Georgia State Route 5
Between August 1950 and the beginning of 1952, the entire Powder Springs–Marietta segment had a completed hard surface. A portion north-northeast of McWhorter had a sand clay or top soil surface. In 1953, the northern two-thirds of the McWhorter–Douglasville segment was hard surfaced. A portion east of Roopville had a sand clay or top soil surface. Three segments had completed grading, but was not surfaced: from the Alabama state line to Roopville, the Carroll County portion of the Whitesburg–McWhorter segment, and a portion north-northeast of McWhorter. Between June 1955 and July 1957, a portion east of Roopville had completed grading, but was not surfaced. Between July 1957 and June 1960, three segments were paved: the central portion of the Bucktown–Roopville segment, the western half of the Roopville–Whitesburg segment, and from southwest of Whitesburg to north-northeast of McWhorter. By June 1963, the segment from west-northwest of Tyus to Roopville was paved. By the end of 1965, the segment from the Alabama to east-southeast of Lowell was hard surfaced. The segment from east-southeast of Lowell to south-southwest of Whitesburg had a "topsoil or gravel" surface. At this time, SR 5 Byp. was built and hard surfaced from US 76/SR 5 southwest of Blue Ridge to SR 5 north of the city. In 1966, SR 5 was hard surfaced from Alabama to Douglasville. In 1973, SR 705 was proposed from SR 3 (Church Street) in Marietta to SR 5 south of Blackwell, with an interchange with I-75. In 1977, I-575/SR 713 was proposed from I-75 north of Marietta to just south of the Cherokee–Pickens county line. It was completed from SR 140 south of Canton to SR 20 east of the city. The next year, the entire Cobb County portion (except for the southern end) of I-575/SR 713 was under construction. SR 5 through Blue Ridge was shifted westward, replacing the entire length of SR 5 Byp. Its former path through the city was redesignated as SR 5 Bus. By the end of the decade, SR 733 was proposed between two intersections with US 76/SR 5 northeast of Ellijay. At this time, SR 734 was proposed from US 76/SR 5 south-southwest of Cherry Log, across US 76/SR 5 north-northeast of Cherry Log, and then to another intersection with US 76/SR 5 in Lucius.
Interstate 805
In May 1967, bidding began, after construction had been delayed by that of the I-5 and I-8 freeways, both of which had been given higher priority. This first portion would run from Wabash Boulevard to around Madison Avenue (a distance of ), and the next portion would include the I-8 interchange. The R.E. Hazard and W.F. Maxwell Companies won the low bid of $11.7 million (equivalent to $ in ) in mid-1967. The groundbreaking ceremony happened on September 25 at El Cajon Boulevard and Boundary Street. In August 1968, the portion of I-805 from just south of I-8 to north of Friars Road, including the interchange with I-8, was put up for bidding; at a budgeted $27.5 million (equivalent to $ in ), it was the most expensive job that the Division of Highways had ever put up for bid. The winning bid was $20.9 million (equivalent to $ in ), and was awarded to R.E. Hazard Contracting Company and W.F. Maxwell Company.
Construction had begun on the viaduct by May 1969; in the meantime, National City was making plans for developing the freeway corridor with motels and restaurants, as well as a shopping center. In mid-1969, bidding was to begin on of I-805 from north of Friars Road to north of what was then US 395, which would become SR 163. Construction from J Street south to near San Ysidro was underway by September, when there were concerns that an order from President Richard Nixon to reduce federal construction projects by 75 percent might affect funding for the portion north of Friars Road. However, Governor Ronald Reagan lifted the associated freeze in construction at the state level a few weeks later. A month later, the contract for the portion between Friars Road and US 395 had been awarded for $15 million (equivalent to $ in ); the portions between there and north of Miramar Road were in the planning phases, while construction continued south of I-8 to Wabash Boulevard. The portion from SR 52 to Miramar Road had been contracted out to O.G. Sansome Company for $5.6 million (equivalent to $ in ) by the end of 1969. Meanwhile, $4 million (equivalent to $ in ) of state funding was spent in 1969 to find housing for those who were to be displaced by the freeway in San Ysidro.