Interstate 20 in South Carolina

Interstate 20
J. Strom Thurmond Freeway
Route information
Maintained by SCDOT
Length: 141.51 mi[1] (227.74 km)
Existed: 1964 – present
Major junctions
West end: I-20 at Georgia state line
  I-520 in North Augusta
I-26 / US 76 in Columbia
I-77 in Columbia
I-95 near Florence
East end: I-20 Bus. in Florence
Location
Counties: Aiken, Lexington, Richland, Kershaw, Lee, Darlington, Florence
Highway system

Main route of the Interstate Highway System
Main • Auxiliary • Business

South Carolina highways

← SC 20 US 21 →

Interstate 20 is a major thoroughfare cutting across the state of South Carolina, linking the state with important transportation and business hubs to the north, west and south, including Atlanta, Georgia, Charlotte, North Carolina (via Interstate 77), Savannah, Georgia (via Interstate 95) and Washington, D.C. (via Interstate 95).

Contents

Route description

Interstate 20 enters the Palmetto State after crossing the Savannah River from Augusta, Georgia. Known as the J. Strom Thurmond Freeway, the highway heads northeastward, bypassing Aiken and Lexington before reaching the state capital of Columbia. It was constructed in various stages beginning in late 1963, with the final section between SC-340 and the Business Spur opening in August 1975.

At Columbia, I-20 crosses the Saluda and Broad rivers and travels through the northern part of the city and turns eastward, bypassing Fort Jackson and Camden before reaching Florence. It is at Florence where I-20 sees its eastern terminus at Interstate 95. However, for about two miles (3 km), the highway continues to downtown Florence as Business Spur 20.

Proposed Extension of Interstate 20

In 2003, The North Carolina Department of Transportation proposed extending I-20 eastward from Florence to Wilmington at the behest of North Carolina Governor Mike Easley and his 'Strategic Transportation Plan' for the southeast portion of the state. The proposed route would follow U.S. 76 east from Florence to Whiteville, North Carolina, then parallel U.S. 74/U.S. 76 into Wilmington. Part of this route is already designated the future Interstate 74. As part of the 2005 SAFETEA-LU transportation legislation, North Carolina received $5 million for a feasibility study for this extension.

While this extension has considerable support among towns in southeastern North Carolina, the South Carolina DOT has stated that they have no interest in upgrading their portion of U.S. 76 to an interstate. This is likely due, in no small part, to encourage eastbound vacationers to travel to Myrtle Beach, South Carolina rather than Wilmington and that they are concentrating their efforts on plans to build Interstate 73 that will terminate near Myrtle Beach. Officials in Wilmington in the Fall of 2009 responded with another idea, route I-20 north along I-95 to I-74 and then be routed or co-routed with I-74/US 74 to Wilmington. State and federal officials have not officially responded to this proposal.[2]

Auxiliary route

Exit list

County Location # Destinations Notes
Aiken North Augusta 1 SC 230 – North Augusta
5 US 25 / SC 121 – Edgefield, Johnston
6 I-520 west – North Augusta, Augusta
11 Bettis Academy Road – Graniteville
18 SC 19 – Aiken, Johnston, Edgefield
22 US 1 – Aiken, Ridge Spring
29 Wire Road
33 SC 39 – Wagener, Monetta, Ridge Spring
Lexington 39 US 178 – Pelion, Batesburg-Leesville
44 Road 34 – Gilbert
51 Longs Pond Road
Lexington 55 SC 6 – Pelion, Lexington Signed as exits 55A (east) and 55B (west) westbound
58 US 1 – West Columbia, Columbia Airport
61 US 378 – West Columbia
Columbia 63 Bush River Road
Richland 64 I-26 / US 76 – Spartanburg, Charleston Signed as exits 64A (east) and 64B (west)
65 US 176 (Broad River Road)
68 SC 215 (Monticello Road)
70 US 321 (Fairfield Road) – Winnsboro
71 US 21 (North Main Street)
72 SC 555 (Farrow Road)
73 SC 277 – Columbia, Charleswood Signed as exits 73A (south) and 73B (north); 73B signed as "To I-77 North"
74 US 1 (Two Notch Road)
76 I-77 – Charleston, Charlotte Westbound signed as exit 76A; Eastbound access only to I-77 Southbound
76 Alpine Road; I-77 Northbound access from I-20 Eastbound Westbound signed as exit 76B
80 Clemson Road
82 Spears Creek Church Road – Pontiac
Kershaw 87 White Pond Road – Elgin
92 US 601 – Lugoff, Camden, Eastover
Camden 98 US 521 – Camden, Sumter, Rembert
101 Road 329
Lee 108 Jamestown Road – Manville
116 US 15 – Sumter, Hartsville
120 SC 341 – Bishopville, Lynchburg, Elliott
123 Road 22 – Lamar, Ashland, Lee State Park
Darlington 131 US 401 to SC 403 – Timmonsville, Darlington, Hartsville, Sumter
137 SC 340 – Darlington
Florence 141 I-95 – Savannah, Fayetteville Signed as exits 141A (north) and 141B (south)
Florence I-20 Bus. east – Florence Continuation beyond I-95

See also

References

  1. ^ "Route Log and Finder List — Interstate System: Table 1". FHWA. http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/reports/routefinder/table1.cfm. Retrieved 2007-09-26. 
  2. ^ My Reporter Column Question on I-20 Going to Wilmington, accessed 10/8/09

External links

Interstate 20
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