Interstate 475 Georgia

Interstate 475 Georgia

Overview

Interstate 475 (unsigned Georgia State Route 408) is a six lane bypass for I-75 to the west of Macon in central Georgia. The freeway provides long distance travelers between Atlanta and Florida with a bypass of the in-city route of Interstate 75 through Macon. As such, a rest area lines the northbound lanes ahead of Exit 9.

History

The concept of Interstate 475 emerged from the shift of I-75 from a path west of Macon to a route through the city at the urging of local officials. I-475 was completed in 1967, allowing through traffic along Interstate 75 a seamless route between Atlanta and Valdosta, as construction on I-75 through Macon continued until 1971.1

The Macon bypass was expanded from four to six lanes between 1998 and 2002. An $83.4 million project rebuilt the south wye interchange between I-75/475 to both incorporate new collector distributor roads along I-75 between I-475 and Hartley Bridge Road and widen 3.7 miles of freeway. The contract was awarded in August 2006 and work was completed in October 2009.2

Route Information

  • North End – Bolingbroke, GA

  • South End – Macon, GA

  • Mileage – 15.83

  • Cities – Macon

  • Junctions – I-75

Source: December 31, 2021 Interstate Route Log and Finders List

Macon, GA - 1970 Map
Interstate 475 remained the through route for I-75 in the Macon area in 1970.

Interstate 75 to the west of Downtown Macon opened to traffic in mid 1969.

 Photo Guides

North End I-75 – Bolingbroke, Georgia

I-475 North at I-75

I-475 north at US 41/I-75 - Bolingbroke, GA

Interstate 475 enters a folded diamond interchange (Exit 15) with U.S. 41 by the community of Bolingbroke before defaulting onto I-75 northbound. 09/06/20

I-475 north at US 41/I-75 - Bolingbroke, GA

A pair of end shields stand within the wye interchange joining I-475 and I-75 north. Four lanes continue north to Exit 181 for Rumble Road. 09/06/20

I-75 South at I-475

I-75 south at I-475 - Bolingbroke, GA

Guide signs for Interstate 475 reference the bypass aspect of the freeway to Valdosta. The south Georgia city lies 156 miles ahead. 09/11/20

I-75 south at I-475 - Bolingbroke, GA

Interstate 75 south to I-16 connects Atlanta with Savannah and its Port, the Golden Isles and Jacksonville, Florida. 09/11/20

I-75 south at I-475 - Bolingbroke, GA

Two lanes serve both Interstate 75 south into Macon and I-475 south to Perry, Cordele, Tifton and Valdosta. 09/11/20

I-75 south at I-475 - Bolingbroke, GA

Long distance travelers bound for Florida via I-475 will reach the Tampa and St. Petersburg area in 376 miles. Downtown Macon is a 14 mile drive via either I-75 south or I-16 east. 09/11/20

I-75/475 south split - Bolingbroke, GA

A begin Interstate 475 shield stands just beyond the Exit 177 gore point. Begin shields are posted sporadically across the country. Other examples in Georgia can be found on I-185, I-520 and I-675. 09/11/20

I-475 North End Throwback

I-75 south at I-475 - 2003

The two mile sign for I-475 was replaced with an overhead assembly between by 2005. Photo by Chris Patriarca (07/06/03).

I-75 south at I-475 - 2005

This supplemental guide sign for Interstate 475 near the Pea Ridge Road overpass was replaced by 2007 with a new sign bridge. 05/29/05

South End I-75 – Macon, Georgia

I-475 South at I-75

I-475 south at US 80 - Macon, GA

Pull through signage on southbound Interstate 475 at Exit 3 for U.S. 80/SR 22 simply references Interstate 75 south to Valdosta and Tampa, Florida. 09/11/20

I-475 south at I-75 - Macon, GA

Interstate 475 plies across wetland areas associated with Tobesofkee Creek to split into side by side wye interchanges with both the I-75 mainline and a distributor roadway (Exit 1) to Hartley Bridge Road. 09/11/20

I-475 south at I-75 - Macon, GA

Three lanes proceed onto Interstate 75 south toward Warner Robins and Perry while Exit 1 departs to Hartley Bridge Road for Skipperton and adjacent rural areas of south Macon – Bibb County. 09/11/20

I-475 south at I-75 - Macon, GA

This shield assembly formally recognizes the transition of Interstate 475 south onto I-75. 09/11/20

I-475 south at I-75 - Macon, GA

End shields line both sides of Interstate 475 as travelers continue south onto an eight lane freeway to Sardis Church Road (Exit 153). 09/11/20

I-75 North at I-475

Two miles ahead of the separation with I-475 on I-75 north in Macon, GA

Interstate 75 north expands to five overall lanes from the Sardis Church Road entrance ramp to the split with I-475 at Exit 156. 12/20/23

Hartley Bridge Rd spans I-75 north one mile ahead of I-475

70 mile per hour (mph) speed limits are maintained on the mostly rural Macon Bypass while the limit reduces to 55 mph along Interstate 75. 12/20/23

Three lanes separate for both I-75 and I-475 north through Macon, GA

I-75 angles northeast from I-475 nine miles to the west end of Interstate 16 near Downtown Macon. 12/20/23

I-75 north at Left Exit 156 for I-475 around Macon, GA

Three lanes partition for both Interstate 475 north toward Forsyth and Atlanta and I-75 north to Downtown Macon and I-16. 12/20/23

Distributor roadway from Hartley Bridge Rd north to I-75/475

Two entrance ramps from Hartley Bridge Road / Exit 155 form a distributor roadway to both I-75 and I-475. 09/22/22

Hartley Bridge Rd entrance ramps to I-75 and I-475 north at Macon, GA

Single lane ramps join I-75 north to Downtown Macon and I-475 around Macon from Hartley Bridge Road. 09/22/22

The northbound beginning of I-475 at Macon, Georgia

Confirming markers for Interstate 475 north stand just beyond the separation from I-75. 12/20/23

I-475 South End Throwback

I-475 South at I-75

I-475 south at US 80 - 2005

These guide signs at Exit 3 were eventually replaced in kind. 05/28/05

I-475 south at I-75 - 2005

Prior to the upgrades completed in 2009, the Hartley Bridge Road exit ramp departed one half mile beyond the merge of I-475 onto I-75, resulting in a weaving traffic pattern. 05/28/05

I-475 south at I-75 - 2005
I-475 south at I-75 - 2003

Prior to the upgrades completed in 2009, the Hartley Bridge Road exit ramp departed one half mile beyond the merge of I-475 onto I-75, resulting in a weaving traffic pattern. Photos taken 05/28/05 and by Chris Patriarca (07/06/03).

I-75 North at I-475

I-75 north at I-475 - 2005

All signs for I-75 and I-475 throughout the Macon/Bibb County area were replaced with the 1999 Georgia Department of Transportation exit renumbering project. The interchange (Exit 153) with Sardis Church Road had not been built at this time. 05/28/05

I-75 north at I-475 - 2003

This diagrammatic sign was removed sometime between 2003 and 2005 during construction to upgrade the Hartley Bridge Road exit into a parclo interchange. Photo by Chris Patriarca (07/06/03).

I-75 north at I-475 - 2005
I-75 north at I-475 - 2005

Entering the original single wye interchange where Interstate 475 begins. Traffic taking the Macon bypass rejoins I-75 by milepost 177. 05/28/05

Sources:

  1. “10 events that shaped our region.” Macon Telegraph, September 30, 2012.
  2. “Bibb Road Contracts Awarded for $83M – Deal for New Southern Interchange between Interstates 75 and 475.” Macon Telegraph, August 20, 2006.

Page updated January 27, 2024.