Georgia State Route 13 facts for kids

Quick facts for kids State Route 13
Georgia State Route 13 highlighted in red
Route information
Maintained by GDOT
Length	49.5 mi (79.7 km)
Major junctions
South end	US 19 / SR 9 in Atlanta
	I-85 in Atlanta US 23 / SR 155 on Brookhaven–Chamblee line I-285 in Doraville US 23 / SR 20 on Sugar Hill–Buford line I-985 / US 23 / SR 365 in Oakwood
North end	SR 369 in Gainesville
Location
Counties:	Fulton, DeKalb, Gwinnett, Hall
Highway system
Georgia State Routes Former SR ← SR 12 SR 14 →

State Route 13 (SR 13) is a state highway in Georgia, USA. It is about 49.5 miles (79.7 km) long. This road goes through parts of Fulton, DeKalb, Gwinnett, and Hall counties.

SR 13 starts in Midtown Atlanta, where West Peachtree Street meets Spring Street. This area is near US 19 and SR 9. The southern part of SR 13 is a fast-moving freeway. It was built in 1953 as an extension of the Downtown Connector. This section was once part of Interstate 85 (I-85) until 1985. Then, new lanes were added next to it.

SR 13 ends in Gainesville at Jesse Jewell Parkway (SR 369). The road's name changes from Buford Highway to Atlanta Highway when it leaves Buford. SR 13 used to go further north past Gainesville, following what is now SR 365, all the way to the South Carolina state line.

Exploring State Route 13

Starting the Journey: Atlanta's Connector

SR 13 begins in Atlanta where it connects with US 19 and SR 9. These roads are on one-way streets: Spring Street (southbound) and Peachtree Street (northbound). SR 13 starts by heading west, then curves northeast. It runs next to I-85. There's a special exit that helps drivers go from SR 13 north to Peachtree Street, saving them time.

A big part of SR 13, from I-85 in Atlanta to I-285 in Doraville, is part of the National Highway System. This system includes roads that are very important for the country's economy, travel, and defense.

The International Corridor: Buford Highway

The inside of the Buford Highway Farmer's Market, a popular spot for many cultures.

In the Atlanta area, Buford Highway is a lively community. It has many different neighborhoods and shopping centers. Many immigrants have moved to Atlanta's suburbs, including this area. They found affordable homes and businesses here.

Along Buford Highway, you can find over 1,000 businesses owned by immigrants. People from many different backgrounds visit these shops and restaurants. You'll find Korean, Mexican, Chinese, and Vietnamese businesses, along with Indian, Central American, Somali, and Ethiopian ones. The local Chamber of Commerce even calls this area the "International Corridor."

This community has one of the highest numbers of foreign-born residents in the country. Many Latino workers came here for construction jobs before the 1996 Summer Olympics. Asian business owners liked the area because rents were low and there was a lot of traffic.

Mercado del Pueblo, a Hispanic supermarket at Northeast Plaza.

A market inside Plaza Fiesta, a popular shopping center.

Most of Buford Highway has seven lanes and few sidewalks. This can be tricky because many people walk along and across the road. In recent years, new medians (raised areas in the middle of the road) and crosswalks have been added to make it safer for pedestrians.

You'll see many strip malls and large apartment buildings along the highway. Some of the biggest strip malls are Northeast Plaza, Plaza Fiesta, and the Buford Highway Farmers Market.

This international community stretches across Fulton, DeKalb, and Gwinnett counties. It goes through towns like Brookhaven, Chamblee, and Doraville.

The Atlanta Highway: Heading to Gainesville

Atlanta Highway, north (GA 13), in Gainesville, GA. This road is a busy corridor.

North of Buford, the road's name changes from "Buford Highway" to "Atlanta Highway." It continues to SR 369 in Gainesville. This part of the road also has a smaller Hispanic community between Chicopee and SR 369.

The Story of SR 13

Early Days: 1920s and 1930s

SR 13 was first created around 1919. It went from Lawrenceville north to Buford, then northeast to Gainesville and Cornelia, and finally east to Toccoa. By 1921, it was extended south from Lawrenceville to Loganville and east to the South Carolina border.

Over the years, different US routes shared parts of SR 13. For example, US 270 was on the Lawrenceville–Gainesville section. Later, US 19 and US 23 also used parts of SR 13. By the 1930s, more of the road had a "hard surface," meaning it was paved. In 1932, SR 13 was officially designated from Buckhead to Buford. By 1937, SR 13's southern end was in Midtown Atlanta.

Later Changes: 1940s to 1990s

In the 1940s, US 123 was added to SR 13 from Cornelia to the South Carolina line. In the 1960s and 70s, US 23 moved off parts of SR 13 as new freeways like SR 365 were built.

In the 1980s, SR 13's southern end was changed several times. It was shortened to the I-85 interchange, then extended to its current starting point in Atlanta. In 1986, this extension was built as a freeway. By the 1990s, the northern end of SR 13 was also shortened to its current spot in Gainesville.

Buford Highway started as a regular state road connecting Atlanta to towns like Chamblee and Doraville. These towns were home to many working-class families. In the 1960s and 70s, apartment complexes and strip malls grew along the highway. The first ethnic restaurant, Havana Sandwich Shop, opened in 1976.

In the 1980s, immigrants began to settle in the area. They found affordable housing, public transportation, and jobs in nearby Gwinnett County. Many Latino workers came for construction jobs before the 1996 Olympics. Asian business owners were drawn to the area by low rents and busy traffic.

During the 1996 Olympics, Chamblee welcomed the diverse nature of Buford Highway. However, Doraville was less open to the changes.

Road Safety and Improvements

Buford Highway has been known as a high-pedestrian area. This means many people walk along and across the road. In the ten years before 2010, 30 people died and 250 were injured trying to cross Buford Highway. This was a much higher rate than other roads in Georgia. Since then, improvements have been made to make the road safer for walkers.

In 2017, a part of the I-85 bridge collapsed. This temporarily closed the connector at Piedmont Road. The connector itself was not damaged and was used by firefighters to put out the blaze. It helped a lot with traffic while the main freeway was being repaired.

Getting Around: Public Transportation

Buford Highway is served by MARTA buses (route 39). You can also find privately run minibuses, sometimes called "jitneys." The Doraville MARTA metro rail station is also very close to Buford Highway. It's the end of the Gold Line train.

In Books and Culture

The city of Chamblee, where part of Buford Highway is located, is sometimes called "Chambodia." This nickname comes from the large Asian population and the many Asian restaurants there. A chapter in the famous book A Man in Full by Tom Wolfe is even titled "Chambodia."

Major Intersections

County	Location	Mile	Roads intersected	Notes
Fulton	Atlanta	0.00	0.00	US 19 south / SR 9 south (Spring Street) / Peachtree Street – Downtown Atlanta	Southern terminus; freeway section begins.
		0.42	0.68	US 19 north / SR 9 north (Peachtree Street) – Buckhead	Southbound exit and northbound entrance
		1.38	2.22	I-85 south (SR 403) to I-75	Southbound exit and northbound entrance; I-85 exit 86
		2.01	3.23	Armour Drive / Monroe Drive to Piedmont Road south
		2.18	3.51	SR 237 north (Piedmont Road)	Northbound exit and southbound entrance
		2.87	4.62	I-85 north (SR 403) – Greenville	Northbound exit and southbound entrance; I-85 exit 86
		3.17	5.10	Sidney Marcus Boulevard to SR 237 north (Piedmont Road) / SR 400	Northern end of freeway
DeKalb	Brookhaven	4.35	7.00	SR 42 south (North Druid Hills Road) to I-85	Northern terminus of SR 42
	Brookhaven–Chamblee line	6.69	10.77	US 23 south / SR 155 south (Clairmont Road) to I-85 – Decatur	Southern end of US 23 concurrency; northern terminus of SR 155
	Doraville	10.54	16.96	SR 13 Conn. west (Motors Industrial Way)	Eastern terminus of SR 13 Conn.
		10.55	16.98	I-285 (SR 407) to I-85	I-285 exit 32
Gwinnett	Norcross	14.27	22.97	SR 140 (Jimmy Carter Boulevard) to I-85 / SR 141 – Roswell, Tucker
		15.70	25.27	SR 378 east (Beaver Ruin Road) to I-85 – Lilburn	Western terminus of SR 378
	Duluth	18.37	29.56	Pleasant Hill Road to I-85	Interchange
		21.04	33.86	SR 120 (Duluth Highway) / West Lawrenceville Street – Alpharetta, Lawrenceville
	Suwanee	27.18	43.74	SR 317 south (Lawrenceville-Suwanee Road) to I-85	Northern terminus of SR 317
	Sugar Hill–Buford line	31.29	50.36	US 23 north / SR 20 (Nelson Brogdon Boulevard / Buford Drive) to I-985 – Cumming, Coolray Field	Northern end of US 23 concurrency
Hall	Buford	35.78	57.58	SR 347 (Lanier Islands Parkway) to I-985
	​	42.08	67.72	HF Reed Industrial Parkway west to I-985 / Martin Road east	Eastern terminus of HF Reed Industrial Parkway; western terminus of Martin Road
	Oakwood	44.33	71.34	SR 53 (Mundy Mill Road) to I-985 to SR 211 – Oakwood, Chestnut Mountain, University of North Georgia
		44.58	71.74	SR 332 south (Poplar Springs Road) to SR 60 – Talmo	Northern terminus of SR 332
		45.19	72.73	I-985 (US 23 / SR 365 / SR 419)	I-985 exit 17
	Gainesville	49.53	79.71	SR 369 (Browns Bridge Road)	Northern terminus; no left turn onto SR 369 west from SR 13
1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi

Special Routes

Doraville Connector Route

State Route 13 Connector (SR 13 Conn.) is a short road, about 1.1 miles (1.8 km) long. It connects US 23/SR 13 (Buford Highway NE) to SR 141 (Peachtree Industrial Boulevard) in Doraville. This road is called Motors Industrial Way. It has four lanes and a grassy area in the middle. It runs next to Interstate 285 (I-285).

SR 13 Conn. is not part of the National Highway System. This road was first created between 1948 and 1949 as part of SR 13W. In 1971, it was renamed SR 13 Conn.

The entire route is in Doraville, DeKalb County.

Mile	Roads intersected	Notes
0.0	0.0	US 23 / SR 13 (Buford Highway NE)	Southern terminus
1.0	1.6	I-285 east (SR 407 / Atlanta Bypass)	No access to I-285 west from SR 13 Conn. and no access from I-285 to SR 13 Conn.
1.1	1.8	SR 141 (Peachtree Industrial Boulevard) – Chamblee, Norcross	Northern terminus
1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi