Interstate 20, between Ashby and Peters Streets, facing west as seen in 1966. Shoulder and median work were cited as the cause for traffic artery being kept closed. Road signs warn trespassers to stay away.

Atlanta's skyline as seen from Boulevard, looking west in November 1962, as East Expressway (I-20) road construction aims for the heart of the city, but turns right in the distance.

5 p.m. traffic moves smoothly over the newly opened downtown Expressway Connector in September 1964. (Traffic in foreground appears to be heading east to I-20)

June, 1968 - Sign (left) along interstate forbids pedestrians, non-motorized traffic on I-20. Wagon train members stopped by highway patrolmen near Douglasville.

The expansive Turner Hill Mall site (later to be known as Stonecrest) sits empty along I-20 at Turner Hill Road as seen in this aerial photo from Feb. 14, 1995.

Cars line the Mall Parkway at Turner Hill Road during the groundbreaking ceremony for the long delayed mall in Lithonia on Oct. 7, 1999. The Mall at Stonecrest has sat undeveloped for 16 years until today. I-20 is in the background at the Turner Hill Road intersection.

The Evans Mill exit on I-20, the main exit to downtown Lithonia, in November 1996.

Panola road at I-20, Dekalb Co. 1974. Photo by Dillon-Reynolds Aerial Photography, Inc.

Aerial of southside of Atlanta showing I-75, I-85 and I-20 interchanges in February 1989.

I-285 stretches north into the distance while I-20 vehicle traffic passes beneath (in the middle of photo) in August 1968. Atlanta would be to the left side of the photo.

In February 1997. Looking northwest at I-20 and South DeKalb County, Georgia. I-285 and Candler Rd. Photo credit: Dillon-Reynolds Aerial Photography, Inc. (Special to the AJC)

From February 1961. This area will accommodate interchange of traffic flowing to and around Atlanta, which rears in skyline profile over branches of bare trees. (This area would become I-20 West) Capitol Avenue bridge is on right.

From February 1961. This area will accommodate interchange of traffic flowing to and around Atlanta, which rears in skyline profile over brances of bare trees. (Area to become I-20 West). Foreground is Capitol Avenue Bypass.

From February 1961. This area will accommodate interchange of traffic flowing to and around Atlanta, which rears in skyline profile over branches of bare trees. (Area to become I-20 West) Foreground is Capitol Avenue Bypass.

 Interstate interchanges in southeast section of Atlanta. Georgia Archives building in center right. Downtown expressway runs left  to right, I-20 runs top to bottom. Undated photo from the 1960s.

On May 30, 1961, I-20 east stretches through DeKalb County toward Lithonia.

'Photographic Views of Sherman's Campaign' by George N. Barnard. A view from Leggett's Hill, the site of some of the fiercest fighting on July 22, 1864. Leggett's Hill is where Interstate 20, Moreland Avenue and Memorial Drive now come together.

In April 1960, an aerial view ofthe East Expressway (I-20) construction - Candler Road - Hill Street stretch.

Downtown Atlanta skyline, looking west from I-20, on Nov. 24, 1980.

One of 13 new bridges on I-20 between Conyers and Covington, as seen in January 1965.

Aerial view from May 1965 (looking east) shows I-20 paving ending and dirt leveled right-of-way continuing westward. In upper middle of photo and distance Atlanta's new stadium can be seen.

Work on secondary braces under the I-20 overpass at the Covington Oxford exit on I-20 at 278 as part of renovation expansion project on Feb. 23, 1995.

From April 1960, aerial views of East Expressway (I-20) construction. Section between Stone Mountain Road and Pole Bridge Creek has outbound lanes paved, others are not. There's paving down from Candler Road to the intersection with U.S. 278 outside Lithonia.

Ramp connecting the northbound lanes of the South Expressway to the eastbound lanes of the East Expressway (I-20) just after it opened to traffic in 1964, removing a bottleneck of having to cross Capitol Avenue via Clark Street.

Taken at the corner of Fraser Street and Woodward Avenue looking toward the northwest in August 1960. This is where the expressway cloverleaf to connect I-20 and the Downown Connector will start.

Aug. 18, 1964, an aerial view of downtown Atlanta's interstate system. New stadium construction  at the top and Georgia Capitol Building at bottom.