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i'd be opposed to running an interstate right through the heart of Florence. I wouldn't mind if they ran one north of town where 327 (or whatever the road number is) that goes by the country club of SC but is suspect the people who live there wouldn't want that.
another option would be to run it south of town, in the Effingham area, and have it hook back up with 501 near Francis Marion somewhere. this would require people to go south on 95 to bit it up again as they head toward the beach.
Agreed extending I-20 through the heart of Florence would be bad. There is no logical routing straight through that would avoid disturbing the development decades old.
The only logical options of routing I-20 would be, one, south of Florence with a new route from Exit 137 (SC-340) to south of I-95 Exit 157 (US-76) to north of Effingham to east of Freedom Boulevard meeting up with US-76/US-301; and, two, duplexing with I-95 north to Exit 170 (SC-327) and either duplexing with SC-327 to US-76/US-301 or going on a new route.
A third option, should Florence grow south and east, would be a freeway outer loop. This option would combine elements of the two aforementioned options. One route would definitely carry the I-20 designation. The other would be a I-2xx, I-4xx, I-6xx or I-8xx spur of I-20 or I-95.
I've always thought it made sense to extend I-20 all the way to Myrtle Beach. What other alternatives would there be? Could North Carolina lobby for having it extended out to Wilmington instead of ending/starting at Myrtle Beach?
Was reflecting on this old post and still standby that extending I-20 to Myrtle Beach would make more sense then building I-73.
Absolutely.. I dont think it could be done by continuing off of the existing I-20 spur.. It could likely take off of I-95 south of its current intersection with I-20 and travel just below Alligator and Howe Springs Road. It would be nice to have it move slightly north once it gets beyond the Florence Airport and travel parallel to 301near where it intersects with hwy 327 and run out behind FMU on down towards the coast.. That could be a HUGE boost to the areas east of Florence, FMU, and Marion County if you look at the land that could be developed around some of the potential interchanges. (HWY 52, Pamplico Hwy, Francis Marion Roads) could become development nodes where if interchanges are built at these locations.
If you are looking at "sharing the wealth" Dillon will have an Interstate (though not an interchage of two interstates if 73 were to move ahead) Marion would still benefit whether its 73 or 20.. but Florence County as the economic center along with the areas along its eastern end could be transformed.
I'd be happier concentrating our interstate money on making I-95 3 lanes all the way through the state. Georgia did it and it is so nice driving south. Even during relative slow seasons, there are sections of I-95 that back up just because of the volume of traffic. No accident. Just stop and go because of too much traffic. Especially the section south of the I-26 interchange.
I'd be happier concentrating our interstate money on making I-95 3 lanes all the way through the state. Georgia did it and it is so nice driving south. Even during relative slow seasons, there are sections of I-95 that back up just because of the volume of traffic. No accident. Just stop and go because of too much traffic. Especially the section south of the I-26 interchange.
Interesting.. I have often wondered how decisions get made on which highways to widen.. Is it strictly based on volume or is there a certain degree of politics? I say that because I can see the State spending money to widen I-26 from Greenville to Charleston before spending money widening I-95. The main reason is because it connects the states major metros and would likely be widely supported by the polticos from those metro areas and the rural counties in between. Additionally there also maybe a perceived benefit to state residents because of its route is frequently used by residents to travel between those areas....I-95 seems to be primarily a route people take to cut through SC on their way to Florida or NYC and runs through some pretty rural and poor Counties and thus may not have sway in the General Assembly to get priority. Coming into the state from the north..many people bound for Myrtle Beach get off of I-95 at Dillon to head down to the coast or they work their way over via NC towards Wilmington and dont touch SC until they are on the Grand Strand along HWY 17. The same thing with coming in from the South... people that are likely going to Charleston get off on Hwy 17 and head over as opposed to going to I-26 and heading back down. Hwy 17 in both locations is mostly four lanes.
Seems when it comes to Interstate Highways in SC there has to be a clear economic benefit to the State and/or residents before they choose to do something about it in terms of widening .. I-77 is an example in Rock Hill and 520 in North Augusta. Many of these residents work/shop in Charlotte or Augusta thus the State ponied up to money for them to be able to get to Charlotte by making a super expressway most of the way through York County and or supporting I-520 in Aiken. It just seems as money for roads and roads maintenance gets tighter.. that its becoming more political to get these types of projects done....
Last edited by Woodlands; 01-23-2015 at 11:04 AM..
Interesting.. I have often wondered how decisions get made on which highways to widen.. Is it strictly based on volume or is there a certain degree of politics? I say that because I can see the State spending money to widen I-26 from Greenville to Charleston before spending money widening I-95. The main reason is because it connects the states major metros and would likely be widely supported by the polticos from those metro areas and the rural counties in between. Additionally there also maybe a perceived benefit to state residents because of its route is frequently used by residents to travel between those areas....I-95 seems to be primarily a route people take to cut through SC on their way to Florida or NYC and runs through some pretty rural and poor Counties and thus may not have sway in the General Assembly to get priority. Coming into the state from the north..many people bound for Myrtle Beach get off of I-95 at Dillon to head down to the coast or they work their way over via NC towards Wilmington and dont touch SC until they are on the Grand Strand along HWY 17. The same thing with coming in from the South... people that are likely going to Charleston get off on Hwy 17 and head over as opposed to going to I-26 and heading back down. Hwy 17 in both locations is mostly four lanes.
Seems when it comes to Interstate Highways in SC there has to be a clear economic benefit to the State and/or residents before they choose to do something about it in terms of widening .. I-77 is an example in Rock Hill and 520 in North Augusta. Many of these residents work/shop in Charlotte or Augusta thus the State ponied up to money for them to be able to get to Charlotte by making a super expressway most of the way through York County and or supporting I-520 in Aiken. It just seems as money for roads and roads maintenance gets tighter.. that its becoming more political to get these types of projects done....
I want to say its a combination of both because I remember Florence in the early 2000s need I-95 expanded to 6 lanes. I honestly think they should extend I-20 the way you recommenced it Woodlands. That would benefit the Southern and Eastern Parts of the city tremendously. I know I-73 is being built but honestly I think its such a waste of a road to built unless they built it from Georgetown or even Charleston.
The only way I see this happening is the Florence crowd and the Horry County crowd and those in between rally and form a grassroots organization by taking to Facebook, Twitter and other social media to push this and push their legislative members to act on it. It's not impossible it just need to be done in the right way. The thing is who is going to take the time to advocate the extension of I-20. It starts with us folks!
The only way I see this happening is the Florence crowd and the Horry County crowd and those in between rally and form a grassroots organization by taking to Facebook, Twitter and other social media to push this and push their legislative members to act on it. It's not impossible it just need to be done in the right way. The thing is who is going to take the time to advocate the extension of I-20. It starts with us folks!
The only downside to the I-20 plan is that travelers would want to get off at Dillon and begin to head southeast to the Coast as opposed to coming all the way down to Florence. Folks coming up from the South along 95 may not even be bound for Myrtle Beach if they are coming up from Florida or Georgia and if they were.. they may start heading east towards 17 and crossing over land before they get to Florence...which may be the reason why the State has invested so much money in HWY 17, HWY 301 and HWY 501.
The other option would be simply to do a limited access (like the one around Sumter) by pass around south Florence from I-20 south of town and dump everyone back on 301 just east of Francis Marion. The need for this too has been watered down with the National Cementary/Freedom Florence to 327 connector which runs directly up to 95 after it crosses 301.
Planning or lack there of has sealed East Florence's fate to being second rate to the West and South Florence. North may fair a little better and will likely grow as an extention of West Florence along 95
Good ideas here. Im surprised I-20 wasn't taken all the way to Myrtle to begin with. I know MB wasn't much back then, but still.
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It just seems as money for roads and roads maintenance gets tighter.. that its becoming more political to get these types of projects done....
