U.S. Route 78 in Georgia  U.S. Route 78 (US 78) is a U.S. Highway in the U.S. state of Georgia. It travels west to east in the north-central part of the state, starting at the Alabama state line, west of Tallapoosa, where the roadway continues concurrent with the unsigned highway Alabama State Route 4. This is also the western terminus of Georgia State Route 8 (SR 8), which is concurrent with US 78 to the east. The highway serves the Atlanta, Athens, and Augusta metropolitan areas on its path from the Alabama state line to the South Carolina state line, at the Savannah River, on the northeastern edge of Augusta, where it continues concurrent with US 1/US 25/US 278/SC 121. This is also the eastern terminus of SR 10 and the northern terminus of SR 121, as well as the southern terminus of SC 121. US 78 travels through portions of Haralson, Carroll, Douglas, Cobb, Fulton, DeKalb, Gwinnett, Walton, Oconee, Clarke, Oglethorpe, Wilkes, McDuffie, Columbia, and Richmond counties. Various portions of the highway, from the Alabama state line into Atlanta, were part of the historic Bankhead Highway, a cross-country automobile highway connecting San Diego and Washington, D.C.. It was part of the National Auto Trail system. US 78 also is a freeway for about 10 miles. It is the main route of the freeway. It has about 8 exits. US 78 begins at the Alabama state line, west of Tallapoosa, where the roadway continues to the northwest, concurrent with the unsigned Alabama State Route 4 (SR 4). Southeast of here in Haralson County, US 78 travels concurrent with Georgia State Route 8 (SR 8), which also begins at the state line. They travel just to the south of Wards Lakes, East Wards Lake, and the East Wards Lake Dam, and cross over Sanders Creek. Approximately southeast of the creek, US 78/SR 8 cross over the Tallapoosa River on the Bently Bridge. About later, they curve to the east-northeast. Then, they enter Tallapoosa's city limits, where they have a very gradual curve to the east. In the main part of town, they have an intersection with SR 100 (Robertson Avenue), which joins the concurrency for a few blocks, until it turns off onto Alewine Avenue.