| Still within the Sumter National Forest, Interstate 26
draws to within one mile of Exit 74 (South Carolina 34). South Carolina 34 (Winnsboro Road) links the city of
Newberry with the Airfield County seat of Winnsboro (pop. 3,828) 33 miles to the east. Photo taken 01/18/04.
|
| Interstate 26 leaves the Sumter National Forest at the Exit
74 diamond interchange with South Carolina 34 (Winnsboro Road). South Carolina 34 travels east-west between
Greenwood (pop. 21,870) and Winnsboro overall. In Newberry, South Carolina 34 shares a short overlap
with U.S. 76 (Wilson Road) before turning westward on Dixie Drive to South Carolina 121. Photo taken 01/18/04.
|
| South Carolina 219 constitutes a nine-mile state highway between
Newberry and U.S. 176 near Pomaria (pop. 175). The state highway sees a diamond interchange with Interstate 26 at Exit 76.
Photo taken 01/18/04.
|
| Reconstruction is underway at Exit 76 (South Carolina 219).
The state highway travels Main Street from U.S. 76 Business eastward out of Newberry. South Carolina 219
ends seven miles to the east at U.S. 176. Photo taken 01/18/04.
|
| Interstate 26 eastbound at South Carolina 773 (Exit 82). South
Carolina 773 provides a five-mile route between U.S. 76 near Prosperity (pop. 1,082) and U.S. 176 at Pomaria.
Photo taken 01/18/04.
|
| South Carolina 202 (Pomaria Street) also travels between U.S.
76 and 176 in Newberry County. The state highway comprises just three miles between Little Mountain (pop. 233)
and Pomaria. The half-cloverleaf interchange of Exit 85 is the last for Interstate 26 eastbound within the
county. Photo taken 01/18/04.
|
| Interstate 26 skims the northern tip of Lexington County
near the Exit 91 interchange with Columbia Avenue. The rural diamond serves the nearby community of Chapin
(pop. 625). Photo taken 01/18/04.
|
| Columbia Avenue travels between U.S. 176 (Chapin Road) to U.S.
176 (Broad River Road). The name of the highway changes to Chapin Road upon crossing the Richland County line.
This photograph displays the eastbound off-ramp of Exit 91 on Interstate 26 east. Photo taken 01/18/04.
|
| U.S. 176 (Broad River Road) and Interstate 26 meet for the
first time in 71 miles at Exit 97 near Ballentine. The federal highway travels south out of Spartanburg through
Union, Whitmire, and Pomaria before crossing paths with Interstate 26. Photo taken 01/18/04.
|
| Interstate 26 eastbound at U.S. 176 (Exit 97). A folded cloverleaf
interchange composes the junction with Broad River Road. Connections with nearby Rauch Metz Road allow
motorists to turn westward for White Rock and U.S. 76 (Dutch Fork Road). U.S. 176 southbound otherwise merges
with U.S. 76 in two miles. Photo taken 01/18/04.
|
| One of two neutered Interstate 26 mainline shields posted
in Richland County. This particular assembly exists on eastbound at milepost 97. Shady Grove Road travels
over the freeway in the background. Photo taken 01/18/04.
|
| Interstate 26 enters the greater Columbia Metropolitan Area
at the Exit 101 six-ramp partial cloverleaf interchange at Irmo (pop. 11,108). Intersecting the freeway here
is U.S. 76 & 176 (Broad River Road). Although not mentioned, U.S. 76 eastbound merges onto Interstate 26
for a seven-mile overlap to Interstate 126. Photo taken 01/18/04.
|
| The freeway widens to six-lanes at the Exit 101A/B interchange.
Departing Interstate 26 eastbound here is the Broad River Road westbound off-ramp. Exit 101A carries motorists
onto U.S. 76 & 176 westbound. Photo taken 01/18/04.
|
| U.S. 176 skirts back to the east of Interstate 26 via Broad
River Road. From here southward, U.S. 176 travels into the heart of the capital city. U.S. 176 interacts with
Interstate 26 one final time at Exit 115. Photo taken 01/18/04.
|
| South Carolina 60 follows Lake Murray Boulevard from South
Carolina 6 (North Lake Drive) at the intersection with Bush River Road eastward to U.S. 176 (Broad River Road).
The five-mile highway sees an interchange with Interstate 26 at Exits 102A/B. Photo taken 01/18/04.
|
| A loop ramp carries eastbound motorists onto South Carolina
60 (Lake Murray Boulevard) eastbound. The state highway concludes in one mile at U.S. 176 near Harbison State
Forest. Photo taken 01/18/04.
|
| The first of several centerline posted upcoming exits signs
for Interstate 26 through the Columbia metro area. Ahead is the Exit 103 interchange with Harbison Boulevard.
Harbison Boulevard composes a surface roadway between Saint Andrews Road and U.S. 176 (Broad River Road).
Photo taken 01/18/04.
|
| Interstate 26 at the Exit 103 ramp departure for Harbison
Boulevard. The partial cloverleaf interchange is the second of three exits to serve the suburb of Irmo.
Interstate 26 reenters Lexington County at the Harbison Boulevard overcrossing. Photo taken 01/18/04.
|
| The 0.75-mile guide sign of Exit 104 for Piney Grove Road
is placed with the Exit 103 interchange. Piney Grove Road loops from Saint Andrews Road to U.S. 176 (Broad
River Road) through the community of Irmo. Photo taken 01/18/04.
|
| 0.25 miles from the Exit 104 diamond interchange with Piney
Grove Road on Interstate 26 east. The upcoming exits sign is the first to advise motorists of the upcoming
junction with Interstate 20. Photo taken 01/18/04.
|
| Interstate 26 continues southward toward the Exit 104
interchange with Saint Andrews Road. Saint Andrews Road stems from U.S. 76 & 176 southward through Irmo
to U.S. 176 (Broad River Road) nearby. Photo taken 01/18/04.
|
| Interstate 26 expands to eight lanes in anticipation of the
Interstate 20 junction at Exit 107. Departing this eastbound scene is the Exit 106 off-ramp to Saint Andrews
Road. A frontage Road system exists between Harbison Boulevard (Exit 103) and Bush River Road (Exit 108)
for the freeway. Photo taken 01/18/04.
|
| A full cloverleaf interchange facilitates the movements between
Interstate 26 and Interstate 20 at Exits 107A/B. Two things of note at the Saint Andrews Road overcrossing.
One is that Exit 107A off-ramp for Interstate 20 west departs in one half mile. Two, the pull-through panel
for Interstate 26 portrays the concept that Interstate 26 exits from itself. This ends up to be the case at
the Interstate 126 interchange ahead. Photo taken 01/18/04.
|
| The upcoming exits sign posted between Exits 108 and 107A ignores
Interstate 126 in favor of Interstate 26 East for the 1.25 mile junction. Interstate 20 westbound traffic
to Lexington (pop. 9,383) and Aiken (pop. 25,340) departs just ahead. The east-west freeway departs the
Palmetto State in 63 miles and reaches Atlanta in 203 miles. Photo taken 01/18/04.
|
| Interstate 26 eastbound at Exit 107A (Interstate 20 east). The
pull-through panel indicates that the left two lanes become exit-only for Downtown Columbia. Unfortunately
the sign omits the fact that these lanes depart for Interstate 126 east and not Interstate 26 in 1.50 miles.
Photo taken 01/18/04.
|
| Original button copy overheads within the Exit 107 cloverleaf
interchange of Interstate 26 and Interstate 20. Exit 107B carries eastbound traffic onto Interstate 20
east for the city of Florence and the Myrtle Beach coastal resort area. Both sign panels were replaced by 2002.
Photo taken 08/05/00.
|
| The retroreflective replacement of the guide signs at Exit 107B.
Interstate 26 itself carries the Columbia Beltway from Interstate 20 west to Interstate 77 north between Exits
107 and 116. Photo taken 01/18/04.
|
| Placed between the Interstate 20 cloverleaf interchange
and Interstate 126 bumping of Interstate 26 is the Bush River Road off-ramp (Exit 108). Bush River Road
travels south from Saint Andrews Road and Irmo to U.S. 176 and Colonial Life Boulevard. The interchange provides
full access to Interstate 26 with an additional off-ramp from Interstate 126 west. Photo taken 01/18/04.
|
| Placed in close proximity to the Interstate 20 junction is the eastbound beginning of Interstate 126 (Exit 108). At this freeway partitioning, Interstate 26 in effect exits from itself as the mainline defaults onto the Columbia bound freeway spur. The kink in the freeway alignment at Interstate 126 occurs because of the nearby pathway of the Congaree River. Reflective signs pictured here saw installation by late 2000. Photo taken 01/18/04.
|
| Interstate 26 travels underneath the Bush River Road overpass
and prepares to bend southward from its easterly trajectory. Photo taken 01/18/04.
|
| The mainline of Interstate 26 east defaults onto Interstate
126 & U.S. 76 eastbound. There is no mentioning of U.S. 76 on any Interstate 126 related sign, nor are there
any Interstate 126 shields posted at all in the eastbound direction. Instead the guide signs spell out
"Route I-126" redundantly. In addition while the off-ramp in the westbound direction carries the number 108,
for eastbound it is unassigned. Photo taken 01/18/04.
|
| Interstate 26 eastbound one mile north of the Exit 110
interchange with U.S. 378 (Sunset Boulevard). The east-west federal highway travels between Washington,
Georgia and Conway (pop. 11,795). Sunset Boulevard sees an interchange nearby with Interstate 20 at Exit 61.
Photo taken 01/18/04.
|
| Traffic to U.S. 378 (Sunset Boulevard) departs Interstate
26 eastbound via Exit 110. The interchange is currently undergoing construction to upgrade it from a
diamond to a Single Point Urban Interchange (SPUI). U.S. 378 merges with U.S. 1 (Meeting Street) before crossing
the Congaree River into downtown Columbia (pop. 115,994). Photo taken 01/18/04.
|
| The original button copy guide sign for the Exit 110 diamond
interchange. U.S. 378 composes a primary arterial between the capital city and the western suburbs of West
Columbia (pop. 13,064) and Lexington (pop. 9,793). This sign was replaced by 2001.
Photo taken 08/05/00.
|
| A full cloverleaf interchange is in place between Interstate
26 and the east-west U.S. 1 (Augusta Road) at Exit 111. Similar to U.S. 378, U.S. 1 also travels west out of
the Columbia central business district through West Columbia and Lexington. Both U.S. 1 and U.S. 378 see
interchanges with Interstate 20 to the north of Lexington. Both overheads were replaced with reflectorized
versions by late 2001. Photo taken 08/05/00.
|
| Reflectorized versions of the Exit 111A/B overheads at the
U.S. 1 (Augusta Road) interchange. U.S. 1 southbound follows the Interstate 20 corridor through to North
Augusta (pop. 17,574). Photo taken 01/18/04.
|
| Traffic to U.S. 1 (Augusta Road) northbound departs Interstate 26
east via Exit 111B. U.S. 1 merges with U.S. 378 (Sunset Boulevard) in 3.3 miles. Together the two highways
cross the Congaree River via Meeting Street into downtown Columbia. Photo taken 01/18/04.
|
| Six lanes of Interstate 26 eastbound continue southward to the
Wilton Road overpass. Although not in view, a frontage road system follows the freeway from north of U.S. 378
to the South Carolina 302 interchange at Exit 113. Photo taken 01/18/04.
|
| Interstate 26 eastbound at South Carolina 302 (Exit 113).
South Carolina 302 (Airport Boulevard) travels east-west between Columbia Metropolitan Airport to the suburb
of Cayce (pop. 12,150). The ramps to Airport Boulevard utilize the adjacent frontage road system. Plans are underway
to create a controlled access route from Interstate 26 to the Airport. Covering two miles, the $94 million
project will travel between Interstate 26 and Platt Springs Road. A mile of the highway on the eastern edge
of the Airport is nearing completion. The 1.1-mile expressway between the aforementioned road to Interstate
26 is expected to see construction by mid-2006 and an opening by 2008. The road will link the Airport
entrance to a new interchange between South Carolina 302 and U.S. 321.1 Photo taken 01/18/04.
|
| Within the next two miles of Interstate 26 is the interchange
complex of Exits 115 & 116 with U.S. 21-176-321 (Charleston Highway) and Interstate 77 (Columbia Beltway).
The two highways converge with Interstate 26 near one another and thus receive ramps from one another.
Photo taken 01/18/04.
|
| The ramp for the northbound beginning of Interstate 77 departs
from the left 0.25 miles beyond the partial cloverleaf interchange with Charleston Highway (Exit 115).
Interstate 77 continues the Columbia Beltway eastward to Fort Jackson and Interstate 20. Photo taken 01/18/04.
|
| Entering the confluences of Exits 115 & 116 on Interstate
26 eastbound. Departing in this southward facing photograph is the U.S. 21, 176, and 321 off-ramp to the
Charleston Highway. The three federal highways share pavement between downtown Columbia and a point two miles
south of Exit 116. Photo taken 01/18/04.
|
| The end of the Exit 115 off-ramp at U.S. 21-176-321.
The control points feature the towns of Gaston and Swansea for U.S. 321 south. U.S. 21 & 176 continue to follow
the Interstate 26 corridor after the split with U.S. 321. U.S. 321 offers a straight shot to the city of
Savannah from Interstate 26 and Columbia. Photo taken 01/18/04.
|
| Interstate 77 begins its northbound trek to the city of Rock
Hill (pop. 49,765) and Charlotte via Exit 116 of Interstate 26. The freeway composes the southeastern leg of
the Columbia Beltway system serving nearby Fort Jackson and the southern suburbs of the Columbia metropolitan
area. Interstate 77 continues northward to Wytheville, Virginia, Charleston, West Virginia, and Akron, Ohio
before concluding at Cleveland, Ohio. Photo taken 12/15/01.
|
| U.S. 21 & 176 (Charleston Highway) again intersect Interstate
26 at Exit 119. The paired highway depart with U.S. 321 two miles to the north before parting with each other
seven miles to the south near Sandy Run. U.S. 176 is done with the Interstate 26 corridor as the federal
highway stays to the east of the freeway through to its terminus with U.S. 52 at Goose Creek (pop. 29,208). Saint
Mathews (pop. 2,107) is featured as the control city of Exit 119 for U.S. 176. Photo taken 01/18/04.
|
| Interstate 26 skirts into Calhoun County briefly in and around the
Exit 125 interchange at Road 31. The east-west roadway travels between U.S. 321 (Main Street/Southbound Road)
at Gaston eastward to U.S. 21 & 176 just north of their split. Photo taken 01/18/04.
|
| U.S. 21 crosses paths with Interstate 26 again at Exit 129. The
federal highway continues alongside Interstate 26 between Exits 129 and 139 before descending into Orangeburg
(pop. 12,765). Paralleling the freeway at this point is the frontage road Glowworm Road. Photo taken 01/18/04.
|
| Interstate 26 reenters Lexington County for the final time
at the Exit 129 partial cloverleaf interchange with U.S. 21. U.S. 21 cuts the corner of Interstate 26 and 95
between Orangeburg and Beaufort (pop. 12,950) near the Atlantic coast. Photo taken 01/18/04.
|
| One mile north of South Carolina 6, eight miles west of Saint
Mathews, in Calhoun County. Interstate 26 sees a five-ramp partial cloverleaf interchange with the east-west
highway at Exit 136. Photo taken 01/18/04.
|
| Interstate 26 eastbound at the ramp departure for Exit 136
(South Carolina 6). South Carolina 6 overlaps with U.S. 21 for two miles just west of here. At the point where
the overlap ends, South Carolina 172 begins. South Carolina 172 stems from U.S. 21 nine miles westward to U.S.
178 near the community of North. Photo taken 01/18/04.
|
| Nearing the full cloverleaf interchange with U.S. 601
(Saint Mathews Road) on Interstate 26 eastbound. The north-south federal highway represents the main arterial
between the freeway and downtown Orangeburg (pop. 12,765). U.S. 601 continues north of Interstate 26 to Jamison
and Saint Mathews. Photo taken 01/18/04.
|
| Exit 145A departs for U.S. 601 (Saint Mathews Road) from
Interstate 26 eastbound. Saint Mathews Road becomes Magnolia Street upon entering the Orangeburg county seat
by the same name. At Downtown, U.S. 601 turns southward onto U.S. 301 (John C. Calhoun Drive) for an
18-mile overlap to Bamberg (pop. 3,733). Photo taken 01/18/04.
|
| The cloverleaf ramp of Exit 145B for U.S. 601 as it leaves
Interstate 26 eastbound. U.S. 601 in conjunction with U.S. 76 & 378 compose the main route between Orangeburg
and the city of Sumter (pop. 39,643). U.S. 601 travels north of U.S. 76 & 378 to Luoff and Camden (pop. 6,682) where it
overlaps with U.S. 1. Photo taken 01/18/04.
|
| Southbound at the one-mile guide sign of Exit 149 (South
Carolina 33) and the Belleville Road overpass. South Carolina 33 travels from U.S. 301 & 601 (John C. Calhoun Drive)
eastward ten miles to Cameron. Photo taken 01/18/04.
|
| A half-cloverleaf interchange provides the junction between Interstate
26 and South Carolina 33 (Russell Street). The state highway is rather short in length, traveling 19 miles
between Orangeburg and South Carolina 267 near Lone Star. Photo taken 01/18/04.
|
| U.S. 301 (Five Chop Road) sees a full cloverleaf interchange
with Interstate 26 at Exits 154A/B. The federal highway travels east-west between Orangeburg and Interstate 95
at Santee (pop. 740). The corridor is divided and carries four lanes. Crossing overhead at the sign is
Four Holes Road. Photo taken 01/18/04.
|
| Exit 154A serves U.S. 301 (Five Chop Road) southbound. Five Chop
Road travels six miles westward to U.S. 178 (Joe S. Jeffords Highway) and the city of Orangeburg. The orientation
of U.S. 301 through here is such that the southbound actually travels west northwest at this point.
Photo taken 01/18/04.
|
| U.S. 301 northbound merges onto Interstate 95 in 15 miles.
From there northward, U.S. 15 joins for a three-way overlap across Lake Marion. The original Lake Marion
Bridge of U.S. 15 & 301 sits abandoned to the west of Interstate 95. Photo taken 01/18/04.
|
| Road 36 (Homestead Road) loops between U.S. 301 (Five Chop Road)
and U.S. 178 (Charleston Highway) at Bowman (pop. 1,198). Pictured here is the one mile guide sign for Exit 159
with Homestead Road. Photo taken 01/18/04.
|
| Interstate 26 eastbound at the Exit 159 diamond interchange
with Road 36 (Homestead Road). Homestead Road ends five blocks north of South Carolina 210 (Bowman Branch
Highway). South Carolina 210 travels west from U.S. 178 (Charleston Highway) to the town of Branchville
and U.S. 21. Photo taken 01/18/04.
|
| South Carolina 210 (Vance Road) sees its own interchange with
Interstate 26 at Exit 165. The east-west highway travels six miles east out of Bowman to the freeway.
From Exit 165 eastward, Vance Road continues four miles to Providence (Junction U.S. 176). Photo taken 01/18/04.
|
| Exit 165 departs for South Carolina 210 (Vance Road). South
Carolina 210 continues another seven miles east to Junction U.S. 15 (Bass Drive) and 13 miles to its terminus
with South Carolina 6 at Vance. Photo taken 01/18/04.
|
| Typical for Interstate to Interstate junctions within the Palmetto
State, a two-mile guide sign is posted on the approach to the interchange in question. Exit 169A/B represents
a full cloverleaf interchange between Interstate 26 and 95. Photo taken 01/18/04.
|
| Drawing to within one mile of the Interstate 95 interchange
(Exits 169A/B). Interstate 95 represents the main conduit between the Northeastern U.S. and the state of Florida.
The freeway serves the city of Florence (pop. 30,248) on an otherwise rural stretch through South Carolina.
Photo taken 01/18/04.
|
| Construction appears to be widening the off-ramp of Exit 169A
to Interstate 95 southbound from Interstate 26 east. The city of Savannah is 95 miles to the south via
Interstate 95 and U.S. 17. The freeway otherwise travels into the Peach State in 86 miles. Photo taken 01/18/04.
|
| Interstate 95 northbound traffic leaves Interstate 26 eastbound
via Exit 169B. Interstate 95 travels 74 miles northeast to Florence and Interstate 20. The freeway carries just
four lanes throughout all of the 198.76-mile path through South Carolina. Photo taken 01/18/04.
|
Page Updated February 16, 2004.
