U.S. Highway 78
U.S. Highway 78 (also known as U.S. Route 78 or Bankhead Highway) currently runs for 715 miles from I-240 in Memphis, Tennessee to US 17 in Charleston, South Carolina. Much of the route between Memphis and Birmingham has been paralleled by the new Interstate 22 (Corridor X). In Alabama the route is paired with unsigned Alabama State Highway 4.
The Bankhead Highway was established in the early 20th century as part of the National Auto Trails system. It connected Washington D.C. to San Diego, California, following the route later designated as U.S. 78 between Athens, Georgia to Memphis. Mileage was measured from the "Zero Milestone", located near the South Lawn of the White House. The highway was named for Alabama Senator John H. Bankhead, chief sponsor of the Federal Aid Road Act of 1916 (the "Bankhead Bill"). The Bankhead Highway Association, a group of private investors, held extended meetings to plan the route and construction.
Route
U.S. Highway 78 passes through the following cities:
- Charleston, South Carolina
- Augusta, Georgia
- Athens, Georgia
- Snellville, Georgia
- Stone Mountain, Georgia
- Atlanta, Georgia
- Oxford, Alabama
- Birmingham, Alabama
- Jasper, Alabama
- Tupelo, Mississippi
- Memphis, Tennessee
References
- "U.S. Route 78." Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. 20 Nov 2006. [1].
- Weingroff, Richard F. (Spring 1997) "From Names to Numbers: The Origins of the U.S. Numbered Highway System." Federal Highway Administration.