Route Information, History and Termini Gallery

Located in West Central Georgia part way between Columbus and LaGrange, GA 103 extends through remote backcountry near Lake Harding on the Chattahoochee River. Overall, this route stretches for 14 miles from just shy of I-185 at the intersection with GA 116 and 219 to GA 18 east of West Point.

The future of GA 103 also remains uncertain as the route is in a precarious position that it could easily become an extension of GA 116 through a simple renumbering of the route. However, the route has remained unchanged since 1982.

History

A route of little consequence today, GA 103 was once a much grander highway, extending from West Point all the way to Buena Vista and passing through Columbus en route. Two major factors resulted in the route largely disappearing. The first was in 1963 when Fort Benning forced the permanent closure of the route from Columbus to Buena Vista. The second major change to occur to GA 103 did not happen for many more years, and could largely be attributed to the completion of I-185 in the area a few years previous. What happened the second time was that GA 103 was truncated at GA 219 with GA 219 taking over the entire route from there to Columbus. The remainder south of where the current route meets U.S. 27 was turned back to local control.

Click on either thumbnail above to enlarge. The first image is of GA 103 before it was closed through Fort Benning in 1962. The second was immediately after in 1963. Note the numerous changes to the routes on the east end of the closure in just one year (1962, 1963 GHD Map).

When the first change occured in 1963, the closure of GA 103 was no small change as it was cutting off a major route, forcing traffic south on U.S. 27 and GA 26. Regardless of the closure, the difference in mileage of the permanent detour was negligible, but it left a stub end at the west side of the base for GA 103 and still angered many folks.

With a stub in place that was largely confusing, it was less than a year before the stub end of GA 103 became part of a peculiar highway known as GA 357. GA 357 formed an elbow that included all of 103 up to the edge of the base before turning northward along previously county-maintained Schatulga Road. GA 103 also oddly ended into GA 357 where 357 turned south along Brennan Road.

In all, the closure of GA 103 resulted in the creation of several new state routes on both sides of the base. Additionally, part of GA 1 Spur along what is today Brown Avenue and Cusseta Road was renumbered as GA 103 Spur when the change occured, yet neither route of GA 103 actually ended at the route that took its place: U.S. 27. GA 103 ended at GA 357 (Brennan Road) and GA 103 Spur ended at GA 357 as well where Brennan Road today meets Cusseta Road.

Click on either thumbnail above to enlarge. Note the differences with GA 103 in Columbus itself in 1959 (left) and 1973 (right). GA 1 Spur was changed to 103 Spur, GA 357 extended along part of 103 and Brennan Road (1959 GHD Map, 1973 GDOT Map). No changes were made to the route prior to the 1973 map used here.

On the east side of the closed road, routes were also changed accordingly. GA 26 was relocated south along a more direct alignment from Cusseta to Buena Vista and the old route of GA 26 became GA 137. On 103 itself, the portion west of the intersection where it ended into GA 26 became GA 137 Spur and part of then newly commissioned GA 355. Today, all routes on the east stub end of GA 103 remain as they were when they were changed after the closing of 103 and relocating of GA 26. However, on Old GA 26, the portion of GA 137 that took over all parts of GA 26 not on new location west of GA 355 is decommissioned. It was returned to local control in the Great Decommissioning of 1982.

In the nearly two decades that followed, the peculiar arrangement with GA 103 proved to have lasted long enough. Another victim of the Great Decommissioning of 1982, it seemed that GA 103 was on top of the list. Overall, it is amazing that any part of the route exists today, especially as GA 103 basically exists as a merely an extension of GA 116.

Along with the decommissioning of GA 357, GA 103 was scaled back all the way to where the route currently meets GA 219. While most of the route was renumbered as GA 219, the portion south of U.S. 27 and GA 103 Spur were fully decommissioned. This change left today the unassuming 14 mile route that only pays lip service to this route that once extended nearly 75 miles.

Click on thumbnail to enlarge. Current route of GA 103 (2001 GDOT Map)
Georgia 103 Termini Gallery

Views from each end of the highway. Pics of the east end of GA 103 taken by S.E.B. on June 26, 2004.

Southern Terminus: Intersection of GA 219 and 116 immediately west of I-185
Photo 1: South end signage (end is actually facing east), GA 116 also ends here continuing east from the end of 103; Photo 2: Looking north on GA 219 at the dual end; Photo 3: First northbound reassurance shield
Northern Terminus: GA 18 east of West Point
No photos available
Related Links

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