Route around Atlanta

[lukeh]

Each Christmas I travel from Iowa to Ft. Myers, Florida. Year after year we have to carefully time our travels through Atlanta. Does anyone have a good route to skirt Atlanta. I'm driving a diesel pusher with Honda Odyssey toad. Trying to avoid 2 lane or rough roads. Thank you! Safe travels.

[Parrothead_Mike]

Unless you have a specific reason to go into Georgia you can avoid it totally. I-65 to Montgomery, AL then US-231 to the panhandle and I-10. From there follow I-10 to exit #225 and take US-19 south along the Gulf. It's a very nice and lightly traveled 4-lane highway. Take it down to US-98 and go through Brooksville to catch I-75 north of Tampa.

[Bird_Freak]

Sam Spade wrote:

Bird Freak wrote:
RV'S are allowed in hov lanes but you must have at least two people. I asked.

OK so assuming that you got the right answer, now we know it is allowed in Georgia. That doesn't necessarily mean that it is allowed everywhere.

What about semi-trailers with two drivers onboard ??

Like I said, just because it is legal doesn't necessarily mean it is wise. I've been there and done that (not in an RV) and noticed that some people use the HOV lanes for their own personal race track.....when the "local" lanes are moving at 80 and that's not good enough for them.

If you are going to use the HOV lanes you had better be able to maintain 70 MPH......even though the speed limit is 55.....or you will cause a large backup. And in a lot of states these days, that is against the law too.

Sam I travel it a lot. I live 40 miles north now but used to be right in it. semi's are restricted to the two right lanes and are not allowed inside the 285 perimeter unless delivering inside. Hov lanes are only inside perimeter.

[Sam_Spade]

Bird Freak wrote:
RV'S are allowed in hov lanes but you must have at least two people. I asked.

OK so assuming that you got the right answer, now we know it is allowed in Georgia. That doesn't necessarily mean that it is allowed everywhere.

What about semi-trailers with two drivers onboard ??

Like I said, just because it is legal doesn't necessarily mean it is wise. I've been there and done that (not in an RV) and noticed that some people use the HOV lanes for their own personal race track.....when the "local" lanes are moving at 80 and that's not good enough for them.

If you are going to use the HOV lanes you had better be able to maintain 70 MPH......even though the speed limit is 55.....or you will cause a large backup. And in a lot of states these days, that is against the law too.

[Bob_Shaw]

Ok, here's another option, and I've driven most of this route: From I-75 South in North Georgia, south of Resaca, take GA Highway 53 South (4 lane divided) to Rome Georgia There catch US 27 South, do not take Alt US 27 in Carrolton, stay on US 27 until it crosses I-185 north of Columbus GA; Take I-185 south through Columbus, where it turns in to US 280, US 280 South to Richland where the expressway turns into GA 520 to Albany; Then take US 82 East to I-75 in Tifton. Trust me it's not as complicated as it sounds. I-185 turns into a 4-lane divided highway at Fort Benning, and if you stay on the 4-lane it will take you all the way to Tifton. Most of this route is 4-lane divided, mostly light traffic, and not much farther in distance than going down I-75, but, it will take about an hour longer. If I wanted to avoid Atlanta, that's the route I would take, but having worked in Atlanta for 30 years, I'd go straight through on I-75.

[Bird_Freak]

Sam Spade wrote:

lukeh wrote:
didn't know RVs could use HOV lanes.

Just because you CAN doesn't mean you SHOULD.

I don't think that RVs are an intended use of the HOV lanes and before you get into that habit I think you should verify that it really IS allowed.

Every now and then incorrect information shows up in places like this. 😉

RV'S are allowed in hov lanes but you must have at least two people. I asked.

[DownTheAvenue]

Sam Spade wrote:

DownTheAvenue wrote:

Not exactly correct. There are no HOV lanes, but toll lanes.

Has that changed recently (6 months) ?

I-75/85 through downtown has never had any toll lanes in the past.

I never bother with the HOV lanes because they are an advantage mostly during rush hour and I NEVER go through Atlanta at rush hour.....or any other BIG city either.

You are correct, my mistake. The toll lanes are on I-85 only,

[Sam_Spade]

lukeh wrote:
didn't know RVs could use HOV lanes.

Just because you CAN doesn't mean you SHOULD.

I don't think that RVs are an intended use of the HOV lanes and before you get into that habit I think you should verify that it really IS allowed.

Every now and then incorrect information shows up in places like this. 😉

[Bird_Freak]

Ivylog wrote:
I use US 27 fairly often and it's unusual to see another vehicle in front or behind you unless you are at a major town. Way too many other roads in GA with traffic counts 30 times higher that need to be improved.

Depends on time of day.

[Ivylog]

I use US 27 fairly often and it's unusual to see another vehicle in front or behind you unless you are at a major town. Way too many other roads in GA with traffic counts 30 times higher that need to be improved.

[Bird_Freak]

Ivylog wrote:
I go straight through and also use the HOV but you need to hammer down. Otherwise do not stay in the right lane as two lanes will exit without much warning.
GA has wasted a lot of money making US 27 four lanes from Chattanooga to SW GA. You could take it to Columbus and then 300 to Albany. Take the bypass around Albany and then US 19 to US 98 all the way down to 589 near Brooksville, Fl. 589 will take you into Tampa where you could get back on I-75. Much of this route is divided four lanes with very little traffic.
From Albany you could go on over to I-75 and take it on south.

If you traveled Hwy 27 often you would know what a stupid statement that was!

[Bird_Freak]

DownTheAvenue wrote:

Ziggy_the_BB wrote:
Agreed, straight through at any time of the day (although rush hour a bit more white knuckle). The trick is use the HOV lanes which require 2 people...so you are legal. Travel through often...HOV=Never a problem.

Not exactly correct. There are no HOV lanes, but toll lanes. It doesn't matter how many occupants are in the vehicle, but you must have a transponder to pay the toll. The Peach Pass (Georgia), Sun Pass (Florida), and the Quick Pass (North Carolina) all work on the toll lanes.

You know not what you say! I75 has no toll lanes!
:S

[lukeh]

Thanks for the great advice. Learned a few things.... didn't know RVs could use HOV lanes. Secondly, I like the suggestion of taking I-55 south then merging over to Alt 45 around Memphis, then down to Birmingham on Hwy 78, then southeast on 280 to finally join I-75 in southern Georgia. Per Google maps, looks to add only 40 miles. The only barrier is Birmingham... which can be messy as well. Thanks all for your input.

[tatest]

From eastern Iowa, you don't really have to go within 200 miles of Atlanta. Go through Memphis on down to the Gulf Coast (New Orleans, Biloxi or Mobile) then across I-10 to Florida.

I like going down through Jackson, Mississippi, then US-49 (to Biloxi) or US-49 and US-98 (to Mobile), but I-22 to Tupelo, US-45 and 45 Alt will also work. Or I-22 to Birmingham, I-65 to Montgomery, then US-231 down to I-10. I prefer US-49 because it is four-lane divided most of the way and has relatively few slow sections around the few cities that it connects.

[Helmsey]

DownTheAvenue wrote:
Not exactly correct. There are no HOV laness.

That's just bad info. The HOV lane starts about MM 258 southbound on I-75.