Interstate cutting a swath across the heart of the Palmetto State. Interstate 20, known as the Strom Thurman Freeway from Columbia Eastward, serves the capital of Columbia, North Augusta, and Florence. The Eastern terminus with Interstate 95 doubles as the Western beginning of Business Spur 20. Business Spur 20 is a four lane divided highway with at-grade intersections that ends at U.S. 76 in Florence itself. Overall the speed limit is 70 MPH, with 60 MPH in Columbia metro. The highway retains a concrete surface east of Columbia, and is four lanes overall with the exception of a six lane segment in Columbia.
Interstate 20 East
The first Interstate 20 eastbound interchange within the Palmetto State is that of the partial cloverleaf of Exit 1. Intersecting Interstate 20 at Exit 1 is South Carolina 230 (Martintown Road). Martintown Road composes one of two highways from the freeway into the city of North Augusta (pop. 17,574). Photo taken 07/07/04.
Eastbound at Exit 5 for U.S. 25/South Carolina 121 (Edgefield Road). This partial cloverleaf interchange serves the distant towns of Edgefield (pop. 4,449) and Johnston (pop. 2,336) to the northeast and the communities of Belvedere (pop. 5,631) and North Augusta to the south. U.S. 25 and South Carolina 121 overlap to the Georgia state line at the city of Augusta. Photo taken 12/15/01.
Interstate 20 eastbound at the first of two Aiken (pop. 25,337) area diamond interchanges (Exit 18). Exit 18 facilitates movements to South Carolina 19 (Edgefield Highway) seven miles north of downtown Aiken. South Carolina 191 links South Carolina 19 with the Edgefield County town of Johnston to the north. Photo taken 12/15/01.
Interstate 20 eastbound at Exit 64A/Interstate 26 eastbound. A five mile drive separates this ramp from downtown Columbia (pop. 116,278) via Interstates 26 and Interstate 126 eastbound. Exit 46B composes a cloverleaf
to Interstate 26 westbound. The control city of Spartanburg (pop. 39,673) is 85 miles to the north. Photo taken 12/15/01.
Robb Ellis photographed this panoramic view of the Interstate 20 & 77 stack interchange (Exit 76). The view looks northeastward from the shoulder of the Interstate 20 eastbound ramp onto Interstate 77 southbound. The loop in the foreground carries southbound Interstate 77 traffic onto
Interstate 20 eastbound. Photo taken 03/00.
An eastbound collector/distributor roadway system facilitates travel onto Exit 76A (Interstate 77 south) and Exit 76B (Alpine Road). The Interstate 77 junction and nearby Alpine Road diamond interchange are situated adjacent to one another. This view looks westward at the Interstate
77 northbound flyover to Interstate 20 westbound. There is no direct access from Interstate 20 eastbound to Interstate 77 northbound. That movement is handled by the South Carolina 277 freeway at Exit 73.
Photo taken 03/00.
One mile west of the final Interstate 20 interchange (Exit 141) is this set of 2001 installed overheads. The new panels include Business Interstate 20 Spur (David H. McLeod Boulevard) acknowledgment for the 1.8 mile highway leading into downtown Florence. The previous set of signs
all but ignored the Business Route. Photo taken 12/15/01.
The mainline of Interstate 20 defaults onto Interstate 95 northbound/Exit 141A for interests to Fayetteville, Rocky Mount, and Richmond while traffic continuing eastward to Business Spur 20 must exit via Exit 141B to the right. Photo taken 12/15/01.
Continue a short distance beyond the split of Exit 141A and the split of Business Spur 20 east from the Interstate 95 southbound ramp (Exit 141B) occurs. The control city of Savannah is 176 miles to the south. Business Spur 20 meanwhile reaches U.S. 76 near downtown Florence in just two miles. Photo taken 12/15/01.
Interstate 20 West
The westbound on-ramp to Interstate 20 from Alpine Road (Exit 76B). The close proximity of this diamond interchange to the Interstate 20 and 77 junction allows for a connecting ramp to the Exit 76A ramp of Interstate 20 west. This photograph depicts the split of the Alpine Road on-ramp between Interstate 20 west and Interstate 77 (north and south). Note the greenout on the Interstate
77 panel. This greenout conceals the word NORTH as Interstate 77 South had not been completed at the time of the sign placement. Photo taken 08/05/00.
Looking westward at the Interstate 77 southbound ramp from Interstate 20 west and Alpine Road. Crossing above are the Interstate 77 mainline bridges and Interstate 77 northbound to Interstate 20 westbound flyover. Photo taken 03/00.
South Carolina 277 (Northeastern Expressway) overhead on Westbound (Exit 73A). There is no access to South Carolina 277 Northbound from westbound Interstate 20, nor is there access from South Carolina 277 South to Interstate 20 East. The close proximity to Interstate 77 precludes the need for these direct connections. As far as the South Carolina 277 designation, the number results from an all but abandoned plan to link the Interstate 126 spur with the Northeastern Expressway. The creation of a continuous freeway between the two highways (Interstate 277) was never realized however. Thus Interstate 277 cannot be numbered an Interstate because of the spurlike nature of the Northeastern Expressway. Photo taken 08/05/00.
Original 1.25 mile guide sign for the Exit 64B/A cloverleaf interchange of Interstate 20 with Interstate 26. Interstate 26 travels between the upstate Piedmont and the coastal city of Charleston (pop. 96,650) on its 220.95 mile South Carolina state routing. This sign saw replacement by 2002. Photo taken 08/05/00.
Interstate 20 westbound at the U.S. 25 & South Carolina 121 cloverleaf off-ramp (Exit 5). The two highways link the east-west freeway with Belvedere, North Augusta, and downtown Augusta, Georgia. South Carolina 121 constitutes a multi-state route in the states of Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, and North Carolina. Photo taken 08/05/00.
Scenes Pertaining to Interstate 20
Interstate 20 trailblazer at the Jamestown Road northerly turn into the Exit 108 diamond interchange. On the northern side of the junction is the the east-west South Carolina 34 (Bishopville and Camden Highways). Photo taken 12/15/01.
South Carolina 31 northbound at the eastbound on-ramp to Interstate 20. The stretch of Interstate 20 between the capital city of Columbia and the eastern terminus at Florence is vastly undeveloped with relatively light traffic. Photo taken 12/15/01.
