U.S. Route 29 in South Carolina

U.S. Route 29 (US 29) is a 110.202-mile (177.353 km) north–south United States highway that travels from the Savannah River to Blacksburg, entirely in Upstate South Carolina.

U.S. Highway 29
Route of US 29 in South Carolina highlighted in red
Route information
Maintained by SCDOT
Length110.202 mi[1][2][3][4] (177.353 km)
Existed1927–present
Major junctions
South end US 29 / SR 8 at the Georgia line near Hartwell, GA
 
North end US 29 at the North Carolina line near Grover, NC
Location
CountiesAnderson, Greenville, Spartanburg, Cherokee
Highway system
SC 28 SC 30

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 signed "TRUCK" instead of the more usual "BY-PASS" (state maps confirm it is the mainline route).[5] 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).[6]

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.[6]

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.[6]

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.[6]

History

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.

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 Greer 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.[7]

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.[8] 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.[9] 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.[10][11] 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.[12][13]

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

Major intersections

CountyLocationmi[1][2][3][4]kmExitDestinationsNotes
Anderson0.0000.000 US 29 south / SR 8 west HartwellContinuation from Georgia over the Savannah River near Hartwell Dam
Holland Store2.7704.458 SC 412 east (Rainey Road) Starr, Iva
4.0706.550 SC 187To Sadlers Creek State Park
12.82020.632
US 29 Bus. north (Sayre Street) Anderson
Southern terminus of US 29 Bus.
13.98022.499 SC 81 south (Murray Avenue) StarrSouthern end of SC 81 concurrency
14.10022.692 SC 28 (Pearman Dairy Road)
14.21022.869 SC 81 north (Murray Avenue) AndersonNorthern end of SC 81 concurrency
14.55023.416
SC 81 Bus. (Main Street)
Anderson16.23026.120 US 76 west (East River Street) / US 178 west Athens, AtlantaSouthern end of US 76/US 178 concurrency
16.82027.069 US 76 east (East River Street) / US 178 east BeltonNorthern end of US 76/US 178 concurrency
17.82028.679
US 29 Bus. south (Williamston Road) Anderson
To Anderson University
25.63041.247
US 29 Conn. north (Anderson Highway) to SC 20 Williamston, Pelzer
Southern terminus of US 29 Conn.
30.614–
30.632
49.268–
49.297
SC 8 (Easley Highway) West Pelzer, Pelzer, Williamston
32.92252.98334 I-85 south AtlantaSouthern end of I-85 concurrency; southbound left exit and northbound entrance
34.16254.97835 SC 86 Piedmont, Easley
Easley37.90260.99739River Road Easley
39.16263.02540 SC 153 Easley
Greenville40.83265.713 I-85 north / I-185 south (Southern Connector) Spartanburg, ColumbiaNorthern end of I-85 concurrency; southern end of I-185 concurrency; I-85 exit 42; I-185 exit 14B
41.922–
41.952
67.467–
67.515
15 US 25 (White Horse Road) Travelers RestNorthbound exit and southbound entrance
Greenville42.003–
42.033
67.597–
67.646
16 US 25 / SC 20 (Piedmont Highway) PiedmontSouthbound exit and northbound entrance
43.55270.090Henrydale AvenueNorthern end of I-185 concurrency; northern terminus of I-185
44.50271.619 SC 20 (Augusta Street) Asheville, Greenwood
45.402–
45.452
73.067–
73.148
Downtown Greenville (Camperdown Way)Interchange
45.638–
45.762
73.447–
73.647
East McBee Avenue Downtown GreenvilleNorthbound exit only
45.98274.001East North Street (I-385 Bus. south)East North Street is eastbound only; northern terminus of southbound lanes of I-385 Bus.
46.06274.130Beattie Place (I-385 Bus. south)Beattie Place is westbound only; northern terminus of northbound lanes of I-385 Bus.
46.34274.580 US 123 (Academy Street) Asheville, Greenwood
46.61275.015Column Street (US 29 Spur north)Southern terminus of US 29 Spur and Column Street
46.97275.594Wade Hampton Boulevard south (US 29 Conn. south) Greenville ZooNorthern terminus of US 29 Conn.; US 29 turns right off of North Church Street and onto Wade Hampton Boulevard.
48.70278.378 SC 291 (Pleasantburg Drive)
Wade Hampton48.89278.684 Pine Knoll Drive (US 29 Conn. south) to SC 291 south – Greenville Convention Center, Greenville Technical College, University CenterNorthern terminus of US 29 Conn.
Greer56.13290.336
SC 14 Truck south / SC 101 north / SC 290 west (Buncombe Street)
Southern end of SC 14 Truck and SC 101/SC 290 concurrencies
56.38290.738
SC 101 south / SC 290 east (Poinsett Street) / SC 290 Truck begins
Northern end of SC 101/SC 290 concurrency; southern end of SC 290 Truck concurrency; northern terminus of SC 290 Truck
58.15293.587
SC 14 (Main Street) / SC 14 Truck Landrum
Northern end of SC 14 Truck concurrency; northern terminus of SC 14 Truck
Spartanburg58.75294.552 SC 357 (Arlington Road)
60.74297.755
SC 80 west / SC 290 Truck south (J. Verne Smith Parkway)
Northern end of SC 290 Truck concurrency; eastern terminus of SC 80
Lyman63.722102.551 SC 129 east / SC 292 east (Charlotte Highway) to SC 358Southern end of SC 292 concurrency
63.842102.744 SC 292 west (Groce Road)Northern end of SC 292 concurrency
Wellford64.522103.838Astor Street (SC 292 Conn. west)Eastern terminus of SC 292 Conn.
66.822–
66.832
107.540–
107.556
I-85 Greenville, CharlotteI-85 exit 66
Spartanburg71.572–
71.582
115.184–
115.200
I-26 Columbia, AshevilleI-26 exits 21A-B
71.872115.667 SC 295 (Blackstock Road)
74.782120.350 SC 296 west (John B. White Sr. Boulevard)Eastern terminus of SC 296
75.562121.605 US 221 / SC 56 (Church Street) Inman, Chesnee, Roebuck
76.292122.780 US 176 / SC 9 (Pine Street) Inman, Pacolet
Cowpens84.732136.363 SC 110 north (Battleground Road) Chesnee
CherokeeGaffney94.642152.312 SC 105 (Hyatt Street / Corry Street)To Limestone College
95.892154.323 SC 11 / SC 18 (Frederick Street) Union
96.102154.661 SC 150 (Limestone Street) to SC 18 Pacolet, Shelby, Gastonia, Charlotte
100.182161.227 SC 329 (Victory Trail Road)
Blacksburg105.322169.499 SC 5 (York Road) Shelby, York
109.842–
110.052
176.774–
177.112
I-85 Charlotte, SpartanburgI-85 exit 106
110.202177.353 US 29 north GroverContinuation into North Carolina
1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi

See also

References

  1. "Highway Logmile Report". South Carolina Department of Transportation. Retrieved December 31, 2020.
  2. "Highway Logmile Report". South Carolina Department of Transportation. Retrieved December 31, 2020.
  3. "Highway Logmile Report". South Carolina Department of Transportation. Retrieved December 31, 2020.
  4. "Highway Logmile Report". South Carolina Department of Transportation. Retrieved December 31, 2020.
  5. Anderson City (PDF) (Map). South Carolina Department of Transportation. December 2011. Retrieved February 9, 2013.
  6. Google (February 8, 2013). "Overview map of US 29 in South Carolina" (Map). Google Maps. Google. Retrieved February 8, 2013.
  7. General Highway Map, Greenville County, South Carolina (PDF) (Map). Cartography by SCDOT. South Carolina Department of Transportation. 1953. Retrieved February 9, 2013.
  8. General Highway Map, Spartanburg County, South Carolina (PDF) (Map). Cartography by SCDOT. South Carolina Department of Transportation. 1957. Retrieved February 9, 2013.
  9. General Highway Map, Spartanburg County, South Carolina (PDF) (Map). Cartography by SCDOT. South Carolina Department of Transportation. 1968. Retrieved February 9, 2013.
  10. General Highway Map, Greenville County, South Carolina (PDF) (Map). Cartography by SCDOT. South Carolina Department of Transportation. 1957. Retrieved February 9, 2013.
  11. General Highway Map, Greenville County, South Carolina (PDF) (Map). Cartography by SCDOT. South Carolina Department of Transportation. 1965. Retrieved February 9, 2013.
  12. General Highway Map, Anderson County, South Carolina (PDF) (Map). Cartography by SCDOT. South Carolina Department of Transportation. 1957. Retrieved February 9, 2013.
  13. General Highway Map, Anderson County, South Carolina (PDF) (Map). Cartography by SCDOT. South Carolina Department of Transportation. 1968. Retrieved February 9, 2013.
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U.S. Route 29
Previous state:
Georgia
South Carolina Next state:
North Carolina
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