Site Navigation Alabama Florida Georgia Louisiana Mississippi North Carolina South Carolina Tennessee     Interstate 185 / Southern Connector Interstate 185 composes the western spur into the central business district of Greenville. Opened in the 1960s, the original three mile spur into the city overlaps with U.S. 29. This segment of highway features a concrete jersey barrier median with four overall lanes. Interstate 185 and the Southern Connector as they relate to the Greenville metropolitan area. Exit 42 of Interstate 85 saw expansion from a simple partial "Y" interchange to a trumpet in 1999. This allowed southbound motorists the opportunity to access Interstate 185 north. Two years later the Southern Connector opened to traffic, thus causing an expansion of the Exit 42 interchange again. A 14 mile toll highway opened to travel during the winter of 2001. Known as the Southern Connector, this limited access highway links the Interstate 85 & 185 (Exit 42) interchange with the Interstate 385 & U.S. 276 (Exit 30) interchange. The four lane highway provides an outer belt for the southern reaches of the Greenville metropolitan area. Completed as a public/private partnership, the Southern Connector features two mainline toll barriers that levy a $1.25 toll on all passenger vehicles. The concept of the highway is based upon providing an alternate route to Atlanta bound motorists from the city of Mauldin and Interstate 385. The 2001 extension increased Interstate 185 to 17.70 miles. Interstate 185 North Interstate 185 northbound entering the Exit 7A/B partial cloverleaf interchange with U.S. 25. Exit 7A departs for Augusta Road northbound and the Donaldson Center Airport. Exit 7B composes a loop ramp to U.S. 25 (Augusta Street) southbound into the community of Moonville. The federal highway is the main north-south highway between Greenville and the city of Greenwood (pop. 22,071) 47 miles to the south. Photo taken 10/15/01. A second partial cloverleaf interchange composes Exit 10 of the Southern Connector at South Carolina 20. Known as the Piedmont Highway, South Carolina 20 represents the original alignment of U.S. 29 between Greenville and the towns of Golden Grove (pop. 2,348), Piedmont (pop. 4,864), West Pelzer (pop. 879), and Williamston (pop. 3,791). Photo taken 10/15/01. Coinciding with the completion of the Southern Connector was the extension of South Carolina 153 eastward from Interstate 85 Exit 40. The fourth and final mainline junction of the tolled facility links Interstate 185 via the Earle E. Morris Jr. Highway (South Carolina 153) to the Pickens County city of Easley (pop. 17,754). Photo taken 10/15/01. One-mile guide sign for Exits 14A/B with Interstate 85. Interstate 185 now faces north at this point, pointing toward the original Greenville spur alignment of the Interstate highway. Photo taken 10/15/01. Interstate 185 northbound at the Exit 14A ramp departure of Interstate 85 north. The junction between the two highways is a directional cloverleaf ramp. Exit 14B utilizes one of two loop ramps between the two freeways. Photo taken 10/15/01. The Southern Connector portion of Interstate 185 merges onto the original Greenville Spur. U.S. 29 northbound enters the fold as it departs Interstate 85 north. The two highways share pavement through to the northern terminus. Photo taken 10/15/01. Interstate 185 sees one interchange along the spur portion with U.S. 29. This half-diamond interchange serves U.S. 25 (White Horse Road) at Exit 15. White Horse Road composes a north-south arterial west of the Greenville city limits. North of town, U.S. 25 merges with U.S. 276 near the town near Travelers Rest (pop. 4,099). Photo taken 07/23/04. Original Exit 1 button copy sign for the U.S. 25 (White Horse Road) northbound only off-ramp. White Horse Road interchanges with Interstate 85 one mile to the southeast. Northwest the federal highway meets South Carolina 81 (Old Anderson Road) and U.S. 123 (New Easley Road) within 2.50 miles. Photo taken 07/23/04. Interstate 185 & U.S. 29 transition into an arterial highway (Mills Avenue) 1.50 miles north of Exit 15. A partial "Y" interchange adds drivers onto the northbound carriageway from South Carolina 20 (Grove Road) at Exit 16. Grove Road composes the original U.S. 29 routing from Mills Avenue southward to the Piedmont Highway. Photo taken 07/23/04. The final northbound reassurance marker for Interstate 185 resides ahead of the Butternut Drive overpass. A U.S. 29 coincides with the assembly behind the foliage. Photo taken 07/23/04. Interstate 185 ends at the signalized intersection of Mills Avenue and Faris Road. U.S. 29 continues northward along Mills Avenue to Church Street through downtown Greenville. Faris Road encircles the city between Augusta Road and Old Piedmont Highway. Photo taken 07/23/04. Interstate 185 South Interstate 185 & U.S. 29 southbound reassurance shields posted at the freeway beginning from the intersection of Mills Avenue & Paris Road. The original Greenville spur consists of a four-lane freeway with a jersey barrier median between the city and Interstate 85. Photo taken 07/23/04. Detail of the half-mile guide sign for Exit 16 to U.S. 25 & South Carolina 20. South Carolina 20 stems south from U.S. 29 (Mills Avenue) on Grove Road alongside Interstate 185. A partial "Y" interchange joins the freeway with Grove Road ahead of its intersection with U.S. 25 (White Horse Road). Photo taken 07/23/04. A trailblazer for the Southern Connector toll road resides near the Exit 16 guide sign pictured above and the Butternut Road overpass. The trailblazers were installed in 2004 to direct motorists toward the Interstate 185 toll road south of Greenville. Photo taken 07/23/04. Exit 16 leaves Interstate 185 & U.S. 29 southbound for South Carolina 20 (Grove Road) southbound. Grove Road carries the state route to U.S. 25 and the transition into the Piedmont Highway. South Carolina 20 (Piedmont Highway) follows the old alignment of U.S. 29 between Greenville, West Pelzer, and Williamston. Connections via South Carolina 86 serve the town of Piedmont along the way. Photo taken 07/23/04. A U.S. 29 is placed along Interstate 185 southbound between the Exit 15 half-diamond interchange with U.S. 25 (White Horse Road) and the junction with Interstate 85 (Exits 14B/A). Interstate 185 ended at the upcoming directional cloverleaf interchange until 2001. Photo taken 07/23/04. 0.50-mile guide sign for Interstate 85 (Exits 14B/A) posted on Interstate 185 & U.S. 29 southbound. U.S. 29 leaves Interstate 185 for Interstate 85 south en route to Anderson. U.S. 29 shares eight miles of pavement with Interstate 85 between its Exits 42 and 34. Photo taken 07/23/04. An extra southbound lane expands from Interstate 185 & U.S. 29 southbound for Exit 14B onto Interstate 85 south. Interstate 85 represents a six-lane corridor between Greenville and Anderson (Exit 19) to the southwest. The city of Atlanta is 140 miles to the south via the Interstate highway. Photo taken 07/23/04. A loop ramp carries southbound motorists onto Interstate 85 northbound for Spartanburg, Gastonia, and Charlotte, North Carolina. Interstate 185 otherwise transitions into the tolled Southern Connector between Interstate 85 and Interstate 385 at Mauldin. All passenger vehicles are levied $1.50 to travel the entire 14-mile toll road. Photo taken 07/23/04. Two lanes leave Interstate 185 southbound for Interstate 85 & U.S. 29 south (Exit 14B). The tandem reach South Carolina 153 within one mile and Piedmont in nine miles. The city of Anderson lies 25 miles to the southwest. Photo taken 07/23/04. Page Updated February 6, 2005.