Site Navigation Alabama Florida Georgia Louisiana Mississippi North Carolina South Carolina Tennessee     Interstate 385 Northbound Interstate 385 links Interstate 26 and the capital city of Columbia with Greenville and Interstate 85. The 42.16 mile freeway ends east of downtown Greenville as Business Spur 385 (North Street). This six lane arterial links the freeway with U.S. 29 (Church Street) near the BiLo Center at U.S. 123. Southward Interstate 385 saw its terminus originally at Interstate 85. The freeway alignment between Mauldin and Clinton (Interstate 26) at the same time carried the U.S. 276 designation. For a short period these two freeways existed independently of one another. However by 1982, the gap was bridged and thus Interstate 385 grew to its current length. Interstate 385 is undergoing reconstruction with a planned widening to six lanes in the Greenville area. Began June 2001, this project is expected to conclude Fall of 2004. It encompasses the expansion of the roadway from Interstate 85 north to the Bi-Lo Center near Downtown. The existing median will be built upon with the addition of a concrete barrier and raised median for future landscaping. Additionally a portion of this project entails the conversion of the South Carolina 291 interchange from a full cloverleaf to a partial cloverleaf to eliminate the current scenario of weaving traffic patterns. The South Carolina 291 overpass is one of many that will be replaced to increase the height clearance. The northeast loop of the Interstate 85 interchange will also be improved. Interstate 385 North Interstate 385 northbound approaching the first mainline interchange (Exit 2). The partial cloverleaf interchange links the freeway with South Carolina 308 three miles north of Clinton (pop. 8,091). South Carolina 308 continues north of Interstate 385 to a conclusion with U.S. 221 at the village of Ora. Photo taken 10/15/01. The first of two Laurens area interchanges of Interstate 385 is Exit 5 with South Carolina 49 (Yarborough Mill Road). The state highway is part of a multi-state route that begins nearby at U.S. 221 and concludes in southern Virginia. South Carolina 49 travels through the city of Charlotte as North Carolina 49. Photo taken 10/15/01. U.S. 221 intersects Interstate 385 at the Exit 9 folded cloverleaf interchange north of Laurens (pop. 9,916). The highway travels through the heart of the city along Harper Street, intersecting U.S. 76 (Main Street) at downtown. Northward U.S. 221 travels eight miles to the village of Enoree. Photo taken 10/15/01. The fifth interchange of Interstate 385 is the Exit 16 diamond interchange. South Carolina 101 crosses the freeway just north of Gray Court (pop. 1,021). The state highway travels ten miles between Interstate 385 and the Spartanburg County town of Woodruff (pop. 4,229). Photo taken 10/15/01. South Carolina 14 merges onto Interstate 385 northbound between Exits 19 and 22. The state highway parallels the original U.S. 276 alignment (Old Laurens Road) between the city of Laurens and the freeway near Gray Court. Photo taken 10/15/01. Interstate 385 northbound nearing the split with South Carolina 14 (Main Street) at the town of Fountain Inn (pop. 6,017). A frontage road system begins along Interstate 385 between Exits 19 and 30 (Interstate 185 & U.S. 276). Photo taken 10/15/01. South Carolina 14 veers northward into Fountain Inn at Interstate 385 Exit 22. Paralleling the freeway on the southbound side is Old Laurens Road, the original alignment of U.S. 276. South Carolina 14 parallels this roadway along Main Street into town. Photo taken 10/15/01. Now in Greenville County, Interstate 385 enters the Exit 23 diamond interchange with South Carolina 418 (McCarter Road & Milacron Drives). South Carolina 418 links the Interstate 385 corridor with U.S. 25 and South Carolina 8 at Ware Place. South Carolina 8 continues the westward trajectory of South Carolina 418 from there into the Pelzer (pop. 97) and West Pelzer (pop. 879) communities. Photo taken 10/15/01. 2003 installed Interstate 385 northbound reassurance shield, posted near the Harrison Road overcrossing. Exit 27 with Fairview Road lines the horizon ahead. Photo taken 01/04. Interstate 385 northbound approaching the westbound beginning of U.S. 276 and northbound beginning of Interstate 185 (The Southern Connector). Originally just a partial "Y" interchange, Exit 30 saw expansion with the creation of the Southern Connector toll highway. This provides a westbound flyover between Interstate 385 south to Interstate 185 north and vice versa. Photo taken 01/04. A second set of overheads advise northbound motorists of the upcoming split of Interstate 385 and Interstate 185 & U.S. 276. Constructed between 1998 and 2003, the Southern Connector toll highway encircles the southern reaches of the metropolitan area between Interstate 385 and Interstate 85 at Exit 42. The tolled facility includes two mainline toll plazas, each charging passenger vehicles $1.25 a piece. Photo taken 10/15/01. Interstate 185 and U.S. 276 begin at the Exit 30 ramp departure from Interstate 385. Auxiliary signs posted at this interchange indicate the existance of the U.S. 276 northbound off-ramp to nearby Standing Springs Road (Exit 30). Photo taken 10/15/01. The original configuration of the U.S. 276 and Interstate 385 split at Exit 30. Depicted here is the original button copy guide signs dating from the completion of Interstate 385. Photo taken 12/08/99. The first westbound U.S. 276 shield resides just beyond the Exit 30 gore point of Interstate 385. U.S. 276 itself composes a two mile freeway northward into the city of Mauldin (pop. 15,224). The pre-existing independent off-ramp to Standing Springs Road is now considered Exit 30 of Interstate 385. Photo taken 10/15/01. Interstate 185 northbound departs U.S. 276 at the Interstate 385 overcrossing. The Greenville outer belt includes four interchanges between U.S. 276 and Interstate 85: Fork Shoals Road (Exit 4), U.S. 25 (Exits 7A/B), South Carolina 20 (Exit 10), and South Carolina 153 (Exit 12). The U.S. 276 freeway sees just one interchange (Standing Springs Road). Photo taken 10/15/01. Meanwhile the scene above on Interstate 385 depicts the 0.75 mile guide sign for the Exit 31 interchange with South Carolina 417 (Laurens Road & Main Street). This north-south highway composes the main arterial between Mauldin and the nearby town of Simpsonville (pop. 14,352). Photo taken 01/04. The one-half mile guide sign for the directional cloverleaf interchange of Exit 36A/B (Interstate 85) is posted within the Exit 35 diamond interchange of Woodruff Road (South Carolina 146). South Carolina 146 itself intersects Interstate 85 nearby as Exit 51A. Photo taken 01/04. New sign bridge assembly posted at the Exit 36A ramp departure for Interstate 85 northbound. 25 miles separate this ramp from the city of Spartanburg via the north-south freeway. Interstate 385 ahead composes the 1960s construction east Greenville freeway spur. Photo taken 01/04. The original Interstate 85 button copy overheads at the Exit 46A/B interchange of Interstate 385 northbound. Interstate 85 itself sees a collector/distributor roadway system through the Interstate 385 and South Carolina 51 (Exits 51A/B/C) interchange complex. Traffic merging onto Interstate 85 below utilizes these c/d roadways before entering the mainline. Photo taken 12/09/99. Interstate 385 migrates westward onto its final mile near the central business district of Greenville. Exit 42 represents the last mainline interchange with U.S. 276 (Stone Avenue & Laurens Road). Photo taken 08/23/03. A second original button copy sign posted for the U.S. 276 diamond interchange. Stone Avenue encircles downtown to the northeast between Interstate 385 and Rutherford Street (old Business U.S. 25). At Rutherford Street, U.S. 276 turns northward onto what becomes the Poinsett Highway en route to Travelers Rest (pop. 4,099). Photo taken 08/23/03. Construction is ongoing to expand Interstate 385 from four to six lanes between Greenville and Interstate 85. This project entails the replacement of several overpasses above the freeway itself. Depicted here is construction for a new Hillside Drive overcrossing. Photo taken 08/23/03. Interstate 385 northbound (westbound) at the Exit 42 ramp departure for U.S. 276. The freeway itself draws to a close just west of the junction at the transition into North Street. North Street is unsigned Business Spur 385 between the freeway and U.S. 29 (Church Street). Photo taken 08/23/03. Descending toward U.S. 276 on the Exit 42 northbound on-ramp. The junction represents the name change of U.S. 276 between Laurens Road and Stone Avenue. 0.4 miles to the north U.S. 276 intersects U.S. 29 (Church Street). Traffic merging onto Business Spur 385 north intersects the northern terminus of U.S. 123 (Academy Street) in three blocks. Photo taken 08/23/03. Scenes Pertaining to Interstate 385 Georgia Road westbound at the Exit 29 interchange of Interstate 385. Ramps to the freeway here utilize the adjacent frontage road system to access the Interstate. Photo taken 12/09/99. Span wire supported sign posted over South Carolina 291 (Pleasantburg Road) northbound at the partial-cloverleaf interchange with Interstate 385 (Exit 40). Two of the four loop ramps were recently removed to improve safety at the former full-cloverleaf interchange in 2004. Photo taken 07/23/04. The South Carolina 291 northbound cloverleaf ramp onto Interstate 385 saw this button copy guide sign and shield assembly. Both loop ramps from Pleasantburg Road onto Interstate 385 were removed and replaced with signalized intersections to eliminate weaving traffic concerns on the six-lane freeway underneath. Photo taken 10/15/01. Fairview Road southbound at the northbound on-ramp to Interstate 385. Two ramps compose the Exit 27 interchange between the two highways: a northbound off-ramp to Fairview Road and an adjacent northbound on-ramp from Fairview Road. Photo taken 01/04. Business Spur 385 North The final block of Business Spur 385 splits between northbound Beattie Street and southbound E. North Street. Depicted here is the terminus of the vastly unsigned business spur at the intersection of Church Street (U.S. 29). Photo taken 08/23/03. Scenes Pertaining to Business Spur 385 The only remaining Business Spur 385 shield to survive a reconstruction project at the Exit 42 interchange of Interstate 385 & U.S. 276. This assembly is posted on Laurens Road (U.S. 276) westbound nearing the junction itself. The diamond interchange of Exit 42 represents the northern end of Interstate 385 and southern end of Business Spur 385. No reassurance shields were ever posted eluding to the fact that North Street carries Business Spur Interstate 385 between U.S. 29 and the freeway. Photo taken 08/23/03. Page Updated December 5, 2005.