U.S. Route 15 in South Carolina


In the U.S. state of South Carolina, U.S. Route 15 is a north-south highway, it runs from McColl to Walterboro.

Route description

Starting at ALT US 17 in Walterboro US 15 runs north as a continuation of Jefferson Boulevard, which was previously designated as Alt US 17 until that route turned east onto Whitman Street. It runs parallel to I-95 intersecting with U.S. 78 in St. George and later one of its auxiliary routes U.S. Route 178 before it crosses I-26 at a cloverleaf interchange in Harleyville. Then it turns northwest, passing through Wells where it not only intersects U.S. Route 178, but the western terminus of South Carolina Highway 45. North of that point it crosses I-95 at Exit 93. Just before the town of Santee US 15 converges with US 301. In Santee the two highways merge with I-95 at exit 98 and all three cross Lake Marion. At exit 102, US 15/301 split off from I-95 returning to the former segment of US 15/301, now named St. Paul Road and go into the town of Summerton. US 15 then separates from US 301, remaining on Church Street and heads mainly north to city of Sumter. From there it continues north, crosses I-20, goes through the cities of Bishopville and Hartsville to the town of Society Hill. It is here that US 401 joins US 15 and both go to the North Carolina border.

History

US 15 was extended south into South Carolina in 1935 as an replacement for the second incarnation of US 401 that existed between 1932-1934, which also existed in North Carolina. Besides being replaced by US 15 part of that route was also replaced by the former US 15A between Sumter and Society Hill.
In 1946 the road ran along a new two-lane bridge over Lake Marion along with US 301 with the potential for a second span that was never built. For a brief period from 1950 to 1951 US 15 was extended south from Walterboro through Yemassee and into Pocotaligo along what is today part of US 17 ALT.
When Interstate 95 was built across Lake Marion in 1968, US 15 and 301 ran parallel to it until they were relocated in a triple concurrency in 1987.

Junction list