State Route 24 (SR 24) is a state highway that travels south-to-north in an S-shaped curve through portions of Bulloch, Screven, Burke, Jefferson, Washington, Baldwin, Putnam, Morgan, and Oconee counties in the east-central part of the U.S. state of Georgia. The highway connects Statesboro with the Watkinsville area, via Waynesboro, Louisville, Sandersville, Milledgeville, Eatonton, and Madison.

SR 24 was originally designated from Statesboro to Millen, on a different path than it currently travels. After it was shifted onto part of its current path, it was gradually extended in both directions. It was also extended from Watkinsville to Athens and then Commerce. The paths of SR 15 and SR 24, between Athens and Commerce, were swapped and then reverted to their original paths.

The portion of the highway between Sandersville and Milledgeville is part of the Fall Line Freeway, a divided highway that spans the state from Columbus to Augusta. The Fall Line Freeway is planned to be incorporated into the proposed eastern extension of Interstate 14 (I-14), a freeway that is currently entirely within Central Texas and may be extended to Augusta.

Route description

Statesboro to Waynesboro SR 24 begins at an intersection with US 80/SR 26 (East Northside Drive) in Statesboro, within Bulloch County. The highway travels to the east-northeast on East Main Street and intersects US 301 Byp./SR 73 Byp. (Veterans Memorial Parkway), a bypass around the southern and eastern parts of the city. SR 24 continues to the east-northeast, leaves town, and crosses over the Ogeechee River into Screven County. In Oliver, it intersects SR 17 (Scarsboro Highway). Then, in Newington, it intersects SR 21. In the main part of town, it meets SR 21 Bus., the former routing of SR 21. The highway curves to the northwest and travels through rural areas of the county and has a brief concurrency with US 301/SR 73 (Burton's Ferry Highway) north-northeast of Sylvania. After traveling through Hiltonia, it enters Burke County. In Sardis, it intersects SR 23 (Charles Perry Avenue). The highway continues to the northwest toward Waynesboro. Just before entering town, it intersects US 25 Byp./SR 121 Byp., a bypass around most of the eastern part of town. Approximately later, it enters the city limits of town and intersects US 25/SR 121. The three highways travel concurrently into the main part of town. There, they intersect SR 56/SR 80 (6th Street). At this intersection, SR 24 turns left and begins the westerly part of its routing.

Waynesboro to Milledgeville SR 24 follows SR 56/SR 80 to the west-southwest. Just outside the city limits, SR 56 departs to the south-southwest, and then SR 80 splits off to the northwest on George Massey Road. After that, SR 24 travels to the west-southwest and enters Vidette. There, it intersects SR 305 (Railroad Avenue). Shortly after leaving town, it enters Jefferson County. In Louisville. Just inside the city limits is an intersection with US 1/SR 4 (Jefferson Davis Highway). At East 9th Street, SR 24 turns to the right and travels to the northwest. Two blocks later, it intersects US 1 Bus./US 221/SR 4 Bus. (Peachtree Street). At this intersection, SR 24 turns to the left. The four highways travel to the southwest. Then, at East Broad Street, US 1 Bus./SR 4 Bus. splits off to the southeast, while US 221/SR 24 continue to the southwest. At Rocky Comfort Creek, they leave town. About later, SR 171 (Grange Road) joins the concurrency. The three highways cross over the Ogeechee River. Southwest of that crossing, SR 24 splits off to the west and enters Washington County. In Davisboro, it intersects SR 231 (Tree Nursery Road). After a long, gradual curve, the highway travels toward Sandersville. At Ridge Road, just east of the city limits, the road turns to the right and heads north for less than . It meets SR 540 and the western terminus of SR 88 (Fall Line Freeway), where it turns left onto SR 540 (Fall Line Freeway). SR 24 and SR 540 act as a bypass of most of the northern part of the city. They enter the city limits and have an intersection with SR 15 (Sparta Road). After that intersection, the highways curve to the southwest. Just over after leaving the city limits it meets the western terminus of SR 242. Then, it has an intersection with both the northern terminus of SR 68 (Tennille–Macon Road) and the southern terminus of SR 24 Spur (Yank Brown Road). After that, they begin curving to the northwest. There, SR 540 (Fall Line Freeway) departs to the northwest. Just before leaving the county, it meets the northern terminus of SR 272. It crosses over Gumm Creek and enters Baldwin County. It travels to the northwest and intersects SR 22 (Sparta Highway). The two highways begin a concurrency to the west. Then, they cross over the Oconee River into Milledgeville. Three blocks east-northeast of Georgia College, they meet the northern terminus of SR 49 (East Hancock Street) and the former northern terminus of SR 112 (South Elbert Street). At Montgomery Street, SR 22/SR 24 turn to the west and skirt along the northern edge of Georgia College. At the northwestern corner of the college, they intersect US 441 Bus./SR 29 Bus. (North Clark Street). At this intersection, US 441 Bus./SR 22/SR 24/SR 29 Bus. begin a concurrency to the west. One block later, US 441 Bus./SR 29 Bus. splits off to the west-southwest on West Montgomery Street, while US 441 Bus./SR 24/SR 29 Bus. travel to the north-northwest. At this intersection, SR 24 begins its northern section.

Milledgeville to Watkinsville Farther to the northwest, next to Hatcher Square Mall Shopping Center, the two highways intersect US 441/SR 29 (Roberson Mill Road). At this intersection, US 441 Bus. and SR 29 both meet their northern terminus, and US 441/SR 24 travel to the north-northwest. In fact, the two highways are concurrent for the rest of SR 24's length. Farther to the northwest, they cross over the Little River into Putnam County. In the southern part of Eatonton, they intersect US 129/SR 44 (Gray Road). This intersection also marks the southern terminus of US 441 Bus./SR 24 Bus. (Oak Street). US 129 joins the concurrency for the rest of SR 24's length. Northwest of there, they intersect SR 16 (Monticello Road). The concurrency curves to the northeast and meets the northern terminus of US 441 Bus./SR 24 Bus. (North Jefferson Avenue). On the northern edge of the Oconee National Forest, they meet the northern terminus of what used to be SR 300 (Union Chapel Road NW). Then, they enter Morgan County. The highways continue to the north-northwest and enter Madison. There, they have an interchange with Interstate 20 (I-20). Approximately later, they meet the southern terminus of US 129 Byp./US 441 Byp./SR 24 Byp. (Brooks Pennington Memorial Parkway). About later, they meet the southern terminus of SR 24 Spur (Ward Road). Then, US 278/SR 12/SR 83 (Eatonton Highway) join the concurrency next to Walton Park. The concurrency passes Hill Park and reach Washington Street, where SR 83 splits off to the northwest. The highways pass by Madison Municipal Airport and meet the northern terminus of US 129 Byp./US 441 Byp./SR 24 Byp. At this intersection, US 278/SR 12 splits off to the east, while US 129/US 441/SR 24 continue to the north. After leaving town, they pass by Youngblood Lake and cross over the Apalachee River into Oconee County. The concurrency passes by Heritage Park and travels through Bishop. They meet the eastern terminus of SR 186 just north of the city limits. Just before skirting along the western edge of Watkinsville, they meet the southern terminus of US 129 Bus./US 441 Bus./SR 24 Bus. (Macon Highway). The concurrency has an interchange with SR 53 (Experiment Station Road). To the north-northeast, they intersect US 129 Bus./US 441 Bus./SR 15/SR 24 Bus. (Macon Highway). At this intersection, US 129 Bus./US 441 Bus./SR 24 Bus., as well as SR 24, all reach their northern terminus. After here, US 129/US 441, now concurrent with SR 15 travel toward Athens.

National Highway System The following portions of SR 24 are part of the National Highway System, a system of routes determined to be the most important for the nation's economy, mobility, and defense: The portion concurrent with US 301/SR 73 near Hiltonia From SR 88 in Sandersville to SR 49 in Milledgeville The entire length of its concurrency with US 441, from Milledgeville to north-northwest of Watkinsville

History 1920s to 1940s SR 24 was established at least as early as 1919 from Waynesboro to SR 12 in Madison. At this time, part of SR 15 was established from SR 45 in Watkinsville to Athens. By the end of September 1921, the path of SR 24, from Waynesboro to Louisville, was shifted northwest to travel north on SR 17 from Louisville to Wrens and then on a sole path from Wrens to Augusta. The former path of SR 24 was redesignated as SR 20. SR 24 was extended slightly to the east on SR 12 in Madison and then north-northwest to SR 15 in Watkinsville. By October 1926, US 1 was designated on SR 24 from Augusta to Louisville. US 129 was designated on SR 24 from Eatonton to Watkinsville and on SR 15 from Watkinsville to Athens. By October 1929, the path of SR 24, from Augusta to Louisville, was reverted to the Waynesboro–Louisville path, replacing SR 20. SR 24's former path, on US 1, was redesignated as part of SR 4. By June 1930, SR 24 was extended south-southeast to SR 21 in Sylvania. In April 1932, it was extended completely concurrent with SR 15 north-northeast to Athens and then on a sole path north-northwest to Commerce. Between November 1932 and May 1933, the southern terminus was truncated to SR 73 north of Sylvania, since SR 73 was extended on this former path into the city. Between November 1946 and February 1948, all of SR 24 that existed at the time was hard surfaced. By April 1949, US 441 was designated on the path of SR 24 from Milledgeville to Commerce. The southern terminus of SR 24 was extended slightly southward on a concurrency with US 301/SR 73 and then to the south-southeast and southwest to SR 21 in Newington.

1950s to 2010s