-northwest of Byhalia. Begin I-22 Concurrency.
US 45 in Tupelo
Alabama
US 43 / US 278 in Hamilton
Future I-222 / Future I-422 near Adamsville
I-22 / I-65 near Birmingham. End I-22 Concurrency.
I-20 / I-59 in Birmingham
US 11 in Birmingham. The highways travel concurrently through Birmingham.
US 31 / US 280 in Birmingham
I-20 in Leeds
US 411 in Leeds
I-20 northwest of Chulavista. The highways travel concurrently to Pell City.
US 231 in Pell City
I-20 in Riverside
US 431 in Oxford.
Georgia
US 27 in Bremen
US 278 in Lithia Springs. The highways travel concurrently to Druid Hills.
I-285 in Atlanta
US 19 / US 41 in Atlanta. The highways travel concurrently through Atlanta.
US 19 / US 29 / US 41 in Atlanta. US 29/US 78 travels concurrently to the Scottdale–North Decatur city line.
US 23 in Atlanta. The highways travel concurrently to Decatur.
I-285 on the Scottdale–Clarkston city line
US 29 southeast of Bogart. The highways travel concurrently to Athens.
US 129 / US 441 in Athens. The highways travel concurrently through Athens.
US 378 in Washington
I-20 north of Thomson
US 278 southeast of Thomson. The highways travel concurrently to Clearwater, South Carolina.
US 221 in Harlem
I-520 in Augusta
US 1 in Augusta. The highways travel concurrently to Aiken, South Carolina.
US 25 in Augusta. The highways travel concurrently to North Augusta, South Carolina.
South Carolina
I-520 in North Augusta
US 321 in Denmark
US 301 / US 601 in Bamberg
US 21 in Branchville. The highways travel concurrently through Branchville.
I-95 in St. George
US 15 in St. George
US 178 east of Dorchester
I-26 in North Charleston
US 52 in North Charleston. The highways travel concurrently through North Charleston.
I-26 in North Charleston
I-526 in North Charleston
King Street/Line Street in Charleston

[12]

See also

Related U.S. Routes

References

  1. ^ a b c Google (December 21, 2023). "Route of US 78 in Arkansas" (Map). Google Maps. Google. Retrieved December 21, 2023.
  2. ^ a b Google (December 21, 2023). "Route of US-78 in Tennessee" (Map). Google Maps. Google. Retrieved December 21, 2023.
  3. ^ a b c Special Committee on U.S. Route Numbering (November 2023). "2023 Fall Meeting Report to the Council on Highways and Streets" (PDF) (Report). Washington, DC: American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials. p. 2. Archived (PDF) from the original on December 5, 2023.
  4. ^ Google (April 11, 2014). "Route of US 78 in Alabama" (Map). Google Maps. Google. Retrieved April 11, 2014.
  5. ^ Google (April 11, 2014). "Route of US 78 in Georgia" (Map). Google Maps. Google. Retrieved April 11, 2014.
  6. ^ Google (April 11, 2014). "Route of US 78 in South Carolina" (Map). Google Maps. Google. Retrieved April 11, 2014.
  7. ^ Bureau of Public Roads & American Association of State Highway Officials (November 11, 1926). United States System of Highways Adopted for Uniform Marking by the American Association of State Highway Officials (Map). 1:7,000,000. Washington, DC: United States Geological Survey. OCLC 32889555. Retrieved November 7, 2013 – via Wikimedia Commons.
  8. ^ "Interstate 22". Interstate-Guide.com. Retrieved March 18, 2023.
  9. ^ a b Sanderson, Dale (December 5, 2023). "End of US Highway 78 - US Ends". Retrieved January 18, 2024.
  10. ^ "Commission approves Highway 78 designation through Northeast Arkansas". KAIT. October 25, 2023. Retrieved October 31, 2023.
  11. ^ "Lamar Avenue". www.tn.gov. Retrieved 20 March 2023.
  12. ^ Rand McNally (2014). The Road Atlas (Walmart ed.). Chicago: Rand McNally. pp. 4, 28, 56, 92, 94. ISBN 978-0-528-00771-2.

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to U.S. Route 78.
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