The Route and Dangers of I-20

 

Types of Collisions We See on the Interstate

The majority of accidents that take place on Interstate 20 are rear-end collisions. These accidents are often caused by a combination of inattention, improper speeding, and drivers following too closely. This is particularly true in heavy traffic.

The second type of crash that occurs most often on Interstate 20 is sideswipe crashes. People who become distracted while operating their vehicles are more likely to drift from their own lanes and strike other vehicles traveling nearby.

Multi-vehicle pile ups occur on the interstate fairly often as well, contributing to the high number of serious injuries and fatality crashes that we see each year on this roadway.

Accidents involving semi-trucks are also leading across Interstate 20. Commercial vehicles travel across the interstate every day to deliver products. Given the significant number of trucks that travel on the road, it is no surprise that they are present in many accidents. 

Accidents involving tour buses are fairly common on the interstate as well. Most tour buses take the interstate highway to travel to their destinations as the smaller roads in each state do not provide them with the space needed to maneuver the vehicles easily. 

These and other types of accidents can result in serious injuries for those involved. Given the high number of commercial vehicles on the interstate highway and the close spaces between the vehicles traveling along the business roadway, the chances of accidents ending in multiple injuries are much higher. 

The Future of the Interstate

Over the next decade, Interstate 20 will be transformed in several states across its 1500 mile stretch.

In Texas, the Texas Department of Transportation has a planned $830 million I-20 project that will turn I-20 between Midland and Odessa into three lanes of travel in each direction. This project will also have one-way frontage roads, improved locations for entrances and exits to the interstate, create new interchanges, and convert underpasses at eight different locations.

The state of Louisiana has proposed a $20 million plan that aims to widen a 2-mile stretch of the interstate eastward from Highway 165 near Pecanland Mall. 

Another large road widening project is set to begin on Interstate 20 in South Carolina. The project is set to begin where the roadway transitions from six lanes to four lanes of travel just east of US Highway 378. South Carolina officials also plan to replace the east and westbound bridges of the interstate over the Norfolk Southern Railroad. 

In Mississippi, the Department of Transportation is in the midst of replacing the slide on the outside of the eastbound lanes within the southwest quadrant interchange near Ellis Avenue. This project was projected to cost roughly $853,000 and also includes the removal of guardrails and excess materials from the roadway.

The state of Georgia plans to reconstruct all of the mainline and shoulders of Interstate 20 after a slew of deadly accidents occurred on the roadway. The project aims to reduce the number of fatalities that take place on the interstate by making it safer for travelers. The project will add an extra 2-foot asphalt shoulder to each of the four shoulders for the full 12.7-mile length of the roadway project. The project is broken down into several stages with the intention to create new outside travel lanes and reconstruct the inside travel lanes, and take other actions aimed to prevent severe crashes.

The state of Alabama is planning a $6.51 million project that is aimed to resurface the roadway and widen a portion of the interstate between exit 71 and Interstate 359. Another $83.4 million road-widening project and bridge replacement project was also proposed for the area between Skyland and McFarland Boulevards.

Each of the proposed and planned projects is geared toward creating a safer place for travelers. Given the overall views of how dangerous the interstate is, it is critical that these and other projects are put underway to ensure travelers are able to make it to their destinations safely.