Interstate 520
Interstate Highway in Georgia and South Carolina
title: "Interstate 520" type: doc version: 1 created: 2026-02-28 author: "Wikipedia contributors" status: active scope: public tags: ["auxiliary-interstate-highways", "interstate-highways-in-georgia-(u.s.-state)", "interstate-highways-in-south-carolina", "transportation-in-richmond-county,-georgia", "transportation-in-augusta,-georgia", "transportation-in-aiken-county,-south-carolina", "interstate-20"] description: "Interstate Highway in Georgia and South Carolina" topic_path: "sports" source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Interstate_520" license: "CC BY-SA 4.0" wikipedia_page_id: 0 wikipedia_revision_id: 0
::summary Interstate Highway in Georgia and South Carolina ::
::data[format=table title="Infobox road"]
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| country | USA |
| type | I |
| route | 520 |
| map | |
| map_custom | yes |
| map_notes | I-520 highlighted in red |
| length_mi | 23.34 |
| length_ref | |
| length_round | 2 |
| established | 1977 |
| spur_type | I |
| spur_of | 20 |
| direction_a | West |
| terminus_a | in Augusta, GA |
| *{{Jct | state |
| *{{Jct | state |
| *{{Jct | state |
| *{{Jct | state |
| direction_b | East |
| terminus_b | in North Augusta, SC |
| states | Georgia, South Carolina |
| counties | GA: Richmond |
| SC: Aiken | |
| system1 | |
| system2 | |
| browse | |
| :: |
|country=USA |type=I |route=520 |map= |map_custom=yes |map_notes=I-520 highlighted in red |length_mi=23.34 |length_ref= |length_round=2 |established=1977 |spur_type=I |spur_of=20 |direction_a=West |terminus_a= in Augusta, GA |junction=
- in Augusta, GA
- in Augusta, GA
- in Augusta, GA
- in North Augusta, SC |direction_b=East |terminus_b= in North Augusta, SC |states=Georgia, South Carolina |counties=GA: Richmond SC: Aiken |system1= |system2= |browse=
Interstate 520 (I-520) is a 23.34 mi 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).
Route description
|- |GA
| 15.62 mi |
|---|
| SC |
| 7.72 mi |
| - |
| Total |
| 23.34 mi |
| } |
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.
Georgia
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 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 1 mi later is an interchange with U.S. Route 78 (US 78)/US 278/SR 10 (Gordon Highway). The freeway curves to 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 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 1000 ft later, it crosses the Savannah River into South Carolina and the city limits of North Augusta.
South Carolina
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.
::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/c3/Augsky2.JPG" caption="Downtown Augusta]] skyline as seen from the US 1 exit in North Augusta (exit 17)"] ::
Named portions
In Georgia, I-520 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.
History
The highway that would become I-520 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 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 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 mi of I-520 were expanded to three lanes in each direction after work started in February 2012 for a cost of $33 million.
Exit list
|sspan=9 |county=Richmond |cspan=9 |location=Augusta |lspan=9 |mile=0.0 |type=concur |exit=1 |road= |notes=Western end of unsigned SR 415 concurrency; western terminus of I-520 and unsigned SR 415; eastern terminus of SR 232; signed as exits 1A (west) and 1B (east) eastbound; SR 232 takes on the Bobby Jones Expressway name; I-20 exit 196 |mile=0.4 |exit=1C |road=Wheeler Road |notes=Westbound ramps connect to Marks Church Road. |mile=1.9 |exit=2 |road= |mile=3.1 |exit=3 |road= |notes=Deputy James D. Paugh Memorial Interchange |mile=5.3 |exit=5 |road= |notes=Eastern terminus of SR 540 (Fall Line Freeway); Henry L. Howard Memorial Interchange |mile=7.2 |exit=7 |road= |notes=Split diamond interchange |mile=8.7 |exit=9 |road= |mile=9.9 |exit=10 |road= |notes=Former SR 56 Spur |mile=14.5 |exit=16 |road= |notes=Split diamond interchange |mile=15.62 |type=concur |river_wide=yes |river=Savannah River |bridge=Georgia–South Carolina state line; eastern end of unsigned SR 415 concurrency; eastern terminus of SR 415 and Bobby Jones Expressway; western terminus of Palmetto Parkway |sspan=4 |county=Aiken |cspan=4 |location=North Augusta |lspan=4 |mile=17.41 |exit=17 |road= |mile=20.60 |exit=21 |road= |mile=22.21 |exit=22 |road= |mile=23.34 |exit=— |road= |notes=Eastern terminus of I-520 and Palmetto Parkway; eastbound exit and westbound entrance; I-20 exit 6
References
References
- Adderly, Kevin. (January 30, 2018). "Table 2: Auxiliary Routes of the Dwight D. Eisenhower National System of Interstate and Defense Highways as of December 31, 2017". [[Federal Highway Administration]].
- {{cite GDOT map. (1977)
- {{cite GDOT map. (1978)
- (May 9, 2019). "National Highway System: Augusta-Richmond County, GA--SC". Federal Highway Administration.
- (May 9, 2019). "National Highway System: Augusta-Richmond County, GA--SC". Federal Highway Administration.
- Krakow, Kenneth K.. (1975). "Georgia Place-Names: Their History and Origins". Winship Press.
- "2011-2012 Regular Session - HR 1103: Deputy James D. Paugh Memorial Highway; Richmond County; dedicate". [[Georgia State Senate]].
- {{cite GDOT map. (1963)
- {{cite GDOT map. (1966)
- {{cite GDOT map. (1967)
- {{cite GDOT map. (1974)
- {{cite GDOT map. (1975)
- {{cite GDOT map. (1979)
- {{cite GDOT map. (1986)
- {{cite GDOT map. (1987)
- {{cite GDOT map. (1998)
- {{cite GDOT map. (1999)
- {{cite GDOT map. (2000)
- {{cite GDOT map. (2004)
- {{cite GDOT map. (2005)
- {{cite GDOT map. (2010)
- {{cite GDOT map. (2011)
- (January 22, 2015). "I-520 Lane Expansion and Interchange Project Complete". [[WRDW-TV]].
- (December 12, 2020). "Highway Logmile Report (I-520)". [[South Carolina Department of Transportation]].
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