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Interstate No. 20 9 live incidents

I-20: The Sun Belt Connector

Interstate 20 runs 1,539 miles from Kent, Texas (where it splits off from I-10 in the Davis Mountains) to Florence, South Carolina, where it terminates at I-95. It is the secondary southern east-west corridor, paralleling I-10 about 200 miles to the north and serving the major Su…

9Incidents
10Alerts in its states
6States
5Hazards
I-20 eastbound entering Midland County in the West Texas desert
I-20 eastbound entering Midland County in the West Texas desert formulanone / Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 2.0
01 Route overview

Interstate 20 runs 1,539 miles from Kent, Texas (where it splits off from I-10 in the Davis Mountains) to Florence, South Carolina, where it terminates at I-95. It is the secondary southern east-west corridor, paralleling I-10 about 200 miles to the north and serving the major Sun Belt cities of Dallas-Fort Worth, Shreveport, Jackson, Birmingham, Atlanta, Augusta, and Columbia.

For freight, I-20 is the preferred long-haul route between the Texas oil patch and the southeastern US, particularly for petroleum products, lumber, and automotive supplies feeding the Mercedes, Hyundai, Honda, and BMW assembly plants in Alabama, Georgia, and South Carolina. Truck volume is heaviest in the metro stretches: the I-20 at I-285 (West) interchange in Atlanta ranks among the nation's worst truck bottlenecks (ATRI ranked it #6 in 2024, and #10 in 2025), making it the busiest congestion point on the whole corridor.

The terrain is mostly rolling. The Texas Hill Country and the southern Appalachian foothills are the only significant climbs. Weather hazards skew toward severe thunderstorms, tornadoes (Dixie Alley runs right through the central segment), and occasional ice events from late January through February. The Atlanta Perimeter (I-285) intersection is one of the most congested truck interchanges on any US interstate.

  • Begins at I-10 in Kent, TX and ends at I-95 in Florence, SC
  • Crosses six states: TX, LA, MS, AL, GA, SC
  • Carries the bulk of Texas-to-Southeast freight
  • Atlanta segment (with I-285) is among the most congested in the South
  • Atlanta has three of ATRI's 2024 top 10 national truck bottlenecks: I-285 at I-85 North (#5), I-20 at I-285 West (#6), I-285 at SR 400 (#9)
  • Concurrent with I-59 across most of central Alabama
  • Crosses the Mississippi River at Vicksburg
  • Designated hurricane evacuation route from coastal LA and MS
02 Key cities & junctions
StateMileCity / Junction
TX MM 0 Kent (I-10 jct)
TX MM 138 Odessa
TX MM 158 Midland
TX MM 287 Abilene
TX MM 408 Fort Worth (I-35W jct)
TX MM 442 Dallas (I-35E jct)
TX MM 528 Tyler / Longview
LA MM 19 Shreveport (I-49 jct)
LA MM 95 Monroe
MS MM 4 Vicksburg
MS MM 47 Jackson (I-55 jct)
MS MM 154 Meridian (I-59 jct)
AL MM 17 Tuscaloosa
AL MM 130 Birmingham (I-65/I-59 jct)
AL MM 173 Anniston
GA MM 51 Carrollton
GA MM 91 Atlanta (I-75/I-85/I-285 jct)
GA MM 165 Madison
GA MM 199 Augusta
SC MM 18 Aiken
SC MM 64 Columbia (I-26/I-77 jct)
SC MM 160 Florence (I-95 jct)
04 Notable hazards & trouble spots
Hazard

Severe truck congestion and HOV/HOT lane restrictions

Atlanta / I-285 interchange (MM 50-90)

I-20 through metro Atlanta intersects I-285, I-75, and I-85 in a 40-mile span that is among the busiest truck corridors in the country. GDOT enforces left-lane truck restrictions and operates HOT lanes that are off-limits to commercial vehicles. Delivery windows that miss the morning and afternoon peaks save hours.

Hazard

Concurrent interstate, frequent incident-driven closures

Birmingham I-20/I-59 stack (MM 125-130)

I-20 and I-59 share pavement through downtown Birmingham. The elevated section is narrow, has tight curves, and any incident on the bridge spreads queues across both interstates. ALDOT publishes real-time alerts; allow extra time during peak hours.

Hazard

Tornado and severe-storm corridor

Dixie Alley severe weather (MM 600 TX - 100 GA)

I-20 from East Texas through Georgia runs through the heart of "Dixie Alley." Unlike the Great Plains, where most tornadoes hit in the late afternoon, the Southeast sees a much larger share of its tornadoes at night, when Gulf moisture keeps storms going after dark and warnings are easy to sleep through (Weatherology; National Geographic, citing the 1950-2019 record, found over 35% of tornadoes in several Southern states struck at night). Severe thunderstorms with damaging winds and hail are routine from March through May. Monitor NWS alerts and park under solid shelter when warnings are active.

Hazard

Long, narrow Mississippi River crossing

Vicksburg Bridge, MS (MM 1-4)

The I-20/US-80 bridge over the Mississippi at Vicksburg is a long-span crossing with limited shoulders. High winds and bridge ice events can prompt MDOT to close the crossing. The practical detour adds 100+ miles via Greenville or Natchez.

Hazard

Limited services and oil-patch truck congestion

West Texas (MM 0-280)

The 280 miles between Kent and Abilene cross the Permian Basin, where oil-field traffic dramatically increases truck volume in either direction. Construction is constant. Fuel and parking thin out east of Pecos, so plan stops at Odessa or Midland.

05 Active incidents (9)
CONSTRUCTION MS

Road Work : I-20 E at MS River Bridge - Right lane closed

I-20 at MS River Bridge

CONSTRUCTION MS

Road Work : I-20 E at Flowers / Ceres Blvd EX 15 - Left lane closed

I-20 at Flowers / Ceres Blvd EX 15

CONSTRUCTION MS

Road Work : I-20 W past MS 13 / Morton / Puckett EX 77 - Expect delays

I-20 past MS 13 / Morton / Puckett EX 77

CONSTRUCTION MS

Road Work : I-20 W between State St EX 45B and I-55 S EX 44 - Right lane closed

I-20 between State St EX 45B and I-55 S EX 44

CONSTRUCTION MS

Road Work : I-20 W between State St EX 45B and I-55 S EX 44 - Right lane closed

I-20 between State St EX 45B and I-55 S EX 44

CONSTRUCTION GA

roadwork

I-20

CONSTRUCTION GA

roadwork

I-20

CONSTRUCTION GA

roadwork

I-20

CONSTRUCTION GA

roadwork

I-20

06 Weather alerts in its states (10)

National Weather Service alerts in force in the states Interstate 20 runs through. Each one covers a county or a forecast zone, which may be far from the Interstate.

  • 3 alerts in Texas: Coastal Flood Advisory, Coastal Flood Statement
  • 5 alerts in Louisiana: Coastal Flood Advisory, Flood Warning
  • 2 alerts in Mississippi: Coastal Flood Advisory, Flood Watch
  • 3 alerts in Alabama: Coastal Flood Advisory, Flood Watch

See where each alert is on the live map →

07 FAQ
How long does it take to drive I-20 end to end?
A passenger car can cover the 1,539 miles in 22-25 hours of driving time. Commercial drivers respecting hours-of-service rules typically need 3 to 4 days, with stops aligned to the Dallas, Birmingham, and Atlanta metros.
Is I-20 a toll road?
No. I-20 is toll-free across all six states. Atlanta's I-285 has optional Express Lanes that carry tolls but are not part of I-20 itself.
What major cities does I-20 connect?
I-20 directly serves Midland-Odessa, Abilene, Fort Worth, Dallas, Shreveport, Jackson, Birmingham, Atlanta, Augusta, and Columbia.
Does I-20 close in winter?
Rarely. The southern routing keeps it largely snow-free, but ice events in central Texas, the Birmingham metro, and the Atlanta area can shut down sections for 12-48 hours. The South is poorly equipped to plow ice, so wait it out rather than try to push through.
Where does I-20 begin and end?
I-20 begins at I-10 in Kent, Texas (about 100 miles east of El Paso) and ends at I-95 in Florence, South Carolina. It does not connect to the Atlantic Ocean directly. Coastal Charleston is reached via I-26 from Columbia.

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