Interstate 516

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Interstate 516

W.F. Lynes Parkway
Map
I-516 highlighted in red
Route information
Auxiliary route of I-16
Maintained by GDOT
Length6.49 mi[1] (10.44 km)
Existed1985[2][3]–present
NHSEntire route
Major junctions
West end SR 21 in Garden City
Major intersections
East end SR 21 / Montgomery Street in Savannah
Location
CountryUnited States
StateGeorgia
CountiesChatham
Highway system
  • Georgia State Highway System
← SR 515→ I-520
← SR 419Georgia 421.svg→ SR 422

Interstate 516 (I-516, also known as the W.F. Lynes Parkway) is a 6.49-mile-long (10.44 km) auxiliary Interstate Highway mostly in the coastal city of Savannah, located in the east-central portion of the U.S. state of Georgia. It is the only auxiliary route of I-16. For its entire length, I-516 is concurrent with State Route 21 (SR 21), which I-516 superseded in 1985. It was formerly also signed as State Route 26 Loop (SR 26 Loop).[4][5] The highway also carries unsigned State Route 421 (SR 421) to ensure that all Interstates in Georgia had 400-series reference numbers.[6][7]

Route description

The eastern end of I-516 (W.F. Lynes Parkway) at DeRenne Avenue and Montgomery Street in Savannah, February 2017

I-516 begins in the northeastern part of Garden City, as a freeway continuation of SR 21 (Augusta Road), with which I-516 travels concurrently for its entire length. The two highways travel to the southeast to an interchange with SR 25/SR 26 Connector (Burnsed Blvd), which leads to U.S. Route 80 (US 80)/SR 26. At this interchange, SR 25 joins the concurrency. In the midst of this interchange is a crossing over the Dundee Canal. The three highways pass just southwest of the Mary Calder Golf Club. After beginning a curve to the south-southwest is an interchange with SR 25 Connector (West Bay Street). Here, US 80 and SR 26 join the concurrency. The five highways cross over the Savannah–Ogeechee Canal. A short distance later is an incomplete interchange with West Gwinnett Street. Almost immediately is an interchange with I-16/US 17 (Jim Gillis Historic Savannah Parkway). At this point, US 17 joins the concurrency. A short distance later is an incomplete interchange with Tremont Road. At Ogeechee Road, US 17/SR 25 depart the concurrency to the southwest, while US 80/SR 26 depart to the northeast. I-516/SR 21 continue to the south-southwest and have an interchange with the northern terminus of Veterans Parkway, just before curving to the east-southeast. They cross underneath, but do not have an interchange with, Liberty Parkway. They cross over some CSX Transportation railroad lines just before crossing over the Springfield Canal. Just west-northwest of Mildred Street, the freeway ends and the two highways continue to an intersection with Montgomery Street. At this point, I-516 meets its eastern terminus, while SR 21 (DeRenne Avenue) continues to the east-southeast.[8]

I-516 is one of a small handful of Interstate Highways that is not a freeway for its entire length. The southeasternmost 0.5 miles (0.80 km) downgrades to an expressway with a 45 mph (72 km/h) speed limit, an at-grade intersection at Mildred Street, a right turn lane onto the De Renne Avenue frontage road, and a 35 mph (56 km/h) school zone designation following the frontage road right turn to the Interstate's eastern terminus at Montgomery Street. The southbound entrance onto Mildred Street is often closed by concrete barriers, as it's primarily used to directly access Hunter Army Air Field from the Interstate.

The entire length of I-516 is included as part of the National Highway System, a system of roadways important to the nation's economy, defense, and mobility.[9]

History

1920s to 1960s

The road that would eventually be designated as I-516 was established at least as early as 1919 as a segment of SR 21 from the current western terminus of I-516 to an intersection with SR 26.[10] In 1926, US 17/SR 25 were designated along this section of SR 21.[11][12] Between 1963 and 1966, I-16 was under construction in Savannah, and the majority of what would become I-516, from Augusta Avenue to its current eastern terminus, was being proposed as SR 26 Loop.[4][13] Later, in 1966, SR 26 Loop was completed (but not to freeway standards) from just east-southeast of what is now the Veterans Parkway exit to La Roche Avenue, with a proposal to extend it northward through Savannah State University. The rest of the proposed route was also under construction at that time. Also, the construction of I-16 continued to proceed.[4][5] In 1967, the section from I-16 to just east-southeast of what is now the Veterans Parkway exit was still under construction but scheduled to open "Spring '68". I-16 was completed in Savannah at this time.[5][14] In 1968, the segment of SR 26 Loop from I-16 to just east-southeast of what is now the Veterans Parkway exit was opened (at freeway standards).[14][15]

1970s to 2000s

By 1970, the segment from Augusta Avenue to I-16 was opened (at freeway standards).[15][16] Later that year, there was a proposal to extend the western terminus a little farther to the west, to meet what is now US 80/SR 25 Connector/SR 26.[16][17] Between 1977 and 1979, the entirety of SR 26 Loop, with the exception of the segment between Skidaway Road and La Roche Avenue, was redesignated as an extension of SR 21. The Skidaway–La Roche section was removed from the state highway system. Due to this, the proposal to extend SR 26 Loop from La Roche was removed, as well.[18][19] By March 1980, the freeway portion was extended to the west, roughly along the same alignment proposed in 1970.[19][20] In 1982, the freeway portion was extended a little more to the west, nearly to the current western terminus of I-516.[21][22] In 1985, the entire highway from its then-current western terminus at Burnsed Blvd to Montgomery Street was designated as I-516. The freeway portion was extended westward to the interchange with SR 25 (Burnsed Blvd) and eastward to the current eastern terminus. Also US 17/SR 25 and US 80/SR 26 were rerouted along the freeway, from the West Bay Street exit to the Ogeechee Road exit.[2][3] In 1995, US 17 had a major rerouting through the city of Savannah to its current alignment. Therefore, it is concurrent with I-516/SR 21 from the I-16 exit to the Ogeechee Road exit.[23][24] In 2001, SR 421 was designated along I-516's length.[6][7]

Exit list

All exit numbers goes through an inverse pattern.

The entire route is in Chatham County.

Locationmi[8]kmExitDestinationsNotes
Garden City0.00.0
 SR 21 north (Augusta Road) – Springfield		Western end of SR 21 concurrency; western terminus; western end of the freeway; roadway continues as SR 21 northbound
0.10.168

 SR 25 north (Burnsed Road / SR 26 Conn. south) to US 80 (SR 26)		Western end of SR 25 concurrency; northern terminus of SR 26 Conn.; signed as “To US 80” eastbound; signed as “SR 25” westbound
Savannah1.32.17BWest Lathrop Avenue – Georgia Ports Authority, Ocean TerminalWestbound exit only
1.62.67A

 US 80 west / SR 25 Conn. north (Augusta Avenue / West Bay Street / SR 26 west) – Statesboro, Downtown Savannah		Western end of US 80/SR 26 concurrency; southern terminus of SR 25 Conn.; signed as SR 25 Conn. and exit 7 eastbound
2.33.76Gwinnett Street – Amtrak stationWestbound exit and eastbound entrance only
2.54.05
 I-16 (Jim Gillis Historic Savannah Parkway / SR 404) / US 17 north – Savannah, Macon		Western end of US 17 concurrency; I-16 exit 164
3.25.14Tremont RoadWestbound exit and eastbound entrance only
3.86.13

 US 17 south / US 80 east (Ogeechee Road / SR 25 south / SR 26 east) – Brunswick, Downtown Savannah		Eastern end of US 17/US 80/SR 25/SR 26 concurrency
​4.77.62Veterans Parkway south – GeorgetownNorthern terminus of Veterans Parkway
Savannah6.911.1
 SR 21 south (Derenne Avenue)		Eastern end of SR 21 concurrency; eastern terminus; eastern end of the freeway; roadway continues as SR 21 southbound.
1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi

References

  1. ^ "Table 2: Auxiliary Routes of the Dwight D. Eisenhower National System Of Interstate and Defense Highways as of October 31, 2002". Federal Highway Administration. Retrieved October 9, 2013.
  2. ^ a b Georgia Department of Transportation (1984). Official Highway and Transportation Map (PDF) (Map) (1984–1985 ed.). Scale not given. Atlanta: Georgia Department of Transportation. Retrieved September 1, 2015.
  3. ^ a b Georgia Department of Transportation (1986). Official Highway and Transportation Map (PDF) (Map) (1986–1987 ed.). Scale not given. Atlanta: Georgia Department of Transportation. Retrieved September 1, 2015.
  4. ^ a b c State Highway Department of Georgia (January 1966). Official Highway Map (PDF) (Map). Scale not given. Atlanta: State Highway Department of Georgia. Retrieved September 1, 2015.
  5. ^ a b c State Highway Department of Georgia (January 1967). Official Highway Map (PDF) (Map). Scale not given. Atlanta: State Highway Department of Georgia. Retrieved September 1, 2015.
  6. ^ a b Georgia Department of Transportation (2001). Official Highway and Transportation Map (PDF) (Map) (2001–2002 ed.). Scale not given. Atlanta: Georgia Department of Transportation. Retrieved September 1, 2015.
  7. ^ a b Georgia Department of Transportation (2002). Official Highway and Transportation Map (PDF) (Map) (2002–2003 ed.). Scale not given. Atlanta: Georgia Department of Transportation. Retrieved September 1, 2015.
  8. ^ a b Google (October 24, 2013). "Route of I-516" (Map). Google Maps. Google. Retrieved October 24, 2013.
  9. ^ National Highway System: Savannah, GA (PDF) (Map). Federal Highway Administration. May 9, 2019. Retrieved August 10, 2019.
  10. ^ State Highway Department of Georgia (1920). System of State Aid Roads as Approved Representing 4800 Miles of State Aid Roads Outside the Limits of the Incorporated Towns (PDF) (Map). Scale not given. Atlanta: State Highway Department of Georgia. Retrieved September 1, 2015.
  11. ^ State Highway Department of Georgia (1921). System of State Roads (PDF) (Map). Scale not given. Atlanta: State Highway Department of Georgia. Retrieved September 1, 2015.
  12. ^ State Highway Department of Georgia (October 1926). System of State Roads (PDF) (Map). Scale not given. Atlanta: State Highway Department of Georgia. Retrieved September 1, 2015.
  13. ^ State Highway Department of Georgia (1963). State Highway System and Other Principal Connecting Roads (PDF) (Map). Scale not given. Atlanta: State Highway Department of Georgia. OCLC 5673161. Retrieved September 1, 2015. (Corrected to June 1, 1963.)
  14. ^ a b State Highway Department of Georgia (January 1968). Official Highway Map (PDF) (Map). Scale not given. Atlanta: State Highway Department of Georgia. Retrieved September 1, 2015.
  15. ^ a b State Highway Department of Georgia (January 1969). Official Highway Map (PDF) (Map). Scale not given. Atlanta: State Highway Department of Georgia. Retrieved September 1, 2015.
  16. ^ a b State Highway Department of Georgia (January 1970). Official Highway Map (PDF) (Map). Scale not given. Atlanta: State Highway Department of Georgia. Retrieved September 1, 2015.
  17. ^ State Highway Department of Georgia (January 1971). Official Highway Map (PDF) (Map). Scale not given. Atlanta: State Highway Department of Georgia. Retrieved September 1, 2015.
  18. ^ Georgia Department of Transportation (January 1977). Official Highway Map (PDF) (Map) (1977–1978 ed.). Scale not given. Atlanta: Georgia Department of Transportation. Retrieved September 1, 2015.
  19. ^ a b Georgia Department of Transportation (January 1978). Official Highway Map (PDF) (Map) (1978-79 ed.). Scale not given. Atlanta: Georgia Department of Transportation. Retrieved September 1, 2015.
  20. ^ Georgia Department of Transportation (1980). Official Highway and Transportation Map (PDF) (Map) (1980–1981 ed.). Scale not given. Atlanta: Georgia Department of Transportation. Retrieved September 1, 2015.
  21. ^ Georgia Department of Transportation (1982). Official Highway and Transportation Map (PDF) (Map). Scale not given. Atlanta: Georgia Department of Transportation. Retrieved September 1, 2015.
  22. ^ Georgia Department of Transportation (1983). Official Highway and Transportation Map (PDF) (Map) (1983–1984 ed.). Scale not given. Atlanta: Georgia Department of Transportation. Retrieved September 1, 2015.
  23. ^ Georgia Department of Transportation (1994). Official Highway and Transportation Map (PDF) (Map) (1994–1995 ed.). Scale not given. Atlanta: Georgia Department of Transportation. Retrieved September 1, 2015.
  24. ^ Georgia Department of Transportation (1996). Official Highway and Transportation Map (PDF) (Map) (1996–1997 ed.). Scale not given. Atlanta: Georgia Department of Transportation. Retrieved September 1, 2015.

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Interstate 516.
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