Interstate 520 ( I-520 ) is a 23.34-mile (37.56 km) auxiliary Interstate Highway that encircles most of Augusta, Georgia , and North Augusta, South Carolina , as a three-quarter beltway around the western, southern, and eastern parts of the main part of the Augusta metropolitan area . It begins at I-20 and State Route 232 (SR 232) in the northern part of Augusta, Georgia, and ends at I-20 in the northern part of North Augusta, South Carolina. I-520 is also known as Bobby Jones Expressway and the Deputy James D. Paugh Memorial Highway in Georgia and Palmetto Parkway in South Carolina. On the Georgia side, the road also carries the internal designation State Route 415 ( SR 415 ).
17-466: The entire length of I-520 is part of the National Highway System , a system of routes determined to be the most important for the nation's economy, mobility, and defense. I-520 begins at an interchange with I-20 (Carl Sanders Highway) and the internal designation of SR 402 in the northern part of Augusta . At this interchange, the roadway continues as SR 232 , which takes on
34-508: A curve to the east is an interchange with SR 56 (Mike Padgett Highway), which is east of Southside Elementary School and northeast of East-Central Regional Hospital. I-520 curves to the east-northeast and has an interchange with Doug Barnard Parkway (former State Route 56 Spur (SR 56 Spur)). The Interstate gradually curves to the northeast and has an interchange with Laney Walker Boulevard and SR 28 (Sand Bar Ferry Road). Just over 1,000 feet (300 m) later, it crosses
51-580: A population of over 50,000 and about 90% of America's population live within 5 miles (8.0 km) of the network, which is the longest in the world. [REDACTED] This article incorporates public domain material from websites or documents of the United States Department of Transportation . Road construction Too Many Requests If you report this error to the Wikimedia System Administrators, please include
68-524: Is a United States Act of Congress that was signed into law by President Bill Clinton on November 28, 1995. The legislation designated about 160,955 miles (259,032 km) of roads, including the Interstate Highway System, as the NHS. Aside from designating the system, the act served several other purposes, including restoring $ 5.4 billion in funding to state highway departments, giving Congress
85-538: Is a network of strategic highways within the United States , including the Interstate Highway System and other roads serving major airports, ports, military bases, rail or truck terminals, railway stations, pipeline terminals and other strategic transport facilities. Altogether, it constitutes the largest highway system in the world. Individual states are encouraged to focus federal funds on improving
102-682: Is known as Bobby Jones Expressway for golfer Bobby Jones . In South Carolina, it is known as Palmetto Parkway for the sabal palmetto , the state tree . Between exits 2 and 3, the highway is known as the Deputy James D. Paugh Memorial Highway after a Richmond County sheriff's deputy who was killed at exit 3 when responding to reports of a gunman who was shooting at passing cars. I-520 loses its state route designation in South Carolina, as that state does not co-number its Interstates with state highway numbers. The highway that would become I-520
119-587: The Federal Highway Administration , the 160,000-mile (260,000 km) National Highway System includes roads important to the United States' economy, defense, and mobility, from one or more of the following road networks (specific routes may be part of more than one sub-system): The system includes 4% of the nation's roads, but carries more than 40% of all highway traffic, 75% of heavy truck traffic, and 90% of tourist traffic. All urban areas with
136-622: The Savannah River into South Carolina and the city limits of North Augusta . I-520 curves to the north-northwest, to an interchange with US 1 / US 78 / US 278 (only signed as "US 1"). The highway curves back to the north-northeast and has an interchange with South Carolina Highway 126 (SC 126; Clearwater Road). During a slight westward shift is an interchange with US 25 / SC 121 (Edgefield Road). Just north-northeast of there, I-520 meets its eastern terminus, another interchange with I-20. In Georgia, I-520
153-640: The Bobby Jones Expressway name. The Interstate travels to the south-southeast. After passing the Augusta Exchange shopping complex , east of Doctors Hospital , it has an interchange with Wheeler Road and Marks Church Road. After a slight western jog, I-520 continues to the south-southeast and meets Wrightsboro Road , which leads to Augusta Mall . About one mile (1.6 km) later is an interchange with U.S. Route 78 (US 78)/ US 278 / SR 10 ( Gordon Highway ). The freeway curves to
170-619: The Interstate Highway System, be included. The act provided a framework to develop a National Intermodal Transportation System which "consists of all forms of transportation in a unified, interconnected manner, including the transportation systems of the future, to reduce energy consumption and air pollution while promoting economic development and supporting the Nation's preeminent position in international commerce". The National Highway System Designation Act of 1995 ( Pub. L. 104–59 (text) (PDF) , 109 Stat. 568 , COMPS-1425 )
187-474: The efficiency and safety of this network. The roads within the system were identified by the United States Department of Transportation (USDOT) in cooperation with the states, local officials, and metropolitan planning organizations (MPOs) and approved by the United States Congress in 1995. The Intermodal Surface Transportation Efficiency Act (ISTEA) in 1991 established certain key routes such as
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#1732859195090204-414: The federal government or the private sector , and they would be repaid through such means as highway tolls or taxes. In 1997, 28 more states asked to be part of the program. Ohio was the first state to use a state infrastructure bank to start building a road. An advantage of this method was completing projects faster; state laws and the lack of appropriate projects were potential problems. According to
221-464: The power to prioritize highway system projects, repealing all federal speed limit controls, and prohibits the federal government from requiring states to use federal-aid highway funds to convert existing signs or purchase new signs with metric units. The act also created a State Infrastructure Bank pilot program. Ten states were chosen in 1996 for this new method of road financing. These banks would lend money like regular banks, with funding coming from
238-604: The southeast, passing by Glenn Hills Middle School and Glenn Hills High School , to an interchange with US 1 / SR 4 (Deans Bridge Road) and SR 540 ( Fall Line Freeway ). It passes by a campus of Augusta Technical College and the Richmond County Technical Career Magnet School , before curving to the east-southeast and meeting an interchange with Windsor Spring Road also with US 25 / SR 121 (Peach Orchard Road) and SR 555 / SR 565 ( Savannah River Parkway ). After
255-402: Was open from Wrightsboro Road to US 1/SR 4. In 1977, the highway was redesignated as I-520. The next year, it was open from US 1/SR 4 to Doug Barnard Parkway. In 1986, the highway was under construction from Doug Barnard Parkway to SR 28. In 1998, this segment was opened. The next year, it was proposed to be extended to the South Carolina state line. In 2004, this extension
272-577: Was opened. In 2010, the highway was extended to its current eastern terminus in the northern part of North Augusta. In January 2015, 4.7 miles (7.6 km) of I-520 were expanded to three lanes in each direction after work started in February ;2012 for a cost of $ 33 million. In accordance with MUTCD guidelines for auxiliary Interstates, exit numbering is continuous across the state line and does not reset. National Highway System (United States) The National Highway System ( NHS )
289-543: Was under construction between May 1963 and January 1966 from its western terminus to just south of the US ;1/SR 4 interchange in Augusta. Also, it was proposed to be an extension of SR 232, at least as far as US 25/SR 121. In 1966, the highway was open and signed as SR 232 from I-20 to Wrightsboro Road. It was under construction from US 1/SR 4 to Doug Barnard Parkway. In 1974, SR 232
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