Interstate 20 in South Carolina

This article is about the section of Interstate 20 in South Carolina. For the entire route, see Interstate 20.

Interstate 20 marker

Interstate 20
J. Strom Thurmond Freeway
Route information
Maintained by SCDOT
Length: 141.51 mi[1][2] (227.74 km)
Existed: 1964 – present
Major junctions
West end: I20 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
SC 20US 21

Interstate 20 (I-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 I-77), Savannah, Georgia (via I-95) and Washington, D.C. (via I-95).

Route description

I-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 I-95. However, for about 2 miles (3.2 km), the highway continues to downtown Florence as Business Spur 20.

History

Approaching the eastern end of I-20 on I-95

I-20 first appeared between 1964-1967, with its first section completed from SC 6, south of Lexington, to Spears Creek Church Road (S-40-53), south of Pontiac.[3][4] A second section, from the Georgia state line to US 25 / SC 121 was completed in 1967. [5] In 1968 or 1969, I-20 was extended east from Spears Creek Church Road (S-40-53) to US 601, south of Camden.[6] In 1971, I-20 combined the two segments by completing the gap between US 25 / SC 121 to SC 6.[7] In 1973, I-20 was extended east to US 521. In 1974, it extended east again to US 15. In 1975, another extension east to US 401. And finally, in 1976, I-20 reached its destination with I-95 and the city of Florence.[8] Also same year exit numbers were installed.

In the late 1980s, I-20 was widened to six lanes between US 378 and I-77.

Proposed extension

The first proposal to extend I-20 was at the time of its designation in the state, and consisted of plans to extend it east from Florence to Myrtle Beach. However, because Myrtle Beach was not yet the tourist destination it later became, the state eventually widened US 76, US 501 and established SC 576 connecting the two U.S. Highways in the 1970s.[9]

In 2003, North Carolina Governor Mike Easley pushed forward a proposal to extend I-20 eastward from Florence to Wilmington, which became part of NCDOT's strategic transportation plan. The proposed routing would overlap I-20 along I-95 to the I-74 / US 74 interchange, then travel east (concurrently with US 74) into Wilmington. In 2005, this proposal became part of the SAFETEA-LU transportation legislation, North Carolina received $5 million for a feasibility study for this extension.

While the extension had support in North Carolina, with justification that a direct route from Atlanta to the Port of Wilmington could be a boom to the economy, this view was not shared by officials in South Carolina. In 2009, soon after Governor Mike Easley left office, the proposed routing was removed from all NCDOT plans and was officially dropped. The proposal was never officially discussed with SCDOT nor submitted to AASHTO and FHWA for consideration.[10]

Exit list

CountyLocationmi[2]kmExitDestinationsNotes
AikenNorth Augusta0.00.0 I20 west AtlantaContinuation into Georgia
1.21.91 SC 230 North Augusta
4.97.95 US 25 / SC 121 Edgefield, Johnston
5.69.06 I-520 west North Augusta, Augusta
 11.117.911Bettis Academy Road Graniteville
Aiken17.728.518 SC 19 Aiken, Johnston, Edgefield
21.935.222 US 1 Aiken, Ridge Spring
 29.347.229Wire Road
 32.452.133 SC 39 Wagener, Monetta, Ridge Spring
Lexington 38.762.339 US 178 Pelion, Batesburg-Leesville
 44.171.044Road 34 Gilbert
 50.881.851Longs Pond Road
Lexington54.888.255 SC 6 Swansea, Pelion, LexingtonSigned as exits 55A (east) and 55B (west) westbound
57.592.558 US 1 Lexington, West ColumbiaTo Columbia Airport
61.198.361 US 378 West Columbia, Lexington
RichlandColumbia63.2101.763Bush River Road
64.0103.064 I-26 / US 76 Spartanburg, CharlestonSigned as exits 64A (east) and 64B (west)
65.0104.665 US 176 (Broad River Road)
68.2109.868 SC 215 (Monticello Road) Jenkinsville
69.6112.070 US 321 (Fairfield Road) Winnsboro
71.0114.371 US 21 (North Main Street)
72.1116.072 SC 555 (Farrow Road)
72.7117.073 SC 277 to I-77 north Columbia, CharlotteSigned as exits 73A (south) and 73B (north)
73.9118.974 US 1 (Two Notch Road)
75.5121.576 I-77 / Alpine Road Charleston, CharlotteWestbound signed as exit 76A (I-77) and exit 76B (Alpine Road); eastbound exit Alpine Road to I-77 north
 79.8128.480Clemson Road
 81.5131.282Spears Creek Church Road – Pontiac
Kershaw 86.7139.587White Pond Road Elgin
Lugoff91.5147.392 US 601 Lugoff, Camden, St. Matthews
Camden97.5156.998 US 521 Camden, Sumter, RembertTo Camden Military Academy
 101.2162.9101Road 329
Lee 107.5173.0108Jamestown Road – Manville
Bishopville115.8186.4116 US 15 Sumter, Bishopville
119.7192.6120 SC 341 Bishopville, Lynchburg, Elliott
 122.4197.0123Road 22 LamarTo Lee State Park
Darlington 130.6210.2131 US 401 to SC 403 Timmonsville, Darlington, Hartsville, Sumter
 137.0220.5137 SC 340 Darlington, Timmonsville
FlorenceFlorence141.2227.2141 I-95 Fayetteville, SavannahSigned as exits 141A (north) and 141B (south)
141.5227.7 I-20 Bus. east FlorenceContinuation beyond I-95
1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi

Related routes

I-20 has one auxiliary Interstate within South Carolina. Numbered I-520, it runs between North Augusta and Augusta, Georgia. Originally a spur, it serves as a partial beltway of the August area, split between Georgia and South Carolina.

Interstate 20 Business

Interstate 20 Business
Location: Florence, South Carolina
Length: 2.0 mi[11] (3.2 km)
Existed: 1970–present

Interstate 20 Business (I-20 Bus) is a 2.0-mile (3.2 km) four-lane boulevard grade business spur of I-20 along David H. McLeod Boulevard, between I-95 and Palmetto Street (US 76). Construction began by 1969, completed in 1970, it has remained unchanged since inception.[12]

The entire route is in Florence, Florence County.

mi[11]kmDestinationsNotes
0.00.0 I-20 west / I-95 Columbia, Fayetteville, SavannahContinuation as I-20
2.03.2 US 76 (Palmetto Street) Myrtle Beach, TimmonsvilleTo Francis Marion University
1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi

See also

References

  1. "Table 1". Route Log and Finder List. Federal Highway Administration. Retrieved September 26, 2007.
  2. 1 2 Google (June 5, 2014). "Interstate 20 in South Carolina" (Map). Google Maps. Google. Retrieved June 5, 2014.
  3. General Highway Map, Richland County, South Carolina (PDF) (Map). Cartography by SCDOT. South Carolina Department of Transportation. 1963. Retrieved June 5, 2014.
  4. General Highway Map, Richland County, South Carolina (PDF) (Map). Cartography by SCDOT. South Carolina Department of Transportation. 1967. Retrieved June 5, 2014.
  5. General Highway Map, Aiken County, South Carolina (PDF) (Map). Cartography by SCDOT. South Carolina Department of Transportation. 1967. Retrieved June 5, 2014.
  6. General Highway Map, Richland County, South Carolina (PDF) (Map). Cartography by SCDOT. South Carolina Department of Transportation. 1970. Retrieved June 5, 2014.
  7. General Highway Map, Aiken County, South Carolina (PDF) (Map). Cartography by SCDOT. South Carolina Department of Transportation. 1973. Retrieved June 5, 2014.
  8. General Highway Map, Florence County, South Carolina (PDF) (Map). Cartography by SCDOT. South Carolina Department of Transportation. 1976. Retrieved June 5, 2014.
  9. Grainger, Kyle (February 19, 2009). "Why Interstate 73 and not I-20 to Myrtle Beach?". WMBF-TV (Myrtle Beach, SC). Retrieved June 5, 2014.
  10. "My Reporter Column Question on I-20 Going to Wilmington". StarNewsOnline.com. Retrieved October 4, 2014.
  11. 1 2 Google (May 19, 2013). "Business Spur 20" (Map). Google Maps. Google. Retrieved May 19, 2013.
  12. General Highway Map, Florence County, South Carolina (PDF) (Map). Cartography by SCDOT. South Carolina Department of Transportation. 1970. Retrieved June 5, 2014.

External links

Route map: Bing / Google

Interstate 20
Previous state:
Georgia
South Carolina Next state:
Terminus
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