I-20
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From: Georgia State Line at North Augusta (Aiken County)
To: Florence (Florence County)
Total Length: 140.7 miles  
Nationally, I-20 runs from Florence to I-10 in western Texas.
ROUTE LOG
GA STATE LINE: 0 - 0
EXIT 1 - SC 230: 1.3 - 1.3
EXIT 5 - US 25, SC 121: 3.7 - 5.0
EXIT 6 - I-520 (exit 23): 0.6 - 5.6
EXIT 11 - S-2-144: 5.6 - 11.2
EXIT 18 - SC 19: 6.6 - 17.8
EXIT 22 - US 1: 4.3 - 22.1
EXIT 29 - S-2-49: 7.4 - 29.5
EXIT 33 - SC 39: 3.0 - 32.5
Lexington-Aiken Line: 4.7 - 37.2
EXIT 39 - US 178: 1.6 - 38.8
EXIT 44 - S-32-44: 5.4 - 44.2
EXIT 51 - S-32-204: 5.8 - 50.0
EXIT 55 - SC 6: 4.0 - 54.0
EXIT 58 - US 1: 2.6 - 56.6
EXIT 61 - US 378: 3.6 - 60.2
EXIT 63 - S-32-273: 2.1 - 62.3
EXIT 64 - I-26 (exit 107), US 76: 0.9 - 63.2
Richland-Lexington Line: 0 - 63.2
EXIT 65 - US 176: 1.0 - 64.2
EXIT 68 - SC 215: 3.2 - 67.4
EXIT 70 - US 321: 1.4 - 68.8
EXIT 71 - US 21: 1.5 - 70.3
EXIT 72 - SC 555: 1.2 - 71.5
EXIT 73 - SC 277: 0.5 - 72
EXIT 74 - US 1: 1.3 - 73.3
EXIT 76A - I-77 (exit 16): 1.5 - 74.8
EXIT 76B (old exit 76) - S-40-63: 0.5 - 75.3
EXIT 80 - S-40-2033: 4.5 - 79.8
EXIT 82 - S-40-53: 1.0 - 80.8
Kershaw-Richland Line: 2.8 - 83.6
EXIT 87 - S-28-47: 2.3 - 85.9
EXIT 92 - US 601, SC 12: 4.9 - 90.8
EXIT 98 - US 521: 6.1 - 96.9
EXIT 101 - S-28-329: 3.7 - 100.6
Lee-Kershaw Line: 4.5 - 105.1
EXIT 108 - S-31-31: 1.9 - 107.0
EXIT 116 - US 15: 8.4 - 115.4
EXIT 120 - SC 341: 3.9 - 119.3
EXIT 123 - S-31-22: 2.6 - 121.9
Darlington-Lee Line: 2.8 - 124.7
EXIT 131 - US 401: 5.2 - 129.9
EXIT 137 - SC 340: 6.5 - 136.4
Florence-Darlington Line: 1.8 - 138.2
EXIT 141 - I-20 Bus, I-95 (exit 160): 2.5 - 140.7
Creation: I-20 first appeared on the 1964 Official Map. It was shown as under construction from SC 6 Lexington to the Wateree River below Camden.
Adjustments: In 1965, I-20 was shown as under construction from Georgia to US 25/SC 121.
In 1966, I-20 was shown as under construction from US 25/SC 121 to US 1 near Aiken.
In 1967, I-20 was shown open from Gerogia to US 25/SC 121 and also from SC 6 to S-40-63 well east of Columbia.
Note that the I-20 segment through Columbia had been under consideration to instead use today's I-126 and SC 277.

early interstate plans
I-20 under consideration to head through Downtown Columbia
Early SCDOT interstate plans
final plan
I-20 routed to the north of Columbia
Finalized Columbia plan

In 1968 or 1969, I-20 was opened from S-40-53 to US 601 Camden. It was also shown as under construction from US 1 Aiken to SC 6 and from US 601 to US 521.

1967 Official
I-20 opens from SC 6 to S-40-53
1967 Official
1969 Official
I-20 opens from S-40-53 to US 601
1969 Official

In 1970, I-20 was under construction from US 521 Camden to I-95.
In 1971, I-20 was opened from US 25/SC 121 North Augusta to SC 6 Lexington.

1967 Official
I-20 opens from Georgia to US 25
1967 Official
1971 Official
I-20 opens from US 25 to SC 6
1971 Official

In 1973, I-20 was opened from US 601 to US 521.

1973 Official
I-20 opens US 601 to US 521
1973 Official


In 1974, I-20 was opened from US 521 Camden to US 15 Bishopville.

1974 Official
I-20 opens US 521 to US 15
1974 Official


In 1975, I-20 was opened from US 15 to US 401.

1975 Official
I-20 opens US 15 to US 401
1975 Official


In 1976, I-20 was completed in South Carolina when it was opened from US 401 to I-95.

1976 Official
I-20 opens US 401 to I-95
1976 Official

Improvements: 4 lane freeway at inception. I don't believe any 6-lane sections were initially built.
I-20 was widened to 6 lanes between US 1 Lexington and I believe I-77, in stages, beginning I think in the late 1980s. I seem to recall big traffic problems in the SC 215 to US 21 stretch when I was in high school (mid 80s).
About 2014, I-20 was 6-laned from I-77 to just past Exit 82
At least one exit was not part of the original lineup: Exit 80 Clemson Rd. (btw. 1986-88)
Comment: I-20 serves three major cities in South Carolina - Florence, Columbia, and North Augusta, but only really passes inside northern Columbia.
I-20 received its exit numbers in 1976.
I-20 blows off SC 191, SC 154, and SC 403.
Other than the big cities, I-20 remains a quiet ride through lots of hilly scrub terrain.
There have been occasional rumblings about extending I-20 east to either Myrtle Beach or Wilmington NC. South Carolina has hung their hat on improvements to US 76-501 and getting I-73 in place. South Carolina wouldn't benefit very much from a direct extension to Wilmington which then-NC governor Mike Easley put out there as a wish in the mid-2000s. Honestly, going by way of I-95 and US 74 (future I-74) is not much longer.

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Page last modified 2 September 2017