In Washington, they call it inside the beltway. We need to come up with a name for being inside our loop. Inside the palmetto?
Palmetto Parkway will open Thursday and improve traffic flow on U.S. Highway 25 and economic development along the thoroughfare.
Claude Ipock, the project manager with South Carolina Department of Transportation, said the ribbon cutting of the 6.5-mile parkway is scheduled for 3 p.m. today. The parkway will open up traffic beginning at U.S. Highway 1, tying into Interstate 20 and extending to the Edgefield and North Augusta exit on I-20, Mr. Ipock said.
The first and second phase of the project cost $275 million and took almost three years. Sixteen interchanges were added to the parkway, Clearwater Road has been expanded and crews will continue to work on the expansion of U.S. Highway 25 into 2010.
North Augusta Mayor Lark Jones said the benefits will likely go beyond North Augusta.
"It will be much easier for people from South Carolina to get to Bush Field, so that will be a boom for people flying from Augusta more," he said. "There's all sorts of little things that can happen for the region."
North Augusta will soon benefit from economic development along the parkway, Mr. Jones said.
Several truck stops and some restaurants have already expressed interest.
Reach Stephanie Toone at (803) 648-1395, Ext. 110, or stephanie.toone@augustachronicle.com.
Comments
In Washington, they call it inside the beltway. We need to come up with a name for being inside our loop. Inside the palmetto?
the gypsy ring
Of course, the "loop" ends a few miles from being a loop. It' more like a "U". Maybe we can refer to being "inside U".
Good ideas both. My days in DC are coming back to me. Let me educate everyone on something. Whether we call it a loop or the U when describing where an accident is, you have to say inner or outer loop, meaning which side of the highway is affected. The inner loop is the one closest to the center naturally. Ah the good old days of 3 hour drives to work.
Riverman1=Are you an expert on everything??????
Or we can say east and west since that's how it runs. Much less confusing than 'inner' and 'outer loop'. AC: Your map neglects to show the US25-Connector, which is actually where the ribbon cutting will be held...which you also neglected to report. Also, Clearwater Rd connects with Hwy 25 and doesn't stop at your dot on Belvedere. Not to mention Hwy 25 never merges with the new Parkway as you show it. The Parkway hits I-20 another half mile to a mile from Hwy 25. Last minute reporting and map drawing on something that's been public (ribbon cutting) at least a week now on palmettoparkway.com
So glad to see this parkway open. Yeaahhhh!
A positive for N. Augusta and a big "bypass" for South Disgusta. Look for commerce to boom at the SC exits and more empty store fronts at the GA exits. Evans(towne) to N. Augusta, non stop. Bypass the ghetto.
I believe the map is a representation of the original plan that included "one I-20 interchange at Hwy 25". This would have saved major bucks and time, but who cares. They are spending your "dime". Someone had a special interest in maintaining the confusion aspect of this area. Where do I get on or off of this road. Is it left or right, or right or left. No imminent domain issues at this truck stop.
check www.palmettoparkway.org for details and maps
Looks like it's time for a roadtrip to "clinch" I-520 in both Georgia and South Carolina. BTW, I-520 will be the only odd-numbered 3-digit Interstate Highway in America to begin *and* end at it's "parent" Intersate.
Looks like it's time for a roadtrip to "clinch" I-520 in both Georgia and South Carolina. BTW, I-520 will be the only odd-numbered 3-digit Interstate Highway in America to begin *and* end at it's "parent" Interstate.
Call it inside the "Bunkers", cause who really likes being here anyway?
"Riverman1=Are you an expert on everything??????
Posted by Just Another Day on Wed Dec 16, 2009 8:28 AM".........Nope, just slept in a lot of Holiday Inns.....okay Motel 6's anyway.
Whatever it's called, and regardless of how excessively long it took to construct, it cuts miles from my drive back from upcountry South Carolina. As for the money spent, well, better there than dumped down some 'community improvement project' to provide political payouts for city politicos.
Too bad, its been a blast riding my bicycle on it without traffic. Nice new smooth pavement. But, thats not what it is for.
I was curious about whether it would be 220, 420, 620, or 820 after completion. Maybe since the loop crosses state lines, it can be kept designated as a spur?
Now if they just had such an expressway from I20 Aiken exit to what is actually Aiken.
US-1 (Exit 22) is used as an expressway by most drivers. Speed limit 55. Drive 55 through there and you're a speed bump.
John: Now you can use the new bike/walk path they built all along the new section, no?
Just think of all the parking meters that could've been funded with this money instead of an interstate! I'm still waiting on an even more useful interstate to Greenville/Spartanburg from AUG.
John: Now you can use the new bike/walk path they built all along the new section, no? Just think of all the parking meters that could've been funded with this money instead of an interstate! I'm still waiting on an even more useful interstate to Greenville/Spartanburg from AUG and AUG to Savannah!
What I get confused on is are you traveling eastbound or soutbound or westbound or northbound? What about traveling clockwise or counterclockwise? They are working on the third beltway for DC, and I still can not find my around that area even with GPS.
Inside Bobby(ie) Jones. Metaphors abound. It sounds like gay or '70s porn depending on your perspective. Perfect for all the holier than thou closeted Bible thumpers living guilty lives on the outside and a badge of pride for the could care less far more tolerant living as they please on the inside. Welcome to the Big City Club Augusta.
"Inner U", "Outer U", or "Inside the BJ"?
Hey, Riverman, you lived up there, too? Cool. I was there for 13 years but never got used to the traffic. Remember when it rained in late afternoon everyone got crazy and thought the sky was falling? They'd run every stop sign and red light. Silliest drivers I ever saw!
deekster is dead wrong. My friend lives in diamond lakes. There are nice neighborhoods in South Augusta. Just like there are bad areas in North Augusta and Evans. I dare him to walk alone at night. In Evans on cox alley or North Augusta's bradleyville rd.
Newsreader and The Georgian, yep, I was there for 4 years. Lived in Wheaton, MD and worked in DC. What a driving nightmare down (what else) Georgia Ave. every day. I had a choice of staying there or coming back home to Augusta at the end of my four years. Haha, I said something like a play on Lewis Grizzards line..."You let me get back to Georgia and I'll nail my feet to the ground."
I was just wondering. Did they have the big push to get the students at FtG home for the holidays? The reason I asked is, in the past (when tickets were resonably priced) we had a large influx of planes, but lately I haven't seen so much as a single airliner. What pushed my curiosity was the Mayor syatement that the road would cause more people to use the Airport. I don't think that will happen. If anything, it made the trip to Columbia Airport much shorter, and well worth the drive if you want to leave and arrive on time.
The mayor is correct. It will benefit the airport. Nobody from the Augusta area drives to Columbia. When Augusta regional is more right here.
Yeah, sure, N.H, fewer people will drive to Columbia. Why should they, when buying a ticket from Augusta costs a hundred bucks more, and offers a one third chance of either missing your Atlanta connection or getting a nice bus ride (after a few hours wait) to Augusta?
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