 U.S. Highway 278 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 Route of US 278 in South Carolina highlighted in red | ||||
| Route information | ||||
| Auxiliary route ofUS 78 | ||||
| Maintained bySCDOT | ||||
| Length | 146.130 mi[1][2][3][4][5][6] (235.173 km) | |||
| Existed | 1965[citation needed]–present | |||
| Tourist routes |  Hilton Head Scenic Byway | |||
| Major junctions | ||||
| West end |       US 1 /US 25 /US 78 /US 278 /SR 10 /SR 121 at theGeorgia state line nearNorth Augusta | |||
| Major intersections | ||||
| East end |  US 278 Bus. inHilton Head Island | |||
| Location | ||||
| Country | United States | |||
| State | South Carolina | |||
| Counties | Aiken,Barnwell,Allendale,Hampton,Jasper,Beaufort | |||
| Highway system | ||||
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U.S. Route 278 (US 278) is a 146.130-mile (235.173 km) east–westUnited States highway that traverses through theSouth Carolina Lowcountry, fromNorth Augusta toHilton Head Island.
After crossing theSavannah River from Georgia, US 278 bypasses downtownNorth Augusta, South Carolina to the south en route toBeech Island and Johnson Crossroads. It then forms a de facto northern boundary of theSavannah River Site, crossing into the property on a few occasions. The route then continues eastward and then southward through the communities ofBarnwell,Kline,Allendale,Fairfax,Hampton,Varnville,Ridgeland, andHardeeville where it meetsI-95. US 278 shares the route between Ridgeland and Hardeeville withUS 17.[7]
From Allendale to Almeda, US 278 runs along the CSXAugusta Subdivision.
Upon reaching Hardeeville, the route heads eastward toward theAtlantic with large residential and commercial developments lining the spine of the road from Hardeeville through Okatie andBluffton. The route crosses over Calibogue Sound ontoHilton Head Island. After a five-mile stretch in which the route is tolled, US 278 ends at US 278 Business on the southern portion of Hilton Head Island, just outsideSea Pines Plantation.[7]
OnHilton Head Island, US 278 was previously routed along what is now US 278 Business until a new toll road, named theCross Island Parkway, opened on January 16, 1998.[8] The 6.8-mile (10.9 km) section of roadway[8] cost $83 million to build and was funded with a combination of state funds, federal funds, state highway bonds and tolls.[9]
Thecontrolled access toll road has only oneinterchange along its route at Marshland Drive. It was the first toll road built in South Carolina in modern history.[8] A majority of the road users pay their tolls usingPalmetto Pass, South Carolina's system forelectronic toll collection. Tolls were removed on June 30, 2021, not long after the last of thebonds sold to build the road were retired.[9][10]
The completion of the Cross Island Parkway (a direct expressway connection from the north side to the south side of the island) has caused a great amount of commercial and residential development along the road.[citation needed] Before the toll road opened, it could take one hour to travel the 12-mile (19 km) route of what was then signed as US 278 (William Hilton Parkway) during peak tourism season.[8] The Cross Island Parkway greatly relieved congestion on that road when it opened.[9]
US 278 was established, in South Carolina, in 1965, traveling fromAugusta, Georgia toHilton Head Island. Crossing theSavannah River, in concurrency withUS 1/US 25/US 78/SC 121, it then overlapped withSC 125 on Atomic Road, toBeech Island. ReplacingSC 28 from Beech Island toAlmeda, where it then replacedSC 128, going throughRidgeland, toOld House. Replacing part ofSC 462, it went south intoBluffton and then east into Hilton Head Island, replacing part ofSC 46.[11][12][13][14][15][16][17][18][19][20][21][22]
Throughout the 1980s, US 278 was widen to four-lane, in phases, east ofSC 170, in Bluffton. In 1996-1997, US 278 was rerouted south of Ridgeland toHardeeville, then east on new primary routing to SC 170, in Bluffton. Its former routing was replaced bySC 336 to Old House and SC 462 to SC 170.[23][24] In 1998, US 278 was rerouted onto new routing along the west side of Hilton Head Island; known as the Cross Island Parkway, the toll road provides quicker access to the far south end of the island. The old alignment, in Hilton Head Island, became US 278 Business.[25][26]
Toll rates, for 2-axle vehicles, along Cross Island Parkway were $1.25 at the toll plaza and $1.00 at the Marshland Road/Spanish Wells Road interchange. Each additional axle was $1.00 (plaza and ramps). The toll plaza had bothelectronic toll collection (ETC) and cash lanes, which were staffed 24 hours a day; Marshland Road/Spanish Wells Road interchange accept only ETC or exact change only. Those that did not have exact change or do not pay the toll had five days to contact the Cross Island Parkway Customer Service Center to make a payment; after that time, a violation notice was mailed. Travelers that made a mistake of taking the toll road may request a "Turn Around Pass", which gives them ten minutes to continue along the highway, turn around at the roundabout and return the pass at the toll plaza on the return trip.[27]
On July 1, 2021, the tolls were removed because the final bond payment was paid on the $81 million road that was opened in 1998.
| County | Location | mi[1][2][3] [4][5][6] | 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 intoGeorgia | |
| 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) toI-20 /SC 230 | Right-in/right-out interchange; westbound exit and entrance; eastern terminus of SC 125 Conn.[28] | ||
| 1.560– 1.950 | 2.511– 3.138 |  I-520 (Palmetto Parkway) –Augusta,Columbia,Atlanta | I-520 exit 17 | ||
| Clearwater | 2.380 | 3.830 |     US 1 north /US 78 east (Jefferson Davis Highway east) /SC 421 begins –Aiken,North Augusta,Clearwater | Interchange; eastern end of US 1/US 78 concurrencies; western end of SC 421 concurrency; southern terminus of SC 421 | |
| 2.380– 2.465 | 3.830– 3.967 |  SC 125 north (Atomic Road) –North Augusta | Eastern end ofSC 421 concurrency (eastbound only); western end of SC 125 concurrency; interchange | ||
| Beech Island | 7.270– 7.500 | 11.700– 12.070 |    SC 28 west (Sand Bar Ferry Road) /SC 125 south (Atomic Road) –Savannah River Site,Augusta | Eastern end of SC 125 concurrency; eastern terminus of SC 28; interchange | |
| | 13.480 | 21.694 |  SC 302 (Silver Bluff Road) –Jackson,Aiken | ||
| New Ellenton | 19.690 | 31.688 |  SC 19 north –New Ellenton,Aiken,Savannah River Site | Southern terminus of SC 19 | |
| | 29.060 | 46.768 |   SC 781 east –Williston,Charleston | Western terminus of SC 781 | |
| Barnwell | | 32.730 | 52.674 |  SC 39 –Williston | |
| | 41.170 | 66.257 |  SC 37 north –Elko,Williston | Southern terminus of SC 37 | |
| Barnwell | 43.500 | 70.006 |  SC 64 west (Dunbarton Boulevard) –Savannah River Site | Western end of SC 64 concurrency | |
| 43.760 | 70.425 |  SC 70 east (Allen Street) / Dunbarton Boulevard –Denmark | Western terminus of SC 70 | ||
| 44.100 | 70.972 | SC 64 east (Hagood Avenue) –Walterboro | Eastern end of SC 64 concurrency | ||
| 45.430 | 73.112 |  SC 3 north (Marlboro Avenue) –Columbia | Western end of SC 3 concurrency | ||
| | 46.670 | 75.108 | SC 3 south –Sylvania | Eastern end of SC 3 concurrency | |
| | 46.900 | 75.478 |  SC 300 south –Ulmer | Northern terminus of SC 300 | |
| Allendale | Allendale | 60.610 | 97.542 |  US 301 north (Burton's Ferry Highway) –Walterboro | Western end of US 301 concurrency; toUSC Salkehatchie |
| 60.920 | 98.041 | US 301 south (Main Street) /SC 125 north (Railroad Avenue) –Savannah River Site,Augusta,Sylvania | Eastern end of US 301 concurrency | ||
| Fairfax | 66.370 | 106.812 |  US 321 (Hampton Avenue) –Estill,Savannah,Orangeburg,Columbia | ToUSC Salkehatchie | |
| Hampton | Hampton | 75.330 | 121.232 |  SC 363 west (Shaw Drive) –Lake Warren State Park | Western end of SC 363 concurrency |
| 75.490 | 121.489 |  US 601 north (Hoover Street) –Orangeburg | Western end of US 601 concurrency | ||
| 76.050 | 122.391 | US 601 south (First Street) –Estill,Savannah | Eastern end of US 601 concurrency | ||
| 76.240 | 122.696 | SC 363 east (Third Street) –Walterboro,Charleston | Eastern end of SC 363 concurrency | ||
| Varnville | 78.130 | 125.738 |  SC 63 east (Main Street) –Walterboro | Western terminus of SC 63 | |
| Almeda | 80.240 | 129.134 |  SC 68 east (Yemassee Highway) –Yemassee | Western terminus of SC 68 | |
| Jasper | Grays | 91.870 | 147.850 | SC 3 north (Heritage Road) –Early Branch | Southern terminus of SC 3 |
| Gillisonville | 96.750 | 155.704 |  SC 462 west (Gillison Branch Road) –Pineland | Western end of SC 462 concurrency | |
| | 97.570 | 157.024 | SC 462 east (Morgandollar Road) –Coosawhatchie | Eastern end of SC 462 concurrency | |
| | 102.310 | 164.652 |  SC 652 west (Calf Pen Bay Road) –Pineland | Eastern terminus of SC 652 | |
| Ridgeland | 106.288 | 171.054 | Russell Street south (US 278 Conn. east) / Town Square east | Western terminus of US 278 Conn. and Town Square; northern terminus of Russell Street | |
| 106.370 | 171.186 | 3rd Avenue west (US 278 Conn. west) | Eastern terminus of US 278 Conn., which takes on the 3rd Avenue name | ||
| 106.640 | 171.620 |  US 17 north (Jacob Smart Boulevard) –Charleston | Western end of US 17 concurrency | ||
| 106.780 | 171.846 |  SC 336 (Main Street) –Tillman,Beaufort,Hilton Head Island | |||
| 109.050 | 175.499 |  SR 13 south toI-95 –Savannah,Florence | Northern terminus of SC 13 | ||
| | 119.440 | 192.220 | US 17 south (Whyte Hardee Boulevard) –Hardeeville | Eastern end of US 17 concurrency | |
| | 119.730 | 192.687 | I-95 –Savannah,Florence | I-95 exit 8 | |
| Beaufort | | 127.580– 127.601 | 205.320– 205.354 |  SC 170 (Okatie Highway) –Savannah,Beaufort | ToParris Island; interchange |
| Bluffton | 133.510 | 214.864 |  SC 46 west (Bluffton Road) –Bluffton | Eastern terminus of SC 46 | |
| 137.293 | 220.952 | Bluffton Parkway | Interchange; westbound exit and eastbound entrance | ||
| Atlantic Intracoastal Waterway | J. Wilton Graves Bridge | ||||
| Hilton Head Island | 140.720– 141.102 | 226.467– 227.082 |  US 278 Bus. east (William Hilton Parkway east) | West end of Cross Island Parkway; western terminus of US 278 Bus.; provides access toHilton Head Airport | |
| 143.290– 143.497 | 230.603– 230.936 | Marshland Road / Spanish Wells Road | East end of Cross Island Parkway | ||
| 143.854 | 231.511 | Toll plaza (closed) | |||
| 144.331 | 232.278 | Charles E. Fraser Bridge over Broad Creek | |||
| 146.130 | 235.173 | US 278 Bus. west (William Hilton Parkway) / Greenwood Drive / Pope Avenue – Sea Pines, Harbour Town, Beaches | Roundabout; eastern terminus of US 278 and US 278 Bus. | ||
1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi
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Media related toU.S. Route 278 in South Carolina at Wikimedia Commons| U.S. Route 278 | ||
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