Interstate 20

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Interstate 20 travels across the heart of the Palmetto State, linking the capital city of Columbia with North Augusta to the west and Florence to the east. Known as the Strom Thurman Freeway throughout South Carolina, I-20 serves commuter traffic through the Columbia metropolitan area and long distance travelers between the I-95 corridor and Atlanta, Georgia. Business Spur I-20 (David H. McLeod Boulevard) extends 1.8 miles east from the end of I-95 to U.S. 76 (Palmetto Street) by Florence Mall.

Interstate 20 South Carolina Guides

East

North Augusta to Lexington - 55 photos

Columbia - 53 photos

Pontiac to Florence - 60 photos

West

Florence to Pontiac - 40 photos

Columbia - 66 photos

Lexington to North Augusta - 63 photos

Business Routes

Business Spur I-20 - Florence - 29 photos

Through the Columbia area, speed limits along I-20 reduce to 60 miles per hour. The six lane freeway between I-26 and I-77 comprises the northern third of the Columbia Beltway. Widening of I-20 east from I-77 to a point beyond Spears Creek Church Road was completed in 2015. Additional expansion at Lexington started in 2016. Work on the 11 mile section from west of Longs Pond Road (Exit 51) to U.S. 378 at Exit 61 ran through September 2020.¹

The Carolina Crossroads project, rebuilding Malfunction Junction, the cloverleaf interchange joining I-20/26 and the adjacent exchange with I-126, commenced with a ground breaking ceremony on November 8, 2021. Phases 2 and 3 of the five phase project upgrade Interstate 20. Work converts Exit 63 with Bush River Road (Road 273) into a diverging diamond interchange (DDI) while converting the junction at I-20/26 into a systems exchange.

Interstate 20 was open to traffic in 1967 from Augusta, Georgia east to S.C. 230 at North Augusta, and between S.C. 6 at Lexington and White Pond Road near Elgin.

The first segment of Interstate 20 in South Carolina opened in 1966.²

scenes

S.C. 230 (W Martintown Road) enters Aiken County south ahead of the six-ramp parclo interchange (Exit 1) with Interstate 20.

05/24/19

I-20 heads east across northern reaches of the North Augusta city limits from the exchange with S.C. 230 to Interstate 520 (Palmetto Parkway).

05/24/19

Bettis Academy Road (Road 144) south meets Interstate 20 at Exit 11.

05/30/07

U.S. 1 enters a diamond interchange with Interstate 20, seven miles north of Aiken. This is the first of three meetings between the two routes in South Carolina.

06/24/10

Interstate 20 travels 46 miles east to Columbia from U.S. 1 north while U.S. 1 loops north to Batesburg-Leesville before turning eastward to Lexington and West Columbia.

06/24/10

Alpine Road (Road 63) connects S.C. 12 (Percival Road) and U.S. 1 (Two Notch Road) with I-20 at a diamond interchange (Exit 76B) just east of I-77 in suburban Richland County.

04/14/12

Alpine Road (Road 63) connects with both I-20 west to Columbia and I-77 north to Rock Hill or south to Fort Jackson.

04/14/12

Sally Hill Road, Southborough Road (Road 54), Corporation Road and S.C. 340 (Timmonsville Highway) converge at Wallace Crossroads just south of the diamond interchange (Exit 137) with I-20. Since replaced, this trailblazer stood at the turn from Sally Hill Road (Road 30) onto S.C. 340 east.

12/15/01

S.C. 340 (Timmonsville Highway) runs northeast from Alexander Crossroads to Interstate 20 west of Florence and south of Wilson Crossroads.

12/15/01

S.C. 340 (Timmonsville Highway) crosses Jeffries Creek south ahead of a diamond interchange (Exit 137) with Interstate 20.

01/05/19

Interstate 20 concludes 3.92 miles east of the entrance ramp from S.C. 340 (Timmonsville Highway) at I-95/Business Spur I-20 outside Florence.

01/05/19

References:

"Tired of driving the I-20 and I-77 construction zones? Here's when they'll be done." The State (Columbia, SC) March 30, 2018.
"Carolina Century: 1960-1979 Interstate System was Boon for some in S.C., but not all." The State (Columbia, SC), December 21, 1999.