Interstate 26 in South Carolina

Interstate 26 (I-26) is a South Carolina Interstate highway running generally east–west from near Landrum, in Spartanburg County, to U.S. Route 17, in Charleston, South Carolina. It is also the longest interstate highway in South Carolina.

Interstate 26
James F. Brynes Memorial Freeway
Route information
Maintained by SCDOT
Length	220.7 mi[1] (355.2 km)
Existed	1960–present
Major junctions
West end	I-26 at the North Carolina line near Landrum
	I-85 near Spartanburg I-385 in Clinton I-20 near Columbia I-126 in Columbia I-77 in Cayce I-95 near Holly Hill I-526 in North Charleston
East end	US 17 in Charleston
Location
Counties	Spartanburg, Laurens, Newberry, Lexington, Richland, Calhoun, Orangeburg, Dorchester, Berkeley, Charleston
Highway system
Interstate Highway System Main Auxiliary Suffixed Business Future South Carolina State Highway System Interstate U.S. State Scenic

Route description

I-26 runs 220 miles through South Carolina. Mile markers run from west (north) to east (south). Mile Marker 0 is in the mountains at the NC state line. The last exit, at US 17 south of Charleston, is exit 221.

I-26 runs between the Broad and Saluda Rivers, descending from the mountains to the piedmont or midlands. At Columbia, I-126 crosses the confluence of the Broad and Saluda, which together form the Congaree, near the Columbia Canal and water treatment plant. I-26 continues following the Congaree, until it hops south over into the Cooper and Ashley Drainage, then down to the coast.

I-26 is predominantly a four-lane rural interstate with 70-mile-per-hour (110 km/h) speed limits. In the Columbia and Charleston areas, the interstate widens to six-lanes, but speeds are lower.

I-26 enters South Carolina just northeast of Landrum, traveling a southeasterly direction. The first major city along its route is Spartanburg, where it intersects I-85 to Greenville and Charlotte. As the interstate weaves along the terrain, it reaches Clinton; where westbound travelers can connect with I-385 towards Greenville. Traveling through the Sumter National Forest, it connects with Newberry before entering the Midlands. At Columbia in a section known as "Malfunction Junction", it connects with I-20, to Augusta and Florence, and I-126 towards the downtown area; it then goes south over the Saluda River and into Lexington County for the second of eventually four times along its course. At Cayce, it connects with I-77 to Charlotte. South of Cayce, the interstate goes up and down a few very long hills before reaching the outskirts of Orangeburg and I-95, to Savannah and Florence. As it enters the relatively flat plains of the Lowcountry, the area becomes urbanized as the interstate encroaches upon North Charleston and Charleston. As the interstate curves through the peninsula formed by the Ashley and Cooper rivers, it connects with I-526, to Savannah and Mount Pleasant. Near the end, it overlaps with US 17 from its new interchange (from the Arthur Ravenel Jr. Bridge) to where the old interchange remnants and where I-26 ends (formally where the John P. Grace Memorial Bridge and Silas N. Pearman Bridge connected).

Services

The South Carolina Department of Transportation (SCDOT) operates and maintains one welcome center and seven rest areas along I-26. Welcome centers, which have a travel information facility on site, are located at mile marker 3 (eastbound); rest areas are located at mile markers 63 (east and westbound), 123 (east and westbound), 150 (eastbound), 152 (westbound) and 204 (eastbound).[2] Common at all locations are public restrooms, public telephones, vending machines, picnic area and barbecue grills.[3]

The South Carolina Department of Public Safety (SCDPS) and State Transport Police (STP) operates and maintains three truck inspection/weigh stations. A westbound weigh station can be found at the 93.5 mile marker in Chapin 17 miles west of Columbia, and two others at mile marker 173 (eastbound) and mile marker 174 (westbound) in Harleyville east of the interchanges with Interstate 95 and US 15.[4][5]

History

East I-26 in South Carolina at mile marker 79, just south of Newberry

Construction of I-26 began in 1957 in the Columbia area with the 9-mile (14 km) section from the Broad River to near Irmo.[6] The 11-mile (18 km) section of I-26 from I-126/US 76 in Columbia to US 176 at Exit 97 was the first section of the highway to open up to traffic (on September 7, 1960). The 6-mile (9.7 km) section from SC 210 to US 15 opened in September 1962.[7] Construction proceeded in stages heading both west up towards Greenville and east towards Charleston. The highway was largely completed from Columbia to North Charleston by 1964; the section from Aviation Avenue to the highway's terminus at US 17 in downtown Charleston progressed more slowly due to land takings for the right of way and numerous bridges and viaducts that had to be built. The entire 221 miles of I-26 were completed by February 1969.[6]

In the 1980s-90s, I-26 around Columbia was widened from four to six lanes. In the mid-90s, the North Charleston area was also widened from four to six lanes, part of which was further widened to eight lanes in the early 2010s. In 2005, the US 17 was realigned to a new interchange with I-26 at exit 220 from exit 221; the old interchange was mostly torn down and reconfigured, leaving the I-26 viaduct eastbound off-ramp and westbound on-ramps with US 17 south. In the mid-2010s, I-26 was widened SE of Columbia from I-77 to Old Sandy Run Rd. Starting in 2019 or 2020, a long stretch of I-26 NW of Columbia will begin widening construction from four to six lanes from SC 202 at Little Mountain to US 76/176 at Irmo.

In 2011, a plan to add a lane in each direction between Broad River Road and St. Andrews Road through "Malfunction Junction" had $8.5 million in funding but was expected to start sometime after 2012 and take two years.[8]

On October 5, 2016, I-26 had all lanes converted to westbound only, from I-77 to I-526, due to Hurricane Matthew.[9] This was done again on September 11, 2018 due to Hurricane Florence,[10] and in September 2019 for Hurricane Dorian.[11]

On November 19, 2016, construction began in Charleston to demolish, reconfigure and replace exits 217 and 218, related to a new access road to the Hugh K. Leatherman Sr. Terminal; construction and reopening planned for 2019.[12]

On October 18, 2018, SCDOT approved widening I-26 between Columbia, and Charleston. SCDOT plans to widen I-26 from Old Sandy Run Road in Calhoun County, to Ridgeville Road (SC 27) in Berkeley County.[13]

Auxiliary routes

	Interstate	City	Type	Notes
	Interstate 126	Columbia	Spur
	Interstate 326	Columbia	Spur	Unsigned designation. Decommissioned.
	Interstate 526	Charleston	Spur

Exit list

County	Location	mi[1]	km	Exit	Destinations	Notes
Spartanburg	​	0.0	0.0		I-26 west – Hendersonville, Asheville	Continuation into North Carolina
	Landrum	0.9	1.4	1	SC 14 east – Landrum
	​	5.3	8.5	5	SC 11 (Cherokee Foothills Scenic Highway) – Campobello, Chesnee
	​	10.0	16.1	10	SC 292 – Inman
	​	14.0	22.5	15	US 176 – Inman, Spartanburg
	​	15.4	24.8	16	John Dodd Road – Wellford
	Southern Shops	16.7	26.9	17	New Cut Road
		17.8	28.6	18	I-85 – Greenville, Charlotte	Signed as exits 18A (south) and 18B (north)
		18.6	29.9	19	I-85 BL – Greenville, Spartanburg	Signed as exits 19A (south) and 19B (north)
	Spartanburg	21.0	33.8	21	US 29 – Greer, Spartanburg	Signed as exits 21A (south) and 21B (north); to Westgate Mall
		22.0	35.4	22	SC 296 (Reidville Road) – Spartanburg, Reidville
	Moore	28.1	45.2	28	US 221 – Spartanburg, Moore, Woodruff
	​	34.5	55.5	35	Walnut Grove Road – Woodruff
	​	38.0	61.2	38	SC 146 – Cross Anchor, Woodruff
	​	40.6	65.3	41	SC 92 – Enoree, Cross Anchor
	​	44.1	71.0	44	SC 49 – Laurens, Cross Anchor, Union
Laurens	Clinton	51.8	83.4	51	I-385 north – Laurens, Greenville	Westbound exit and eastbound entrance
		52.5	84.5	52	SC 56 – Clinton, Cross Anchor
		53.6	86.3	54	SC 72 – Clinton, Whitmire
	​	59.7	96.1	60	SC 66 (Whitmire Highway) – Joanna, Whitmire
Newberry	​	66.2	106.5	66	Road 32 – Jalapa
	​	71.5	115.1	72	SC 121 – Newberry, Whitmire
	Newberry	74.0	119.1	74	SC 34 – Newberry, Winnsboro
		76.0	122.3	76	SC 219 – Newberry, Pomaria
	​	82.2	132.3	82	SC 773 – Prosperity, Pomaria
	​	85.2	137.1	85	SC 202 – Pomaria, Little Mountain
Lexington	Chapin	91.2	146.8	91	Columbia Avenue – Chapin
Richland	​	96.5	155.3	97	US 176 – Ballentine, White Rock, Peak
	Irmo	101.4	163.2	101	US 76 west / US 176 (Broad River Road) – Ballentine, White Rock	West end of US 76 overlap; signed as exits 101A (west) and 101B (east)
		102.2	164.5	102	SC 60 (Lake Murray Boulevard) – Lake Murray, Irmo	Signed as exits 102A (west) and 102B (east)
	Columbia	103.4	166.4	103	Harbison Boulevard	To Columbiana Centre
Lexington	Seven Oaks	104.3	167.9	104	Piney Grove Road
		106.4	171.2	106	St. Andrews Road
Richland	St. Andrews	107.1	172.4	107	I-20 – Augusta, Florence	Signed as exits 107A (west) and 107B (east)
	Columbia	107.6	173.2	108A	Bush River Road
		107.8	173.5	108B	I-126 east / US 76 east – Downtown Columbia	East end of US 76 overlap
Lexington	West Columbia	109.7	176.5	110	US 378 – Lexington, West Columbia
		111.3	179.1	111	US 1 to SC 12 – Lexington, West Columbia	Signed as exits 111A (south) and 111B (north)
	Cayce	113.2	182.2	113	SC 302 – Columbia Airport, Cayce
		115.1	185.2	115	US 21 / US 176 / US 321 – Gaston, Cayce
		115.6	186.0	116	I-77 north – Charlotte	Southern terminus of I-77
	​	119.5	192.3	119	US 21 / US 176 – St. Matthews, Dixiana
Calhoun	​	124.6	200.5	125	Old Sandy Run Road – Gaston	Closed during USMC Mud Run
Lexington	​	128.7	207.1	129	US 21
Calhoun	​	136.3	219.4	136	SC 6 – North, St. Matthews, Swansea
	​	139.3	224.2	139	Burke Road – St. Matthews
Orangeburg	​	145.3	233.8	145	US 601 – Orangeburg, St. Matthews	Signed as exits 145A (south) and 145B (north)
	​	148.5	239.0	149	SC 33 – Orangeburg, Cameron	To SC State University and Claflin University
	​	154.2	248.2	154	US 301 – Orangeburg, Santee	Signed as exits 154A (south) and 154B (north)
	​	159.0	255.9	159	Homestead Road – Bowman
	​	164.7	265.1	165	SC 210 – Bowman, Vance
	​	168.5	271.2	169	I-95 – Savannah, Florence	Signed as exits 169A (south) and 169B (north)
Dorchester	​	171.5	276.0	172	US 15 – St. George, Santee, Holly Hill	Signed as exits 172A (south) and 172B (north)
	​	177.0	284.9	177	SC 453 – Harleyville, Holly Hill
	​	187.4	301.6	187	SC 27 – Ridgeville, St. George
Berkeley	​			189	Volvo Car Drive	To Volvo Cars manufacturing plant
	​	194.4	312.9	194	Road 16 – Jedburg, Pinopolis
	Summerville	197.5	317.8	197	Nexton Parkway	Signed as exits 197A (south) and 197B (north) westbound
		199.0	320.3	199	US 17 Alt. – Summerville, Moncks Corner	Signed as exits 199A (south) and 199B (north)
	Ladson	203.2	327.0	203	College Park Road – Ladson
Charleston	North Charleston	205.0	329.9	205	US 78 to US 52 – Goose Creek, Ladson	Signed as exits 205A (west) and 205B (east); to Charleston Southern University
					Weber Boulevard	Proposed interchange (funded only for right of way procurement)[14]
		208.1	334.9	209A	US 52 Conn. north to US 52 / US 78 – Goose Creek, Moncks Corner	Westbound exit and eastbound entrance; southern terminus of US 52 Conn.
		208.6	335.7	209B	Ashley Phosphate Road	Signed as exit 209 eastbound; to Northwoods Mall
		211.1	339.7	211A	Aviation Avenue – Charleston AFB
		211.6	340.5	211B	Remount Road – Hanahan	Formerly exit 211 before 2012; exits connected in both directions via collector-distributor lanes
		212.6	342.1	212	I-526 – Savannah, Mount Pleasant	Signed as exits 212B (west) and 212C (east)
		213.5	343.6	213	Montague Avenue / Tanger Outlet Boulevard / Mall Drive	Signed as exits 213A (Montague Avenue west, Tanger Outlet Boulevard) and 213B (Montague Avenue east) eastbound; eastbound exit only to Tanger Outlet Boulevard, westbound exit and entrance only to Mall Drive
		215.5	346.8	215	SC 642 (Dorchester Road)
		216.3	348.1	216	SC 7 (Cosgrove Avenue) – Federal Complex	Signed as exits 216A (south) and 216B (north)
	Charleston	217.5	350.0	217	US 52 (North Meeting Street)	Closed November 19, 2016; to be reconfigured by 2019[12]
		218.0	350.8	218	Spruill Avenue – Federal Complex	Closed November 19, 2016; to be reconfigured and become Port Access Road by 2019[12]
		219.0	352.4	219A	Rutledge Avenue – The Citadel	Eastbound exit and westbound entrance
		219.3	352.9	219B	Morrison Drive, East Bay Street (US 52 Spur)	Eastbound exit and westbound entrance
		220.2	354.4	220A	Romney Street	Westbound exit only
		220.3	354.5	220B	US 17 north – Mount Pleasant, Georgetown	North end of US 17 overlap; signed as exit 220 eastbound
		220.4	354.7	221A	US 17 south – Savannah	South end of US 17 overlap; eastbound exit and westbound entrance
		220.4	354.7	221B	US 52 (Meeting Street) – Charleston Downtown	Eastbound exit and westbound entrance I-26 officially ends .3 miles (0.48 km) at the remnants of old exit 221
East end of I-26
1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi       Closed/former       Concurrency terminus       Incomplete access       Unopened

See also

• Ashley River
• Enoree River
• Lake Murray
• Saluda River
• Sumter National Forest

References

1. Google (July 4, 2013). "Interstate 26 in South Carolina" (Map). Google Maps. Google. Retrieved July 4, 2013.
2. South Carolina Interstate 26 (Interstate Rest Areas)
3. "SC Rest Areas Map". South Carolina Department of Transportation. Retrieved December 29, 2014.
4. South Carolina Weigh Station & DOT Information (Coops are Open)
5. Distance between Exits 172 A-B (US 15) and eastbound Truck Weigh Station (Google Maps)
6. "Economic Development History of Interstate 26 in South Carolina". Federal Highway Administration. Retrieved 7 March 2013.
7. "Another Stretch of I-26 is Open". The News and Courier. 24 September 1962. Retrieved 7 March 2013.
8. Littlefield, Susan-Elizabeth (2011). "DOT looking for suggestions to fix 'malfunction junction'". Columbia, SC: WIS. Retrieved July 13, 2016.
9. Behre, Robert (October 3, 2016). "Get out of town: I-26 lane reversal may get real test Epic traffic snarl during Hurricane Floyd led to change". The Post and Courier. Retrieved October 5, 2016.
10. Jackson, Angie (September 10, 2018). "I-26 east to close from Columbia to Charleston early Tuesday to set up for lane reversal". The Post and Courier. Retrieved September 11, 2018.
11. Daprile, Lucas (2019-09-04). "McMaster will keep I-26 lanes reversed for an additional two hours". The State.
12. "I-26 exit ramps to close for new port access project to begin". Charleston, SC: WCBD-TV. November 18, 2016. Retrieved March 27, 2017.
13. "At last, I-26 widening is a priority". The Times and Democrat. October 28, 2018.
14. Knich, Diane; McDermott, John (May 30, 2013). "Airport road projects to take off County Council vote begins process for new I-26 interchange, other improvements". The Post and Courier. Retrieved May 31, 2013.

External links

• Media related to Interstate 26 in South Carolina at Wikimedia Commons
• Mapmikey's South Carolina Highways Page: I-26
• Economic Development History of Interstate 26 in South Carolina - Federal Highway Administration