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The fall line freeway was first started in the 90's and conceptualized in the 80's. There is not enough east-west traffic through Augusta to Columbus to warrant spending hundreds of millions turning it into a true interstate.
Improvements to the limited access highway from Augusta to Statesboro has made the southern portion of I-3 somewhat unnecessary.
I love how Georgia's solution to traffic issues is build more roads... while having trouble maintaining existing ones.
"anti-roadbuilding" people in north Georgia.. How about people who moved to the mountains for peace, quiet, and small town atmosphere?
It wouldn't be just an interstate for Augusta, Macon and Columbus… It would be traffic coming through as well headed to the Gulf from I-95/I-20/I-14/I-65 in Montgomery and then to I-10 on the coast and the same the opposite way as well. So, I'm not quite sure how someone can say there would or wouldn't be adequate traffic on the interstate so definitively. That's a lot of traffic that would no longer go through Atlanta and down then down to the coast or down the East coast of Georgia/Florida and then cutting across state. The way the machine has been set up in the state however, there are a group of people who would frown upon this diversion of money away from certain cities that have long had it. SoI'm not quite sure how someone can say there would or wouldn't be adequate traffic on the interstate so definitively.
What other modes are there? Dropping billions on high speed trains that won't make it in the South? The Northeast with closely clustered population centers is the only place that trains would ever be a viable option, the South and elsewhere in the U.S. is just a different way of life and more convenient options exist… like roads.
I don't see how the people in the North Georgia mountains enjoying their peace and quiet would be effected by I-14 (Augusta-Montgomery and beyond) or I-3 (Savannah-Greenville). They should be more worried about I-85, I-985, 400, I-575 and I-75 which already do or in time will directly venture into their mountain paradise… I can say with 100% certainty that 14 and 3 would cut through exactly 0 North Georgia mountains from tip to tip.
It's not going to go to Knoxville, your best chance of I-3 ever being built would be up to Greenville… National parks and National Forests as far as the eye can see between Augusta and Knoxville.
It's not going to go to Knoxville, your best chance of I-3 ever being built would be up to Greenville… National parks and National Forests as far as the eye can see between Augusta and Knoxville.
Interstate 3 will not come to Greenville. First, United States 25 serves as the direct connection between Greenville and Augusta. Second, the route from below Greenwood at the United States 178 split to Saluda to South Carolina 19 and 121 in Trenton in Edgefield County will undergo widening to four lanes across several years. Third, there is not that much traffic to really demand an interstate when a four lane boulevard or divided highway is sufficient enough.
A four lane facility through northern Georgia from Interstate 75 to Interstate 85 is needed. It does not have to be an interstate. It needs to be a feasible solution to resolve traffic from unplanned and misguided growth.
Interstate 3 will not come to Greenville. First, United States 25 serves as the direct connection between Greenville and Augusta. Second, the route from below Greenwood at the United States 178 split to Saluda to South Carolina 19 and 121 in Trenton in Edgefield County will undergo widening to four lanes across several years. Third, there is not that much traffic to really demand an interstate when a four lane boulevard or divided highway is sufficient enough.
A four lane facility through northern Georgia from Interstate 75 to Interstate 85 is needed. It does not have to be an interstate. It needs to be a feasible solution to resolve traffic from unplanned and misguided growth.
I disagree with your assessment on the amount of traffic considering both Greenville and Augusta will continue to grow... all the while the expansion and goods going to and from the port of savannah northward and in reverse from various different interstate corridor routes would funnel through I-3 as it would simply be the fastest route to the ocean. It's not just about the connectivity between the two cities alone, you can't think of it like that, it's a much bigger picture. But the interstate would be mean development for both metros and a divided four-lane with limited access running through small towns with a lowered speed limit is just a waste of money… Georgia is filled with them outside of Atlanta which has limited connectivity and been a hindrance in the development of entire metro areas.
Think of everything South of Savannah on I-95… I-3 would get plenty of traffic.
I'm sure that the connector between 75 to 85 will happen, although I'd be willing to bet that it will be an interstate designated project. With the amount of growth occurring up that way, it would be another misguided venture to not plan for the future and pay for a project twice to have to upgrade it again to interstate grade.
I do not know much about United States 25 in Georgia. I do know just about every mile of it in South Carolina.
United States 25/South Carolina 121 will be undergoing widening from above Belvedere to South Carolina 19 at Trenton. Construction should start this autumn with completed scheduled in spring 2018. [1]
Second, United States 25 will undergo widening from Trenton to southeast of the United States 178 split to Saluda in Greenwood County. In Edgefield, Bauskett Street serves as the truck route for United States 25. The quickest solution is to widen Bauskett Street to four lanes and make it the proper United States 25.
In Greenwood, the bypass consisting of United States 25, 178 and 221 from Main Street (formerly United States 25 and 178 Business) to East Cambridge Avenue would need to be widened to four lanes. The exit/entry ramps and underpass at the South Carolina 34 interchange would need to be improved.
If new bypass facilities for United States 25 are needed, they would be around Edgefield and Greenwood.
I don't understand the logic or see the need for widening anything past Trenton (pop. under 200) and on up 121 towards Newberry… I take that route multiple times a year to get up to I-26 at Newberry and then on I-81 headed to the mountains in the Virginia panhandle where my dads family is from. Those are some small towns (Saluda, Trenton and Johnston) and I've never thought driving that route that there needed to be an extra two lanes. It's pretty flat farm country and plenty of opportunity to pass when needed, there's barely any traffic signals on that route to begin with.
Seems like the two states are being a little territorial, spending money on temporary fixes between towns in their own respective states. This, instead of working together and building I-3 which would mean a lot of development for Eastern Georgia and Western South Carolina.
Look at a map… it would be the fastest route North from Central and Eastern Florida to: Indianapolis, Cincinnati, Columbus, Dayton, Louisville, Lexington, Knoxville, Asheville, Cleveland and even into Michigan. That's a lot of feeder traffic for I-3, go to the beach in the Summer along the Georgia coast and Hilton Head… a whole lot of Ohio and Michigan tags that would be using I-3. As undeveloped as the possible I-3 route would be currently and considering how slow the gradual incline of the terrain is from Savannah to Greenville, I wouldn't think it would be one of the most expensive interstates ever built… not by a long shot.
Just blows my mind that this hasn't happened already considering the population centers and commerce that it would connect beyond Savannah and Greenville. That however would take traffic away from Atlanta and Columbia, I wouldn't exactly think that would be a selling point for the two state capitals and capitols. The current model is doing just fine for them.
I do not know much about United States 25 in Georgia. I do know just about every mile of it in South Carolina.
United States 25/South Carolina 121 will be undergoing widening from above Belvedere to South Carolina 19 at Trenton. Construction should start this autumn with completed scheduled in spring 2018. [1]
That's not anywhere near Belvedere. That's way out Highway 25 when you get to the nurseries and it narrows from a divided 4 lane down to 2 lanes. A solid 8-10 miles from Belvedere. S-429 where this starts is also known as Brighthop Rd.
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United States 25 in South Carolina
