Georgia State Route 3

Southern and central Georgia

SR 3 starts at the Florida state line in Thomas County, and is concurrent with US 19 and SR 300 from its inception. SR 3 heads slightly northwest and skirts east past Thomasville, before heading through Pelham to Camilla in Mitchell County. SR 3 turns slightly northeast in Camilla and heads through Baconton, Georgia to Albany in Dougherty County, where its concurrency with SR 300 ends, before turning north and heading to Leesburg in Lee County. In Leesburg, the highway turns slightly northwest once more, travels through Smithville, and enters Sumter County.

Turning north again, SR 3 continues through Americus and enters Schley County, curving slightly northwest to Ellaville. Leaving Ellaville in a northerly direction again, SR 3 bisects Schley County and heads into Taylor County and through Butler into Upson County. Just after entering Upson County, the highway turns northwest yet again and travels to Thomaston. Turning back to the north, SR 3 enters Pike County, and travels through Zebulon on its way slightly northeast to Griffin in Spalding County. South of Griffin, SR 3 intersects and begins a concurrency with US 41, in addition to its continued concurrence with US 19. SR 3 also features a brief freeway section as it travels through the western portion of Griffin.

Metro Atlanta

Heading north, the route enters the western portion of Henry County, and heads through Hampton, where the Atlanta Motor Speedway has direct access from the highway, which regularly sees massive backups on weekends when NASCAR races take place there. Continuing north into Clayton County, SR 3 heads through Jonesboro, and crosses I-75 in Morrow.

Heading north through Forest Park, the highway first enters Fulton County, then crosses I-285, and I-75 again, as well as I-85, in quick succession, as it makes its way through the southern Atlanta suburban communities of Hapeville and East Point, forming one side of the perimeter of Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport near Hapeville. Turning north, the highway parallels the Downtown Connector very closely, crosses I-20 in downtown Atlanta, and continues north, beginning and ending concurrencies with US 19, US 78, and US 278, as well as forming part of the western boundary of the campus of Georgia Tech. SR 3 subsequently crosses I-75 for a third and fourth time just northwest of where I-75 and I-85 split, and crosses I-285 once more east of Smyrna, just after having entered Cobb County.

Northern Georgia

Heading northwest through Marietta and Kennesaw, the highway leaves the Atlanta area and enters Bartow County, through Cartersville and Adairsville, and on into Gordon County. SR 3 heads through Calhoun, crosses I-75 for a fifth time just south of Resaca, and continues to head north into Whitfield County. Heading through Dalton, the route crosses I-75 yet again, before heading northwest into Catoosa County, where it crosses I-75 for the seventh and final time, before reaching its northern terminus at the Tennessee state line, south of Chattanooga. Here, US 41, joined by US 76, enters Tennessee, concurrent with unsigned state highway SR 8.

History

On April 2, 1980, SR 3 was designated as the 'Andersonville Trail' at the concurrence of SR 3 with US 280 in Americus.

On May 4, 1992, SR 3 was designated as the 'Admiral Mack Gaston Parkway' where SR 3 connects SR 52 and SR 71 in Dalton.

Thomasville–Meigs alternate route

State Route 3 Alternate (SR 3 Alt.) is an 18.9-mile-long (30.4 km) alternate route of SR 3. It uses an older routing of US 19/SR 3 for 15.5 miles (24.9 km) between Thomasville and Meigs. Until recently, this was the SR 3 mainline, while SR 300 served as the state route concurrency for US 19.

The entire route is in Thomas County.

Leesburg bypass

State Route 3 Bypass (SR 3 Byp.) is a 1.8-mile-long (2.9 km) western bypass of the town of Leesburg in Lee County, which was completed in 2009. It is concurrent with US 19 Byp. for its entire length.

Clayton County connector route

The portion of Tara Boulevard in Clayton County that is not covered by US 19/US 41/SR 3 near Interstate 75 (I-75) is designated as State Route 3 Connector (SR 3 Conn.). The route is little more than a high-capacity set of ramps to and from I-75 and is unsigned. Its entire length is just west of Morrow.

The entire route is in Clayton County.

Atlanta connector route

State Route 3 Connector (SR 3 Conn.) is a 0.2-mile-long (0.32 km) connector route in the city limits of Atlanta. The entire length travels along the southeastern edge of Spelman College. It starts at an intersection with US 29/SR 14/SR 154, just northeast of an overpass for Interstate 20 (I-20). US 29/SR 3 Conn. travel north-northwest. Just before an intersection with Westview Drive, they curve to the northeast and meet the northern terminus of SR 3 Conn., an intersection with US 19/US 41/SR 3.

The entire route is in Atlanta, Fulton County.

Marietta connector route

A portion of Roswell Road on the east side of Marietta is designated as State Route 3 Connector (SR 3 Conn.). The route was formed in 2007 when SR 120 was rerouted out of downtown Marietta. SR 3 Conn. travels 1.6 miles (2.6 km) east-northeast from a grade intersection with US 41/SR 3 to a ramp interchange with SR 120 and SR 120 Alt.

The entire route is in Marietta, Cobb County.

Whitfield County connector route

State Route 3 Connector (SR 3 Conn.) is in Whitfield County south of Dalton; it connects Interstate 75 (I-75) to US 41/SR 3 and the Dalton Bypass.

The entire route is in Whitfield County.