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Interstate 585 & U.S. 176
A short and unusual Interstate spur serving the city of Spartanburg from Business Loop 85. The freeway overlaps with U.S. 176 between Valley Springs Road and Pine Street north of downtown. Interstate 585 represents the only Interstate within the system disjointed from its parent. Originally this was not the case, as Interstate 85 followed the nine-mile Business Freeway. By 1992 however, Interstate 85 saw realignment to the north on a new six-lane freeway, relegating old Interstate 85 to Business Loop status. The process orphans Interstate 585. The unusualness of Interstate 585 does not end here...
Interstate 585 follows 2.25 miles of the U.S. 176 freeway between Valley Springs Road and U.S. 221 north of the Spartanburg city limits. An 0.3 mile segment of Pine Street (U.S. 176 & South Carolina 9) carries the unsigned designation of Business Spur 585.
Upon further investigation, one will find that Interstate 585 reassurance shields exist east of the U.S. 176 freeway along Pine Street. This contradicts the standards that apply to an Interstate highway, especially considering the at-grade intersections and associated traffic lights. Even of more interest, and what might explain the Interstate signage, is that a Business Spur 585 trailblazer also exists for Pine Street at its intersection with U.S. 29 (Saint John Street). Our hypothesis is that the Interstate 585 shields were used in lieu of Business Spur 585 shields because of a contractor error or some other associated reason. Exit numbers along Interstate 585 coincide with mileage for U.S. 176 from the North Carolina state line to the northwest.
| Interstate 585 South & U.S. 176 East
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| U.S. 176 exists partially as a freeway between Interstate 85 and the Business Loop Interstate 85 & Interstate 585 cloverleaf interchange. Midway between the two freeways is the Exit 22 diamond interchange at Valley Falls Road. Pictured here is the first Exit 22 button copy sign at the Fairforest Road intersection of U.S. 176 (Pine Street) eastbound. Photo taken 09/04/04. |
| The Valley Falls Road folded diamond interchange serves the University of South Carolina Upstate campus. Photo taken 09/04/04. |
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| Interstate 585 South & U.S. 176 East
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| U.S. 176 (Pine Street) upgrades into a four-lane freeway at the Valley Falls Road interchange. Valley Falls Road travels two miles north from South Carolina 56 (Asheville Highway) to Valley Falls (pop. 3,990) itself. Displayed here is an original button copy sign for the exit itself. Photo taken 09/04/04.
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| Similar to the configuration of the Business Loop Interstate 85 freeway, U.S. 176 sees a frontage road system along its freeway portion between Valley Falls Road and the Interstate 585 & Business Loop 85 interchange. Charisma Drive parallels the eastbound direction at the one-half mile guide sign of Exits 23A/B. Photo taken 01/18/04.
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| Typical for cloverleaf interchanges in South Carolina, an additional guide sign for the first ramp is posted for the oncoming road. Here that ideology sees an Exit 23A guide sign for the Business Loop Interstate 85 southbound on-ramp. Until 1992 the upcoming freeway comprised the Interstate 85 mainline. The new alignment to the north was constructed to alleviate a failing freeway mired in congestion. Photo taken 01/18/04.
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| Interstate 585 southbound begins as U.S. 176 eastbound enters the Exit 23A/B cloverleaf interchange. Traffic to Business Loop Interstate 85 departs for the city of Greenville. Motorists will reach the Interstate 85 & 385 junction outside of Greenville in 23 miles. Photo taken 09/04/04.
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| Interstate 585 south & U.S. 176 east at Exit 23B for Business Loop Interstate 85 north. The old Interstate 85 merges with the new Interstate 85 in four miles. From there Interstate 85 continues another 29 miles to the North Carolina state line. Photo taken 01/18/04.
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| The first southbound Interstate 585 reassurance marker posted with U.S. 176 after the Business Loop Interstate 85 interchange. Note the frontage road system that coincides with the freeway between Exits 23 and 24. Photo taken 09/04/04.
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| California Avenue intersects Interstate 585 & U.S. 176 at the first southbound mainline interchange (Exit 24). The surface street travels on the outskirts of Spartanburg between New Cut Road & Sibley Street to South Carolina 9 nearby. Photo taken 01/18/04.
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| An original button copy sign remains for Exit 25B one mile north of the U.S. 221 (Whitney Road) diamond interchange. A frontage road system is visible in the southward facing photograph. Frontage Roads accompany Interstate 585 from Business Loop Interstate 85 southward to South Carolina 9. The overpass in the background is that of California Avenue. Photo taken 09/04/04.
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| The southbound frontage road discontinues between California Avenue and South Carolina 9. South Carolina 9 sees a half-diamond interchange with Interstate 585 & U.S. 176 with an on-ramp to southbound and an off-ramp from northbound. Depicted here is a battered button copy guide sign
for Exit 25B (U.S. 321) at the South Carolina 9 overpass. Photo taken 09/04/04.
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| Interstate 585 south & U.S. 176 eastbound at the final exit of the freeway (Exit 25B). Exit 25A composes the northbound off-ramp to South Carolina 9. Exit 25B serves U.S. 221 (Whitney Road). U.S. 221 overtakes Church Street 0.25 miles to the west, traveling it into downtown Spartanburg. Photo taken 01/18/04.
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| South of the Exit 25B diamond interchange of U.S. 221, Interstate 585-U.S. 176-South Carolina 9 transition into an at-grade boulevard known as Pine Street. Business Loop Interstate 585 (unsigned) begins here and travels 0.3 miles to the south. Photo taken 01/18/04.
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| Interstate 585, U.S. 176, & South Carolina 9 southbound reassurance shield assembly at the transition from limited-access freeway to a surface arterial (N. Pine Street). The entrance to Spartanburg Regional Medical Center is to the right. Ahead is a traffic light at the east-west Pearl Street. Photo taken 01/18/04.
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| A closer look at the Interstate 585-U.S. 176-South Carolina 9 shield assembly depicted above. The shields in this photograph however, are the predecessors of those depicted above. Photo taken 12/08/99.
| | Interstate 585 North & U.S. 176 West
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| 0.7 miles east of the Interstate 585 freeway beginning on Pine Street (Business Spur 585, U.S. 176, & South Carolina 9) northbound at Charlevoix Street. The Interstate shield depicted here probably was to have been a Business Spur 585 marker. However, a sign replacement project (next photo) reveals that Pine Street may also be considered part of the Interstate corridor. Photo taken 12/08/99.
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| The above displayed shield assembly was replaced with these signs. Notice that the Interstate 585 designation was not replaced with Business Spur 585. The 2.25 mile freeway does not commence until Pine Street reaches the Whitney Road diamond interchange. Photo taken 10/05/01.
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Exits 25B/A button copy signage for U.S. 221 & SC 9 along Business Spur 585, U.S. 176, & South Carolina 9 northbound. The Exit 25B off-ramp to U.S. 221 (Whitney Road) departs just beyond an entrance to an adjacent car dealership. South Carolina 9 departs Interstate 585
& U.S. 176 via a folded diamond interchange at Exit 25A. Photos taken 12/08/99 & 09/24/04.
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Reflective overhead replacement of the Exit 25B panel for U.S. 221 northbound on Interstate 585 north & U.S. 176 west. U.S. 221 veers northeast 4.2 miles to junction Interstate 85 (Exit 78) on the 14 mile drive to Chesnee (pop. 1,003). Photo taken 09/24/04. |
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South Carolina 9 northbound splits with Interstate 585 north & U.S. 176 westbound via Exit 25A onto Church Street. The state highway interchanges with Business Loop Interstate 85 1.5 miles to the north and Interstate 85 in three miles on the six-mile trek to Boiling Springs (pop. 4,544). Photos taken 09/24/04. |
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Interstate 585 north & U.S. 176 westbound reassurance shields posted at the Church Street overpass of Exit 24. The freeway maintains four overall lanes partial or no shoulders between Spartanburg and Business Loop Interstate 85. Photo taken 09/24/04. |
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One quarter mile out from the Exit 24 off-ramp for California Avenue on Interstate 585 north & U.S. 176 west. California Avenue constitutes a 1.9-mile surface street between New Cut Road and South Carolina 9 (Church Street) in northwest Spartanburg. Photo taken 09/24/04. |
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Reflective sign for the California Avenue off-ramp of Exit 24. A frontage road system joins Interstate 585 north & U.S. 176 west between Church Street and the Business Loop Interstate 85 freeway. California Avenue southbound intersects South Carolina 56 (Asheville Highway) in 0.6 miles. Photo taken 09/24/04. |
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0.75-mile guide sign for the Exit 23B/A three-quarter cloverleaf interchange with Business Loop Interstate 85. The freeway was the Interstate 85 mainline until 1992. Photo taken 09/24/04. |
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Exit 23B departs Interstate 585 north & U.S. 176 westbound for the northbound side Frontage Road and its slip ramp onto Business Loop Interstate 85 northbound for Gaffney and Charlotte. A slip ramp brings California Avenue traffic onto Interstate 585 northbound ahead as well. Photo taken 09/24/04. |
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The tight interchange between Interstate 585 and Business Loop Interstate 85 utilizes the adjacent frontage road system for the northbound connection. The frontage road system continues with the Business Loop freeway eastward to South Carolina 9 (Church Street). Business Loop Interstate 85 merges with Interstate 85 four miles to the northeast. Photo taken 09/24/04. |
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Interstate 585 northbound concludes at the Exit 23 junction with Business Loop Interstate 85. U.S. 176 westbound continues northwest via Pine Street to Valley Falls Road (Exit 22) and the town of Inman (pop. 1,884). The freeway ascends overhead the Business Loop Interstate 85 freeway ahead of the loop ramp for Greenville (Exit 23A). Photo taken 09/24/04. |
 
| U.S. 176 East & South Carolina 9 South
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| U.S. 176 east & South Carolina 9 south (Pine Street) at the intersection with Charlevoix Street. In the background is a CSX Railroad crossing. Although not visible in the photograph, an Interstate 585 shield is posted in the northbound direction at the intersection. Photo taken 01/18/04.
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| Pine Street crosses under another railroad line (Norfolk-Southern) and then intersects the eastern terminus of South Carolina 296 (Daniel Morgan Avenue). South Carolina 296 curves around the central business district of the city before intersecting U.S. 29 (St. John Street). Photo taken 01/18/04.
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| A look at the shield assembly at the intersection of Pine Street and Daniel Morgan Avenue. South Carolina 296 becomes Reidville Road on the westerly trek out of the city and through the Exit 22 diamond interchange of Interstate 26. U.S. 176 east & South Carolina 9 continue along Pine Street southbound six blocks to U.S. 29 (St. John Street). Photo taken 01/18/04.
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| The only Business Spur 585 shield found in Spartanburg. Located at the intersection of U.S. 29 (Saint John Street) northbound at Pine Street (U.S. 176 & South Carolina 9). The 0.3 mile Business Spur 585 designation appears to only apply to Pine Street between U.S. 221 (Whitney Road) and the intersection of Pearl Street. Photo taken 09/02/00.
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| In this October 5, 2001 photograph, the Business Spur 585 assembly is bent as such to improperly face U.S. 176 east & South Carolina 9 (Pine Street) southbound. In effect, the trailblazer now indicates that Business Spur 585 follows actual U.S. 29 (Saint John Street) north.
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| Unobstructed view of the U.S. 176 & South Carolina 9 shield assembly and guide sign at the intersection of Pine and Saint John Streets. The two highways continue to share pavement for another ten miles into eastern Spartanburg County. Photo taken 10/05/01.
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Page Updated December 2, 2004.
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