Interstate 516
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Interstate 516 (I-516, also known as the W.F. Lynes Parkway) is a Template:Convert 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 For its entire length, I-516 is concurrent with State Route 21 (SR 21), which I-516 superseded in 1985.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).<ref name="GDOT 1966"/><ref name="GDOT 1967"/> The highway also carries unsigned State Route 421 (SR 421) to ensure that all Interstates in Georgia had 400-series reference numbers.<ref name="GDOT 2001-2002"/><ref name="GDOT 2002-2003"/>
Route descriptionEdit
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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.<ref name="Google">Template:Google maps</ref>
I-516 is one of a small handful of Interstate Highways that is not a freeway for its entire length. The southeasternmost Template:Convert downgrades to an expressway with a Template:Convert speed limit, an at-grade intersection at Mildred Street, a right turn lane onto the De Renne Avenue frontage road, and a Template:Convert 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.<ref name="NHS Georgia">Template:Cite map</ref>Template:Clear left
HistoryEdit
1920s to 1960sEdit
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.<ref name="GDOT 1920">Template:Cite GDOT map</ref> In 1926, US 17/SR 25 were designated along this section of SR 21.<ref name="GDOT 1921">Template:Cite GDOT map</ref><ref name="GDOT 1926">Template:Cite GDOT map</ref> 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.<ref name="GDOT 1963">Template:Cite GDOT map</ref><ref name="GDOT 1966">Template:Cite GDOT map</ref> 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.<ref name="GDOT 1966"/><ref name="GDOT 1967">Template:Cite GDOT map</ref> 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.<ref name="GDOT 1967"/><ref name="GDOT 1968">Template:Cite GDOT map</ref> 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).<ref name="GDOT 1968"/><ref name="GDOT 1969">Template:Cite GDOT map</ref>
1970s to 2000sEdit
By 1970, the segment from Augusta Avenue to I-16 was opened (at freeway standards).<ref name="GDOT 1969"/><ref name="GDOT 1970">Template:Cite GDOT map</ref> 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.<ref name="GDOT 1970"/><ref name="GDOT 1971">Template:Cite GDOT map</ref> 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.<ref name="GDOT 1977-1978">Template:Cite GDOT map</ref><ref name="GDOT 1979">Template:Cite GDOT map</ref> By March 1980, the freeway portion was extended to the west, roughly along the same alignment proposed in 1970.<ref name="GDOT 1979"/><ref name="GDOT 1980-1981">Template:Cite GDOT map</ref> In 1982, the freeway portion was extended a little more to the west, nearly to the current western terminus of I-516.<ref name="GDOT 1982">Template:Cite GDOT map</ref><ref name="GDOT 1983-1984">Template:Cite GDOT map</ref> 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.<ref name="GDOT 1984-1985">Template:Cite GDOT map</ref><ref name="GDOT 1986-1987">Template:Cite GDOT map</ref> 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.<ref name="GDOT 1994-1995">Template:Cite GDOT map</ref><ref name="GDOT 1996-1997">Template:Cite GDOT map</ref> In 2001, SR 421 was designated along I-516's length.<ref name="GDOT 2001-2002">Template:Cite GDOT map</ref><ref name="GDOT 2002-2003">Template:Cite GDOT map</ref>
Exit listEdit
All exit numbers goes through an inverse pattern.
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