West end: US 29 / SR 8 in Athens | Length 75.2 km | |
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East end: SC 72 at the South Carolina state line southwest of Calhoun Falls, South Carolina Counties Clarke County, Georgia, Madison County, Georgia, Elbert County, Georgia | ||
State Route 72 (SR 72) is a 46.7-mile-long (75.2 km) state highway that runs west-to-east through portions of Clarke, Madison, and Elbert counties in the northeastern part of the U.S. state of Georgia. The route connects the Athens area with the South Carolina state line, southwest of Calhoun Falls, South Carolina, via Comer and Elberton.
Contents
Map of GA-72, Georgia, USA
Route description
SR 72 begins at an intersection with US 29/SR 8 (Old Monroe Road) in the northeastern part of Athens, on the northern edge of Athens Technical College, in Clarke County. It travels to the northeast, crossing into Madison County and passes through the towns of Hull and Colbert, and meets the western terminus of SR 172, just northeast of Colbert. Just before entering Comer, the route crosses over the South Fork Broad River. In town, it intersects the eastern terminus of SR 98 (Gholston Street) and the northern terminus of SR 22 (Main Street). SR 72 departs Comer, passing northeast of Watson Mill Bridge State Park, before crossing through Carlton. It heads northeast, crossing over the Broad River into Elbert County. It continues northeast toward Elberton. Just before entering town, it begins a concurrency with SR 17 (Bowman Highway). In town, it intersects SR 77 (Oliver Street). On the southeastern edge of town, SR 17 splits off to the southeast onto Elbert Street, while SR 72 heads east-southeast. It passes through rural areas of the county, and intersects the northern terminus of SR 79 (Lincolnton Highway), and meets its eastern terminus. At the South Carolina line, it crosses over Richard B. Russell Lake. There, the roadway continues to the northwest, toward Calhoun Falls, as South Carolina Highway 72.
All of SR 72 is included as part of the National Highway System, a system of roadways important to the nation's economy, defense, and mobility.