Freeway Systems (Columbia, Charleston, Greenville: neighborhoods, airport, transport)

[Carolina Knight]

Originally Posted by Mutiny77

I think converting US Hwy 321 to a limited access highway between Columbia and Hardeeville would be ideal, but I doubt the state would get on board as that would make Savannah's port even more competitive with Charleston's. It could potentially be a boon for Columbia though.

Jasper County will have a port.

[BrandonCoombes]

Originally Posted by Jandrew5

I think SC highways are fine in general, they just need to be widened and the urban areas need new interchanges - cough cough Laurens Rd cloverleaf. Some things I think should happen but probably won't because well, this is SC in general, the US in 2018, or because we've waiting too long and sprawl has gotten in the way:

- A northern loop around Greenville. Greenville's network should look more similar to Greensboro. The placement of 185 just seems so odd.

- A freeway connecting 26 and 77 above 20 in Columbia.

- An outer loop around Charleston and another freeway paralleling 26. Maybe from Florence to Charleston, following US 52.

- A freeway parrellel to 26 going from Anderson/Greenville to Savannah/HHI.

- 20 going all the way to Myrtle Beach

Other than that I don't see what's really needed. Nothing in SC warrants the massive freeways you see around Atlanta or Charlotte, etc. Traffic, especially rush hour traffic, across the state is also overblown around here imo. Also am I the only one that thinks SC's interstate map looks like a bikini?

The northern alignment in Cola should have been built with redoing Malfunction Junction. But apparently to get around environmental concerns would have been too costly.

[Carolina Knight]

Originally Posted by cjseliga

I think, when and if I-73 is ever constructed, even if it's just from I-95 to SC-22, that could also be signed I-20.

I-73 is supposed to connect to I-95 somewhere between Latta and Sellers, then head southeast toward SC-22. They could easier overlay I-20 onto I-95 between Florence and the new I-73 interchange, then all the way to Myrtle Beach with I-73.

I think that's the only way Myrtle Beach will get I-20, I don't see South Carolina building I-73 and upgrading US-301/76/501 to make an I-20 extension from Florence to Myrtle.

Interstate 20 should have been initially routed south of Florence and terminated in Myrtle Beach. This option could remain doable if Florence County can secure significant economic development projects.

[cjseliga]

Originally Posted by Carolina Knight

This option could remain doable if Florence County can secure significant economic development projects.

Sure that option is "doable", but I can't see that happening if I-73 is ever constructed, where they want to put it. Having two interstates relatively close to each other, basically paralleling each other would be a huge waste of tax dollars, that could be used in other parts of the state.

Now if I-73 is DOA, then yes, try and get I-20 extended around Florence and routed to Myrtle!

[Carolina Knight]

Interstate 73 is not dead. North Carolina and South Carolina departments of transportation have not agreed where on the state line Interstate 73 will travel.

Proposals for extending Interstate 20 will not disappear. I would not be surprised to see a proposal for a toll road from Florence to Myrtle Beach.

[Mutiny77]

Originally Posted by Carolina Knight

Jasper County will have a port.

It's supposed to be a joint GA/SC port right?

[BrandonCoombes]

Originally Posted by Mutiny77

It's supposed to be a joint GA/SC port right?

Yeah, not much an opportunity for GA, I think what they get most out of it is saving the cost on further expanding Port of Savannah.

[ColaClemsonFan11]

I think that rather than all new freeways, we enhance the major highways we have to be limited access like they have in several spots through out NC.

One in particular that I think should be limited access is 25 from Cherrydale to the state line. Crossing into NC, 25 is no different than being on an interstate and I think making the road limited access would allow for people to travel between Greenville and Asheville much easier.

It would also be nice if Wade Hampton Blvd. could somehow take on more of a limited access form as well. This is more difficult and most likely not at all feasible but if it looked more like Hwy 17 in Mt Pleasant or even 17 Bypass in Myrtle Beach between downtown and Greer, it would greatly be improved and thus improve 85 as well.

If nothing else, they should at least re-configure the intersection of Wade Hampton and Pleasantburg with ramps and overhead signage. That is the most ridiculously designed interchange I have ever seen.

[IsNull]

Originally Posted by Jandrew5

I think SC highways are fine in general, they just need to be widened and the urban areas need new interchanges - cough cough Laurens Rd cloverleaf. Some things I think should happen but probably won't because well, this is SC in general, the US in 2018, or because we've waiting too long and sprawl has gotten in the way:

- A northern loop around Greenville. Greenville's network should look more similar to Greensboro. The placement of 185 just seems so odd.

- A freeway connecting 26 and 77 above 20 in Columbia.

- An outer loop around Charleston and another freeway paralleling 26. Maybe from Florence to Charleston, following US 52.

- A freeway parrellel to 26 going from Anderson/Greenville to Savannah/HHI.

- 20 going all the way to Myrtle Beach

Other than that I don't see what's really needed. Nothing in SC warrants the massive freeways you see around Atlanta or Charlotte, etc. Traffic, especially rush hour traffic, across the state is also overblown around here imo. Also am I the only one that thinks SC's interstate map looks like a bikini?

If we're dreaming up cool stuff, how about a interstate from the port of Charleston to Augusta, GA to get goods to Atlanta faster.

[Ledmonkey]

Originally Posted by IsNull

If we're dreaming up cool stuff, how about a interstate from the port of Charleston to Augusta, GA to get goods to Atlanta faster.

So widening 78? The most troublesome issue is see there is that where 78 splits off to Augusta from Charleston is basically entirely swamp and making a connection with 26 would be very expensive. Also if they have any intention of doing that they'd need to formalize plans before they widen 26 to 3 lanes I imagine.