Interstate 520
Encyclopedia
Interstate 520 is a 23.5 miles (37.82 km) auxiliary Interstate Highway that encircles Augusta, Georgia
and North Augusta, South Carolina
as a three quarter beltway around the western, southern and eastern parts of the Augusta area. It begins at Interstate 20
in the northwest part of Augusta, and ends at Interstate 20
in North Augusta, South Carolina
. I-520 is also known as Bobby Jones Expressway in Georgia and Palmetto Parkway in South Carolina. In Georgia, the road is unsigned State Route 415.
Interstate 520 begins at Interstate 20
in the northwest part of Augusta, and hooks around to the south and then east, crossing the Savannah River
and crossing the Georgia — South Carolina state line before heading to the north to meet back up with Interstate 20
. Its terminus is at Interstate 20
in North Augusta, South Carolina
. The westernmost three miles are three lanes in each direction, with the remainder of the interstate having two lanes in each direction.
In Georgia, I-520 is named the Bobby Jones Expressway for golf
er Bobby Jones
; in South Carolina it is named the Palmetto Parkway for the sabal palmetto
, the state tree. I-520 loses its state route designation in South Carolina, as it does not co-number its interstates with state highway numbers.
Although undesignated, the Bobby Jones Expressway continues north of I-20 in Georgia to have an interchange with Scott Nixon Memorial Drive and is designated as Georgia State Route 232
.
opened on December 17, 2009. With the completion of this final stretch I-520 is a loop from I-20, violating the numbering standard for Interstates.
Augusta, Georgia
Augusta is a consolidated city in the U.S. state of Georgia, located along the Savannah River. As of the 2010 census, the Augusta–Richmond County population was 195,844 not counting the unconsolidated cities of Hephzibah and Blythe.Augusta is the principal city of the Augusta-Richmond County...
and North Augusta, South Carolina
North Augusta, South Carolina
North Augusta is a city in Aiken County, South Carolina, United States, on the north bank of the Savannah River. The population was 21,348 at the 2010 census. The city is included in the Central Savannah River Area and is also part of the Augusta, Georgia metropolitan area.- History :North...
as a three quarter beltway around the western, southern and eastern parts of the Augusta area. It begins at Interstate 20
Interstate 20 in Georgia
In Georgia, Interstate 20 runs from the Alabama border to the Savannah River, which the Georgia-South Carolina border straddles. It passes through the heavily congested Atlanta metropolitan area and exits the state at Augusta...
in the northwest part of Augusta, and ends at Interstate 20
Interstate 20 in South Carolina
Interstate 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 , Savannah, Georgia and Washington, D.C...
in North Augusta, South Carolina
South Carolina
South Carolina is a state in the Deep South of the United States that borders Georgia to the south, North Carolina to the north, and the Atlantic Ocean to the east. Originally part of the Province of Carolina, the Province of South Carolina was one of the 13 colonies that declared independence...
. I-520 is also known as Bobby Jones Expressway in Georgia and Palmetto Parkway in South Carolina. In Georgia, the road is unsigned State Route 415.
Route description
Interstate 20 in Georgia
In Georgia, Interstate 20 runs from the Alabama border to the Savannah River, which the Georgia-South Carolina border straddles. It passes through the heavily congested Atlanta metropolitan area and exits the state at Augusta...
in the northwest part of Augusta, and hooks around to the south and then east, crossing the Savannah River
Savannah River
The Savannah River is a major river in the southeastern United States, forming most of the border between the states of South Carolina and Georgia. Two tributaries of the Savannah, the Tugaloo River and the Chattooga River, form the northernmost part of the border...
and crossing the Georgia — South Carolina state line before heading to the north to meet back up with Interstate 20
Interstate 20 in South Carolina
Interstate 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 , Savannah, Georgia and Washington, D.C...
. Its terminus is at Interstate 20
Interstate 20 in South Carolina
Interstate 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 , Savannah, Georgia and Washington, D.C...
in North Augusta, South Carolina
South Carolina
South Carolina is a state in the Deep South of the United States that borders Georgia to the south, North Carolina to the north, and the Atlantic Ocean to the east. Originally part of the Province of Carolina, the Province of South Carolina was one of the 13 colonies that declared independence...
. The westernmost three miles are three lanes in each direction, with the remainder of the interstate having two lanes in each direction.
In Georgia, I-520 is named the Bobby Jones Expressway for golf
Golf
Golf is a precision club and ball sport, in which competing players use many types of clubs to hit balls into a series of holes on a golf course using the fewest number of strokes....
er Bobby Jones
Bobby Jones (golfer)
Robert Tyre "Bobby" Jones Jr. was an American amateur golfer, and a lawyer by profession. Jones was the most successful amateur golfer ever to compete on a national and international level...
; in South Carolina it is named the Palmetto Parkway for the sabal palmetto
Sabal palmetto
Sabal palmetto, also known as cabbage palm, palmetto, cabbage palmetto, palmetto palm, blue palmetto, Carolina palmetto, common palmetto, swamp cabbage and sabal palm, is one of 15 species of palmetto palm . It is native to the southeastern United States, Cuba, and the Bahamas...
, the state tree. I-520 loses its state route designation in South Carolina, as it does not co-number its interstates with state highway numbers.
Although undesignated, the Bobby Jones Expressway continues north of I-20 in Georgia to have an interchange with Scott Nixon Memorial Drive and is designated as Georgia State Route 232
Georgia State Route 232
State Route 232 is a west–east state route located in the eastern part of the U.S. state of Georgia. From the route's western terminus at U.S. Route 221/State Route 47 south of Appling, the route runs east to intersect with Georgia State Route 383 and then with State Route 104 in Martinez...
.
History
I-520 was constructed in stages, with the first opening in 1980 between I-20 in Augusta and Doug Barnard Parkway (exit 10). The section between Doug Barnard Parkway (exit 10) and Laney-Walker Boulevard (exit 16) opened in July 1998. On June 22, 2004, the section between Laney-Walker Boulevard (exit 16) and US 1/US 78/US 278 (exit 17) opened to traffic, with I-520 now in the state of South Carolina. Phase 2 of the Palmetto Parkway stretching from Exit 17 to I-20 in North Augusta, South CarolinaSouth Carolina
South Carolina is a state in the Deep South of the United States that borders Georgia to the south, North Carolina to the north, and the Atlantic Ocean to the east. Originally part of the Province of Carolina, the Province of South Carolina was one of the 13 colonies that declared independence...
opened on December 17, 2009. With the completion of this final stretch I-520 is a loop from I-20, violating the numbering standard for Interstates.