U.S. Highway 123

Extending from Mount Airy to the South Carolina State Line east of Toccoa, U.S. 123 has a brief presence in Georgia. A route scheduled to be four lanes all the way to the South Carolina border, the route roughly serves as a spur into Toccoa from U.S 23 for Georgia. In the grander scheme, U.S. 123 serves as an alternate route from Atlanta to Greenville, running by Clemson University along the route. U.S. 123 is also one of the shortest U.S. highways in the country as it is less than 100 miles long.

U.S. 123 is located in the foothills of the mountains in the northeastern part of the state. Where the route begins is at the high side of an escarpment, resulting in U.S. 123 beginning a steep ascent into Toccoa before leveling out the rest of the way into South Carolina. Parts of the route are scenic and even border National Forest around the escarpment. The route is also near many popular tourist destinations in the area, especially Toccoa Falls.

In all, only 16 miles of U.S. 123, though Georgia holds the distinction of having one of the ends with its parent route, U.S. 23. The entire route in Georgia passes through part of Habersham County and traverses Stephens County where Toccoa is the county seat. U.S. 123 also overlaps with portions of GA 17 and GA 184 as well as sharing all mileage with GA 365. The route also has no banner routes, though future plans to by-pass Toccoa will change this. That should come as no surprise as U.S. 123 is no stranger to drastic change. Read more about it in the history below.

U.S. 123 was originally established around 1950, following what had originally been an independent portion of GA 13. Before the U.S. route was created, GA 13 was part of U.S. 23 the entire length with the exception of the route from Cornelia to Toccoa.

U.S. 123 was also once part of a plan to become the route for I-85. The plan was that I-85 was to pass through Gainesville and Toccoa instead of Lavonia on the route from Atlanta to Greenville. What changed was that an influential local politician in Lavonia succesfully lobbied the relocation of I-85 on the more southerly alignment it serves today (1).

Starting in 1980, U.S. 123 began to undergo lasting changes that greatly reduced the role of the route in Georgia. Running roughly parallel to U.S. 23/441 to the west, U.S. 123 originally began its journey northeast in Cornelia at a Y-intersection southeast of downtown. U.S. 123 also once shared all of its mileage with GA 13, a route that has since been truncated nearly 30 miles southwest of where U.S. 123 ends today.

U.S. 123/GA 13 in 1988 running from GA 365 in Baldwin to the South Carolina border. U.S. 123 is the road in the red running from GA 365 east to the South Carolina line, labeled here in red.

During the first phase of changes, the parent route of U.S. 123, U.S. 23, was relocated to the west along a new four-lane highway combined with GA 365 where it is today, effectively severing U.S. 123 from its parent route. The result was that U.S. 123 was extended through Baldwin to meet the new road, bringing U.S. 123 to its maximum mileage for around a decade. The extension includes what is today the GA 15 Connector portion of Level Grove Road from U.S. 23/GA 365 east to U.S. 441, and parts overlapping existing U.S. 441 and U.S. 441 Business as well.

U.S. 123 in 1993. Note that GA 13 no longer is located in the area. Though not clearly marked, U.S. 123 begins at the four-lane intersection in the center of the map.

During the late 1980's, construction began on a new U.S. 123 and new location for U.S. 23 to replace the winding two-lanes they both followed. Completed in 1991, both highways were relocated as sections of the new four-lane were further completed.

The results were sweeping and drastic U.S. 123 with U.S. 123 significantly relocated and truncated entirely. GA 13, its state overlap, was truncated all the way back to Gainesville as well with GA 365 extended and taking over all of remaining U.S. 123.

The major changes that took place were ones that made for far-reaching effects. First, the entire 13-mile route from Cornelia to the Boydville community southwest of Toccoa became a county road. Second, Mount Airy, a town served by the route, was then no longer served by any state routes. Lastly, the entire highway was shortened by two-thirds, significantly reducing the already small presence of the route in the state.

In all, the resulting relocation and truncation brought the route from 24 to 16 miles. Additionally, 13 of these miles are now county roads in both counties resulting in the elimination of over half of the original route.

U.S. 123 Termini Gallery

All photos below by J.T. Legg

Southern Terminus: U.S. 23/441/GA 15 east of Clarkesville
Photo 1: End signage on the flyover from southbound U.S. 123 to southbound U.S. 23/441/GA 365. Photo 2: First reassurance shield northbound. Note the contractor installed signs and wrong-way overlap with GA 17. Photo 3: Old LGS approaching the interchange. This sign was replaced with a new sign on the steel supports behind it. All photos taken August 14, 2004.
Northern Terminus: South Carolina State Line
Photos 1 and 2: Looking westbound from the Lake Hartwell/Tugaloo River bridge at the state line. Photo 3: The bridge itself from the South Carolina side looking west. Photo 4: State Line signage from the South Carolina side. All photos taken August 28, 2004.