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Interstate 77

The last 2di Interstate to be completed in the Palmetto State. The highway links the capital city of Columbia with Rock Hill and Charlotte, North Carolina to the north. The route parallels U.S. 21 for the duration in South Carolina. Originally the highway terminated at the area of Interstate 20 and South Carolina 277. In the mid 1980s a stub freeway was built connecting Interstate 26 and U.S. 76/378. Some 1980s maps show this section of pre Interstate 77 signed as Interstate 326 (although no such designation was present in August of 1988). The segment adjacent to Fort Jackson between Interstate 20 and U.S. 76/378 was completed by the early 1990s. Temp Interstate 77 shields were posted along Interstate 20 and Interstate 26 until this opened.

Interstate 77 constitutes one half of the Columbia Beltway system. The northern leg is composed of Interstate 20 and the western leg is composed of Interstate 26. By Summer of 2000, the South Carolina 35 extension opened with an end at a new Exit 2 interchange of Interstate 77. Presently, South Carolina 35 has a stub end on the southside of the interchange.

Overall Interstate 77 carries a 70 mph speed limit north of the South Carolina 555 exit, and a 65 mph speed limit south to Interstate 26. The road constitutes six lanes in width in Columbia metro.
Interstate 77 North
Descending from the U.S. 21-176-321 (Charleston Highway) flyover onto the northbound mainline of Interstate 77. Traffic from Interstate 26 east merges from the left and Interstate 26 west from the right. Photo taken 01/18/04.
A diamond interchange exists as unsigned Exit 2 for the 12th Street Extension and Saxe Gotha Road. Substandard signs remain in place for the interchange as South Carolina 35 is still incomplete between its routing in Cayce to Interstate 77. Photo taken 01/18/04.
One-mile guide sign for the Exit 9 interchange complex with U.S. 76 & 378 (Garners Ferry Road) and South Carolina 262 (Leesburg Road). A collector/distributor roadway exists on Interstate 77 northbound for the two Exit 9 off-ramps. Photo taken 03/12/00.
U.S. 76/378 shields and guide sign posted at the end of the northbound Interstate 77 off-ramp (unsigned Exit 9A). U.S. 76 & 378 jointly travel 41 miles eastward to the city of Sumter (pop. 39,643). Garners Ferry Road enters downtown Columbia to the northwest. Photo taken 03/12/00.
South Carolina 760 is a short east-west highway that links U.S.76 & 378 with the main entrance into Fort Jackson. Known as Fort Jackson Boulevard, South Carolina 760 intersects Interstate 77 at the Exit 10 diamond interchange. Photo taken 03/12/00.
Interstate 77 northbound reassurance shield and the one-mile guide sign of Exit 12. The upcoming diamond interchange links the Columbia Beltway with Strom Thurmand Boulevard (formerly Imboden Street) and the nearby Forest Drive. Both of these surface streets continue east of the freeway into Fort Jackson. Photo taken 03/12/00.
A partial "Y" interchange constitutes the Exit 13 junction of Interstate 77 with the south end of Decker Boulevard. The north-south arterial travels between U.S. 1 at Dentsville (pop. 13,009) with South Carolina 12 (Percival Road) and the Southeastern Beltway. Photo taken 03/12/00.
The one-mile guide sign of the Exit 15 partial cloverleaf interchange is posted within the Exit 13 junction. South Carolina 12 (Percival Road) parallels Interstate 77 to the west between Forest Drive and Exit 15. Percival Road continues eastward from there to Kershaw County (Fort Jackson Road) northeast of Fort Jackson. Photo taken 03/12/00.
Interstate 77 leaves the Columbia Beltway at Exit 16 (Interstate 20) and reduces from six to four travel lanes. 75 miles separate the Interstate junction with the North Carolina state line and city of Charlotte. Photo taken 03/12/00.
Interstate 77 northbound at the ramp departure of Exit 16. The junction with Interstate 20 composes a three level stack interchange with high speed flyovers between Interstate 77 north to Interstate 20 west and Interstate 20 west to Interstate 77 south. The overpass to which the Exit 16 overheads are attached is that of Faraway Drive. Photo taken 03/12/00.
Replaced button copy overheads at the Interstate 20 ramp partition. Eastward Interstate 20 travels 65 miles eastward to its terminus at Interstate 95 and the city of Florence. Westward Interstate 20 travels 76 miles to the Georgia state line at North Augusta. Photo taken 08/05/00.
Interstate 77 South
Interstate 77 southbound at the one-mile guide sign for South Carolina 760 (Fort Jackson Boulevard). Fort Jackson Boulevard links the Fort Jackson main gate to U.S. 76 & 378 (Divine Street) and South Carolina 16 (Rosewood Drive). Photo taken 03/12/00.
A partial cloverleaf interchange composes the Exit 9B/A interchange of Interstate 77 with U.S. 76 & 378 (Garners Ferry Road). Depicted here is the one-mile guide sign for the Columbia to Sumter federal highway pair. Photo taken 03/12/00.
Exit 9B departs for South Carolina 262 (Leesburg Road). This east-west highway ends nearby at U.S. 76 & 378 and thus provides the westbound access from Interstate 77 southbound. Ahead is the cloverleaf ramp for Garners Ferry Road eastbound and the city of Sumter. Photo taken 03/12/00.
Interstate 77 turns westerly ahead of the Exit 6 cloverleaf interchange with South Carolina 768. Known as Shop Road, this east-west highway travels between Beltline Highway and Pineview Drive between South Carolina 48 and U.S. 76 & 378. Photo taken 03/12/00.
The final mile of Interstate 77 southbound ahead of the Interstate 26 stack interchange. The unsigned Exit 0B/A connect with Interstate 26 east and west adjacent to the Exit 115 interchange with the Charleston Highway (U.S. 21-176-321). Photo taken 01/18/04.
Interstate 77 southbound crosses over a CSX railroad line ahead of the Exit 1 ramp departure for the Charleston Highway (U.S. 21-176-321). The trio of federal highways overlap northward into Cayce and downtown Charleston. Photo taken 01/18/04.
A flyover ramp continues overhead of Interstate 26 to U.S. 21-176-321. The ramp itself ends at the intersection of the Charleston Highway with Fish Hatchery Road. The control points feature Swansea for U.S. 321 southbound beyond the split with U.S. 21 & 176. The westbound on-ramp to Interstate 26 is segregated from the Exit 115 off-ramp to the Charleston Highway from the freeway mainline. Trailblazers for Interstate 20 (Exit 107) and Interstate 95 (Exit 169) are affixed to the Interstate 26 panels. Photo taken 01/18/04.
The southern terminus interchange of Interstate 77 is pervasive with high-speed flyovers. To the left is the northbound beginning from the Charleston Highway on-ramp. A left-hand ramp departs Interstate 26 eastbound below for Interstate 77 north as well. Photo taken 01/18/04.
Interstate 77 draws to a close at the Exit 0B/A ramp partition. For some reason the Interstate 20 & 95 trailblazers were removed from these panels. Interstate 26 travels 105 miles to Charleston and 95 miles north to Spartanburg. Photo taken 01/18/04.
Scenes Pertaining to Interstate 77
Future South Carolina 35 (12th Street Extension) northbound at the Interstate 77 southbound on-ramp at the Exit 2 diamond interchange. The 12th Street Extension composes a five lane arterial between the freeway and Godley Road. The segment between Godley Road and South Carolina 2 (Frink Street) is not yet open to traffic. Photo taken 01/18/04.
Traffic is very light at the Exit 2 diamond interchange of Interstate 77. Pictured here is a badly cracked Interstate 77 shield at the westbound on-ramp from 12th Street Extension northbound. In 2000 Exit 2 was signed simply as Saxe Gotha Road. The completion of more of future South Carolina 35 sees the same exit signed for Cayce and West Columbia now. Photo taken 01/18/04.
Garners Ferry Road (U.S. 76 & 378) eastbound at the Interstate 77 southbound on-ramp of Exit 9. A pair of wide overpasses above carry Interstate 77 and the associated collector/distributor roadways for U.S. 76 & 378 and the nearby South Carolina 262 (Leesburg Road). Photo taken 03/12/00.
U.S. 76 & 378 westbound at the Interstate 77 Exit 9A/B interchange. In the background is the Interstate 77 mainline and Exit 9 collector/distributor roadways. Departing the bridge in the foreground unsigned Exit 9B off-ramp of Interstate 77 northbound to South Carolina 262 (Leesburg Road) east. Photo taken 03/12/00.

Page Updated February 15, 2004.