Interstate 985 Georgia

Overview

I-985 is the second highest numbered Interstate in the system, with only I-990 outside Buffalo, New York numbered higher. Interstate 985 both acts as a commuter freeway joining the Atlanta metropolitan area with Lake Lanier and the city of Gainesville and a part of a long distance route for U.S. 23 to the north Georgia mountains. Although still rural in appearance, suburban growth adds traffic to the route with some sections more urbanized in design. 70 mile per hour speed limits are posted throughout the 24 mile long route.

All of Interstate 985 doubles as both SR 365 and unsigned SR 419. U.S. 23 accompanies the route from Exit 4 northeast to the Interstate end at U.S. 129 on the east side of Gainesville. U.S. 23 extends northeast from there as an expressway toward Clarkesville and Toccoa.

Construction to extend the I-85 Express Lanes northeast from Old Peachtree Road to Hamilton Mill Road expanded the wye interchange with I-985 to include an Express Lane overpass. Provisions were made to the southbound overpass for I-85 to accommodate future expansion of I-985. The $178 million project started on August 3, 2016. Work extended through Summer 2018.⁴

Mileage by State

Georgia

24.00 mi

Data Sources

December 31, 2025 Interstate Route Log and Finders List

History

I-985 was approved as an Interstate Highway by the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) on December 7, 1984. The freeway was previously constructed between August 1962 and December 1969 as a new alignment for U.S. 23.¹ The highway was built instead of Interstate 85, which shifted southward in 1959 from a proposed route by Gainesville, Cornelia and Toccoa to an alignment east from Suwanee to Commerce and Lavonia. Efforts by Governor Ernest Vandiver resulted in the corridor shift for I-85, which ran through Franklin County, his home area.³

According to Steve Williams, until 1985 the freeway was simply known as State Route 365, despite the merge of U.S. 23 from the first exit (SR 20 - former Exit 1). Once the limited access portion ends in Gainesville, the highway is signed as U.S. 23/SR 365 to Cornelia. SR 365 eventually splits north of Cornelia, joining SR 17 and U.S. 123 as it goes through Toccoa en route to the South Carolina line. Locals started referring to the limited access portion as "985" once it was signed accordingly.

Work completed in 1991 extended the four-lane corridor along SR 365 east from I-985 at Gainesville to Toccoa.³

$74.6 million in construction at Oakwood included the construction of an interchange (Exit 17) with SR 13 (Atlanta Highway) and the addition of collector distributor roadways between it and adjacent Exit 16 with SR 53 (Mundy Mill Road). The work was completed between June 8, 2006 and July 31, 2009.²

A diamond interchange was constructed on Interstate 985 with H.F. Reed Industrial Parkway at Exit 14. The project extended H.F. Reed Industrial Parkway south from parallel Thurman Tanner Parkway across I-985/U.S. 23 to the intersection of SR 13 and Martin Road. The exchange cost $34 million to build, and it fully opened to traffic on January 30, 2020.⁵

North End  ‐ just northeast of Gainesville, GA

North at

Northbound Interstate 985, U.S. 23-129/SR 365 wrap around the northeast side of Gainesville to Exit 24 with SR 369 west and Jesse Jewell Parkway east. 07/02/14

South at

U.S. 23/SR 365 upgrade to a freeway south of the at-grade intersection with Howard Road. Exit 24 with U.S. 129 north / SR 369 (Jesse Jewell Parkway) west follows in one mile. 10/26/15

North End – Past Views

North

Replaced guide signs incorrectly identified Exit 24 with U.S. 129 Business instead of the U.S. 129 mainline. A supplemental shield indicated U.S. 129 ahead of the exit gore point instead. 07/21/05

South at

Older guide signs for Exit 24 from U.S. 23/SR 365 south also referenced U.S. 129 Business instead of the U.S. 129 mainline. U.S. 129 Business forms an L-shaped route west along Jesse Jewell Parkway to Downtown and Athens Highway southeast from there to Exit 22. 07/21/05

South End  ‐ near Suwanee, GA

South at

U.S. 23 south separates from Interstate 985 at Exit 4 with SR 20 (Buford Drive). The remainder of I-985 bee lines to Interstate 85 south ahead of Suwanee. 10/26/15

North at

The Express Lane exit for Interstate 985 follows the diamond interchange (Exit 111) joining I-85 with SR 317 north and Lawrenceville-Suwanee Road. 10/22/15

South End – Past Views

Past Views Gallery (Tap to Expand / Collapse Section)

North at

These signs for both Interstate 985 north and SR 317 north were replaced when I-85 was expanded by a fifth northbound lane to Exit 111. 05/28/05

References

1. "Happy Birthday to the open road." Gwinnett Daily Post (Lawrenceville, GA), June 25, 2006.
2. "Interstate 985 exit overhaul awarded at $75 million." Forsyth County News (Cumming, GA), June 8, 2006.
3. "Interstate 85 through Hall? It very nearly was Gov. Ernest Vandiver redirected highway plans in 1950s." The Times (Gainesville, GA), April 13, 2005.
4. "Georgia Department of Transportation Breaks Ground on I-85 Express Lanes Extension Project." Georgia Department of Transportation (GDOT), press release. August 3, 2016.
5. "Exit 14 now fully operational on Interstate 985." The Times (Gainesville, GA), January 30, 2020.