Interstate 95 in South Carolina

Interstate 95
Wikimedia | © OpenStreetMap I-95 highlighted in red
Route information
Maintained by SCDOT
Length	198.8 mi[1] (319.9 km)
Existed	1968–present
History	Completed in 1978
Major junctions
South end	I-95 at the Georgia line near Hardeeville
	I-26 near Bowman I-20 / I-20 BS in Florence
North end	I-95 at the North Carolina line near Rowland, NC
Location
Counties	Jasper, Hampton, Colleton, Dorchester, Orangeburg, Clarendon, Sumter, Florence, Darlington, Marlboro, Dillon
Highway system
Interstate Highway System Main Auxiliary Suffixed Business Future South Carolina State Highway System Interstate US State Scenic ← SC 93 → SC 97

Interstate 95 (I-95) is a major Interstate Highway, running along the East Coast of the United States from Florida to Maine. In South Carolina, I-95 runs approximately parallel to the Atlantic Ocean shore although about 50 miles (80 km) inland, from Hardeeville in the south to Dillon in the northeast. The route runs through the cities of Florence and Walterboro.

Route description[]

The southern gateway to I-95 in South Carolina

For the most part, the 198-mile (319 km) drive is fairly benign, passing through the pine forests, farmlands, and blackwater streams and swamps of the Coastal Plain. As the route travels north, it moves inland from coastal cities such as Hardeeville, and inland to cities such as Darlington. However, a few landmarks do exist to break up the monotony. Crossing from the south from Georgia just over the Savannah River bridge, motorists are greeted to an elaborate gateway of sabal palmettos into the state of South Carolina. The Juanita M. White Crosswalk also exists between exits 18 and 21.^[2] A flyover on twin high-spans over Lake Marion provides an unexpected scenic break in the center of the highway's length. The old US 15-301 bridge runs along the west side of I-95 and is used for recreational purposes. Moving further north and out of the Palmetto State, the NC state line is prominently marked by the South Of The Border amusement complex at the US 301/501 exit. Local traffic parallel to the interstate uses a combination of US 17 and US 17 Alt from the Georgia state line north of Savannah to Walterboro, US 15 from Walterboro to Santee, and US 301 from Santee to South Of The Border. In addition, Interstate 95 shares a number of concurrencies, or multiplexes, with three of these U.S. Routes at various stretches in South Carolina.

Services[]

A welcome sign at the Jasper County Welcome Center

The South Carolina Department of Transportation (SCDOT) operates and maintains three welcome centers and five rest areas along I-95. Welcome centers, which have a travel information facility on site, are located at mile markers 4 (northbound), 99 (southbound) and 195 (southbound); rest areas are located at mile markers 47 (north and southbound), 99 (northbound) and 139 (north and southbound). Common at all locations are public restrooms, public telephones, vending machines, picnic area and barbecue grills.^[3]

The South Carolina Department of Public Safety (SCDPS) and State Transport Police (STP) operate and maintain one truck inspection/weigh station, located northbound at mile marker 74. The location utilizes weigh-in-motion that does not require commercial motor vehicles to leave the freeway to be weighed. An inspection shed and pit are also on site, where full-service inspections are performed for flagged and randomly picked trucks.^[4]

Several parking area locations are also found along I-95; these were either formally rest areas or weigh stations that were converted. The parking areas offer no amenities and some are even restricted for commercial motor vehicles only.

Dedicated and memorial names[]

Interstate 95 in South Carolina feature numerous dedicated or memorialized bridges, interchanges and stretches of freeway.

• Blue Star Memorial Highway – Official South Carolina honorary name of Interstate 95 throughout the state. Markers are located at both welcome centers.^[5]
• Jacob Ham, Jr. Highway – Is a dedicated 2-mile (3.2 km) portion of Interstate 95 located in Darlington County, north of Florence. Dedicated in October, 2013, it is in honor of Lance Corporal Jacob Ham, Jr., who served as a trooper with the South Carolina Highway Patrol for 12 years until his death in 1998.^[6][7][8]
• Mark H. Coates Highway – Is a dedicated 1-mile (1.6 km) portion of Interstate 95 located in Jasper County near Hardeeville and extends one-half mile on both sides of mile marker 7. In May 1997, the South Carolina General Assembly passed a resolution to designate this section of Interstate 95 in honor of Lance Corporal Mark Hunter Coates, who served as a trooper with the South Carolina Highway Patrol from 1987 until his death in 1992.^[9] Coates, who was a native of Lexington County, South Carolina was fatally shot near mile marker 7 on November 20, 1992 during a traffic stop.^[10][11]

History[]

I-95 bridge-causeway over Lake Marion at Santee; the old (bypassed road) bridge-causeway was used as fishing pier until 2019.

Interstate 95 first appeared on state maps between 1962 and 1964, with construction from US 17 north of Hardeeville to Ridgeland. By 1967, more sections were under construction, including Pocotaligo to Walterboro and Santee to the North Carolina state line. The first section to officially open happened in 1968, from SC 527, near Gable, to SC 9/SC 57, in Dillon.

In 1971–1972, more sections of Interstate 95 was completed: Going north from SC 9/SC 57, in Dillon, to the North Carolina state line. Going south from SC 527, near Gable, along the recently completed 1968-built Lake Marion bridge, to US 301 Connector, in Santee (exit 97).^[12] Also part of US 17 between Ridgeland (exit 22) to near Yemassee (exit 33) was combined with Interstate 95, with temporary status through Coosawhatchie; Interstate 95 then continued on new freeway north to SC 63, in Walterboro.

By 1975, Interstate 95 was open continuously from US 17, in Hardeeville, to SC 63, in Walterboro; temporary exits were removed around Coosawhatchie. In 1976, the two sections of Interstate 95 were connected, from SC 63, in Walterboro, to US 301 Connector, in Santee (exit 97). In the same year, exit numbers were added along Interstate 95. The last section of Interstate 95 was completed in 1978, connecting US 17, in Hardeeville, south to the Georgia state line.

In 1987, US 15 and 301 were relocated from a parallel bridge across Lake Marion,^[13] into a triple concurrency with I-95 between Exits 97 and 102.^[14]

In 1990, exit 21 was added, for what was then US 278, but replaced by SC 336 in 1997. Between 1998 and 2000, exit 153, Honda Way, was added. In 2003, Interstate 95 was widened to six lanes from just south of Interstate 20 to north of SC 327, around Florence.^[15]

Future[]

Various small projects along the route are scheduled to fix various intersections and replace bridges along route, but no major projects scheduled. Discussions of possibly converting Interstate 95 into a toll road have met with resistance, especially within SCDOT; however if both North Carolina and Georgia changed Interstate 95 into a toll road, then they would consider it as well.^[16]

Local leaders in Hardeeville are pushing for a new exit 3, at Purrysburg Road, for a proposed RiverPort Business Park. Project is currently still in the planning stage with no time frame or official confirmation from SCDOT at this time.^[17][18]

Proposed business loop[]

Interstate 95 Business (I-95 Bus.) is a proposed business route of I-95 in Walterboro. It has been proposed to travel between exits 53 and 57, along South Carolina Highway 63 (SC 63), U.S. Route 17 Alternate (US 17 Alt.), US 15, and SC 64.^[20][21]

Exit list[]

County	Location	mi[1]	km	Exit	Destinations	Notes
Savannah River		0.00	0.00		I-95 south (SR 405) – Savannah	Continuation into Georgia
				Savannah River Bridge
Jasper	Hardeeville	5.1	8.2	5	US 17 / US 321 – Hardeeville, Estill, Savannah
		8.2	13.2	8	US 278 – Beaufort, Hilton Head Island, Bluffton, Parris Island
	​	18.0	29.0	18	Bees Creek Road – Switzerland
	Ridgeland	20.8	33.5	21	SC 336 – Ridgeland
		22.4	36.0	22	US 17 south – Ridgeland	South end of US 17 overlap
	​	28.3	45.5	28	SC 462 – Coosawhatchie
	Point South	33.0	53.1	33	US 17 north – Charleston, Beaufort, Port Royal	North end of US 17 overlap
Hampton	Yemassee	38.2	61.5	38	SC 68 – Yemassee, Hampton, Varnville
Colleton	​	42.4	68.2	42	US 21 – Yemassee, Orangeburg
	Walterboro	53.6	86.3	53	SC 63 to US 17 Alt. – Walterboro	To Tuskegee Airmen Monument
		57.5	92.5	57	SC 64 – Walterboro, Lodge
	​	62.6	100.7	62	Road 34
	​	68.4	110.1	68	SC 61 – Canadys, Branchville
Edisto River		68.8	110.7	Edisto River Bridge
Dorchester	St. George	76.7	123.4	77	US 78 – St. George, Branchville
	​	82.3	132.4	82	US 178 – Harleyville, Bowman
Orangeburg	​	85.8	138.1	86	I-26 – Charleston, Columbia	Signed as exits 86A (east) and 86B (west); cloverleaf interchange
	​	90.5	145.6	90	US 176 – Holly Hill, Cameron
	​	93.0	149.7	93	US 15 – Holly Hill
	​	96.9	155.9	97	US 15 south / US 301 south – Orangeburg	South end of US 15 and US 301 overlap
	Santee	98.3	158.2	98	SC 6 – Eutawville, Santee, Elloree	To Santee State Park
Lake Marion		99.8	160.6	William James Gooding Bridge
Clarendon	​	102.0	164.2	102	US 15 north / US 301 north / Road 400 – North Santee	North end of US 15 and US 301 overlap
	Summerton	108.2	174.1	108	Road 102 – Summerton
	​	114.7	184.6	115	US 301 – Manning, Summerton
	​	119.0	191.5	119	SC 261 (Paxville Highway) – Manning, Paxville
	​	122.1	196.5	122	US 521 / Main Street north (US 301 Conn. north) – Sumter, Manning, Alcolu	Southern terminus of US 301 Conn. and Main Street
	​	132.4	213.1	132	SC 527 – Sardinia, Bishopville, Kingstree
Sumter	​	135.5	218.1	135	US 378 – Turbeville, Sumter, Lake City	To Myrtle Beach via Conway
	​	141.1	227.1	141	SC 53 / SC 58 – Shiloh	To Woods Bay State Natural Area
	​	145.9	234.8	146	SC 341 – Lake City, Lynchburg, Olanta
Florence	​	149.9	241.2	150	SC 403 – , Timmonsville
	​	153.7	247.4	153	Honda Way – Timmonsville
	Florence	157.5	253.5	157	US 76 (West Palmetto Street) – Florence, Timmonsville
		160.7	258.6	160	I-20 west / I-20 BS east (David McLeod Boulevard) – Florence, Columbia	Signed as exits 160A (east) and 160B (west); I-20/I-20 Bus. exits 141A-B; eastern terminus of I-20; western terminus of I-20 Bus.
	​	164.4	264.6	164	US 52 (Lucas Street) – Florence, Darlington
High Hill Creek				Florence–Darlington county line
Florence	​	169.0	272.0	169	TV Road – Quinby, Florence
	​	170.7	274.7	170	SC 327 – Florence, Marion, Myrtle Beach	Marion and Myrtle Beach signed northbound; Florence signed southbound; to Francis Marion University and Florence Airport
Great Pee Dee River		175.2	282.0	Florence–Dillon county line
Dillon	​	181.7	292.4	181	SC 38 – Latta, Marion, Bennettsville	Signed as exits 181A (east) and 181B (west); to Myrtle Beach
	​				I-73	Proposed interchange[22][23]
	​	190.5	306.6	190	SC 34 – Dillon
	Dillon	193.3	311.1	193	SC 9 / SC 57 – Dillon, Little Rock, Bennettsville	Ben Bernanke exit ramp[24]
South Carolina–North Carolina line		198.8	319.9	1	US 301 / US 501 – Rowland, Laurinburg, Dillon	Interchange extends into North Carolina; signed as exits 1A (south) and 1B (north) southbound; exit number based on North Carolina mileage
					I-95 north – Fayetteville	Continuation into North Carolina
1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi       Concurrency terminus       Unopened

See also[]

•  United States portal
•  U.S. roads portal
• Edisto River
• Lake Marion
• Pee Dee River
• South of the Border
• South Carolina Highway Patrol

References[]

External links[]

Route map:

• Media related to Interstate 95 in South Carolina at Wikimedia Commons
• Interstate 95 South Carolina (SouthEastRoads.com/AARoads.com)
• South Caroline General Assembly 1993-1994 (Bill #1355)
• Exitlists.com (I-95)

Interstate 95
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