U.S. Route 29 in South Carolina

U.S. Route 29
Route information
Maintained by SCDOT
Length:	109.1 mi[1] (175.6 km)
Existed:	1927 – present
Major junctions
South end:	US 29 / SR 8 at the GA line near Hartwell, GA
	US 76 / US 178 in Anderson I-85 (numerous times) I-185 / US 25 near Greenville US 123 in Greenville US 276 in Greenville I-26 in Spartanburg US 221 / SC 56 in Spartanburg US 176 / SC 9 in Spartanburg
North end:	US 29 at the NC line near Grover, NC
Location
Counties:	Anderson, Greenville, Spartanburg, Cherokee
Highway system
United States Numbered Highway System List Bannered Divided Replaced South Carolina Highways Interstate U.S. State Scenic ← SC 28 SC 30 →

U.S. Route 29 is a north–south United States highway that runs for 109.1 miles (175.6 km) from the Savannah River to Blacksburg, entirely in Upstate South Carolina.

Route description

US 29 enters South Carolina crossing the Savannah River, downstream from Hartwell Dam, and proceeds to travel along the forested eastern edge of Lake Hartwell for 3.2 miles (5.1 km), where it meets up with Old US 29. From there, it goes on a northeasterly direction towards Anderson. 3 miles (4.8 km) outside Anderson, US 29 Business takes a left turn and more direct route into the downtown area; while mainline US 29 continues east, with most signage bannered "TRUCK" instead of the more usual "BY-PASS" (state maps confirm it is the mainline route).^[2] At SC 81, US 29 takes a left turn and follows briefly before taking a right turn at Shockley Ferry Road. Crossing SC 28 Business, the road widens to an undivided four-lane, continuing until reaching River Street (US 76/US 178); where US 29 makes another right turn and then soon left again. US 29 meets back with US 29 Business at Williamston Road. Continuing northeast for another 8 miles (13 km), US 29 makes a junction with US 29/SC 20 Connector to Williamston; the highway briefly divides at junction. With another 6.5 miles (10.5 km), US 29 merges with northbound Interstate 85 (exit 34, northbound exit and southbound entrance only).

After traveling in concurrency with Interstate 85, US 29 switches onto Interstate 185 at exit 42 (exit 14B on Interstate 185). After 2.5 miles (4.0 km), Interstate 185 ends at Henrydale Avenue; US 29 continues along Mills Avenue, followed by Church Street (staying straight), through downtown Greenville. At North Street and Academy Street (US 123), travelers can connect to Interstate 385; between the two streets is the Bon Secours Wellness Arena. Church street eventually ends onto Wade Hampton Boulevard, which is a divided six-lane highway from Greenville to Greer.

Once after passing through Greer, the highway shrinks to a divided four-lane highway, continuing through Lyman and Wellford. After passing Interstate 85 (exit 66) and Interstate 26 (exit 21), US 29 enters Spartanburg and through one of the busiest commercial areas in the city, centered at Westgate Mall (the highway is widen to six-lanes throughout the commercial area). As US 29 enters the city center area, it takes a left onto Saint John Street, then proceeds to parallel Main Street before rejoining 1.5 miles (2.4 km) later. At Pine Street (US 176/SC 9), travelers can connect to Interstate 585. US 29 continues in a northeasterly direction into Cowpens, where the highway reduces down to a two-lane through town.

After passing through Cowpens, the road widens again to an undivided 4-lane for 2.7 miles (4.3 km) before entering into Gaffney. Continuing as a two-lane road through both Gaffney and Blacksburg, it crosses one last time with Interstate 85 (exit 106), before entering North Carolina.

From its inception until 1959, US 29 was the main thoroughfare in Upstate South Carolina and connecting regionally with Atlanta and Charlotte. Though still important in the upstate, it now takes a traveler on a more indirect route compared to Interstate 85.

History

First sign of US 29, after the NC state line, near Blacksburg

Established in 1927 as an original U.S. Route, it generally traversed the same today as it then when created; from Georgia to North Carolina, via Anderson, Greenville, Greer, Spartanburg, Gaffney, and Blacksburg. The entire route was in concurrency with SC 8.

In 1928, SC 8 was rerouted completely off US 29. In 1935, US 29 was rerouted onto new alignment between Anderson and Greenville. The old routing using Greenville Road onto Old Anderson Road, then east on Pendleton Road and finally Main Street was renumbered as SC 81. The new routing turns at Williamson Road, to Williamston, Pelzer, and Piedmont, before entering Greenville on Grove Road, Allen Street, Pendleton Street, and finally Main Street. The new alignment replaced SC 248 and part of SC 20.

In 1938, US 29 was rerouted from Greenville northward. From using Main Street, to Buncombe Road, to Rutherford Avenue, and to Camp Road into Greer. The new routing follows Main Street to Stone Avenue and finally to Wade Hampton Boulevard.

Between 1943-1946, US 29 was moved onto new road bypassing Green and Duncan. In 1947, US 29 was given a southeastern bypass of Anderson, creating a business loop through downtown. In 1948, US 29 was rerouted onto Grove Road and Augusta Road, leaving Allen Street and Green Street, in Greenville.^[3]

By 1955, US 29 was rerouted onto a new Super two highway north of Spartanburg, Cowpens, Gaffney, and Blacksburg; the old route became US 29 Alternate.^[4] In 1957 or 1958, US 29 was rerouted onto a new Super two highway, bypassing Williamston, Pelzer, and Piedmont; the old alignment later became connector route for US 29/SC 20. It then went onto new road connecting with US 25 and SC 291. In concurrency with SC 291, it reaches Wade Hampton Boulevard; leaving behind a business loop through downtown Greenville. In 1959, Interstate 85 was assigned from Spartanburg to North Carolina, in concurrency with US 29, once the highway was expanded into four-lanes.

In 1962, US 29 was removed from Interstate 85 from Spartanburg to North Carolina and was moved back on its original routing, replacing US 29 Alternate.^[5] In the Greenville area, US 29 was rerouted back through Greenville along Interstate 185, which connected directly via Church Street, to Wade Hampton Boulevard. US 29 Business in Greenville was decommissioned as a result. The old alignment to SC 291 became part of Interstate 85.^[6][7] Finally, at the South Carolina-Georgia state line, US 29 was rerouted south from SC 412 to avoid the new Lake Hartwell. Most of old US 29 is underwater, with parts of it above surface used for marina purposes.^[8][9]

In 1974, US 29 was rerouted onto Saint Johns Avenue from Main Street, in Spartanburg.^[10]

Junction list

County	Location	mi[1]	km	Exit	Destinations	Notes
Anderson	State line	0.0	0.0		US 29 south / SR 8 west – Hartwell	Crosses the Savannah River, near Hartwell Dam; continuation into Georgia
	Holland Store	2.7	4.3		SC 412 east (Rainey Road) – Starr, Iva
	​	4.0	6.4		SC 187	To Sadlers Creek State Park
	​	12.7	20.4		US 29 Bus. north (Sayre Street) – Anderson
	​	13.9	22.4		SC 81 south (Murray Avenue) – Starr	South end of SC 81 overlap
	​	14.0	22.5		SC 28 (Pearman Dairy Road)
	​	14.1	22.7		SC 81 north (Murray Avenue) – Anderson	North end of SC 81 overlap
	​	14.4	23.2		SC 81 Bus. (Main Street)
	Anderson	16.1	25.9		US 76 west (East River Street) / US 178 west – Athens, Atlanta	West end of US 76/178 overlap
		16.7	26.9		US 76 east (East River Street) / US 178 east – Belton	East end of US 76/178 overlap
		17.8	28.6		US 29 Bus. south (Williamston Road) – Anderson	To Anderson University
	​	25.8	41.5		US 29 Conn. north (Anderson Highway) / SC 20 Conn. east – Williamston, Pelzer
	​	30.5	49.1		SC 8 (Easley Highway) – West Pelzer, Pelzer, Williamston
	​	32.5	52.3	34	I-85 south – Atlanta	South end of I-85 overlap; southbound left exit, northbound entrance
	​	33.6	54.1	35	SC 86 – Piedmont, Easley
	Easley	37.4	60.2	39	River Road – Easley
		38.6	62.1	40	SC 153 – Easley
Greenville	​	40.5	65.2	42	I-85 north / I-185 south – Spartanburg, Columbia	North end of I-85 and south end of I-185 overlap, exit 14B.
	​	41.5	66.8	15	US 25 (White Horse Road) – Travelers Rest	Northbound exit and southbound entrance
	Greenville	42.1	67.8	16	US 25 / SC 20 (Piedmont Highway) – Piedmont	Southbound exit and northbound entrance
		43.1	69.4		Henrydale Avenue	North end of I-185 overlap
		44.1	71.0		SC 20 (Augusta Street) – Asheville, Greenwood
		45.5	73.2		To I-385 / North Street
		45.9	73.9		US 123 (Academy Street) – Asheville, Greenwood
		46.3	74.5		To US 276 / Column Street – Laurens, Asheville
		48.3	77.7		SC 291 (Pleasantburg Drive)
	Greer	55.7	89.6		SC 101 north / SC 290 west (Buncombe Street)	North end of SC 101 and west end of SC 290 overlap
		55.9	90.0		SC 101 south / SC 290 east (Poinsett Street)	South end of SC 101 and east end of SC 290 overlap
		57.7	92.9		SC 14 (Main Street) – Landrum
Spartanburg		58.3	93.8		SC 357 (Arlington Road)
		60.3	97.0		SC 80 west (J. Verne Smith Parkway)
	Lyman	63.3	101.9		SC 129 east / SC 292 east (Charlotte Highway) to SC 358	East end of SC 292 overlap
		63.4	102.0		SC 292 west (Groce Road)	West end of SC 292 overlap
	Wellford	66.5	107.0		I-85 – Greenville, Charlotte	I-85 exit 66.
	Spartanburg	71.0	114.3		I-26 – Columbia, Asheville	I-26 exits 21A-B.
		71.4	114.9		SC 295 (Blackstock Road)
		74.3	119.6		US 29 Conn. south (John B. White Sr. Boulevard) to SC 296 – Spartanburg
		74.8	120.4		SC 296 (Daniel Morgan Avenue)
		75.0	120.7		US 221 / SC 56 (Church Street) – Inman, Chesnee, Roebuck
		75.7	121.8		US 176 / SC 9 (Pine Street) – Inman, Pacolet
	Cowpens	84.2	135.5		SC 110 north (Battleground Road) – Chesnee
Cherokee	Gaffney	93.8	151.0		SC 105 (Hyatt Street / Corry Street)	To Limestone College
		95.1	153.0		SC 11 / SC 18 (Frederick Street) – Union
		95.3	153.4		SC 150 (Limestone Street) to SC 18 – Pacolet, Shelby, Gastonia, Charlotte
	​	99.3	159.8		SC 329 (Victory Trail Road)
	Blacksburg	104.4	168.0		SC 5 (York Road) – Shelby, York
	​	108.8	175.1		I-85 – Charlotte, Spartanburg	I-85 exit 106.
	State line	109.1	175.6		US 29 north – Grover	Continuation into North Carolina
1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi       Concurrency terminus       Incomplete access

See also

• Bannered routes of U.S. Route 29

References

1. Google (February 8, 2013). "U.S. Route 29 in South Carolina" (Map). Google Maps. Google. Retrieved February 8, 2013.
2. Anderson City (PDF) (Map). South Carolina Department of Transportation. December 2011. Retrieved February 9, 2013.
3. General Highway Map, Greenville County, South Carolina (PDF) (Map). Cartography by SCDOT. South Carolina Department of Transportation. 1953. Retrieved February 9, 2013.
4. General Highway Map, Spartanburg County, South Carolina (PDF) (Map). Cartography by SCDOT. South Carolina Department of Transportation. 1957. Retrieved February 9, 2013.
5. General Highway Map, Spartanburg County, South Carolina (PDF) (Map). Cartography by SCDOT. South Carolina Department of Transportation. 1968. Retrieved February 9, 2013.
6. General Highway Map, Greenville County, South Carolina (PDF) (Map). Cartography by SCDOT. South Carolina Department of Transportation. 1957. Retrieved February 9, 2013.
7. General Highway Map, Greenville County, South Carolina (PDF) (Map). Cartography by SCDOT. South Carolina Department of Transportation. 1965. Retrieved February 9, 2013.
8. General Highway Map, Anderson County, South Carolina (PDF) (Map). Cartography by SCDOT. South Carolina Department of Transportation. 1957. Retrieved February 9, 2013.
9. General Highway Map, Anderson County, South Carolina (PDF) (Map). Cartography by SCDOT. South Carolina Department of Transportation. 1968. Retrieved February 9, 2013.
10. "Mapmikey's South Carolina Highways Page". Retrieved February 9, 2013.

External links

• Media related to U.S. Route 29 in South Carolina at Wikimedia Commons