Georgia Highway 211

Three-part GA 211 is a highway not easy to follow, but it serves its purpose in the scope of northeastern Georgia travel. Extending 32 miles, GA 211 is located in Barrow, Hall and a small sliver of Gwinnett Counties extending from the Candler community 10 miles south of Gainesville to Statham at GA 316 near Athens.

The three sections of GA 211 are joined by overlaps with GA 53 in Chestnut Mountain and Winder and a significant stretch of GA 11 in Winder. The portion in Winder is unique in that the highways are signed in reverse directions, resulting in signage for North 11 and South 211 on the same assembly. Overall, the three sections of GA 211 range in traffic volumes and importance with the only truly well-traveled and significant portion of the highway west of GA 53.

GA 211 is also known by local road names along its entire route. Local names for the sections include Statham Highway, Thompson Mill Road, Farm To Market Road and Tanners Mill Road. The Statham Highway portion, located entirely in Barrow County, includes all of the route from GA 11 northeast of Winder to GA 316 in Statham. The portion from GA 11/53 in Winder to GA 53 in Chestnut Mountain is known as Thompson Mill Road in Barrow and Gwinnett Counties and Farm to Market Road in Hall County. The east-west portion in Hall County between GA 53 and 60 is known as Tanners Mill Road and was not an original part of the highway.

On each section, the total distance varies widely. The Tanners Mill Road section is 4 miles long, the section west of GA 53 extends for 16 miles, the overlapped section with GA 11 and partly with GA 53 is 3 miles and the Statham Highway section extends 9 miles. The remaining overlap on GA 53 in Chestnut Mountain is under a mile.

GA 211 has a couple distinct points of interest nearby, namely Chateau Elan & Winery, the historic town of Braselton, made famous when actress Kim Bassinger owned for a period, Mayfield Dairy and Fort Yargo State Park.

First established in the mid-1940's, GA 211 included all of the current route except the Tanners Mill Road portion west of GA 53 in Hall County. The highway was also fully paved upon commissioning.

In 1966, GA 211 was extended west of GA 53 in Hall County along Tanners Mill Road. The project involved an upgrade of the existing unpaved road, so the road was not fully completed and open to traffic until 1967.

On the portion of GA 211 west of GA 53 between Winder and Gainiesville, the highway eventually proved to be far too antiquated for the traffic volumes. GA 211 was narrow and winding and was designed to 1940's standards. As a result, this section of GA 211 was in the 1970's. Most of this work, including a relocation of the road from a historic truss structure that still stands today, was completed on June 9, 1977.

In 1993, GA 211 was extended southward from its former southern terminus at U.S. 29 in Statham. This happened as a result of U.S. 29 and GA 8 being moved to the newly opened GA 316 and the old highway being decommissioned. GA 324 had originally ended in Statham just to the west and was decommissioned at the same time, thus GA 211 was extended along part of Old U.S. 29 through Statham and along Old GA 324 in order to end at GA 316 to the south of Statham.

Various improvements have occured along GA 211 since that time, including intersection improvements and the rebuilding of the interchange with I-85. Further changes are likely as the once rural highway is now in a fast-growing area with steadily increasing traffic demands.

Georgia 211 Photo Gallery

All photos below by J.T. Legg.

	Relatively new contractor installed assembly at intersection improvement where GA 211 intersects Rockwell Church Road in Barrow County. Photo taken December 27, 2004.
	Wrong-way overlap where GA 11 and 211 overlap for two miles northeast of Winder. The routes both having eleven in the number make this more interesting. Photo taken December 27, 2004.
	GA 211 becomes one of three routes sharing the same stretch of asphalt through downtown Winder. This will change soon when the GA 53 by-pass is built. This is East 53, North 211 and South 11, by the way. Photo taken December 27, 2004.
	Historic truss structure on Old Thompson Mill Road, which carried GA 211 traffic until 1977. Photo taken December 27, 2004.

Georgia 211 Termini Gallery

Photos below of both ends by Daniel Rose and J.T. Legg.

Southern Terminus: U.S. 29/GA 8/GA 316 in Statham
The first photo is looking south towards GA 316. No end signage was present. The road ahead is Old GA 324. The second photo is the directional assembly looking west on GA 316 towards Winder and Atlanta. Both photos by Daniel Rose taken February 2004. The last two photos feature another directional assembly posted on westbound Old GA 324 and a junction assembly on eastbound GA 316. The last photos taken by J.T. Legg on January 27, 2005.
Northern Terminus: GA 60/332 in the Candler community south of Gainesville
Photo 1: End signage; Photo 2: Directional assembly looking south on GA 60; Photo 3: First reassurance shield; Photo 4: Junction assembly southbound on GA 60. Photos by J.T. Legg taken July 17, 2004.