Interstate 16 (I-16), also known as Jim Gillis Historic Savannah Parkway, is an east–west Interstate Highway located entirely within the US state of

Georgia Georgia most commonly refers to: * Georgia (country), a country in the Caucasus region of Eurasia * Georgia (U.S. state), a state in the Southeast United States Georgia may also refer to: Places Historical states and entities * Related to the ...

. It carries the hidden designation of State Route 404 (SR 404) for its entire length. I-16 travels from downtown Macon, at an interchange with

I-75 Interstate 75 (I-75) is a major north–south Interstate Highway in the Great Lakes and Southeastern regions of the United States. As with most Interstates that end in 5, it is a major cross-country, north–south route, traveling from St ...

and SR 540 to downtown Savannah at Montgomery Street (exit 167B). It also passes through or near the communities of

Dublin Dublin (; , or ) is the capital and largest city of Ireland. On a bay at the mouth of the River Liffey, it is in the province of Leinster, bordered on the south by the Dublin Mountains, a part of the Wicklow Mountains range. At the 2016 c ...

, Metter, and Pooler. I-16's unsigned designation of SR 404 has a

spur A spur is a metal tool designed to be worn in pairs on the heels of riding boots for the purpose of directing a horse or other animal to move forward or laterally while riding. It is usually used to refine the riding aids (commands) and to ba ...

that is signed in Savannah. The westernmost segment in Macon is part of the

Fall Line Freeway The Fall Line Freeway (FLF; also signed as State Route 540 (SR 540)) is a highway designed to span the width of the U.S. state of Georgia from Columbus at the Alabama state line to Augusta, travelling through several cities includi ...

, a highway that connects

Columbus Columbus is a Latinized version of the Italian surname "''Colombo''". It most commonly refers to: * Christopher Columbus (1451-1506), the Italian explorer * Columbus, Ohio, capital of the U.S. state of Ohio Columbus may also refer to: Places ...

and Augusta. This segment may also be incorporated into the proposed eastern extension of I-14, which is currently entirely within Central Texas and may be extended to Augusta. All of I-16 is included as part of the National Highway System, a system of routes determined to be the most important for the nation's economy, mobility, and defense.

Route description

Bibb County

I-16 begins at an interchange with

/ SR 540, just northwest of downtown Macon, in Bibb County. Here, it begins a concurrency with SR 540. The Interstate and SR 540 proceed southeast, traveling just east of the downtown area. They cross over the

Ocmulgee River The Ocmulgee River () is a western tributary of the Altamaha River, approximately 255 mi (410 km) long, in the U.S. state of Georgia. It is the westernmost major tributary of the Altamaha.

and then have an interchange with US 23/ US 129/ SR 49 (Spring Street/North Avenue). Then, they have a partial interchange with SR 22 (2nd Street) that is only accessible from the westbound lanes. Almost immediately is an interchange with US 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 a

railroad bridge A bridge is a structure built to span a physical obstacle (such as a body of water, valley, road, or rail) without blocking the way underneath. It is constructed for the purpose of providing passage over the obstacle, which is usually somethi ...

that carries

railroad tracks A railway track (British English and UIC terminology) or railroad track (American English), also known as permanent way or simply track, is the structure on a railway or railroad consisting of the rails, fasteners, railroad ties (sleepers, ...

of Norfolk Southern Railway. In the east-central part of Macon, I-16 travels through

Ocmulgee Mounds National Historical Park Ocmulgee Mounds National Historical Park (formerly Ocmulgee National Monument) in Macon, Georgia, United States preserves traces of over ten millennia of culture from the Native Americans in the Southeastern Woodlands. Its chief remains are majo ...

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 over

Walnut Creek A walnut is the edible seed of a drupe of any tree of the genus ''Juglans'' (family Juglandaceae), particularly the Persian or English walnut, ''Juglans regia''. Although culinarily considered a "nut" and used as such, it is not a true bo ...

. It then travels on a bridge over some railroad tracks of

CSX CSX Transportation , known colloquially as simply CSX, is a Class I freight railroad operating in the Eastern United States and the Canadian provinces of Ontario and Quebec. The railroad operates approximately 21,000 route miles () of track. ...

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 over Swift Creek. It crosses over Stone Creek before entering

Twiggs County Twiggs County is a county located in the central portion of the U.S. state of Georgia. As of the 2020 census, the population was 8,022. The county seat is Jeffersonville. The county was created on December 14, 1809, and named for American Rev ...

Twiggs, Bleckley, and Laurens counties

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 over

Savage Savage may refer to: Places Antarctica * Savage Glacier, Ellsworth Land * Savage Nunatak, Marie Byrd Land * Savage Ridge, Victoria Land United States * Savage, Maryland, an unincorporated community * Savage, Minnesota, a city * Savage, Mi ...

and Turvin creeks. It then curves back to the southeast. The highway has an interchange with SR 96. Almost immediately, it crosses over Richland Creek. It then has an interchange with SR 358. I-16 curves to the east-southeast and enters Bleckley County just before it has an interchange with SR 112 just south of

Allentown Allentown may refer to several places in the United States and topics related to them: *Allentown, California, now called Toadtown, California *Allentown, Georgia, a town in Wilkinson County *Allentown, Illinois, an unincorporated community in Taze ...

. It then crosses over Rocky Creek just before entering Laurens County. The Interstate curves back to the southeast and crosses under SR 278 before it travels south of Montrose. It crosses over Bay Branch just before an interchange with SR 26. It then enters the southwestern part of

Dudley Dudley is a large market town and administrative centre in the county of West Midlands, England, southeast of Wolverhampton and northwest of Birmingham. Historically an exclave of Worcestershire, the town is the administrative centre of the ...

. There, it has an interchange with SR 338. I-16 curves back to the east-southeast and crosses over Little Rocky Creek just before a

rest area A rest area is a public facility located next to a large thoroughfare such as a motorway, expressway, or highway, at which drivers and passengers can rest, eat, or refuel without exiting onto secondary roads. Other names include motorway serv ...

. Just to the west-northwest of a crossing of Turkey Creek, the westbound lanes have a rest area. These two rest areas are the only ones along the entire length of I-16. On the southwestern edge of

, the highway has an interchange with SR 257. On the southern edge of the city are interchanges with US 319/ US 441/ SR 31 and SR 19 (Martin Luther King Jr. Drive). It then crosses over the

Oconee River The Oconee River is a U.S. Geological Survey. National Hydrography Dataset high-resolution flowline dataThe National Map Accessed April 21, 2011 river in the U.S. state of Georgia. Its origin is in Hall County and it terminates where it joins ...

. It has an interchange with SR 199 (Old River Road) just before a crossing of Pughes Creek. Southeast of that is a crossing of Red Hill Creek. Just south of Rockledge, the highway crosses over Mercer Creek. On the eastern edge of the creek, it enters Treutlen County.

Treutlen County

I-16 curves to the east-northeast and crosses over some railroad tracks of CSX before an interchange with SR 29. It immediately curves back to the east-southeast. It crosses over Red Bluff Creek. Then is an interchange with SR 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 carries SR 86. Then, it begins to curve to the southeast. It has an interchange with US 221/ SR 56. It crosses over Reedy Creek and curves to the east-southeast. It has an interchange with SR 297. At the overpass for SR 297, the highway enters Emanuel County.

Emanuel County

After the SR 297 interchange, I-16 heads more to the southeast. It curves to a nearly due east direction and crosses over the

Ohoopee River The Ohoopee River is a U.S. Geological Survey. National Hydrography Dataset high-resolution flowline dataThe National Map, accessed April 21, 2011 river in east-central Georgia in the United States. It is a tributary of the Altamaha River, which ...

. Just after crossing over some railroad tracks of Norfolk Southern Railway, it enters the city limits of Oak Park. It curves to the southeast and has an interchange with US 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 enters Candler County.

Candler County

I-16 has an interchange with SR 57 (Aline Road). It crosses over Wolfe Creek and then heads to the east-northeast. It crosses over the Canoochee River and curves to a nearly due east direction. It crosses over Sams Creek before entering Metter. As soon as it enters Metter, it passes the Metter Municipal Airport. Right after the airport is an interchange with SR 23/ SR 121. On the southeastern edge of Metter, I-16 travels under a bridge that carries SR 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 entering Bulloch County.

Bulloch County

The Interstate curves to the east-southeast and has an interchange with US 25/ US 301/ SR 73 and SR 555 (

Savannah River Parkway The Savannah River Parkway is a four-lane divided highway that roughly parallels the Savannah River in the U.S. state of Georgia, that exists in two distinct segments. The roadway is being considered for inclusion as part of Interstate 3 (I ...

). 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 with SR 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 with SR 119 just before entering Bryan County.

Bryan, Effingham, and Chatham counties

Almost immediately, the highway crosses over Black Creek. It then curves to the southeast and has an interchange with US 280/ SR 30 southwest of Blitchton. It crosses over some railroad tracks of CSX and then crosses over the

Ogeechee River The Ogeechee River is a U.S. Geological Survey. National Hydrography Dataset high-resolution flowline dataThe National Map, accessed April 26, 2011 blackwater river in the U.S. state of Georgia. It heads at the confluence of its North and Sout ...

, which marks the Effingham County line. It has an interchange with Old River Road south of Meldrim and then enters Chatham County. The first city in the county that I-16 enters is Bloomingdale. There, it has an interchange with SR 17 Conn. (Bloomingdale Road) and the future western terminus of

Jimmy DeLoach Parkway Jimmy DeLoach Parkway is a parkway in the U.S. state of Georgia. It is located a few miles northwest of the main part of Savannah. The parkway has a concurrency with SR 17. It is a road that links US 80/ SR 17 Conn./ SR 26 ...

. It crosses over the Little 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 the

Savannah–Ogeechee Canal The historic Savannah–Ogeechee Barge Canal is one of the prime relics in the history of southern canals. Beginning with the tidal lock at the Savannah River, the waterway continues through four lift locks as it traverses , before reaching ano ...

just before an interchange with

I-95 Interstate 95 (I-95) is the main north–south Interstate Highway on the East Coast of the United States, running from US Route 1 (US 1) in Miami, Florida, to the Houlton–Woodstock Border Crossing between Maine and the Canadia ...

. 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 with SR 307 (Dean Forest Road), I-16 begins traveling along the Savannah– 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 with

I-516 Interstate 516 (I-516, also known as the W.F. Lynes Parkway) is a 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- ...

/ US 17/ US 80/ SR 21/ SR 25/ SR 26 (W.F. Lynes Parkway). Here, US 17 begins a concurrency with I-16. It crosses over the Springfield Canal just before a partial interchange with the former eastern terminus of SR 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, where State Route 404 Spur (SR 404 Spur) begins. This interchange also provides access to Gwinnett Street. The highway has an interchange with Martin 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. The construction of this interrupted sections of Berrien Street, West Jones Street, and West Charlton Street.

Miscellaneous notes

I-16 serves as a

hurricane evacuation route Hurricane evacuation is the immediate and rapid movement of people away from the threat or actual occurrence of a hurricane. County judges, emergency managers and other officials may recommend a voluntary evacuation or order a mandatory evacuatio ...

for Savannah and other coastal areas. The road is designed for contraflow travel with

railroad Rail transport (also known as train transport) is a means of transport that transfers passengers and goods on wheeled vehicles running on rails, which are incorporated in tracks. In contrast to road transport, where the vehicles run on a pre ...

-type gates to block most entrance and

exit ramp Exit(s) may refer to: Architecture and engineering * Door * Portal (architecture), an opening in the walls of a structure * Emergency exit * Overwing exit, a type of emergency exit on an airplane * Exit ramp, a feature of a road interchange ...

s 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 .

History

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. In 1968, the segment between US 280 to downtown Savannah was completed and opened. By the early 1970s, I-16 was completed from downtown Macon at I-75 to Jeffersonville Road near Danville. It was also extended from Dublin to

. In 1973, the connection between Macon to Dublin was completed. 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. 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. In 2001, the Georgia General Assembly passed a resolution to designate the Earl T. Shinhoster Interchange at the interchange with Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard in Savannah in honor of Earl Shinhoster, who was a

Black Black is a color which results from the absence or complete absorption of visible light. It is an achromatic color, without hue, like white and grey. It is often used symbolically or figuratively to represent darkness. Black and white ...

civil rights Civil and political rights are a class of rights that protect individuals' freedom from infringement by governments, social organizations, and private individuals. They ensure one's entitlement to participate in the civil and political life o ...

activist. This interchange is located in the economic and cultural center for Black Savannah. In 2003, the Georgia General Assembly passed a resolution to designate I-16 in honor of James L. Gillis Sr., a

Democrat Democrat, Democrats, or Democratic may refer to: Politics *A proponent of democracy, or democratic government; a form of government involving rule by the people. *A member of a Democratic Party: **Democratic Party (United States) (D) **Democratic ...

who served as a state representative, state senator, and director of the Georgia Department of Transportation, as the Jim Gillis Historic Savannah Parkway. Gillis's sons,

Hugh Hugh may refer to: *Hugh (given name) Noblemen and clergy French * Hugh the Great (died 956), Duke of the Franks * Hugh Magnus of France (1007–1025), co-King of France under his father, Robert II * Hugh, Duke of Alsace (died 895), modern-day ...

and James Jr., also served as Democratic state legislators. Hugh was a state representative from 1941 to 1953 and a state senator from 1953 to 1955 and from 1963 to 2005. James Jr. was a state senator from 1945 to 1946. Missing bridge over I-16

In 1999,

Hurricane Floyd Hurricane Floyd was a very powerful Cape Verde hurricane which struck the Bahamas and the East Coast of the United States. It was the sixth named storm, fourth hurricane, and third major hurricane in the 1999 Atlantic hurricane season. Floyd tr ...

hit Georgia's coast. As a result, the eastbound I-16 lanes from Savannah to US 1 (exit 90) were opened to westbound traffic. This marked the first time I-16 was turned into a one-way Interstate. This contraflow traffic method has been used since, including in 2016 in evacuation efforts from

Hurricane Matthew Hurricane Matthew was an extremely powerful Atlantic hurricane which caused catastrophic damage and a humanitarian crisis in Haiti, as well as widespread devastation in the southeastern United States. The deadliest Atlantic hurricane since ...

and 2017 for

Hurricane Irma Hurricane Irma was an extremely powerful Cape Verde hurricane that caused widespread destruction across its path in September 2017. Irma was the first Category 5 hurricane to strike the Leeward Islands on record, followed by Maria two ...

. On July 15, 2021, a truck, with its dump trailer raised, struck the overpass bridge of SR 86 near exit 78, causing the bridge deck to shift . 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. Both directions of I-16 were reopened within 48 hours of the incident. The reconstructed overpass was opened to traffic in late July 2022.

Future

I-95 interchange

Due to high congestion during rush hour in Savannah and many deadly car accidents, the Georgia 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. The project includes: * The widening of I-16 from two lanes in each direction to three lanes between the junctions with

and

(exit 164). * The construction of a Interchange (road)#Turbine interchange, turbine interchange (whirlpool interchange) at the junction of I-16 and I-95, in which two existing loop ramps, from I-16 westbound to I-95 southbound, and from I-95 southbound to I-16 eastbound, will be replaced with turbine configuration ramps. * The construction of a two-lane emergency median cross-over for westbound I-16 traffic between Dean Forest Road/SR 307 (exit 160) and I-95, to be used to assist in hurricane evacuations from Savannah. * The creation of a Local–express lanes, collector–distributor road on I-95 northbound to separate through traffic from cars exiting onto and entering from I-16. * The reconstruction of six bridges, replacement of four bridges, and the construction of three new bridges near the area. * The addition of new interchange lighting and Intelligent transportation system, Intelligent Transportation System technology to provide real-time driving conditions to travelers. The project, upon completion, is expected to result in a 32% decrease in I-16 congestion by 2030. Despite concerns from residents, no new noise barriers will be built along I-16 during the construction. A noise study concluded that barriers would not be necessary since traffic noise were not predicted to be over 66 dB(A). The project is expected to cost around $295 million. Construction, which will be completed by Savannah Mobility Contractors JV, will begin in the second half of 2019 and will be completed in 2022.

I-75 interchange

The interchange of

and I-16 is also undergoing construction, split into six phases, with the first three phases being worked on simultaneously and set to be completed by the end of 2021: * Phase 1: A collector–distributor road is being built on I-16 eastbound between the I-75 junction and Spring Street (exit 1A), including new bridges over the

and Spring Street. The Spring Street loop ramp has been temporarily closed and replaced with a temporary left turn onto I-16 westbound. Also, the bridge over the Ocmulgee River on Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard is being reconstructed and widened in this phase. * Phase 2: Construction includes improvements on I-75 between Hardeman Avenue (exit 164) and I-16 (exit 165) and the shifting of exit ramps from I-75 in each direction to I-16. Later in this phase, access to Spring Street for traffic coming from southbound I-75 via I-16 will be temporarily closed to allow for completion of the collector–distributor system. * Phase 3: A new collector–distributor road is being built along I-75 north through the I-16 interchange, along with a new westbound collector–distributor road from Spring Street along I-16 over the Ocmulgee River and portions of other ramps. Construction on Phase 1 is being 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. Three additional phases are included in the project, which ultimately are intended to help improve access to and from downtown Macon and Gray Highway via the currently-underutilized Second Street bridge, reducing congestion on Spring Street and North Avenue: * Phase 4: Bids for a construction contract are scheduled to occur in 2021. Second Street will be widened and ramps from and to eastbound I-16 will be constructed. Construction from Phase 1 and Phase 2 will be completed, along with the collector–distributor road through the I-75 interchange along eastbound I-16 to the Coliseum Drive/Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard exit. Access from I-75 southbound via I-16 to Spring Street will be reopened at the conclusion of this phase. * Phase 5: Bids for a construction contract are scheduled to occur in 2021. During this phase, the Spring Street loop ramp will be reopened and the temporary left turn lane on northbound Spring Street to I-16 westbound will be closed permanently. Also, Phase 3 construction will be completed, and a connection to the north-to-east ramp from Phase 2 will be built. This phase also includes the completion of the westbound collector–distributor road from Phase 3, along with a new ramp from Second Street to westbound I-16. * Phase 6: Bids for a construction contract are scheduled to occur in 2023. A tunnel will be built for the Norfolk Southern Railroad under I-75. All remaining construction will be completed in this phase. Also as a part of this project, GDOT has 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 musician Little Richard, into a community resource center.

Effect of construction on Port of Savannah traffic

According to GDOT, with the expansion of I-16 at its interchanges with I-75, I-95, and I-516, the estimated increase in Gross State Product, gross 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 the return on investment (ROI) would be 4.7.

Exit list

Auxiliary routes

Spur route

State Route 404 Spur (SR 404 Spur) is a spur route that travels from I-16 exit 166 northward along US 17 to the South Carolina state line. As its number suggests, it is a spur from SR 404, the Unsigned highway, unsigned 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 the Talmadge Memorial Bridge.

Interstate 516

Interstate 516 (I-516) is a List of auxiliary Interstate Highways, auxiliary route from SR 21 (Augusta Road) in Garden City to DeRenne Avenue in Savannah. It is also known as W.F. Lynes Parkway and has an unsigned designation of State Route 421 (SR 421).

References

External links

I-16 at the Interstate Guide
{{DEFAULTSORT:I16 Interstate Highway System, 16 Interstate Highways in Georgia (U.S. state), 16 Transportation in Macon, Georgia, Interstate 16 Transportation in Bibb County, Georgia Transportation in Twiggs County, Georgia Transportation in Bleckley County, Georgia Transportation in Laurens County, Georgia Transportation in Treutlen County, Georgia Transportation in Emanuel County, Georgia Transportation in Candler County, Georgia Transportation in Bulloch County, Georgia Transportation in Bryan County, Georgia Transportation in Effingham County, Georgia Transportation in Chatham County, Georgia Roads in Savannah, Georgia, Interstate 16 1966 establishments in Georgia (U.S. state)