Interstate cutting a swath from the Northwestern Piedmont region to the Atlantic Coastal Plain. The highway serves Charleston at the eastern terminus, linking it with the state capital of Columbia and the Greenville/Spartanburg area (in conjunction with Interstate 385) before leaving the state en route to Asheville, North Carolina. The highway carries four lanes for the most part, with exceptions around Columbia and in Charleston.
The Guide to Interstate 26 is split into four components:
South Carolina @ SouthEastRoads - Interstate 26 Eastbound (Spartanburg Vicinity)
South Carolina 14 (Rutherford Street) ties into Interstate 26 at the first South Carolina interchange of eastbound. The state highway links the freeway with the nearby town of Landrum (pop. 2,472) along the U.S. 176 corridor. Photo taken 08/15/04.
Welcome to South Carolina sign at the Spartanburg County line as Interstate 26 enters the Palmetto State from North Carolina. The freeway maintains four overall lanes throughout the Upstate of South Carolina. Photo taken 08/15/04.
The first of many Interstate 26 South Carolina markers posted within the Palmetto State on eastbound. Interstate 26 travels 221 miles from the state line to its terminus at junction U.S. 17 in Charleston. Photo taken 08/15/04.
Traffic to South Carolina 14 (Rutherford Street) leaves Interstate 26 southbound at Landrum and Exit 1. South Carolina 14 ends here with Road 28 continuing eastward 1.25 miles to the state line. Rutherford Street intersects U.S. 176 (Howard Avenue / Trade Avenue) two miles to the west in downtown Landrum. Photo taken 08/15/04.
Interstate 26 eastbound at the Exit 21B cloverleaf ramp to U.S. 29 (Greenville Highway) northbound. U.S. 29 travels three miles into the central business district of Spartanburg (pop. 39,407) via Wo Ezell Boulevard and Main Street. Photo taken 01/18/04.
South Carolina 296 (Reidville Road) intersects Interstate 26 at the Exit 22 diamond interchange. The east-west highway serves Spartanburg Downtown Memorial Airport and the town of Reidville (pop. 454). South Carolina 296 becomes John B. White Sr. Boulevard at the intersection with Southport Road. Photo taken 01/18/04.
Continuing southward on Interstate 26 eastbound, one mile ahead of the Exit 28 interchange with U.S. 221 (S. Church Street Extension). U.S. 221 travels southward out of Spartanburg through the community of Roebuck (pop. 1,168) before intersecting the freeway. Photo taken 01/18/04.
Interstate 26 eastbound at Exit 28 (U.S. 221). U.S. 221 travels west of the freeway between Moore, Switzer, and Woodruff (pop. 4,086) within the next seven miles. Photo taken 01/18/04.
Walnut Grove Hill Road intersects Interstate 26 at Exit 35. The rural highway links Ridge Road to the east with the S J Workman Highway and the town of Woodruff to the east. Photo taken 01/18/04.
South Carolina 146 travels southward out of the city of Greenville to Woodruff and Interstate 26 at Exit 38. Known as Cross Anchor Road, South Carolina 26 continues southeast of the freeway seven miles to South Carolina 56 at the village of Cross Anchor. Photo taken 01/18/04.
South Carolina 92 loops five miles between U.S. 221 at Enoree with South Carolina 48 two miles west of Cross Anchor. The state highway intersects Interstate 26 at the Exit 41 diamond interchange. Photo taken 01/18/04.
Eastbound on Interstate 26 at South Carolina 92 (Exit 41). The state highway overlaps with U.S. 221 for one mile between Enoree and Lanford. From there South Carolina 92 migrates nine miles westward to Gray Court (pop. 1,072) and Ora. Photo taken 01/18/04.
The last Spartanburg County interchange of Interstate 26 eastbound is that of Exit 44. The freeway junctions with South Carolina 49 (Union Highway) here, a north-south roadway between the city of Laurens (pop. 9,699) and village of Cross Anchor. 18 miles east of Cross Anchor, South Carolina 14 intersects U.S. 176 at the Sumter County seat of Union (pop. 8,771). Photo taken 01/18/04.
Interstate 26 eastbound after the merge with Interstate 385 southbound near the town of Clinton. A pair of diamond interchanges serve the Laurens County community of 8,091. The first of these rural junctions links South Carolina 56 with the north-south freeway at Exit 52. An auxiliary lane gained from the Interstate 385 merge becomes exit only for the Exit 52 off-ramp.
Photo taken 01/18/04.
South Carolina 56 travels out of Spartanburg to Pauline, Cross Anchor, and Interstate 26. The state highway intersects U.S. 76 and overlaps with South Carolina 72 for 1.8 miles in Clinton. The southern terminus of the highway occurs 18 miles south of Clinton at South Carolina 39 near Chappels. Photo taken 01/18/04.
Multi-state Route 72 sees an interchange with Interstate 26 at Exit 54. The state highway travels Willard and Broad Streets through Clinton before sinking southwestward 27 miles to Greenwood (pop. 21,870). Eastward South Carolina 72 travels 15 miles through Sumter National Forest to Whitmire (pop. 1,497) and U.S. 176. South Carolina 72 continues as Georgia 72 all the way to Athens. Photo taken 01/18/04.
Before Interstate 26 departs Laurens County, South Carolina 66 interchanges with the freeway. Situated within Sumter National Forest, South Carolina 66 (Whitmire Highway) intersects Interstate 26 via a diamond interchange at Exit 60. The 20-mile state highway begins at South Carolina 56 near Joanna (pop. 1,700) and ends at U.S. 176 in Whitmire. Photo taken 01/18/04.
Scenes Pertaining to Interstate 26
U.S. 29 (Greenville Highway) northbound approaching Interstate 26. A full cloverleaf interchange facilitates the movements between the north-south freeway and U.S. 29 at Exit 19. Interstate 26 travels between the cities of Asheville, North Carolina, 60 miles to the north, and Columbia, 80 miles to the south. Photo taken 12/08/99.
South Carolina 72 eastbound at the Interstate 26 eastbound on-ramp of the Exit 54 interchange. Two control cities are allocated for Interstate 26 westbound due to the nearby Exit 51 interchange with Interstate 385 north. Photo taken 10/15/01.
