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U.S. Route 17 in South Carolina

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This article is about the section of U.S. Route 17 in South Carolina. For the entire route, see U.S. Route 17.
U.S. Highway 17 marker
U.S. Highway 17
Major Highways in South Carolina with US 17 in red.
Route information
Maintained by SCDOT
Length221.3 mi[1] (356.1 km)
Existed1927–present
Major junctions
South end US 17 at Georgia line near Savannah, GA
Major intersections
North end US 17 at North Carolina line near Calabash, NC
Location
CountryUnited States
StateSouth Carolina
CountiesJasper, Beaufort, Colleton, Charleston, Georgetown, Horry
Highway system
← SC 16→ SC 18

In the U.S. state of South Carolina, U.S. Route 17 (US 17) is a north–south highway located near the Atlantic Ocean. The route enters the state from Georgia at the Savannah River and serves Hardeeville, Charleston, Georgetown and Myrtle Beach before entering North Carolina near Calabash.

Route description

US 17 enters into South Carolina in Jasper County as a two-lane road and within eight miles (13 km) enters Hardeeville, where it becomes a major four-lane Freeway configuration. US 17 intersects Interstate 95 at exit 5 in Hardeeville and after the intersection with US 321, runs parallel to Interstate 95 until Ridgeland, where it merges with the interstate at exit 22 until Point South. At Point South, US 17 leaves I-95 at exit 33 and heads eastward into northern Beaufort County, sharing a concurrency with US 21 until Gardens Corner. US 21 splits off to Beaufort while US 17 heads northeast into the ACE Basin and Colleton County.

The stretch of US 17 between Gardens Corner and Jacksonboro was a scenic yet rural two-lane road configuration that has proven to be a very dangerous and deadly stretch for motorists. SCDOT is working on improving portions of the roadway, including widening some portions and reducing the speed limits. Since, this road has been upgraded to a four-lane divided highway. Once in Jacksonboro, the road enters into Charleston County crossing over the Edisto River and regaining a four-lane configuration for the remainder of the state. The road passes through several rural communities as it approaches Charleston from the west. Just before the interchange with Interstate 526, major commercial development starts and continues into the West Ashley neighborhood of Charleston until the Ashley River.

In Charleston, US 17 traverses the Ashley River Drawbridges and comes onto the Charleston Peninsula, being routed north of the historical areas of the city. The first portion is at-grade and has a few traffic-signals for flow purposes. Upon reaching the Interstate 26 terminus, US 17 becomes limited-access and above grade as it approaches the Cooper River via the Arthur Ravenel Jr. Bridge and the stretch of US 17 in Charleston is infamous among locals for its traffic congestion, especially on weekday mornings. The 3.6-mile (5.8 km) section running from SC 171 to Sam Rittenberg Boulevard has been named the "Charleston Nine Memorial Highway", in honor of nine Charleston firefighters killed in the line of duty in the Charleston Sofa Super Store fire on June 18, 2007.[2]

Upon crossing the river, the highway enters Mount Pleasant at grade and is signalized for several miles up through the second interchange with Interstate 526 and connecting roads to the Isle of Palms and Sullivan's Island. The road leaves the Charleston metro area by entering the Francis Marion National Forest and going through the rural communities of Awendaw and McClellanville on its northeastern journey to Georgetown. US 17 crosses the marsh-lined Santee River as it enters Georgetown County. After going around the city of Georgetown, US 17 crosses eastward over the Waccamaw / Pee Dee river system before making a northward turn along the Grand Strand.

The last component of US 17 runs close to the Atlantic, beginning at the Hobcaw Barony and DeBordieu, passing by Pawleys Island and going past the Litchfield beaches and Murrells Inlet. It then enters into Horry County and passing Garden City, Surfside Beach, and arriving in Myrtle Beach. US 17 splits here between a business route and the standard route, which remains west of the beach and tourist areas served by Business 17. The roads rejoin north of the city and continue as US 17 through Atlantic Beach, North Myrtle Beach, and Little River where the South Carolina Welcome Center can be found across from the intersection with SC 179 before crossing into North Carolina. The portions from Murrells Inlet to the state line are quite congested at times, though the soon to be constructed Interstate 73 should assist in alleviating many traffic issues.

History

The route was part of the 1926 approved plan for a national system of highways, and appears on the approved map. When first signed, US 17 followed a route that went through Florence and Marion.[3] The original route through South Carolina was 288 miles (463 km) long.

At this time, U.S. routes in South Carolina used a dual-numbering system; US 17 was also signed SC 1 from Georgia to Yemasse, SC 30 from Yemassee to Walterboro, SC 6 from Walterboro to Charleston, SC 2 from Charleston to Goose Creek, SC 41 from Goose Creek to Florence, SC 3 from Florence to North Carolina.[4][5] By 1928, all of the dual numbers had been removed except for SC 2.[5] The entire route from Georgia to North Carolina was paved by 1930.[6] At one point the route from Green Pond to Jacksonboro was SC 32.

The early routing was already identified to be shifted to the Kings Highway which would pass through Myrtle Beach and Georgetown; re-routing occurred in 1935.[3][5]

The first tourist welcome center in South Carolina opened in February 1968 on US 17 near Little River.[7]

A segment of US 17 between Ridgeland and Point South once contained a four-lane divided section in the vicinity of some 1941-built bridges over the Tullifinny River and its tributary the Harbor River.[8][9] From 1971 to 1975, portions of that segment were relocated onto Interstate 95. The northbound lane was closed, and today is used for a fishing pier, a parking lot of a church, and a private home.

Junction list

CountyLocationmi[1]kmDestinationsNotes
Jasper​0.00.0
 US 17 south – Savannah		Continuation from Georgia
​4.36.9
 SC 315 north (S Okatie Highway) – Bluffton, Hilton Head Island, Beaufort		Southern terminus of SC 315
​6.710.8
 SC 170 west (Alligator Alley) – Port Wentworth		West end of SC 170 overlap
Limehouse8.213.2
 SC 170 east (Freedom Parkway) – Hilton Head Island, Beaufort		East end of SC 170 overlap
Hardeeville13.121.1 I-95 – Florence, JacksonvilleI-95 exit 5
13.722.0
 US 321 north (Deerfield Road) – Augusta		To Jasper Power Plant; southern terminus of US 321
14.122.7 SC 46 (Main Street) – Tillman, Hilton Head Island
16.125.9

 US 278 east to I-95 – Beaufort, Hilton Head Island		East end of US 278 overlap
Ridgeland26.442.5
 To I-95 – Florence, Savannah		I-95 exit 18
28.746.2 SC 336 (Main Street) – Tillman
28.846.3
 US 278 west – Hampton		West end of US 278 overlap
30.749.4
 I-95 south – Savannah		South end of I-95 overlap; exit 22
​36.258.3 SC 462 – CoosawhatchieI-95 exit 28
Point South40.765.5
 I-95 north – Florence		North end of I-95 overlap; exit 33
BeaufortPocotaligo42.768.7


 US 21 north (Castle Hall Road) / US 17 Alt. north – Yemassee, Walterboro		South end of US 21 overlap; Southern terminus of US 17 Alt
Gardens Corner49.179.0
 US 21 south (Trask Parkway) – Beaufort		North end of US 21 overlap
ColletonGreen Pond61.198.3
 SC 303 north (Green Pond Highway) – Walterboro		Southern terminus of SC 303
Jacksonboro71.2114.6
 SC 64 west (Charleston Highway) – Walterboro		Eastern terminus of SC 64
CharlestonOsborn78.2125.9
 SC 174 south – Edisto Beach		Northern terminus of SC 174
Ravenel84.1135.3 SC 165 – Younges Island, Summerville
90.0144.8
 SC 162 west – Hollywood, Edisto Beach		Eastern terminus of SC 162
Charleston97.3156.6
 SC 7 north (Sam Rittenburg Boulevard)		Southern terminus of SC 7
97.4156.8
 I-526 east – North Charleston, Charleston International Airport		Western terminus of I-526
101.0162.5 SC 171 (Wesley Drive) – James Island, Folly Beach
101.4163.2

 SC 61 west (St. Andrews Boulevard) / SC 700 west (Folly Road Boulevard) – Summerville, Folly Beach
101.6163.5Ashley River Memorial Bridge across the Ashley River
102.6165.1
 SC 30 west (Lockwood Drive) – James Island, Folly Beach		Eastern terminus of SC 30
103.1165.9
 To US 78 (King Street)Module:Jct warning: "road" parameter is deprecated		Southbound exit only; West end of I-26 overlap; Eastern terminus of I-26
103.6166.7
 I-26 west – North Charleston, Columbia		East end of I-26 overlap
103.8167.0 US 52 (Meeting Street)Southbound exit and northbound entrance
104.1167.5
 US 52 Spur (East Bay Street / Morrison Drive)		Southbound exit and northbound entrance; no US 52 Spur signage at exit
Charleston–Mount Pleasant line105.2169.3Arthur Ravenel Jr. Bridge over the Cooper River
Mount Pleasant106.3171.1 SC 703 (Coleman Boulevard) – Sullivan's Island
109.5176.2

 I-526 west / I-526 BS east (Chuck Dawley Boulevard) – North Charleston, Savannah
111.5179.4
 SC 517 south – Isle of Palms		Northern terminus of SC 517
114.0183.5
 SC 41 north – Huger		Southern terminus of SC 41
McClellanville140.0225.3
 SC 45 north		Southern terminus of SC 45
GeorgetownGeorgetown162.8262.0



 US 521 north (Highmarket Street) / US 701 north (Fraser Street) / US 17 Alt. south (Exchange Street) – Andrews, Walterboro, Conway		Northern terminus of US 17 Alt; Southern termini of US 521/US 701
164.7265.1L.W. Stau Bridge across the Waccamaw River (Intracoastal Waterway)
Murrells Inlet181.9292.7

 US 17 Bus. north – Murrells Inlet		Southern terminus of US 17 Bus
185.0297.7
 SC 707 (Burgess Road) to SC 31 – Conway, North Myrtle Beach, Murrells Inlet
HorryGarden City181.9292.7


 To US 17 Bus. north – Garden City, Surfside Beach		Northbound exit and southbound entrance
Surfside Beach191.6308.4 SC 544 (Dick Pond Road) – Surfside Beach, Garden City, Socastee, Conway
Myrtle Beach194.3312.7
 SC 707 south (Socastee Boulevard) – SocasteeModule:Jct warning: "road" parameter is deprecated		Northern terminus of SC 707
196.5316.2 George Bishop Parkway / Harrelson Boulevard – MYR Int'l Airport
197.5317.8 US 501 – Myrtle Beach, ConwayCloverleaf interchange
201.8324.8
 To SC 31 – Downtown Myrtle BeachModule:Jct warning: "road" parameter is deprecated		No northbound south exit
205.1330.1

 US 17 Bus. south (Kings Highway) – Myrtle Beach		Interchange; northern terminus of US 17 Bus
Briarcliffe Acres207.3333.6


 SC 22 west (Conway Bypass) to SC 31 / US 501 – Conway		Interchange; eastern terminus of SC 22
North Myrtle Beach211.1339.7
 SC 65 north (27th Avenue South) – Crescent Beach		Southern terminus of SC 65
213.6343.8
 To SC 31 – WampeeModule:Jct warning: "road" parameter is deprecated
Main Street – Downtown N. Myrtle Beach		Signed as Robert Edge Parkway (West) and Main Street (East)
215.7347.1
 SC 9 south – Cherry Grove Beach		Interchange; south end of SC 9 overlap
216.0347.6Bridge across the Intracoastal Waterway
Little River216.5348.4 SC 90 – ConwayNorthbound exit and southbound entrance
216.7348.7

 SC 9 north to SC 31 – Loris, Dillon		Interchange; north end of SC 9 overlap
217.4349.9
 SC 90 west – Conway		Eastern terminus of SC 90
219.4353.1Mineola Avenue – Little River, BrooksvilleSigned as (East) and (West)
220.6355.0
 SC 179 north – CalabashModule:Jct warning: "road" parameter is deprecated		Southern terminus of SC 179
​221.3356.1
 US 17 north – Shallotte, Wilmington		Continuation into North Carolina
1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi

See also

References

  • Moore, John Hammond (1987). The South Carolina Highway Department, 1917–1987. Columbia, South Carolina: University of South Carolina Press. ISBN 0-87249-528-0. {{cite book}}: Cite has empty unknown parameters: |month=, |chapterurl=, and |coauthors= (help)
  1. ^ a b "U.S. Route 17 in South Carolina" (Map). Google Maps. Retrieved July 10, 2013.
  2. ^ U.S. 17 stretch to honor firefighters who died in sofa store blaze Archived 2008-10-17 at the Wayback Machine The Post and Courier, March 25, 2008. Accessed March 27, 2008.
  3. ^ a b DeLysle, Jack, Map of the Official Atlantic Coastal Highway, 1929. University of South Carolina Map Collections.
  4. ^ Moore 1987, pp. 74–75.
  5. ^ a b c Roberson, M. (July 17, 2006). "US 17". Mapmikey's South Carolina Highways Page. Retrieved October 12, 2009.
  6. ^ Moore 1987, p. 139.
  7. ^ Moore 1987, p. 244.
  8. ^ "Uglybridges.com - S-27-424SERVICE over TULLIFINNY RIVER (NO. 1), Jasper County, South Carolina".
  9. ^ "Uglybridges.com - S-27-424 over TULLIFINNY RIVER (NO. 2), Jasper County, South Carolina".
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U.S. Route 17
Previous state:
Georgia 		South Carolina Next state:
North Carolina
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