Interstate 20 88879 225152979 2008-07-12T04:24:26Z 75.47.152.237 {{redirect|I-20}} {{Infobox road |type=I |route=20 |map=Interstate 20 map.png |length_mi=1539.38 |length_round=2 |length_ref=<ref name="fhwa">{{cite web|url=http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/reports/routefinder/table1.cfm|title=Route Log and Finder List - Interstate System: Table 1|publisher=[[FHWA]]|accessdate=2007-09-26}}</ref><ref name="IG">{{cite web|publisher=Interstate Guide|url=http://www.interstate-guide.com/i-020.html|title=Interstate 20 @ Interstate-Guide.com|accessdate=2008-02-15}}</ref> |established=1957 |direction_a=West |terminus_a={{Jct|state=TX|I|10}} near [[Kent, Texas|Kent, TX]] |junction={{Jct|state=TX|I|30}} near [[Fort Worth, TX]]<br>{{Jct|state=TX|I|35W}} in [[Fort Worth, TX]]<br>{{Jct|state=TX|I|35E}} in [[Dallas, TX]]<br>{{Jct|state=TX|I|45}} in [[Dallas, TX]]<br>{{Jct|state=MS|I|55}} in [[Jackson, MS]]<br>{{Jct|state=AL|I|65}} in [[Birmingham, AL]]<br>{{Jct|state=GA|I|75|I|85}} in [[Atlanta, GA]] |direction_b=East |terminus_b={{Jct|state=SC|I|95|BS|20|dab2=Florence}} near [[Florence, SC]] }} '''Interstate 20''' (I-20) is a major east-west [[interstate highway]] in the southeastern [[United States]]. I-20 runs 1,535 miles (2,470 km) from near [[Kent, Texas]], at [[Interstate 10]] to [[Florence, South Carolina]], at [[Interstate 95 in South Carolina|Interstate 95]].<ref name="Google">{{cite web|publisher=[[Google Maps]]|url=http://maps.google.com/maps?f=d&hl=en&geocode=9823043144323157679,31.094000,-104.049870%3B15883297316566579360,34.193215,-79.844145&saddr=I-20+E+%4031.094000,+-104.049870&daddr=33.498461,-86.903229+to:I-20+E%2FI-20-SPUR+E+%4034.193215,+-79.844145&mra=dpe&mrcr=0&mrsp=1&sz=11&via=1&sll=33.448058,-86.810532&sspn=0.258963,0.461426&ie=UTF8&ll=32.805745,-92.856445&spn=16.660668,29.53125&z=5|title=Overview Map of I-20|accessdate=2008-02-15}}</ref> Between Texas and South Carolina, I-20 runs through northern [[Louisiana]], central [[Mississippi]], western and north-central [[Alabama]], and north-central [[Georgia (U.S. state)|Georgia]]. From its terminus at I-95, the highway continues about two miles eastward into the city of Florence as [[Interstate 20 Business (Florence, South Carolina)|Business Spur 20]]. ==Route description== ===Texas=== {{seealso|Interstate 20 in Texas}} {{lengths table|length_ref=<ref name=fhwa />}} |- |[[Interstate 20 in Texas|TX]] || 636.08 || 1023.67 |- |[[Interstate 20 in Louisiana|LA]] || 189.87 || 305.57 |- |[[Interstate 20 in Mississippi|MS]] || 154.61 || 248.82 |- |[[Interstate 20 in Alabama|AL]] || 214.7 || 345.5 |- |[[Interstate 20 in Georgia|GA]] || 202.61 || 326.07 |- |[[Interstate 20 in South Carolina|SC]] || 141.51 || 227.74 |- |'''Total''' || 1539.4 || 2477.4 |} {| class="infobox" width="230px" !style="background: #ccf;"|<big>Major cities</big><br><small>'''Bolded cities''' are officially-designated [[control city|control cities]] for signs<ref>Wolf, Paul S., editor. [http://users.adelphia.net/~pwolf/controlcities.html "Interstate Highway Control Cities"]. As referenced by the North Carolina Department of Transportation, [http://www.ncdot.org/doh/PRECONSTRUCT/traffic/teppl/Topics/C-26/C-26.html "Control Cities For Use In Guide Signs On Interstate Highways"], [[August 9]] [[2004]]. Accessed on [[2007-01-30]].</ref></small> |- | * '''[[El Paso, Texas]]''' (via [[Interstate 10|I-10]]) * [[Odessa, Texas]] * [[Midland, Texas]] * '''[[Abilene, Texas]]''' * '''[[Fort Worth, Texas]]''' * '''[[Dallas, Texas]]''' * [[Tyler, Texas]] (via [[Lindale, Texas]]) * [[Longview, Texas]] * '''[[Shreveport, Louisiana]]''' * '''[[Monroe, Louisiana]]''' * '''[[Vicksburg, Mississippi]]''' * '''[[Jackson, Mississippi]]''' * '''[[Meridian, Mississippi]]''' * '''[[Tuscaloosa, Alabama]]''' * '''[[Birmingham, Alabama]]''' * [[Oxford, Alabama]] * '''[[Atlanta, Georgia]]''' * '''[[Augusta, Georgia]]''' * '''[[Columbia, South Carolina]]''' * '''[[Florence, South Carolina]]''' |} Interstate 20 begins 10 miles east of Kent at a fork with Interstate 10. From there, the highway travels east-northeastward through [[Odessa, Texas|Odessa]], [[Midland, Texas|Midland]] and [[Abilene, Texas|Abilene]] before turning eastward towards the [[Dallas/Fort Worth Metroplex]]. The [[La Entrada al Pacifico]] corridor runs along I-20 between [[U.S. Route 385]] and [[FM 1788]]. Between [[Monahans, Texas|Monahans]] and I-10, I-20 has an 80 mph (130 km/h) speed limit, the highest in the United States. From the highway's opening in the 1960s through 1971, I-20 originally went through the heart of the Metroplex via the [[Dallas-Fort Worth Turnpike]]. This old route is now signed [[Interstate 30]] (Dallas-Fort Worth Turnpike), [[U.S. Route 80]] (former stretch between I-635 and [[Terrell, Texas|Terrell]]) and [[Texas State Highway Spur 557|Texas Spur 557]] (bypass around Terrell). In 1987, I-20 was rerouted to go through the southern sections of Fort Worth, [[Arlington, Texas|Arlington]], [[Grand Prairie, Texas|Grand Prairie]], [[Dallas,Texas|Dallas]], and [[Mesquite, Texas|Mesquite]] before rejoining its original route at Terrell. Part of I-20 in Dallas is named the Lyndon B. Johnson Freeway and used to be signed as I-635. Interstate 20 continues eastward from Terrell, bypassing [[Tyler, Texas|Tyler]], [[Marshall, Texas|Marshall]], and [[Longview, Texas|Longview]] before crossing the Louisiana border near Waskom. ===Louisiana=== {{seealso|Interstate 20 in Louisiana}} In [[Louisiana]], I-20 roughly parallels [[U.S. Route 80]] through the northern part of the state. Entering the state from near [[Waskom, Texas]], the highway immediately enters the [[Shreveport, Louisiana|Shreveport]]-[[Bossier City, Louisiana|Bossier City]] metropolitan area, intersecting [[Interstate 49]] near downtown Shreveport and passing close to [[Barksdale Air Force Base]] in Bossier city. From that area, the highway traverses mainly rural, hilly terrain, bypassing [[Minden, Louisiana|Minden]], [[Ruston, Louisiana|Ruston]] and [[Grambling, Louisiana|Grambling]] before reaching [[Monroe, Louisiana|Monroe]]. From Monroe, I-20 enters flatter terrain as it approaches the [[Mississippi River]]. Before crossing the Mississippi, the highway passes [[Tallulah, Louisiana|Tallulah]]. At the Mississippi River, I-20 leaves Louisiana and enters [[Vicksburg, Mississippi]]. ===Mississippi=== {{seealso|Interstate 20 in Mississippi}} Upon entering Mississippi by crossing the [[River]], I-20 immediately enters [[Vicksburg, Mississippi|Vicksburg]]. Between Edwards and [[Clinton, Mississippi|Clinton]], the highway mostly follows the original two-lane routing of [[U.S. Route 80]]. In Jackson, I-20 sees a short concurrency with both [[Interstate 55]] and [[U.S. Route 49]]. Also in Jackson is an unusually expansive [[stack interchange]], at the [[junction]] of I-20, I-55 North and U.S. 49 South. The interchange replaces a former directional interchange at I-55 North and a cloverleaf at Highway 49. From the Stack, I-20 continues eastward to [[Meridian, Mississippi|Meridian]], where it begins the nearly 160-mile overlap with [[Interstate 59]]. The route of the Mississippi section of Interstate 20 is defined in Mississippi Code § 65-3-3. ===Alabama=== {{seealso|Interstate 20 in Alabama}} Interstate 20 (with I-59) crosses the Alabama line near York and stays conjoined as it passes through [[Tuscaloosa, Alabama|Tuscaloosa]]. At [[Birmingham, Alabama|Birmingham]], the two highways pass through downtown before splitting at Exit 130 just east of [[Birmingham International Airport]]. I-20 continues eastward through [[Oxford, Alabama|Oxford]], and the Talladega National Forest, bypassing [[Talladega Superspeedway]] in the process, which is visible from the highway. Also in Birmingham, the intersection of I-20/I-59 and [[Interstate 65]] is known as [[Malfunction Junction]] because of the interchange's design and the number of accidents that occur there. ===Georgia=== {{seealso|Interstate 20 in Georgia}} I-20 enters the Peach State near [[Tallapoosa, Georgia|Tallapoosa]] and immediately enters the [[Atlanta metropolitan area|Atlanta metro area]]. On clear days, eastbound motorists get their first view of downtown as they come over the top of [[Six Flags Hill]]. [[Six Flags]] is easily visible off exit 47 eastbound. In [[Atlanta, Georgia|Atlanta]], the highway passes through the heart of the city, crossing Interstates [[Interstate 75|75]] and [[Interstate 85|85]] (the [[Downtown Connector]]) and continues eastward through the state until it exits the state at [[Augusta, Georgia|Augusta]]. Throughout the state, I-20 is conjoined with unsigned [[Georgia State Route 402|Georgia Highway 402]]. Also, I-20 from the Alabama state line to [[Interstate 285]] in Atlanta is named the Tom Murphy Freeway while it is called the Ralph David Abernathy Freeway within I-285. The highway is also named the Purple Heart Highway from I-285 in Dekalb County to [[U.S. 441]] and the Carl Sanders Highway from U.S. 441 to the South Carolina state line. ===South Carolina=== {{seealso|Interstate 20 in South Carolina}} [[Image:IMG 31471.JPG|right|thumb|Approaching the eastern terminus of I-20 on I-95]] Upon leaving Augusta, I-20 crosses the [[Savannah River]] and enters the Palmetto State and heads northeastward, bypassing [[Aiken, South Carolina|Aiken]] and [[Lexington, South Carolina|Lexington]] before reaching the state capitol of [[Columbia, South Carolina|Columbia]], which can be reached most directly by taking [[I-26]] east at Exit 63 ("Malfunction Junction"), then, almost immediately, [[I-126]]/[[U.S. Route 76]]. At Columbia, Interstate 20 bypasses the city to the north and again turns northeastward, bypassing [[Fort Jackson, South Carolina|Fort Jackson]] and [[Camden, South Carolina|Camden]]. After crossing the [[Wateree River]], it turns due east, passes by tiny [[Bishopville]], before reaching the [[Florence, South Carolina|Florence]] area. It is near Florence where I-20 sees its eastern terminus at [[Interstate 95 in South Carolina|Interstate 95]]. However, for about two miles, the highway continues into Florence as [[Interstate 20 Business (Florence, South Carolina)|Business Spur 20]]. I-20 in the Palmetto State is known as either the J. Strom Thurmond Freeway or John C. West Freeway. The first section to be completed was the [[bridge]] over the Savannah River around 1964, the last, the section between [[U.S. Route 401]] and [[Interstate 95 in South Carolina|I-95]] (including the Business Spur), opened in 1974. ==Future== {{Unreferencedsection|date=September 2007}} In 2003, The [[North Carolina]] Department of Transportation proposed extending I-20 eastward from Florence to [[Wilmington, North Carolina|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 eastern extension of [[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. ==Major intersections== *[[Interstate 10]] in [[Kent, Texas]] *[[Interstate 30]] near [[Fort Worth, Texas]] *[[Interstate 820]] in [[Fort Worth, Texas]] (twice) *[[Interstate 35W (Texas)|Interstate 35W]] in [[Fort Worth, Texas]] *[[Interstate 35E (Texas)|Interstate 35E]] in [[Dallas, Texas]] *[[Interstate 45]] in [[Dallas, Texas]] *[[Interstate 635 (Texas)|Interstate 635]] in [[Dallas, Texas]] *[[Interstate 220 (Louisiana)|Interstate 220]] in [[Shreveport, Louisiana]] (west terminus) *[[Interstate 49]] in [[Shreveport, Louisiana]] *[[Interstate 220 (Louisiana)|Interstate 220]] in [[Bossier City, Louisiana]] (eastern terminus) *[[Interstate 220 (Mississippi)|Interstate 220]] in [[Jackson, Mississippi]] *[[Interstate 55]] in [[Jackson, Mississippi]] (I-20 and I-55 briefly run together here) *[[Interstate 59]] in [[Meridian, Mississippi]] '''([http://maps.google.com/maps?q=Meridian,+MS&ll=32.341935,-88.767729&spn=0.016327,0.022505&hl=en Map])'''. I-20 and I-59 stay connected until [[Birmingham, Alabama]]. *[[Interstate 359]] in [[Tuscaloosa, Alabama]] *[[Interstate 65]] in [[Birmingham, Alabama]] ("[[Malfunction Junction]]") *[[Interstate 59]] in [[Birmingham, Alabama]] *[[Interstate 459]] in [[Birmingham, Alabama]] (twice) *[[Interstate 285]] in [[Atlanta, Georgia]] (twice) *[[Interstate 75]]/[[Interstate 85]] in [[Atlanta, Georgia]]. Both follow the same stretch of freeway known as the [[Downtown Connector]]. *[[Interstate 520]] in [[Augusta, Georgia]] *[[Interstate 26]] in [[Columbia, South Carolina]] *[[Interstate 77]] in [[Columbia, South Carolina]] *[[Interstate 95 in South Carolina|Interstate 95]] in [[Florence, South Carolina]] '''([http://maps.google.com/maps?q=Florence,+SC&ll=34.189086,-79.836273&spn=0.127882,0.180038&hl=en Map])''' ==Auxiliary routes== Two Interstate 420s were planned, but never completed or built. One was to be a bypass around [[Monroe, Louisiana]], but was never built. The other I-420 was planned as a bypass to the south of downtown [[Atlanta]]. Due to anti-freeway sentiments, this I-420 was never completed, and the already-built portion has been signed as GA 154/GA 166, named [[Langford Parkway]] (formerly the Lakewood Freeway). Additionally, it is highly unlikely{{Or|date=February 2008}} that any road will ever be designated as "Route [[420 (drug culture)|420]]," due to that number being popular in the drug trade.{{Fact|date=February 2008}}{{Dubious|date=March 2008}} *[[Shreveport, Louisiana]] - [[Interstate 220 (Louisiana)|I-220]] *[[Jackson, Mississippi]] - [[Interstate 220 (Mississippi)|I-220]] *[[Augusta, Georgia]] - [[Interstate 520|I-520]] *[[Fort Worth, Texas]] - [[Interstate 820|I-820]] {{3di|20}} ==References== {{Reflist}} *http://www.duke.edu/~rmalme/i74seg18.html I-20 in NC discussion on I-74 in North Carolina Progress Page, accessed October 4, 2005. * {{cite paper | author=Georgia Deartment of Transportation, Office of Transportation Data | title=Interstate Mileage Report (438 Report) | date=2003 | url=http://www.dot.state.ga.us/DOT/plan-prog/transportation_data/400reports/2003/dpp438_2003.pdf }} ==External links== *http://www.interstate-guide.com/i-020.html I-20 on Interstate-Guide.com *http://www.duke.edu/~rmalme/ncfutint.html Proposed I-20 extension in North Carolina {{interstates}} [[Category:Interstate Highway System|20]] [[Category:Interstate 20| ]] [[Category:U.S. Route 1|020]] [[de:Interstate 20]] [[fr:Interstate 20]] [[sv:Interstate 20]] [[zh:20號州際公路]]