Harry Truman Parkway

Harry S. Truman Parkway
Route information
Length: 10.8 mi[1] (17.4 km)
Major junctions
South end: SR 204 (Abercorn Street)
  US 80 / SR 26 in Savannah
North end: President Street in Savannah
Location
Counties: Chatham
Highway system

The Harry S. Truman Parkway represents a north-south freeway through the Savannah metropolitan area between President Street and SR 204 (Abercorn Street). Originally dubbed the Casey Canal Parkway, due to the parallel waterway, the project was renamed after former President Harry S. Truman in the early 1970s after his death in 1972.

The Truman Parkway is not a state route, nor is it maintained by the GDOT: it is one of a handful of county-maintained freeways in Georgia along with the Ronald Reagan Parkway, Veterans Parkway (Southwest Bypass), and a portion of the East–West Connector in Cobb County.

Route description

Truman Parkway begins at an interchange with Georgia State Route 204 (Abercorn Street) just outside the city limits of Savannah. It passes over White Bluff Road and then traverses a two-mile bridge over the Vernon River. Just past the river it intersects with Whitefield Avenue. After an interchange with Montgomery Cross Road, it passes Lake Meyer Park and Allen Paulson Park. Then, it passes the Georgia Regional Medical Center just before a partial interchange with Eisenhower Drive and Beaumont Drive. The parkway curves to the northwest, passing the Bacon Park Tennis Complex, before skirting along the northeast edge of Bacon Park. After that, it meets its first major interchange, that with SR 21 (Derenne Avenue). This highway is a major highway in southern Savannah and leads to Interstate 516 (I-516). Then, the parkway begins traveling in a north-northeast orientation. After passing Memorial University Medical Center is an interchange with Delesseps Avenue. Just east of Daffin Park is an interchange with US 80/Georgia State Route 26 (Victory Drive). It then begins to travel to the north-northwest and has an interchange with Anderson, Henry, and Wheaton Streets. After this, it skirts along the southwestern edge of Hillcrest Cemetery before curving to the north-northeast. Then, the parkway meets its northern terminus, an interchange with President Street just south of the Savannah River.[1]

All of the Harry Truman Parkway is included as part of the National Highway System, a system of roadways important to the nation's economy, defense, and mobility.[2]

History

1925:

1953

1954

Thomas and Hutton Engineers recommended that the parkway run from Henry Street to DeRenne Avenue.

1955

1958

1960

1961

1962

1964

1965

1968

1969

1970

1971

1972

1973

1974

1976

1977

The Savannah Morning News ran a five-part series looking at the 25-year history of the parkway and all its facets to date.

Opponents called for a referendum on the parkway. Those same opponents called the Savannah News-Press series "one-sided" and "dreadfully lacking" the views of the opposition. County Commission Chairman Shelby Myrick said that Georgia law does not allow for such a referendum.

1978

1979

Future

Phase V will complete the parkway when it opens between Whitfield Avenue to Abercorn Street Extension (SR 204) near Holland Avenue. Phase V, which includes the Vernon River bridge, is in progress as of March 2011 and is scheduled for completion in 2014.[3]

The fifth and final phase of the Truman Parkway extension project opened to traffic on March 14, 2014 at 9:40 a.m.[4]

An official ribbon-cutting ceremony was held on February 28, 2014, at 3:30 p.m.[5]

Exit list

The entire route is in Chatham County. All exits are unnumbered.

Locationmi[1]kmDestinationsNotes
Savannah0.00.0 SR 204 (Abercorn Street)Southern terminus - Opened March 14, 2014
0.71.1White Bluff Road
 2.03.2 SR 204 Spur (Whitfield Avenue) to SR 204 (Abercorn Street)
Savannah3.65.8Montgomery Cross RoadAccess to Lake Mayer
4.36.9Eisenhower Drive/Beaumont Drivehttp://www.garegionalsavannah.com/
6.19.8 To I16 to I516 (via DeRenne Avenue)
7.211.6Delesseps Avenue
8.012.9 US 80 / SR 26 (Victory Drive) Tybee IslandAccess to Tybee Island
8.914.3Anderson Street/Henry Street/Wheaton Street
10.817.4President StreetNorthern terminus
1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi

See also

References

  1. 1 2 3 Google (September 13, 2013). "Route of Harry Truman Parkway" (Map). Google Maps. Google. Retrieved September 13, 2013.
  2. "National Highway System: Savannah, GA" (PDF). United States Department of Transportation. October 1, 2012. Retrieved September 14, 2013.
  3. Chatham County Commissioners Court. "Final Phase of Chatham County's Truman Parkway Approved". Retrieved September 14, 2013.
  4. http://savannahnow.com/news/2014-03-13/truman-parkway-expansion-opens-traffic-friday
  5. http://savannahnow.com/news/2014-03-13/truman-parkway-expansion-opens-traffic-friday#.UyM59uddWv8

External links

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