 Interstate 16 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jim Gillis Historic Savannah Parkway | ||||
 I-16 highlighted in red | ||||
| Route information | ||||
| Maintained byGDOT | ||||
| Length | 166.81 mi[1] (268.45 km) | |||
| Existed | 1966[2]–present | |||
| NHS | Entire route | |||
| Major junctions | ||||
| West end |   I-75 /SR 540 inMacon | |||
| Major intersections |
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| East end | Montgomery Street in Savannah | |||
| Location | ||||
| Country | United States | |||
| State | Georgia | |||
| Counties | Bibb,Twiggs,Bleckley,Laurens,Treutlen,Emanuel,Candler,Bulloch,Bryan,Effingham,Chatham | |||
| Highway system | ||||
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Interstate 16 (I-16), also known asJim Gillis Historic Savannah Parkway, is an east–westInterstate Highway located entirely within the US state ofGeorgia.[3] It carries thehidden designation ofState Route 404 (SR 404) for its entire length. I-16 travels fromdowntown Macon, at an interchange withI-75 andSR 540 todowntown Savannah at Montgomery Street (exit 167B).[4] It also passes through or near the communities ofDublin,Metter, andPooler. I-16's unsigned designation of SR 404 has aspur that is signed in Savannah.
The westernmost segment in Macon is part of theFall Line Freeway, a highway that connectsColumbus andAugusta. This segment may also be incorporated into the proposed eastern extension ofI-14, which is currently entirely withinCentral Texas and may be extended to Augusta.[5]
All of I-16 is included as part of theNational Highway System, a system of routes determined to be the most important for the nation's economy, mobility, and defense.[6][7][8]
I-16 begins at aninterchange withI-75/SR 540, just northwest of downtown Macon, inBibb County. Here, it begins aconcurrency with SR 540. The Interstate and SR 540 proceed southeast, traveling just east of the downtown area. They cross over theOcmulgee River and then have an interchange withUS 23/US 129/SR 49 (Spring Street/North Avenue). Then, they have a partial interchange withSR 22 (2nd Street) that is only accessible from the westbound lanes. Almost immediately is an interchange withUS 80/SR 87 (Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard/Coliseum Drive). At this intersection, SR 540 departs the concurrency to the north-northeast. Within the eastern part of this interchange, the highway travels under arailroad bridge that carriesrailroad tracks ofNorfolk Southern Railway. In the east-central part of Macon, I-16 travels throughOcmulgee Mounds National Historical Park but without direct access. Visitors need to first exit at the US 80/SR 87 exit. On the southern edge of the national monument, it crosses overWalnut Creek. It then travels on a bridge over some railroad tracks ofCSX and Boggy Branch. After leaving Macon, I-16 curves to the south-southeast and has an interchange with US 23/U.S. Route 129 Alternate (US 129 Alt.)/SR 87 (Ocmulgee East Boulevard). In the interchange, the highway crosses overSwift Creek. It crosses over Stone Creek before enteringTwiggs County.[4]
I-16 curves back to the southeast and has an interchange with Sgoda Road. It crosses over Flat Creek and then has an interchange with Jeffersonville and Bullard roads. It curves to the east-southeast and crosses overSavage and Turvin creeks. It then curves back to the southeast. The highway has an interchange withSR 96. Almost immediately, it crosses over Richland Creek. It then has an interchange withSR 358. I-16 curves to the east-southeast and entersBleckley County just before it has an interchange withSR 112 just south ofAllentown. It then crosses over Rocky Creek just before enteringLaurens County. The Interstate curves back to the southeast and crosses underSR 278 before it travels south ofMontrose. It crosses over Bay Branch just before an interchange withSR 26. It then enters the southwestern part ofDudley. There, it has an interchange withSR 338. I-16 curves back to the east-southeast and crosses over Little Rocky Creek just before arest area. Just to the west-northwest of a crossing ofTurkey Creek, the westbound lanes have a rest area. These two rest areas are the only ones along the entire length of I-16.[9] On the southwestern edge ofDublin, the highway has an interchange withSR 257. On the southern edge of the city are interchanges withUS 319/US 441/SR 31 andSR 19 (Martin Luther King Jr. Drive). It then crosses over theOconee River. It has an interchange withSR 199 (Old River Road) just before a crossing of Pughes Creek. Southeast of that is a crossing of Red Hill Creek. Just south ofRockledge, the highway crosses over Mercer Creek. On the eastern edge of the creek, it entersTreutlen County.[4]
I-16 curves to the east-northeast and crosses over some railroad tracks of CSX before an interchange withSR 29. It immediately curves back to the east-southeast. It crosses over Red Bluff Creek. Then is an interchange withSR 15/SR 78. The highway travels south of Sand Hill Lake before curving to the east-northeast. It crosses over Pendleton Creek and travels under a bridge that carriesSR 86. Then, it begins to curve to the southeast. It has an interchange withUS 221/SR 56. It crosses over Reedy Creek and curves to the east-southeast. It has an interchange withSR 297. At the overpass for SR 297, the highway entersEmanuel County.[4]
After the SR 297 interchange, I-16 heads more to the southeast. It curves to a nearly due east direction and crosses over theOhoopee River. Just after crossing over some railroad tracks of Norfolk Southern Railway, it enters thecity limits ofOak Park. It curves to the southeast and has an interchange withUS 1/SR 4/SR 46. After this interchange, the highway begins to parallel SR 46. It curves to the east-southeast and crosses over Jacks Creek. Then, it entersCandler County.[4]
I-16 has an interchange withSR 57 (Aline Road). It crosses over Wolfe Creek and then heads to the east-northeast. It crosses over theCanoochee River and curves to a nearly due east direction. It crosses over Sams Creek before enteringMetter. As soon as it enters Metter, it passes the Metter Municipal Airport. Right after the airport is an interchange withSR 23/SR 121. On the southeastern edge of Metter, I-16 travels under a bridge that carriesSR 129. It crosses over 15 Mile Creek and then curves to the southeast. It crosses over Tenmile Creek and has an interchange with Pulaski–Excelsior Road just before enteringBulloch County.[4]
The Interstate curves to the east-southeast and has an interchange withUS 25/US 301/SR 73 andSR 555 (Savannah River Parkway). Then, it crosses over Lotts and Little Lotts creeks. It then travels northeast of Nevils. It briefly curves to the east-southeast, where it has an interchange withSR 67, and then curves back to the southeast. It crosses over DeLoach Branch and then curves to the east-southeast. It crosses over Luke Branch and then Boggy Branch before curving to a nearly due east direction. It has an interchange with Ash Branch Church Road. After a crossing of Ash Branch, the highway curves to the east-southeast. It has an interchange withSR 119 just before enteringBryan County.[4]
Almost immediately, the highway crosses overBlack Creek. It then curves to the southeast and has an interchange withUS 280/SR 30 southwest ofBlitchton. It crosses over some railroad tracks of Georgia Central Railway and then crosses over theOgeechee River, which marks theEffingham County line. It has an interchange with Old River Road south ofMeldrim and then entersChatham County. The first city in the county that I-16 enters isBloomingdale. There, it has an interchange with the southern terminus ofSR 17 Conn. (Jimmy DeLoach Parkway). It crosses over theLittle Ogeechee River. It very briefly travels along the Bloomingdale–Pooler city line before entering Pooler proper. It has an interchange with Pooler Parkway. It crosses over theSavannah–Ogeechee Canal just before an interchange withI-95. Here, I-16 begins traveling along the southern edge of the city limits of Pooler. Right after the I-95 interchange, the highway crosses over the Hardin Canal. At an interchange withSR 307 (Dean Forest Road), I-16 begins traveling along theSavannah–Garden City line. It briefly enters the city limits of Savannah before traveling along the Savannah–Garden City line again. It has an interchange with the Chatham Parkway. It then reenters Savannah and curves to the east-southeast. It crosses over some railroad tracks of CSX just before an interchange withI-516/US 17/US 80/SR 21/SR 25/SR 26 (W.F. Lynes Parkway). Here, US 17 begins aconcurrency with I-16. It crosses over the Springfield Canal just before a partial interchange with the former eastern terminus ofSR 204 (West 37th Street). This interchange is only accessible from the eastbound lanes. I-16/US 17 curves to the northeast. At the next interchange, US 17 splits off, whereState Route 404 Spur (SR 404 Spur) begins. This interchange also provides access to Gwinnett Street. The highway has an interchange withMartin Luther King Jr. Boulevard. The westbound access for this highway is at the eastern terminus. I-16 curves to the north-northeast and reaches its eastern terminus, an interchange with Montgomery Street in downtown Savannah.[4] The construction of this interrupted sections of Berrien Street, WestJones Street, and West Charlton Street.[10][11]
I-16 serves as ahurricane evacuation route for Savannah and other coastal areas. The road is designed forcontraflow travel withrailroad-type gates to block mostentrance andexit ramps for the normally eastbound lanes. During hurricane evacuation, I-16 is converted into westbound traffic from Savannah to west of US 441 in Dublin (exit 51), a total of 125 miles (201 km).[12]
The first part of I-16 opened October 11, 1966, to traffic between US 319 (exit 51) in Dublin to SR 29 (exit 67) near Rockledge.[2] In 1968, the segment between US 280 to downtown Savannah was completed and opened.[13] By the early 1970s, I-16 was completed from downtown Macon at I-75 to Jeffersonville Road nearDanville. It was also extended from Dublin toAllentown.[14][15] In 1973, the connection between Macon to Dublin was completed.[16] The last part of the I-16 opened on September 22, 1978, placing it in Emanuel, Candler, and Bulloch counties and completing the connection between downtown Macon and Savannah.[17]
In 1999,Hurricane Floyd hit Georgia's coast. As a result, the eastbound I-16 lanes from Savannah to US 1 (exit 90) wereopened to westbound traffic. This marked the first time I-16 was turned into a one-way Interstate.[18] This contraflow traffic method has been used since, including in 2016 in evacuation efforts fromHurricane Matthew and 2017 forHurricane Irma.[19][20]
Until 2000, the state of Georgia used the sequential interchange numbering system on all of its Interstate Highways. The first exit on each highway would begin with the number "1" and increase numerically with each exit. In 2000, the Georgia Department of Transportation switched to a mileage-based exit system, in which the exit number corresponded to the nearest milepost.[21]
In 2001, theGeorgia General Assembly passed a resolution to designate theEarl T. Shinhoster Interchange at the interchange with Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard in Savannah in honor ofEarl Shinhoster,[22][23] who was ablackcivil rights activist. This interchange is located in the economic and cultural center for Black Savannah.[24]
In 2003, theGeorgia General Assembly passed a resolution to designate I-16 in honor of James L. Gillis Sr.,[25] aDemocrat who served as astate representative,state senator, and director of theGeorgia Department of Transportation, as the Jim Gillis Historic Savannah Parkway.[citation needed] Gillis's sons,Hugh andJames Jr., also served asDemocratic state legislators. Hugh was astate representative from 1941 to 1953 and astate senator from 1953 to 1955 and from 1963 to 2005. James Jr. was astate senator from 1945 to 1946.[26]
On July 15, 2021, a truck, with its dump trailer raised, struck the overpass bridge ofSR 86 near exit 78, causing the bridge deck to shift 6 feet (2 m). While no injuries were reported, the resulting damage prompted GDOT to close both directions of I-16 from exit 71 to exit 78 while the damaged bridge was being demolished.[27] Both directions of I-16 were reopened within 48 hours of the incident.[28] The reconstructed overpass was opened to traffic in late July 2022.[29] Due to this, people had to take detours up to 10 minutes longer than the normal route through the towns ofAdrian andSoperton.
Due to high congestion duringrush hour in Savannah and many deadly car accidents, theGeorgia Department of Transportation (GDOT) has undertaken a new construction project at the interchange of I-95 and I-16 (exit 157 on I-16), along with other I-16 improvements.[30] The project, dubbed as the 16@95 Improvement Projects, includes:[31][32]
The project, upon completion, is expected to result in a 32% decrease in I-16 congestion by 2030.[32] Despite concerns from residents, no new noise barriers will be built along I-16 during the construction.[33] A noise study concluded that barriers would not be necessary since traffic noise were not predicted to be over 66 dB(A).[34]
The project is expected to cost around $295 million.[35] Construction, which will be completed by Savannah Mobility Contractors JV, was set to begin in the second half of 2019 and be completed by the end of 2022.[36] However, construction did not start until 2020, has been delayed multiple times, and is now expected to cost $317.4 million.[37] The ramp from I-16 west to I-95 south was opened on March 23, 2023,[38][39] with the ramp from I-95 south to I-16 east opened on June 2, 2023.[40] Construction is ongoing as of January 29, 2024, with long-term detour routes in place.[41][42]
The interchange ofI-75 and I-16 is also undergoing construction as part of $500 million project,[43] split into six phases,[44] with the first three phases being worked on simultaneously. These phases were set to be completed by the end of 2021,[45] but as of February 2023, only Phase 1 has been completed:
Construction on Phase 1 was completed by C.W. Matthews at a cost of $63 million, while construction on Phase 2 and Phase 3 is being completed by E.R. Snell Company for $156 million.[43]
Three additional phases are included in the project, which ultimately are intended to help improve access to and from downtown Macon[46] and Gray Highway[47] via the currently-underutilized Second Street bridge, reducing congestion on Spring Street and North Avenue:[45]
Also as a part of this project, GDOT spent $12 million in the Pleasant Hill neighborhood to help mitigate the effect of the construction and new highway ramps. The construction, which was completed in the summer of 2018, included the creation of two new parks and the transformation of Penniman House, the childhood home of the late musicianLittle Richard, into a community resource center.[48] This project was labeled as Phase 1B.[43]
According to GDOT, with the expansion of I-16 at its interchanges with I-75, I-95, and I-516, the estimated increase ingross state product (GSP) would be $9.1 million at a cost of $1.95 million. In addition, employment would increase annually by 2,426, and thereturn on investment (ROI) would be 4.7.[49]
In Savannah, city and state officials are currently considering removing the Earl T. Shinhoster Bridge, which carries eastbound traffic over Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard and onto Montgomery Street at the eastern terminus of I-16. The construction of the I-16 flyover ramps into Savannah in the 1960s led to the removal ofUnion Station, as well as two full city blocks, which had severe negative impacts on the African American community. A study about possibly removing the ramps was approved and funded by the Savannah City Council in December 2023. The study, which is listed as the I-16 Ramp Removal Study, will be managed by the Metropolitan Planning Commission, theGeorgia Department of Transportation (GDOT), and theFederal Highway Administration.[50][51] In March 2024, Georgia U.S. Senators Jon Ossoff and Raphael Warnock announced that $1.8 million in federal funding had been allocated toward the planning of the project.[52]
| County | Location | mi[4] | km | Old exit | New exit | Destinations | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bibb | Macon | 0.0 | 0.0 | 1 | 0 |  I-75 (SR 401) /SR 540 west (Fall Line Freeway) –Atlanta,Valdosta,Columbus | Western end of SR 540 concurrency; western terminus; left exit 0 is for I-75 south; westbound exit and eastbound entrance; I-75 exit 165 |
| 0.7 | 1.1 | 2 | 1A |    US 23 /US 129 /SR 49 (Spring Street /SR 11 /SR 19) –Milledgeville | No westbound exit or eastbound entrance from southbound Spring Street | ||
| 1.1 | 1.8 | 2 | 1A |   SR 22 (Second Street North) toUS 129 (Gray Highway) /SR 49 (Spring Street) /US 23 (Emery Highway) –Milledgeville | Former westbound exit to Second Street northbound only; replaced by Coliseum Drive ramps | ||
| 1.0 | 1.6 | 3 | 1B | SR 22 (Second Street) toUS 129 /SR 49 –Macon | Westbound exit only | ||
| 1.3 | 2.1 | 4 | 2 |    US 80 /SR 87 (Coliseum Drive / Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard) /SR 540 east (Fall Line Freeway) | Eastern end of SR 540 concurrency; Phil Walden Memorial Interchange | ||
| | 5.4 | 8.7 | 5 | 6 |  US 23 /US 129 Alt. (Ocmulgee East Boulevard / Golden Isles Highway /SR 87) | ||
| Twiggs | | 11.3 | 18.2 | 6 | 12 | Sgoda Road –Huber | |
| | 17.4 | 28.0 | 7 | 18 | Bullard Road –Jeffersonville | ||
| | 23.1 | 37.2 | 8 | 24 |  SR 96 –Jeffersonville,Tarversville | ||
| | 26.8 | 43.1 | 9 | 27 |  SR 358 –Danville | ||
| Bleckley | | 31.6 | 50.9 | 10 | 32 |  SR 112 –Allentown,Montrose | |
| Laurens | | 38.4 | 61.8 | 11 | 39 |  SR 26 –Cochran,Montrose | |
| Dudley | 40.9 | 65.8 | 12 | 42 |  SR 338 –Dexter,Dudley | ||
| | 44.5 | 71.6 | Rest area | ||||
| | 47.7 | 76.8 | 13 | 49 |  SR 257 –Dublin,Dexter | ||
| | 50.3 | 81.0 | 14 | 51 |   US 319 /US 441 (SR 31) –Dublin,McRae | ||
| | 52.6 | 84.7 | 15 | 54 |  SR 19 –East Dublin,Dublin | ||
| | 57.4 | 92.4 | 16 | 58 |  SR 199 (Old River Road) –Lothair,East Dublin | ||
| Treutlen | | 65.9 | 106.1 | 17 | 67 |  SR 29 –Vidalia,Soperton | |
| | 70.1 | 112.8 | 18 | 71 |   SR 15 /SR 78 –Soperton,Adrian | ||
| | 76.5 | 123.1 | 19 | 78 |   US 221 /SR 56 –Swainsboro,Soperton | ||
| Treutlen–Emanuel county line | | 83.0 | 133.6 | 20 | 84 |  SR 297 –Vidalia | |
| Emanuel | Oak Park | 88.1 | 141.8 | 21 | 90 |    US 1 /SR 4 /SR 46 –Swainsboro,Lyons | |
| Candler | | 96.7 | 155.6 | 22 | 98 |  SR 57 –Reidsville,Swainsboro,Stillmore | |
| Metter | 102.5 | 165.0 | 23 | 104 |   SR 23 /SR 121 –Metter,Reidsville | ||
| | 109.7 | 176.5 | 24 | 111 | Pulaski–Excelsior Road | ||
| Bulloch | | 114.9 | 184.9 | 25 | 116 |   US 25 /US 301 (SR 73 / west branch ofSavannah River Parkway north/SR 555 north) –Statesboro,Claxton | Southern terminus of unsigned SR 555 and the western section ofSavannah River Parkway |
| | 125.0 | 201.2 | 26 | 127 |  SR 67 (SR 46 west) –Pembroke,Fort Stewart,Statesboro | Eastern terminus of SR 46 | |
| | 130.2 | 209.5 | 27 | 132 | Ash Branch Church Road | ||
| | 134.9 | 217.1 | 28 | 137 |  SR 119 –Springfield,Pembroke,Fort Stewart | ||
| Bryan | Ellabell | 140.2 | 225.6 | 29 | 143 |  US 280 (SR 30) toUS 80 (SR 26) –Pembroke | |
| 141.5 | 227.7 | Truck weigh stations | |||||
| Effingham | | 145.7 | 234.5 | 30 | 148 | Old River Road toUS 80 (SR 26) | |
| Chatham | Bloomingdale | 149.6 | 240.8 | 31 | 152 |   SR 17 Conn. north (Jimmy DeLoach Parkway east) / Little Neck Road south –Bloomingdale | Southern terminus of SR 17 Conn.; former southern terminus ofSR 17; northern terminus of Little Neck Road; western terminus of Jimmy DeLoach Parkway; exit signed as “Bloomingdale Road” |
| Pooler | 151.9 | 244.5 | 155 |  Savannah/Hilton Head International Airport,Pooler | Pooler Parkway | ||
| 154.1 | 248.0 | 32 | 157 |  I-95 (SR 405) –Brunswick,Jacksonville,Florence,Savannah/Hilton Head International Airport | Signed as exits 157A (south) & 157B (north) eastbound; exit 157 westbound; I-95 exit 99; Clarence Thomas Interchange | ||
| Garden City | 156.7 | 252.2 | 33 | 160 |  SR 307 (Dean Forest Road) | ||
| Savannah | 158.9 | 255.7 | 33A | 162 | Chatham Parkway | ||
| 160.3 | 258.0 | 34A | 164A |      I-516 east /US 17 south /US 80 east /SR 21 south (W.F. Lynes Parkway /SR 25 south /SR 26 east /SR 421 east) | Western end of US 17 concurrency; I-516 exit 5 | ||
| 160.5 | 258.3 | 34B | 164B |   I-516 west /US 80 west /SR 21 north /SR 25 north (W.F. Lynes Parkway /SR 26 /SR 421 west) –Garden City | I-516 exit 5 | ||
| 161.6 | 260.1 | 35 | 165 | West37th Street / Abercorn Street | Eastbound exit and westbound entrance; former eastern terminus ofSR 204 | ||
| 161.9 | 260.6 | 36 | 166 |  US 17 north /SR 404 Spur east / Gwinnett Street / Louisville Road –Charleston | Eastern end of US 17 concurrency; eastbound exit and westbound entrance; formerUS 17 Alt.; western terminus of SR 404 Spur | ||
| 162.3 | 261.2 | 37A | 167A | M. L. King Jr. Boulevard / Gaston Street | Eastbound exit and westbound entrance;Earl T. Shinhoster Interchange; formerUS 17 south/US 80 east/SR 25 south/SR 26 east | ||
| Earl T. Shinhoster Bridge | Bridge over Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard for the eastbound lanes only | ||||||
| 162.5 | 261.5 | 37B | 167B | Montgomery Street –Savannah Civic Center,Downtown Savannah | Eastern terminus; eastbound exit; formerUS 17 north/US 80 west/SR 25 north/SR 26 west | ||
1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi
| |||||||
 State Route 404 Spur | |
|---|---|
| Location | Savannah |
| Length | 3.070 mi (4.941 km) |
| Existed | 1989[53][54]–present |
State Route 404 Spur (SR 404 Spur) is a 3.07-mile-long (4.94 km)spur route that travels from I-16 exit 166 northward alongUS 17 to theSouth Carolina state line. As its number suggests, it is a spur from SR 404, theunsigned route that is designated along the full length of I-16. However, SR 404 Spur is actually a signed highway. Near the northern end is theTalmadge Memorial Bridge.
Exit list
The entire route is inSavannah,Chatham County. All exits are unnumbered.
| mi[55][56] | km | Destinations | Notes | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0.000 | 0.000 |  I-16 /US 17 south / Montgomery Street –Downtown Savannah | Southern end of US 17 concurrency; southern terminus; northbound exit and southbound entrance; I-16 exit 166 | ||
| 0.324 | 0.521 | Gwinnett Street | Northbound exit and southbound entrance; interchange | ||
| 0.952 | 1.532 | Louisville Road – Visitors Center | Northbound exit and southbound entrance; interchange | ||
| 1.277 | 2.055 |  SR 25 Conn. (Oglethorpe Avenue) –Savannah | Southbound exit and northbound entrance; interchange | ||
| 1.426– 2.489 | 2.295– 4.006 | Talmadge Memorial Bridge overSavannah River | |||
| 2.569 | 4.134 | Hutchinson Island,Convention Center | Interchange | ||
| 3.070 | 4.941 | US 17 north –Hardeeville,Charleston | Northern end of US 17 concurrency; northern terminus at theSouth Carolina state line (Back River bridge) | ||
1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi
| |||||
 Interstate 516 | |
|---|---|
| Location | Garden City–Savannah |
| Length | 6.49 mi[57] (10.44 km) |
| Existed | 1985–present |
Interstate 516 (I-516) is a 6.49-mile-long (10.44 km)auxiliary route fromSR 21 (Augusta Road) inGarden City to DeRenne Avenue inSavannah. It is also known asW.F. Lynes Parkway and has an unsigned designation ofState Route 421 (SR 421).
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Routes initalics are no longer a part of the system. Major Interstates are highlighted. | |
