U.S. Route 278 in South Carolina

This article is about the section of U.S. Route 278 in South Carolina. For the entire route, see U.S. Route 278.

U.S. Route 278 marker

U.S. Route 278
Route information
Auxiliary route of US 78
Maintained by SCDOT
Length: 146.0 mi[1] (235.0 km)
Existed: 1965 – present
Major junctions
West end: US 1 / US 25 / US 78 / US 278 / SR 10 / SR 121 at the GA state line near North Augusta
  I-520 in North Augusta
US 301 in Allendale
US 321 in Fairfax
US 601 in Hampton
US 17 in Ridgeland
I-95 in Hardeeville
East end:
US 278 Bus. in Hilton Head
Location
Counties: Aiken, Barnwell, Allendale, Hampton, Jasper, Beaufort
Highway system
  • South Carolina Highways
← SC 277SC 281 →

U.S. Route 278 (US 278) is an east–west United States highway that traverses through the South Carolina Lowcountry, from North Augusta to Hilton Head Island.

Route description

After crossing the Savannah River from Georgia, US 278 bypasses downtown North Augusta, South Carolina to the south en route to Beech Island and Johnson Crossroads. It then forms a de facto northern boundary of the Savannah River Site, crossing into the property on a few occasions. The route then continues eastward and then southward through the communities of Barnwell, Kline, Allendale, Fairfax, Hampton, Varnville, Ridgeland, and Hardeeville where it meets I-95. US 278 shares the route between Ridgeland and Hardeeville with US 17.

Upon reaching Hardeeville, the route heads eastward toward the Atlantic with large residential and commercial developments lining the spine of the road from Hardeeville through Okatie and Bluffton. The route crosses over Calibogue Sound onto Hilton Head Island. After a five-mile stretch in which the route is tolled, US 278 ends at US 278 Business on the southern portion of Hilton Head Island, just outside Sea Pines Plantation.

Cross Island Parkway

Not to be confused with Cross Island Parkway in New York.

On Hilton Head Island, US 278 was previously routed along what is now US 278 Business until a new toll road, named the Cross Island Parkway opened on January 16, 1998.[2] The 6.8-mile (10.9 km) section of roadway[2] cost $83 million to build and was funded with a combination of state funds, federal funds, state highway bonds and tolls.[3]

The controlled access toll road has only one interchange along its route at Marshland Drive. It was the first toll road built in South Carolina in modern history.[2] A majority of the road users pay their tolls using Palmetto Pass, South Carolina's system for electronic toll collection. Tolls will be removed once the bonds sold to build the road are retired.[3]

The completion of the Cross Island Parkway (a direct expressway connection from the north side to the south side of the island), has caused a great amount of commercial and residential development along the road. Before the toll road opened, it could take one hour to travel the 12-mile (19 km) route of what was then signed as US 278 (William Hilton Parkway) during peak tourism season.[2] The Cross Island Parkway greatly relieved congestion on that road when it opened.[3]

Tolls

Cross Island Parkway Toll Plaza

Toll rates, for 2-axle vehicles, along Cross Island Parkway are $1.25 at the toll plaza and $1.00 at the Marshland Road/Spanish Wells Road interchange. Each additional axle is $1.00 (plaza and ramps). The toll plaza has both electronic toll collection (ETC) and cash lanes, which are manned 24-hours a day; Marshland Road/Spanish Wells Road interchange accept only ETC or exact change only. Those that do not have exact change or do not pay the toll have five days to contact the Cross Island Parkway Customer Service Center to make a payment; after that time, a violation notice will be mailed. Travelers that make a mistake of taking the toll road may request a "Turn Around Pass;" which gives them ten minutes to continue along the highway, turn-around at the roundabout and return the pass at the toll plaza on the return trip.[4]

Only the Palmetto Pass is accepted on the Cross Island Parkway.

History

US 278 was established, in South Carolina, in 1965, traveling from Augusta, Georgia to Hilton Head Island. Crossing the Savannah River, in concurrency with US 1/US 25/US 78/SC 121, it then overlapped with SC 125 on Atomic Road, to Beech Island. Replacing SC 28 from Beech Island to Almeda, where it then replaced SC 128, going through Ridgeland, to Old House. Replacing part of SC 462, it went south into Bluffton and then east into Hilton Head Island, replacing part of SC 46.[5][6][7][8][9][10][11][12][13][14][15][16]

Throughout the 1980s, US 278 was widen to four-lane, in phases, east of SC 170, in Bluffton. In 1996-1997, US 278 was rerouted south of Ridgeland to Hardeeville, then east on new primary routing to SC 170, in Bluffton. Its former routing was replaced by SC 336 to Old House and SC 462 to SC 170.[17][18] In 1998, US 278 was rerouted onto new routing along the west side of Hilton Head Island; known as the Cross Island Parkway, the toll road provides quicker access to the far south end of the island. The old alignment, in Hilton Head Island, became US 278 Business.[19][20]

Junction list

CountyLocationmi[1]kmDestinationsNotes
AikenState line0.00.0 US 1 south / US 25 south / US 78 west / US 278 west / SR 10 west / SR 121 south – AugustaCrosses the Savannah River; continuation into Georgia
North Augusta0.20.325th Street Bridge / River North Drive
0.71.1 US 25 / SC 121 north – North Augusta, EdgefieldNorth end of US 25 and SC 121 overlap
1.52.4 I-520 (Palmetto Parkway) – Augusta, Columbia, AtlantaI-520 exit 17.
Clearwater2.33.7 US 1 / US 78 / SC 125 north – Aiken, North Augusta
SC 421 north (Augusta Road) – Clearwater		East end of US 1/US 78 and north end of SC 125 overlap
Beech Island7.211.6 SC 28 west (Sand Bar Ferry Road) / SC 125 south (Atomic Road) – Savannah River Site, AugustaSouth end of SC 125 overlap
​13.421.6 SC 302 (Silver Bluff Road) – Jackson, Aiken
New Ellenton19.631.5 SC 19 – New Ellenton, Aiken, Savannah River Site
​28.946.5 SC 781 east – Williston, Charleston
Barnwell​32.752.6 SC 39 – Williston
​41.066.0 SC 37 north – Elko, Williston
Barnwell43.369.7 SC 64 west (Dunbarton Boulevard) – Savannah River SiteWest end of SC 64 overlap
43.670.2 SC 70 east (Allen Street) / Dunbarton Boulevard – Denmark
43.970.7 SC 64 east (Hagood Avenue) – WalterboroEast end of SC 64 overlap
45.272.7 SC 3 north (Marlboro Avenue) – ColumbiaNorth end of SC 3 overlap
​46.574.8 SC 3 south – SylvaniaSouth end of SC 3 overlap
​46.875.3 SC 300 south – Ulmer
AllendaleAllendale60.497.2 US 301 north (Burton's Ferry Highway) – WalterboroNorth end US 301 overlap; to USC Salkehatchie
60.797.7 US 301 south (Main Street) / SC 125 north (Railroad Avenue) – Savannah River Site, Augusta, SylvaniaSouth end US 301 overlap
Fairfax66.2106.5 US 321 (Hampton Avenue) – Estill, Savannah, Orangeburg, ColumbiaTo USC Salkehatchie
HamptonHampton75.1120.9 SC 363 west (Shaw Drive) – Lake Warren State ParkWest end SC 363 overlap
75.3121.2 US 601 north (Hoover Street) – OrangeburgNorth end US 601 overlap
75.9122.1 US 601 south (First Street) – Estill, SavannahSouth end US 601 overlap
76.1122.5 SC 363 east (Third Street) – Walterboro, CharlestonEast end SC 363 overlap
Varnville77.9125.4 SC 63 east (Main Street) – Walterboro
Almeda80.1128.9 SC 68 east (Yemassee Highway) – Yemassee
JasperGrays91.6147.4 SC 3 north (Heritage Road) – Early Branch
Gillisonville96.5155.3 SC 462 west (Gillison Branch Road) – PinelandWest end SC 462 overlap
​97.3156.6 SC 462 east (Morgandollar Road) – CoosawhatchieEast end SC 462 overlap
​102.1164.3 SC 652 west (Calf Pen Bay Road) – Pineland
Ridgeland106.4171.2 US 17 north (Jacob Smart Boulevard) – CharlestonNorth end US 17 overlap
106.6171.6 SC 336 (Main Street) – Tillman, Beaufort, Hilton Head Island
108.9175.3 To I-95 – Savannah, Florence
Hardeeville119.2191.8 US 17 south (Whyte Hardee Boulevard) – HardeevilleSouth end US 17 overlap
119.5192.3 I-95 – Savannah, FlorenceI-95 exit 8.
​124.5200.4Argent Boulevard – Beaufort
Beaufort​127.4205.0 SC 170 (Okatie Highway) – Savannah, BeaufortTo Parris Island
Bluffton129.1207.8Buckwater Parkway
133.2214.4 SC 46 west (Bluffton Road) – Bluffton
​Bluffton ParkwayFuture interchange (funded)[21]
Hilton Head Island140.8226.6
US 278 Bus. east (William Hilton Parkway)		To Hilton Head Airport
143.1230.3Marshland Road / Spanish Wells Road
143.6231.1Toll plaza
146.0235.0
US 278 Bus. west (William Hilton Parkway) / Greenwood Drive / Pope Avenue		Roundabout; to Coligny Beach
1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi
  •       Concurrency terminus
  •       Tolled
  •       Unopened

See also

References

  1. 1 2 Google (April 12, 2014). "U.S. Route 278 in South Carolina" (Map). Google Maps. Google. Retrieved April 12, 2014.
  2. 1 2 3 4 Associated Press (January 16, 1998). "Hilton Head toll road to open". The Augusta Chronicle. Morris Communications. Archived from the original on February 16, 2013. Retrieved February 16, 2013.
  3. 1 2 3 "27-in-7 Peak Performance". South Carolina Department of Transportation. Archived from the original (PDF) on February 16, 2013.
  4. ↑ "Cross Island Parkway FAQ's". South Carolina Department of Transportation. Retrieved April 12, 2014.
  5. ↑ General Highway Map, Aiken County, South Carolina (PDF) (Map). Cartography by SCDOT. South Carolina Department of Transportation. 1956. Retrieved April 14, 2014.
  6. ↑ General Highway Map, Aiken County, South Carolina (PDF) (Map). Cartography by SCDOT. South Carolina Department of Transportation. 1967. Retrieved April 14, 2014.
  7. ↑ General Highway Map, Barnwell County, South Carolina (PDF) (Map). Cartography by SCDOT. South Carolina Department of Transportation. 1962. Retrieved April 14, 2014.
  8. ↑ General Highway Map, Barnwell County, South Carolina (PDF) (Map). Cartography by SCDOT. South Carolina Department of Transportation. 1967. Retrieved April 14, 2014.
  9. ↑ General Highway Map, Allendale County, South Carolina (PDF) (Map). Cartography by SCDOT. South Carolina Department of Transportation. 1962. Retrieved April 14, 2014.
  10. ↑ General Highway Map, Allendale County, South Carolina (PDF) (Map). Cartography by SCDOT. South Carolina Department of Transportation. 1967. Retrieved April 14, 2014.
  11. ↑ General Highway Map, Hampton County, South Carolina (PDF) (Map). Cartography by SCDOT. South Carolina Department of Transportation. 1963. Retrieved April 14, 2014.
  12. ↑ General Highway Map, Hampton County, South Carolina (PDF) (Map). Cartography by SCDOT. South Carolina Department of Transportation. 1967. Retrieved April 14, 2014.
  13. ↑ General Highway Map, Jasper County, South Carolina (PDF) (Map). Cartography by SCDOT. South Carolina Department of Transportation. 1959. Retrieved April 14, 2014.
  14. ↑ General Highway Map, Jasper County, South Carolina (PDF) (Map). Cartography by SCDOT. South Carolina Department of Transportation. 1966. Retrieved April 14, 2014.
  15. ↑ General Highway Map, Beaufort County, South Carolina (PDF) (Map). Cartography by SCDOT. South Carolina Department of Transportation. 1963. Retrieved April 14, 2014.
  16. ↑ General Highway Map, Beaufort County, South Carolina (PDF) (Map). Cartography by SCDOT. South Carolina Department of Transportation. 1966. Retrieved April 14, 2014.
  17. ↑ General Highway System, Jasper County (PDF) (Map). South Carolina Department of Transportation. June 2005. Retrieved April 14, 2014.
  18. ↑ General Highway System, Beaufort County (PDF) (Map). South Carolina Department of Transportation. January 2005. Retrieved April 14, 2014.
  19. ↑ "Report of the Special Committee on U.S. Route Numbering to the Standing Committee on Highways" (PDF). AASHTO. November 6, 1998. p. 11. Retrieved April 15, 2014.
  20. ↑ Hilton Head Island Urban Area, Beaufort County (PDF) (Map). South Carolina Department of Transportation. December 2011. Retrieved April 14, 2014.
  21. ↑ Thompson, Scott (December 25, 2013). "Costs for Bluffton Parkway flyover increase; S.C. 170 widening project delayed". Bluffton, SC: Bluffton Today. Retrieved April 12, 2014.
U.S. Route 278
Previous state:
Georgia		 South Carolina Next state:
Terminus
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