Interstate 20 in Mississippi
Encyclopedia
Interstate 20 is a major thoroughfare through central Mississippi
, connecting the area with major metropolitan areas, including Dallas, Texas
, Atlanta, Georgia
and Birmingham, Alabama
.
at Vicksburg
eastward, through Jackson, to the Alabama state line about 15 miles (24.1 km) east of Meridian. Interstate 20 tends to be more winding and narrow through Mississippi than through other states, and the roadway features several extended segments where opposing traffic is not visible due to trees and other vegetation within the unusually wide median.
Between Edwards and Clinton, I-20 uses the original U.S. 80
alignment, except for a short bypass around Bolton.
In Jackson, I-20 briefly merges with Interstate 55
before separating just east of the Pearl River
. The old directional interchange at I-55 North and cloverleaf at U.S. Highway 49 South have been combined / replaced with a new interchange which features both loop and/or flyover ramps, plus several C/D lanes providing direct connections for the most heavily traveled routes.
Just west of Meridian, Interstate 59
joins I-20, and the two highways run concurrently through the city and on to Birmingham, Alabama
. Throughout the Mississippi portion of this concurrency, I-59's mileage takes over I-20's.
The Mississippi Department of Transportation recently announced plans to reconstruct I-20 through Vicksburg. The project includes the replacement and/or enhancement of all interchanges, additional lanes throughout the city and a new bridge to close a decades-old break in the south frontage road. Environmental studies are ongoing.
Mississippi
Mississippi is a U.S. state located in the Southern United States. Jackson is the state capital and largest city. The name of the state derives from the Mississippi River, which flows along its western boundary, whose name comes from the Ojibwe word misi-ziibi...
, connecting the area with major metropolitan areas, including Dallas, Texas
Dallas, Texas
Dallas is the third-largest city in Texas and the ninth-largest in the United States. The Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex is the largest metropolitan area in the South and fourth-largest metropolitan area in the United States...
, Atlanta, Georgia
Atlanta, Georgia
Atlanta is the capital and most populous city in the U.S. state of Georgia. According to the 2010 census, Atlanta's population is 420,003. Atlanta is the cultural and economic center of the Atlanta metropolitan area, which is home to 5,268,860 people and is the ninth largest metropolitan area in...
and Birmingham, Alabama
Birmingham, Alabama
Birmingham is the largest city in Alabama. The city is the county seat of Jefferson County. According to the 2010 United States Census, Birmingham had a population of 212,237. The Birmingham-Hoover Metropolitan Area, in estimate by the U.S...
.
Route description
Interstate 20 traverses the central region of Mississippi, running 154.5 miles (248.6 km) from the Mississippi RiverMississippi River
The Mississippi River is the largest river system in North America. Flowing entirely in the United States, this river rises in western Minnesota and meanders slowly southwards for to the Mississippi River Delta at the Gulf of Mexico. With its many tributaries, the Mississippi's watershed drains...
at Vicksburg
Vicksburg, Mississippi
Vicksburg is a city in Warren County, Mississippi, United States. It is the only city in Warren County. It is located northwest of New Orleans on the Mississippi and Yazoo rivers, and due west of Jackson, the state capital. In 1900, 14,834 people lived in Vicksburg; in 1910, 20,814; in 1920,...
eastward, through Jackson, to the Alabama state line about 15 miles (24.1 km) east of Meridian. Interstate 20 tends to be more winding and narrow through Mississippi than through other states, and the roadway features several extended segments where opposing traffic is not visible due to trees and other vegetation within the unusually wide median.
Between Edwards and Clinton, I-20 uses the original U.S. 80
U.S. Route 80
U.S. Route 80 is an east–west United States highway, much of which was once part of the early auto trail known as the Dixie Overland Highway. As the "0" in the route number indicates, it was originally a cross-country route, from the Atlantic to the Pacific...
alignment, except for a short bypass around Bolton.
In Jackson, I-20 briefly merges with Interstate 55
Interstate 55
Interstate 55 is an Interstate Highway in the central United States. Its odd number indicates that it is a north–south Interstate Highway. I-55 goes from LaPlace, Louisiana at Interstate 10 to Chicago at U.S. Route 41 , at McCormick Place. A common nickname for the highway is "double...
before separating just east of the Pearl River
Pearl River (Mississippi-Louisiana)
The Pearl River is a river in the U.S. states of Mississippi and Louisiana. It forms in Neshoba County, Mississippi from the confluence of Nanih Waiya and Tallahaga creeks. It is long. The Yockanookany and Strong rivers are tributaries. Northeast of Jackson, the Ross Barnett Reservoir is formed by...
. The old directional interchange at I-55 North and cloverleaf at U.S. Highway 49 South have been combined / replaced with a new interchange which features both loop and/or flyover ramps, plus several C/D lanes providing direct connections for the most heavily traveled routes.
Just west of Meridian, Interstate 59
Interstate 59
Interstate 59 is an Interstate Highway in the southern United States. Its southern terminus is near Slidell, Louisiana, a suburb of New Orleans, at an intersection with Interstate 10 and Interstate 12, its northern terminus is at Wildwood, Georgia, at an intersection with Interstate 24.The road's...
joins I-20, and the two highways run concurrently through the city and on to Birmingham, Alabama
Birmingham, Alabama
Birmingham is the largest city in Alabama. The city is the county seat of Jefferson County. According to the 2010 United States Census, Birmingham had a population of 212,237. The Birmingham-Hoover Metropolitan Area, in estimate by the U.S...
. Throughout the Mississippi portion of this concurrency, I-59's mileage takes over I-20's.
The Mississippi Department of Transportation recently announced plans to reconstruct I-20 through Vicksburg. The project includes the replacement and/or enhancement of all interchanges, additional lanes throughout the city and a new bridge to close a decades-old break in the south frontage road. Environmental studies are ongoing.
Exit list
County | Location | Exit | Destinations | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|
Mississippi River Mississippi River The Mississippi River is the largest river system in North America. Flowing entirely in the United States, this river rises in western Minnesota and meanders slowly southwards for to the Mississippi River Delta at the Gulf of Mexico. With its many tributaries, the Mississippi's watershed drains... |
Vicksburg Bridge Vicksburg Bridge The Vicksburg Bridge is a cantilever bridge carrying Interstate 20 and US 80 across the Mississippi River between Delta, Louisiana and Vicksburg, Mississippi. Next to it is the Old Vicksburg Bridge. The Vicksburg Bridge is the northernmost crossing of the Mississippi River in Louisiana open to... |
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Warren Warren County, Mississippi -National protected areas:* Theodore Roosevelt National Wildlife Refuge * Vicksburg National Military Park -Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 49,644 people, 18,756 households, and 13,222 families residing in the county. The population density was 85 people per square mile... |
Vicksburg Vicksburg, Mississippi Vicksburg is a city in Warren County, Mississippi, United States. It is the only city in Warren County. It is located northwest of New Orleans on the Mississippi and Yazoo rivers, and due west of Jackson, the state capital. In 1900, 14,834 people lived in Vicksburg; in 1910, 20,814; in 1920,... |
1A | Washington Street, Warrenton Road | |
1B | West end of US 61 overlap | |||
1C | Halls Ferry Road | |||
3 | Indiana Avenue | |||
4 | Clay Street – Vicksburg National Military Park Vicksburg National Military Park Vicksburg National Military Park preserves the site of the American Civil War Battle of Vicksburg, waged from May 18 to July 4, 1863. The park, in Vicksburg, Mississippi, and Delta, Louisiana, also commemorates the greater Vicksburg Campaign, which preceded the battle. Reconstructed forts and... , Downtown Vicksburg |
Signed as exits 4A (east) and 4B (west); westbound exit to Clay Street east is via exit 5B | ||
5A | East end of US 61 overlap | |||
5B | ||||
11 | Bovina Bovina, Mississippi Bovina is an unincorporated community located about east of Vicksburg in Warren County, Mississippi, United States, on Interstate 20. It is part of the Vicksburg Micropolitan Statistical Area. The name Bovina is related to the Latin word for "cow". The 1988 film Mississippi Burning was filmed... |
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15 | Flowers Flowers, Mississippi Flowers is an unincorporated community in Warren County, Mississippi, United States. It is located approximately three miles east of Bovina and is part of the Vicksburg Micropolitan Statistical Area. The Ceres Industrial Park, one of many industrial areas in Warren County, is located in Flowers.... |
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Hinds Hinds County, Mississippi As of the census of 2000, there were 250,800 people, 91,030 households, and 62,355 families residing in the county. The population density was 288 people per square mile . There were 100,287 housing units at an average density of 115 per square mile... |
19 | |||
Bolton | 27 | Bolton Bolton, Mississippi Bolton is a town in Hinds County, Mississippi, United States. The population was 629 as of the 2000 census. It is part of the Jackson Metropolitan Statistical Area.-Geography:Bolton is located at .... |
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31 | Norrell Road | |||
Clinton Clinton, Mississippi Clinton is a city in Hinds County, Mississippi, United States. Situated in the Jackson metropolitan area, it is the tenth largest city in Mississippi. The population was 23,347 at the 2000 United States Census.-History:... |
34 | Natchez Trace Parkway Natchez Trace Parkway The Natchez Trace Parkway is a National Park Service unit in the southeastern United States that commemorates the historic Old Natchez Trace and preserves sections of the original trail.... |
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35 | East end of US 80 overlap | |||
36 | Springridge Road | |||
Jackson Jackson, Mississippi Jackson is the capital and the most populous city of the US state of Mississippi. It is one of two county seats of Hinds County ,. The population of the city declined from 184,256 at the 2000 census to 173,514 at the 2010 census... |
40 | Signed as exits 40A (west) and 40B (east) westbound | ||
41 | West end of US 49 overlap | |||
42 | Ellis Avenue | Signed as exits 42A (south) and 42B (north) | ||
43 | Terry Road | Signed as exits 43A (south) and 43B (north) | ||
44 | , New Orleans | West end of I-55 overlap | ||
45A | Gallatin Street | Eastbound exit is part of exit 45 | ||
45B | Signed as exit 45 eastbound | |||
Rankin Rankin County, Mississippi -Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 115,327 people, 42,089 households, and 31,145 families residing in the county. The population density was 149 people per square mile . There were 45,070 housing units at an average density of 58 per square mile... |
Richland Richland, Mississippi Richland is a city in Rankin County, Mississippi, United States. The population was 6,027 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Jackson Metropolitan Statistical Area.-Geography:Richland is located at .... |
46 | , Memphis | East end of I-55 overlap |
47 | East end of US 49 overlap; signed as exits 47A (south) and 47B (north) eastbound | |||
Pearl Pearl, Mississippi Pearl is a city in Rankin County, Mississippi, United States. The population was 21,961 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Jackson Metropolitan Statistical Area.... |
48 | |||
52 | ||||
Brandon Brandon, Mississippi Brandon is a city in Rankin County, Mississippi, United States. The population was 16,436 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Rankin CountyBrandon is part of the Jackson Metropolitan Statistical Area.- History :... |
54 | Crossgates Boulevard, Greenfield Road | Former MS 18 | |
56 | ||||
59 | ||||
Pelahatchie | 63 | |||
Scott Scott County, Mississippi -Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 28,423 people, 10,183 households, and 7,535 families residing in the county. The population density was 47 people per square mile . There were 11,116 housing units at an average density of 18 per square mile... |
77 | |||
80 | ||||
Forest | 88 | |||
96 | Lake Lake, Mississippi Lake is a town in Newton and Scott Counties in the U.S. state of Mississippi. The population was 408 at the 2000 census. Lake is the birthplace of country music singer, Randy Houser.-Geography:... |
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Newton Newton County, Mississippi -History:Newton County was formed in 1836. All sources say it was named in honor of Sir Isaac Newton, including the 1896 history of Newton County.Newton County is adjacent to Jasper County, which was named for Sgt. William Jasper, a Revolutionary War hero of the Siege of Savannah in 1779. Sgt. John... |
100 | |||
Newton | 109 | |||
115 | ||||
121 | Chunky Chunky, Mississippi Chunky is a town in Newton County, Mississippi, United States. The population was 344 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Chunky is located at , along the Chunky River.... |
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Lauderdale Lauderdale County, Mississippi -Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 78,161 people, 29,990 households, and 20,573 families residing in the county. The population density was 111 people per square mile . There were 33,418 housing units at an average density of 48 per square mile... |
129 | West end of US 80 overlap | ||
130 | , New Orleans | West end of I-59 overlap; no exit number westbound | ||
Meridian Meridian, Mississippi Meridian is the county seat of Lauderdale County, Mississippi. It is the sixth largest city in the state and the principal city of the Meridian, Mississippi Micropolitan Statistical Area... |
150 | West end of US 11/MS 19 overlap | ||
151 | Valley Road, 49th Avenue | |||
152 | 29th Avenue | |||
153 | ||||
154 | – Butler Butler, Alabama Butler is a town in and the county seat of Choctaw County, Alabama, United States. The population was 1,952 at the 2000 census, at which time it was a city.-History:... , De Kalb |
East end of US 11/US 80/MS 19 overlap; signed as exits 154A (south) and 154B (north) eastbound | ||
157 | Signed as exits 157A (south) and 157B (north) | |||
160 | Russell | |||
165 | Toomsuba | |||
169 | Kewanee (US 11 / US 80) |