Editing Interstate 3

{{short description|Proposed Interstate Highway in Georgia and Tennessee in the United States}}
{{distinguish|Interstate H-3}}
{{about|a proposed Interstate highway in the U.S. states of Georgia and Tennessee|other uses}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=July 2013}}
{{Use American English|date=February 2023}}
{{Infobox road
| country = USA
| type = Future
| route = 3
| header_type = UC
| direction_a = South
| terminus_a = [[Bulloch County, Georgia|Bulloch County]] or [[Savannah, Georgia|Savannah]], Georgia
| junctions =
| direction_b = North
| terminus_b = [[Knoxville, Tennessee]]
| alternate_name = 3rd Infantry Division Highway
}}

'''Interstate&nbsp;3''' ('''I-3'''), the '''3rd Infantry Division Highway''', is a proposed [[Interstate Highway]] in the United States to run from [[Savannah, Georgia]], north to [[Augusta, Georgia]], and [[Knoxville, Tennessee]]. The roadway was proposed in the same federal highway measure that gave birth to a proposal for [[Interstate 14|I-14]].

==History==
[[File:Interstate 3 study proposed corridors.png|thumb|upright=1.7<!-- per image policy, map needs to be large enough to be somewhat legible -->|Map of the study area with the four corridors proposed by the Federal Highway Administration and three corridors suggested by members of the public during the study]]
In 2005, the [[Safe, Accountable, Flexible, Efficient Transportation Equity Act: A Legacy for Users]] (SAFETEA-LU) was signed into law by then-President [[George W. Bush]]. The act included the proposed corridors for the planned [[Interstate 14|I-14]] (specifically as the 14th Amendment Highway), and I-3 (as the 3rd Infantry Division Highway). The legislation did not provide the official numbering nor did it provide funding for the highways.

The proposed numbering of the highway does not follow the pattern of the existing Interstate Highway grid but is noted to salute and honor the [[3rd Infantry Division (United States)|3rd Infantry Division]] of the [[US Army]], based at [[Fort Stewart]], near Savannah, Georgia.

According to the [[Georgia Department of Transportation]], the existing [[Savannah River Parkway]], which carries the unsigned designations State Route&nbsp;555 (SR&nbsp;555) and SR&nbsp;565, is open to traffic.{{citation needed|date=January 2012}} It begins just northwest of Savannah at the intersection of [[Interstate 95 in Georgia|I-95]] and [[Georgia State Route 21|SR&nbsp;21]]/[[Georgia State Route 30|SR&nbsp;30]]. It travels northwesterly along SR&nbsp;21, paralleling the [[Savannah River]], to [[Millen, Georgia|Millen]], where it meets [[U.S. Route 25 in Georgia|US Route&nbsp;25]] (US&nbsp;25). From Millen, the roadway follows US&nbsp;25 to [[Interstate 520|I-520]] in Augusta. A western branch of the Savannah River Parkway travels from [[Interstate 16|I-16]] south of [[Statesboro, Georgia|Statesboro]] north and northwestward (following US&nbsp;25) to meet the main parkway roadway in Millen.

The proposal currently faces local opposition from groups concerned about the environmental impact of the Interstate Highway. No date for construction of the highway has been set. The federal government began a study of the proposed route in July 2010.<ref name="fedstudy">{{cite news|url=http://www.thedailytimes.com/article/20100823/NEWS/308239974 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100826075748/http://www.thedailytimes.com/article/20100823/NEWS/308239974 |url-status=dead |archive-date=August 26, 2010 |title=Feds eyeing possible interstate through Tenn., Ga. |access-date=August 23, 2010 |publisher=The Daily Times |agency=[[Associated Press]] |date=August 22, 2010 }}</ref> In early 2012, the [[Federal Highway Administration]] released a report to the [[US Congress]] noting the potential financial and environmental costs of the highway as well as the public opposition.<ref name=fhwa>{{cite web|url=https://www.fhwa.dot.gov/planning/section_1927/3rd_infantry_highway/report_to_congress/report00.cfm|title=Third Infantry Division Highway Corridor Study: Report to Congress|publisher=Office of Planning, Environment, and Realty, Federal Highway Administration|access-date=May 6, 2012}}</ref>

==Route description==
The actual route of I-3 is unknown. However, the 2005 SAFETEA-LU legislation indicated that, in Georgia, I-3 would follow the existing Savannah River Parkway from Savannah to Augusta.

Due to the difficulties of building a new highway through the [[Appalachian Mountains]], the highway's proposed route north of Augusta is less clear.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.fhwa.dot.gov/planning/section_1927/3rd_infantry_highway/design_levels/dl09.cfm|title=U.S. DOT - Study Alignments and Design Levels Draft Technical Memorandum: Appendix A: Preliminary Corridors|publisher=|access-date=October 4, 2014}}</ref> In early 2008, officials introduced the possibility of routing I-3 through [[Greenwood, South Carolina]], and continuing on to [[Greenville, South Carolina|Greenville]].<ref>{{cite news |url=http://onlineathens.com/stories/010208/news_20080102045.shtml#.VeOgKPlVhV4 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080105071705/http://onlineathens.com/stories/010208/news_20080102045.shtml#.VeOgKPlVhV4 |url-status=dead |archive-date=January 5, 2008 |title=Opponents of interstate hope for alternate route |access-date=May 13, 2018 |publisher=OnlineAthens.com |df=mdy-all }}</ref> Other potential routes continue in Georgia along [[U.S. Route 441 in Georgia|US&nbsp;441]], [[U.S. Route 129 in Georgia|US&nbsp;129]] (along [[Deals Gap, North Carolina|the Dragon]], an {{convert|11|mi|km|adj=mid|-long}} stretch of road in North Carolina and Tennessee adjoining [[Great Smoky Mountains National Park]] with 318&nbsp;curves), or [[Georgia State Route 77|SR&nbsp;77]].<ref name=fhwa/>

The proposed numbering of the highway does not fit within the usual conventions of the [[Interstate Highway System#Numbering system|existing Interstate Highway grid]], where primary north–south highways are assigned odd numbers, and such odd route numbers increase from west to east. Under the normal Interstate Highway grid, I-3 should instead be located on the [[West Coast of the United States|West Coast]] between the [[Pacific Ocean]] and [[Interstate 5|I-5]]. All odd numbers between [[Interstate 75|I-75]] and [[Interstate 95|I-95]] are already assigned, but most of them are confined to states well north of the proposed route. The 2017 approval of the second [[Interstate 87 (North Carolina)|I-87 in North Carolina]] in addition to the [[Interstate 87 (New York)|I-87 in New York]] may indicate willingness to duplicate other north–south route numbers.<ref>{{cite web |url = https://outerbanksvoice.com/2016/05/26/future-interstate-from-chesapeake-to-raleigh-will-be-i-87/ |title = Future interstate from Chesapeake to Raleigh will be I-87 |last1 = Walker |first1 = Sam |date = May 26, 2016 |work = The Outer Banks Voice |access-date = August 14, 2017 }}</ref>

==See also==
* {{Portal-inline|Georgia (U.S. state)}}
* {{Portal-inline|U.S. roads}}
* [[Central Savannah River Area]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
{{Commons category|Interstate 3}}
* [http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/cpquery/12?&sid=cp109SRdIl&l_f=201&l_file=list/cp109ch.lst&l_b=151&hd_count=50&l_t=223&refer=&r_n=hr203.109&db_id=109&item=12&sel=TOC_493076& 2005 SAFETEA-LU legislation, from the Library of Congress] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160110100849/http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/cpquery/12?&sid=cp109SRdIl&l_f=201&l_file=list%2Fcp109ch.lst&l_b=151&hd_count=50&l_t=223&refer=&r_n=hr203.109&db_id=109&item=12&sel=TOC_493076& |date=January 10, 2016 }}
* [https://www.fhwa.dot.gov/planning/section_1927/3rd_infantry_highway/report_to_congress/report00.cfm Third Infantry Division Highway Corridor Study]
* [https://www.fhwa.dot.gov/planning/section_1927/3rd_infantry_highway/expert_working_group/third_meeting_minutes.cfm U.S. DOT - 3rd Infantry Division Highway Corridor Study: Third Meeting of the Expert Working Group]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20100816024534/http://www.dot.state.ga.us/informationcenter/programs/roadimprovement/GRIP/Documents/Facts/SavannahRiverParkwayFactSheet.pdf Georgia DOT - Savannah River Parkway description]
* [http://www.interstate-guide.com/i-003.html Interstate Guide Proposed Interstates: I-3]
* [http://www.vahighways.com/ncannex/route-log/ih003.html I-3 on The Virginia Highways Project's NCRoads.com Annex]

{{Interstates}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:I03}}
[[Category:Proposed Interstate Highways|03]]
[[Category:Interstate Highways in Georgia (U.S. state)|03]]
[[Category:Interstate Highways in Tennessee|03]]