Georgia State Route 138

Georgia State Route 138
State	GA
Type	SR
Route	138
Length mi	60.0
Established	1930s
Direction a	West
Terminus a	East Point
Direction b	East
Terminus b	Monroe
Counties	Clayton County, Fulton County, DeKalb County, Rockdale County, Newton County

Georgia State Route 138 is a state highway in the northern part of the U.S. state of Georgia connecting the Atlanta metropolitan area with suburbs and exurban communities to the east. The route provides arterial links between civic centers, commercial corridors, and interstates while serving commuter, freight, and local traffic. Established in the early 20th century, the corridor traverses multiple counties and intersects several principal highways and rail corridors.

Route description

State Route 138 begins at an interchange with Interstate 285 near East Point and runs eastward through suburban and urbanized zones of Fulton County and DeKalb County. The alignment parallels and crosses rail rights-of-way historically operated by the Georgia Railroad, Norfolk Southern Railway, and CSX Transportation. It passes near municipal landmarks such as Hartsfield–Jackson Atlanta International Airport, the Atlanta University Center, and commercial districts anchored by developments tied to corporate tenants like Coca-Cola and Delta Air Lines. Along its length the highway interchanges with Interstate 75, U.S. Route 23, and U.S. Route 29, creating multimodal connectivity to corridors serving Decatur, Conyers, and Covington. East of Stone Mountain, the route transitions into more suburban and rural cross-sections, running through town centers with ties to Rockdale County Courthouse and historic districts listed alongside preservation efforts connected to National Register of Historic Places entries in Newton County and terminating near U.S. Route 78 and municipal gateways of Monroe, where it interfaces with state and county arterials serving regional employment centers.

History

The corridor that became State Route 138 follows alignments long used for regional travel during the 19th century and early 20th century growth of Atlanta. Early improvements paralleled initiatives by the Georgia Department of Transportation and predecessor agencies to designate numbered routes connecting county seats such as Conyers and Monroe. The highway saw phased paving and widening projects during the post‑World War II expansion tied to interstate construction like Interstate 20 and Interstate 285, and suburbanization linked to employers including Lockheed Martin and educational institutions such as Georgia State University. Significant upgrades in the late 20th and early 21st centuries included interchange reconstructions to improve connectivity with Interstate 20, access management projects in concert with the Atlanta Regional Commission, and safety interventions informed by studies from agencies including the Federal Highway Administration.

Major intersections

The route intersects a sequence of principal highways and municipal connectors that serve as transfer points for regional traffic: - Western terminus interchange with Interstate 285 near East Point and access to Hartsfield–Jackson Atlanta International Airport. - Junctions with U.S. Route 29 and SR 14 providing links toward Atlanta and Union City. - Interchange with Interstate 75 supplying north–south freight and commuter movements to Marietta and Macon. - Crossings of Interstate 20 near Conyers enabling east–west through movements toward Augusta and Birmingham. - Intersections with SR 20 and U.S. Route 278 serving Covington and local commercial nodes. - Eastern terminus connections with U.S. Route 78 and municipal streets at Monroe.

Traffic and usage

Traffic volumes on the route vary from high urban AADT counts near the western termini to moderate suburban levels in Rockdale County and lower counts in eastern Newton County. Peak congestion correlates with commuter flows to Downtown Atlanta and distribution nodes tied to logistics providers such as UPS and FedEx. Freight movements leverage the route for east–west distribution and for last‑mile access to intermodal facilities proximate to Norfolk Southern Railway yards. Safety analyses have referenced collision patterns at major junctions influenced by lane configurations, signal timing coordinated with the Georgia Regional Transportation Authority and bus rapid transit proposals that intersect corridors served by providers like MARTA.

Future and planned developments

Planned projects on the corridor reflect regional growth management strategies of the Atlanta Regional Commission and capital improvement programs of the Georgia Department of Transportation. Proposals include capacity upgrades, intersection reconfigurations, and multimodal enhancements to support bus service expansions involving MARTA and potential commuter rail linkages examined in studies by the Georgia Department of Transportation and the Federal Transit Administration. Corridor resilience investments have been considered in tandem with stormwater programs administered by county governments in Fulton County and Clayton County. Funding scenarios reference federal infrastructure initiatives endorsed by U.S. Congress legislation and state bond issuances.

Auxiliary routes and spur connections

Several auxiliary alignments, connectors, and spurs provide localized access between the highway and municipal centers, industrial parks, and suburban subdivisions. Connector segments tie to county routes maintained by Rockdale County and Newton County transportation departments. These links interface with park‑and‑ride facilities promoted by the Georgia Regional Transportation Authority and with state truck routes that redirect heavy vehicles around residential cores, coordinated with enforcement entities such as county sheriffs and municipal police departments.

Category:State highways in Georgia Category:Transportation in Clayton County, Georgia Category:Transportation in Fulton County, Georgia Category:Transportation in DeKalb County, Georgia Category:Transportation in Rockdale County, Georgia Category:Transportation in Newton County, Georgia