User:Djamaliyev64/Future Interstate 20
  Interstate 20 Extension | |
|---|---|
| Route information | |
| Length | 108 mi (174 km) |
| Major junctions | |
| West end |  I-95 in Florence |
 Future I-73
 NC 87 | |
| East end |  I-140 near Wilmington |
| Location | |
| Country | United States |
| Highway system | |
The first proposal to extend I-20 was at the time of its designation in the state, and consisted of plans to extend it east from Florence to Myrtle Beach. However, because Myrtle Beach was not yet the tourist destination it later became, the state eventually widened US 76 and US 501 and established SC 576, connecting the two U.S. Routes in the 1970s.[1]
In 2003, North Carolina Governor Mike Easley pushed forward a proposal to extend I-20 eastward from Florence to Wilmington, which became part of the North Carolina Department of Transportation's strategic transportation plan. The proposed routing would overlap I-20 along I-95 to the I-74/US 74 interchange, then travel east (concurrently with US 74) into Wilmington. In 2005, this proposal became part of the SAFETEA-LU transportation legislation, and North Carolina received $5 million for a feasibility study for this extension.
If built, I-20 will have concurrency with I-95 about 12 miles (19 km) through Florence, meet I-73 near Marion, have concurrency with I-74 about 20 miles (32 km) from Whiteville to east of its future interchange with North Carolina Highway 211 (NC 211), and have future interchanges with I-140/US 17/US 74 east/US 421/NC 133 in Wilmington where I-20 will terminate at bridge crossing over the Cape Fear River where US 17/US 76/US 421/NC 133 crosses into downtown. However, it will not have a direct interchange with I-40 in Wilmington for this extension. While this extension has considerable support among towns in southeastern North Carolina, the South Carolina Department of Transportation has stated that they have no interest in upgrading their portion of US 76 to an Interstate. Instead, South Carolina is focusing on plans to build I-73 that will terminate near Myrtle Beach.[2]
While the extension had support in North Carolina, with justification that a direct route from Atlanta to the Port of Wilmington could be a boom to the economy, this view was not shared by officials in South Carolina. In 2009, soon after Governor Mike Easley left office, the proposed routing was removed from all NCDOT plans and was officially dropped. The proposal was never officially discussed with SCDOT nor submitted to the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials and the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) for consideration.[3]
- ^ Grainger, Kyle (February 19, 2009). "Why Interstate 73 and not I-20 to Myrtle Beach?". Myrtle Beach, South Carolina: WMBF-TV. Retrieved June 5, 2014.
- ^ "Strategic Highway Corridors Vision Plan, Southeastern NC" (PDF). Strategic Highway Corridors. NCDOT. 2004-09-02. Archived (PDF) from the original on 2022-10-09. Retrieved 2009-07-07.
- ^ "My Reporter Column Question on I-20 Going to Wilmington". StarNewsOnline.com. Retrieved October 4, 2014.