Ronald Reagan Parkway (RRP) is a controlled-access highway located in the northeastern part of the Atlanta metropolitan area in the U.S. state of Georgia. Its route is entirely within the south-central portion of Gwinnett County, connecting the Lilburn area with Snellville. It is named after Ronald Reagan, the 40th president. The highway was spearheaded by then-Gwinnett County chairman Wayne Mason in the mid-1990s.

Ronald Reagan Parkway

Map
Route information
Maintained by Gwinnett County DOT
Length7.3 mi[3] (11.7 km)
Existed1995[1][2]–present
Major junctions
West endPleasant Hill Road northeast of Lilburn
Major intersections US 29 / SR 8 northeast of Lilburn
East end SR 124 in Snellville
Location
CountryUnited States
StateGeorgia
CountiesGwinnett
Highway system
  • Georgia State Highway System

Route description edit

The parkway begins at an intersection with Pleasant Hill Road, northeast of Lilburn. It passes just north of Browne Lake and has an interchange with U.S. Route 29 (US 29) and State Route 8 (SR 8; Lawrenceville Highway). On the northeast side of Bethesda Park is an interchange with Bethesda Church Road, which partially travels through the park. After crossing over the Yellow River, it curves to the southeast and has an interchange with Five Forks–Trickum Road. Then, it meets Webb Gin House Road SW and passes to the west of Eastside Medical Center. At Presidential Circle, the freeway portion of the parkway ends and it continues to the southeast at-grade. Approximately 1,000 feet (300 m) later, the parkway intersects SR 124 (Scenic Highway SW). Here, the roadway continues to the southeast as Pinehurst Road SW.[3]

All of Ronald Reagan Parkway is included as part of the National Highway System, a system of roadways important to the nation's economy, defense, and mobility.[4]

History edit

The parkway was established in 1995 along the same alignment it runs today.[1][2] For a short period of time, the parkway had an unsigned designation of State Route 864 (SR 864), even though it is considered a county road.[citation needed]

In 2009, new plans were developed to extend Ronald Reagan Parkway as a toll road to directly connect with I-85. On June 23, 2009, Gwinnett County voted to approve a partnership with a private firm to study extending the Ronald Reagan Parkway to I-85. The study cost $1.4 million and was funded by the County.[5] The plans were abandoned in February 2013 due to public concerns about tolls, potential traffic and the road path.[6]

Exit list edit

The entire route is in Gwinnett County. All exits are unnumbered.

Locationmi[3]kmDestinationsNotes
0.00.0 
 
Pleasant Hill Road north to I-85 – Duluth, Atlanta, Greenville
Western terminus; westbound exit and eastbound entrance; no access from Pleasant Hill Road north to Ronald Reagan Parkway or from Ronald Reagan Parkway to Pleasant Hill Road south
0.81.3   US 29 / SR 8 (Lawrenceville Highway) – Lilburn, Lawrenceville
1.82.9Bethesda Church Road – Bethesda Park
4.06.4Five Forks–Trickum Road – Five Forks
5.38.5Webb Gin House Road – Brookwood High School, The Shoppes at Webb Gin
Snellville7.111.4Presidential CircleFreeway ends; roadway continues at-grade
7.311.7  SR 124 (Scenic Highway SW) / Pinehurst Road SW east – Lithonia, LawrencevilleEastern terminus; roadway continues as Pinehurst Road SW.
1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi

See also edit

References edit

  1. ^ a b Georgia Department of Transportation (1994). Official Highway and Transportation Map (PDF) (Map) (1994–1995 ed.). Scale not given. Atlanta: Georgia Department of Transportation. Retrieved September 13, 2013.
  2. ^ a b Georgia Department of Transportation (1996). Official Highway and Transportation Map (PDF) (Map) (1996–1997 ed.). Scale not given. Atlanta: Georgia Department of Transportation. Retrieved September 13, 2013.
  3. ^ a b c Google (September 12, 2013). "Overview map of Ronald Reagan Parkway" (Map). Google Maps. Google. Retrieved September 12, 2013.
  4. ^ "National Highway System: Atlanta, GA" (PDF). United States Department of Transportation. October 1, 2012. Retrieved September 12, 2013.
  5. ^ Fox, Patrick (June 23, 2009). "Gwinnett proceeds with Reagan Parkway study". The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Retrieved September 11, 2013.
  6. ^ Klepal, Dan (March 10, 2013). "Reagan Parkway extension shelved". The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Retrieved December 1, 2019.

External links edit

KML is from Wikidata