Contents

U.S. Route 1 in South Carolina

U.S. Highway 1
US 1 highlighted in red
Route information
Maintained by SCDOT
Length	170.540 mi[1][2][3][4][5][6][7] (274.458 km)
Existed	1927[citation needed]–present
Major junctions
South end	US 1 / US 25 / US 78 / US 278 / SR 10 / SR 121 at the Georgia line in North Augusta
Major intersections	I-520 in North Augusta I-20 near Aiken US 178 / SC 391inBatesburg-Leesville I-20inLexington I-26inWest Columbia US 21 / US 176 / US 321inColumbia I-20 / I-77 near Columbia US 601inLugoff US 521inCamden US 52 near Cheraw
North end	US 1 at the North Carolina line near Wallace
Location
Country	United States
State	South Carolina
Counties	Aiken, Saluda, Lexington, Richland, Kershaw, Chesterfield, Marlboro
Highway system
United States Numbered Highway System List Special Divided South Carolina State Highway System Interstate US State Scenic
← SC 917 → SC 2

U.S. Highway 1 (US 1) is a 170.540-mile (274.458 km) north–south U.S. Highway that crosses South Carolina from southwest to northeast and connects the cities of North Augusta, Aiken, Lexington, Columbia, Camden, and Cheraw.

The route parallels Interstate 20 (I-20) closely from the Georgia border to Camden, where I-20 turns to a more directly easterly direction. From Camden to the North Carolina border, US 1 is the highest capacity route through much of the Sandhills region.

Route description[edit]

US 1 enters South Carolina in North Augusta, along an expressway with US 25, US 78, and US 278 on a bridge over the Savannah River from Augusta, Georgia. South Carolina Highway 121 (SC 121) also begins at the state border. The expressway is known locally as the Jefferson Davis Highway. At the second interchange (E. Martintown Road), US 25 and SC 121 leave the expressway. After several at-grade intersections, there is an interchange with I-520, and the route bypasses the Aiken County communities of Clearwater (where US 278 leaves the concurrency), Burnettown, and Gloverville. Upon entering the city of Aiken, the three concurrent routes transition to a boulevard with a center turn and turns from a northeasterly direction to a more directly eastbound direction. This area is heavily developed, with shopping centers and subdivision entrances along both sides of the road. The road is known locally as Augusta–Aiken Road. Reaching the historic central area of Aiken, the route turns to a divided road again as the name changes to Richland Avenue, and the route becomes heavily residential with a wide, tree-lined median down the middle. US 1 leaves Richland Avenue and US 78 to turn north on York Street.

York Street is a four-lane boulevard until it meets Hampton Avenue, where it leaves the main grid of central Aiken and becomes a five-lane boulevard with a center turn lane through a light industrial area leading north out of the city. Leaving Aiken, it is known as the Columbia Highway and passes Aiken Regional Airport and an interchange with I-20 north of the city, after which the road narrows to a two-lane rural highway. It passes into Saluda CountyinMoneta, and then on through the town of Batesburg-Leesville as Columbia Avenue, where it gains a center turn lane. It meets the eastern terminus of SC 23 at the eastern edge of town and loses its center turn lane as the name changes to Augusta Highway. Passing through a large rural area, the road once again widens to a five-lane boulevard with a center turning lane as it approaches Lexington.

Entering Lexington, the road merges with US 378 along West Main Street. US 378 then leaves West Main Street along Columbia Avenue. West Main Street changes to East Main Street at Lake Drive (SC 6 and changes names again to Augusta Road about 0.5 miles (0.80 km) before a second interchange with I-20. US 1 passes east–west through the communities of Oak Grove and West Columbia before crossing the Congaree River along the Gervais Street Bridge. Shortly before the bridge US 378 merges once again with US 1.

After the river, US 1 goes through downtown Columbia along Gervais Street, passing directly in front of the South Carolina State House. At Millwood Avenue, US 1 turns northeast while US 378 leaves to the southeast on the same road. Crossing SC 12 (Taylor Street/Forest Drive), the name changes to Two Notch Road, named for when the road was marked by posts with two notches carved. Passing the Columbia Place shopping mall, it has a third interchange with I-20 and passes through several unincorporated Columbia suburbs in Richland County. An interchange with Clemson Road provides access to I-20 and to Fort Jackson.

Entering Kershaw County, US 1 merges with US 601inLugoff and, crossing the Wateree River, enters Camden along DeKalb Street. US 601 leaves at the center of Camden. From Camden, it continues northeast as a two-lane road through several small towns of the Sandhills region, merging with US 52 between Cheraw State Park and the town of south of Cheraw. Within Cheraw, it follows Market Street (where SC 9 joins) then Second Street and turns onto Powe Street (while US 52 continues on Second Street). US 1 turns north on its own routing while SC 9 continues west. Approximately five miles (8.0 km) north of Cheraw, US 1 enters North Carolina.^[8]

The entire route is part of the Jefferson Davis Highway, named after Civil War Confederate leader Jefferson Davis; with exception between North Augusta and Aiken, where US 1 was realigned, leaving SC 421 its section of the highway name. Markers of the highway dot all along the route, though most sections do have other road names too.

History[edit]

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US 1 was established in 1927 as an original U.S. Highway. It traveled generally as it does now, overlapping with SC 12, from North AugustatoWest Columbia, SC 2, from West Columbia to Columbia, and SC 50, from Columbia to the North Carolina state line. The following year, both SC 12 and SC 50 were dropped along the route. The entire route was paved by 1932.

Around 1938, US 1 was rerouted between Cheraw and Wallace, going further north along its now current alignment and leaving behind Hickson Road (S-35-52) and Brickyard Road (S-35-36). The first section widen to four-lane was a two-mile (3.2 km) section north of Columbia, in 1940. Between 1940 and 1946, US 1 was rerouted in Columbia; originally using Gervais Street, Assembly Street, Taylor Street, and Two Notch Road, switching to Gervais Street, Harden Street, Taylor Street, and Two Notch Road. By 1952, US 1 was rerouted again in Columbia, switching to Gervais Street, Millwood Avenue, and Two Notch. Also by 1952, US 1/US 78 were given new alignment bypassing Clearwater, Bath, Langley, and Gloverville; the old alignment became SC 421. By 1957, US 1/US 78 was rerouted from the Fifth Street Bridge to its current alignment over the Savannah River.

Major intersections[edit]

County	Location	mi[1][2][3] [4][5][6][7]	km	Destinations	Notes
Savannah River		0.000	0.000	US 1 south / US 25 south / SR 121 south / US 78 west / US 278 west / SR 10 west (Gordon Highway) – Augusta	Continuation into Georgia
		0.000– 0.005	0.000– 0.0080	South Carolina–Georgia state line
Aiken	North Augusta	0.188– 0.340	0.303– 0.547	5th Street Bridge / River North Drive	Interchange
		0.640– 0.710	1.030– 1.143	US 25 / SC 121 north – North Augusta, Edgefield	East end of freeway section; eastern end of US 25 and SC 121 concurrencies
		0.870	1.400	Buena Vista Avenue (SC 125 Conn. west) to I-20 / SC 230	Right-in/right-out interchange; westbound exit and entrance; eastern terminus of SC 125 Conn.[9]
		1.560– 1.950	2.511– 3.138	I-520 (Palmetto Parkway) – Augusta, Columbia, Atlanta	I-520 exit 17
	Clearwater	2.150– 2.380	3.460– 3.830	US 278 east / SC 125 (Atomic Road) – Beech Island, Savannah River Site SC 421 north (Augusta Road) – Clearwater	Interchange; eastern end of US 278 concurrency; southern terminus of SC 421
	Burnettown	4.040	6.502	SC 126 (Belvedere-Clearwater Road) – Belvedere
	Graniteville	10.324– 10.330	16.615– 16.625	SC 191 (Main Street) – Graniteville, Vaucluse, Warrenville
	Aiken	12.300	19.795	US 1 Truck north / US 78 Truck east / SC 19 Truck / SC 118 (Robert M. Bell Parkway south / Hitchcock Parkway north) – USC Aiken Convocation Center	Southern terminus of US 1 Truck; western terminus of US 78 Truck
		12.470	20.069	SC 421 south (Augusta Road)	Northern terminus of SC 421; no left turn allowed from SC 421 NB to US 1 SB/US 78 WB
		15.620	25.138	SC 19 (Laurens Street) – Eureka, Edgefield
		15.800	25.428	SC 19 Conn. (Chesterfield Street) – Savannah River Site	Signed also as SC 19
		15.890	25.572	US 78 east (Richland Avenue) – Montmorenci, Wagener	Eastern end of US 78 concurrency
		17.360	27.938	US 1 Truck / US 78 Truck / SC 118 (Rudy Mason Parkway) – Williston, USC Aiken, Aiken High School, Aiken Technical College	Provides access to Aiken Regional Medical Center
	​	23.940	38.528	I-20 – Columbia, Augusta	I-20 exit 22
	​	33.540	53.977	SC 392 (Engineer Road) – Ridge Spring
	Monetta	37.290	60.012	SC 39 (Main Street / Old Ninety-Six Indian Trail) – Wagener, Orangeburg, Ridge Spring
Saluda	No major junctions
Lexington	Batesburg-Leesville	43.150	69.443	US 178 / SC 391 (Pine Street) – Orangeburg, Saluda
		45.190	72.726	SC 245 (Lee Street) – Orangeburg, Newberry
		46.520	74.867	SC 23 west (Leesville Avenue) – Ridge Spring	Eastern terminus of SC 23
	Lexington	61.020	98.202	US 378 west – Saluda	Southern end of US 378 concurrency
		61.700	99.297	US 378 east (Columbia Avenue) – Columbia	Northern end of US 378 concurrency
		62.250	100.182	SC 6 east (Church Street / US 1 Conn. north)	Southern end of SC 6 concurrency (southbound only; southbound lanes of US 1 Conn., which only travels southbound; eastbound lanes of SC 6; southern terminus of US 1 Conn.
		62.370	100.375	SC 6 west (North Lake Drive)	Northern end of SC 6 concurrency (southbound only); westbound lanes of SC 6
	​	64.840– 64.870	104.350– 104.398	I-20 – Augusta, Florence	I-20 exit 58
	Oak Grove	70.070– 70.100	112.767– 112.815	I-26 – Charleston, Spartanburg	I-26 exit 111
	West Columbia	70.760	113.877	SC 12 east (Jarvis Klapman Boulevard) – Columbia	Western terminus of SC 12
		72.100	116.034	SC 35 (12th Street)
		72.320	116.388	Charleston Highway south (US 21 Conn. south)	No access from US 1 north to US 21 Conn. or from US 21 Conn. to US 1 south; northern terminus of US 21 Conn. and Charleston Highway
		72.500	116.677	9th Street (SC 12 Conn. north)	Southern terminus of SC 12 Conn.
		73.210	117.820	SC 2 (State Street)
		73.290	117.949	US 378 west (Sunset Boulevard) – Lexington	Southern end of US 378 concurrency
Richland	Columbia	73.870	118.882	US 21 / US 176 / US 321 (Huger Street)
		74.480	119.864	SC 48 (Assembly Street)
		74.890	120.524	US 76 west (Bull Street)	Southern end of US 76 concurrency
		75.870	122.101	US 76 east / US 378 east (Millwood Avenue)	Eastern end of US 76 and US 378 concurrencies
		76.270	122.745	SC 12 (Taylor Street / Forest Drive)
		78.100	125.690	SC 16 (Beltline Boulevard)
		78.160	125.786	US 1 Conn. west	Eastern terminus of US 1 Conn.
	Dentsville	82.430	132.658	I-20 – Florence, Augusta	I-20 exit 74
		83.150	133.817	I-77 – Charleston, Charlotte	I-77 exit 17
Kershaw	Lugoff	101.470	163.300	US 601 south – St. Matthews	Southern end of US 601 concurrency
		101.740	163.735	SC 34 west (Ridgeway Road) – Ridgeway	Southern end of SC 34 concurrency
	Camden	104.240	167.758	US 521 Truck north / US 601 Truck north (Springdale Drive) – Springdale Race Course, Steeplechase Museum, Camden Country Club	Southern end of US 521 Truck concurrency; southern terminus of US 601 Truck
		105.298	169.461	Senator Donald H. Don Holland Memorial Bridge	Crossing over railroad tracks of CSX
		105.470	169.738	US 521 Truck south (Chestnut Ferry Road) – Camden High School, Larry Doby Park	Northern end of US 521 Truck concurrency
		106.510	171.411	US 521 / US 601 north (Broad Street) to I-20 – Sumter, Kershaw	Northern end of US 601 concurrency
		106.970	172.152	US 521 Truck south (Mill Street / US 1 Truck south / SC 34 Truck) – Alpha Center	Northern terminus of US 1 Truck, US 521 Truck, and SC 34 Truck
		107.840	173.552	SC 34 east (Bishopville Highway) – Bishopville	Northern end of SC 34 concurrency
	Bethune	126.680	203.872	SC 341 (Main Street) – Bishopville, Kershaw
Chesterfield	McBee	133.720	215.201	SC 151 (Pine Avenue) – Hartsville, Jefferson
	​	135.570	218.179	SC 145 north – Chesterfield	ToCarolina Sandhills National Wildlife Refuge
	Patrick	148.540	239.052	SC 102 (Poison Street / Turnage Street) – Hartsville, Chesterfield
	​	158.450	255.001	US 52 south – Society Hill, Darlington	Southern end of US 52 concurrency; to Cheraw State Park
	​	159.360	256.465	US 1 Truck north / US 52 Truck north (Cash Road) to SC 9 / SC 9 Truck	Southern terminius of US 1 Truck and US 52 Truck
	Cheraw	160.790	258.766	SC 9 north (Market Street) – Chesterfield	Southern end of SC 9 concurrency
		162.050	260.794	US 52 north (2nd Street) – Morven, Wadesboro	Northern end of US 52 concurrency
		162.150	260.955	US 1 Truck south / US 52 Truck / SC 9 Truck north (Front Street) – Old St. David's Church	Northern terminus of US 1 Truck; southern terminus of SC 9 Truck
Marlboro	Wallace	163.930	263.820	SC 9 south to SC 177 – Bennettsville, Hamlet	Northern end of SC 9 concurrency
	​	170.540	274.458	US 1 north – Rockingham	Continuation into North Carolina
1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi       Concurrency terminus

See also[edit]

• United States portal
• U.S. roads portal
• Special routes of U.S. Route 1

References[edit]

External links[edit]

• Media related to U.S. Route 1 in South Carolina at Wikimedia Commons
• US 1 at Virginia Highways' South Carolina Highways Annex

U.S. Route 1
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