 The routes curve to the east-northeast, and just as it leaves the city limits runs along the northern edge of Treutlen County Airport (SR 46 runs along the southern edge), which is across from a small cemetery.The road remains at relatively the same trajectory, until it intersects SR 86, then curves towards the north-northeast just before crossing Interstate 16, at Exit 78.North of there is the rural community of Gillis Springs where SR 56 turns east to leave the concurrency with US 221 and a new concurrency along Georgia State Route 171 begins.