West end: I-20 at Vicksburg | Length 248.6 km | |
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East end: I‑20 at the Alabama line | ||
Interstate 20 (I-20) is a major thoroughfare through central Mississippi, connecting the area with major metropolitan areas, including Dallas, Texas, Atlanta, Georgia and Birmingham, Alabama.
Route description
Interstate 20 traverses the central region of Mississippi, running 154.5 miles from the Mississippi River at Vicksburg eastward, through Jackson, to the Alabama state line about 15 miles (24 km) east of Meridian. Interstate 20 tends to be more winding and narrow through Mississippi than through other states, and the roadway features several extended segments where opposing traffic is not visible due to trees and other vegetation within the unusually wide median.
Between Edwards and Clinton, I-20 uses the original U.S. 80 alignment, except for a short bypass around Bolton.
In Jackson, I-20 briefly merges with Interstate 55 before separating just east of the Pearl River. The old directional interchange at I-55 North and cloverleaf at U.S. Highway 49 South have been combined / replaced with a new interchange which features both loop and/or flyover ramps, plus several C/D lanes providing direct connections for the most heavily traveled routes.
Just west of Meridian, Interstate 59 joins I-20, and the two highways run concurrently through the city and on to Birmingham, Alabama. Throughout the Mississippi portion of this concurrency, I-59's mileage takes over I-20's.
The Mississippi Department of Transportation recently announced plans to reconstruct I-20 through Vicksburg. The project includes the replacement and/or enhancement of all interchanges, additional lanes throughout the city and a new bridge to close a decades-old break in the south frontage road. Environmental studies are ongoing.