Interstate 20 in Georgia - Route Description

Route Description

I-20 is four lanes in much of the state. In the Atlanta metro area, the highway ranges from six lanes in the most outlying counties to 10 lanes in downtown Atlanta.

I-20 enters the Peach State near Tallapoosa and after passing through western Georgia, it enters the Atlanta metropolitan area. On clear days, eastbound motorists get their first view of downtown Atlanta as they come over the top of the Six Flags Hill. The Six Flags Over Georgia amusement park is easily visible off exit 47 eastbound. In Atlanta, the highway passes through the heart of the city, crossing Interstate 75 and Interstate 85, which share a common expressway (the "Downtown Connector"). It continues though Metropolitan Atlanta eastward and through the eastern half of Georgia until it exits the state, crossing the Savannah River at Augusta.

Several stretches of Interstate 20 are named for various people and reasons:

• From the Alabama state line to I-285 on the west side of Atlanta, I-20 is named the Tom Murphy Freeway, after the former speaker of the Georgia House of Representatives.
• Between both the west and east sides of The Perimeter (I-285), I-20 was named the Ralph David Abernathy Freeway in 1991 after the late civil rights activist.
• From I-285 in Dekalb County to U.S. Route 441 near Madison, I-20 is named the Purple Heart Highway for military veterans who either died or were injured in combat while in service on or after April 15, 1917.
• Between U.S. 441 and the South Carolina border, I-20 is named the Carl Sanders Highway after the former Georgia governor who was born in Augusta.