U.S. Highway 17 (US 17) is a part of the United States Numbered Highway System that runs north–south from Punta Gorda, Florida to Winchester, Virginia. In South Carolina, it is a 221.454-mile (356.396 km) major highway that travels near the Atlantic Ocean. Beginning from the Georgia state line at the Savannah River, US 17 enters South Carolina in Jasper County, where it intersects with Interstate 95 (I-95). The route goes through Hardeeville. It merges with I-95 until Point South, then heads east into Beaufort County, through the ACE Basin, and eventually reaches Charleston. There, US 17 crosses the Ashley and Cooper rivers, crossing the Arthur Ravenel Jr. Bridge and becoming a major route through Mount Pleasant. Continuing through the Francis Marion National Forest, it reaches Georgetown. Then it follows the Grand Strand, bypassing Myrtle Beach before entering North Carolina near Calabash.
U.S. Highway 17 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Coastal Highway | ||||
 US 17 highlighted in red | ||||
| Route information | ||||
| Maintained by SCDOT | ||||
| Length | 221.454 mi[1][2][3][4][5][6] (356.396 km) | |||
| Existed | November 11, 1926[7]–present | |||
| Major junctions | ||||
| South end |   US 17 / SR 404 Spur at Georgia line near Savannah, GA | |||
| ||||
| North end | US 17 at North Carolina line near Calabash, NC | |||
| Location | ||||
| Country | United States | |||
| State | South Carolina | |||
| Counties | Jasper, Beaufort, Colleton, Charleston, Georgetown, Horry | |||
| Highway system | ||||
| ||||
US 17 predates the Interstate Highway System and remains an alternative to I-95 for local and long-distance travel. The highway offers a more scenic coastal route than I-95's inland path. During hurricane seasons, US 17 serves as an evacuation route for coastal communities, particularly in the Grand Strand regions.
Throughout its route in South Carolina, the highway is commonly called the Coastal Highway. Historically, a portion of US 17 was part of a much longer colonial-era route known as the King's Highway. This historic road stretched from Charleston to Boston, Massachusetts, serving the major colonial cities along the Eastern Seaboard. Additionally, multiple portions of US 17 were part of the Ocean Highway, due to the highway being near the Atlantic Ocean.
Route description
editGeorgia state line to Charleston
edit
US 17 enters into South Carolina in Jasper County as a two-lane road and, within eight miles (13 km), enters Hardeeville, where it becomes a major four-lane freeway configuration. US 17 intersects Interstate 95 (I-95) at exit 5 in Hardeeville and after the intersection with US 321, runs parallel to I-95 until Ridgeland, where it merges with the Interstate at exit 22 until Point South. At Point South, US 17 leaves I-95 at exit 33 and heads eastward into northern Beaufort County, sharing a concurrency with US 21 until Gardens Corner. US 21 splits off to Beaufort while US 17 heads northeast into the ACE Basin and Colleton County.[8] Once in Jacksonboro, the road enters into Charleston County crossing over the Edisto River and regaining a four-lane configuration for the remainder of the state. The road passes through several rural communities as it approaches Charleston from the west. Just before the interchange with I-526, major commercial development starts and continues into the West Ashley neighborhood of Charleston.[8] The route then approaches the Ashley River.
Charleston to Georgetown
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In Charleston, US 17 traverses the Ashley River Drawbridges and comes onto the Charleston Peninsula, being routed north of the city's historical areas. The first portion is at-grade and has a few traffic signals for flow purposes. Upon reaching the eastern terminus of I-26, US 17 becomes controlled-access and above grade as it approaches the Cooper River via the Arthur Ravenel Jr. Bridge and the stretch of US 17 in Charleston is infamous among locals for its traffic congestion, especially on weekday mornings.
Upon crossing the river, the highway enters Mount Pleasant at grade and is signalized for several miles up through the second interchange with I-526 and connecting roads to the Isle of Palms and Sullivan's Island. The road leaves the Charleston metropolitan area by entering the Francis Marion National Forest and going through the rural communities of Awendaw and McClellanville on its northeastern journey to Georgetown. US 17 crosses the marsh-lined Santee River as it enters Georgetown County. After going through Georgetown, US 17 crosses eastward over the Waccamaw–Pee Dee river system before making a northward turn along the Grand Strand.[8]
Georgetown to the North Carolina state line
editThe last component of US 17 runs close to the Atlantic Ocean, beginning at Hobcaw Barony and DeBordieu Colony, passing by Pawleys Island, and going past the Litchfield beaches and Murrells Inlet. It enters Horry County. It passes Garden City, Surfside Beach, and arrives in Myrtle Beach. US 17 splits here between a business route and the standard route, which remains west of the beach and tourist areas served by US 17 Business. The roads rejoin north of the city and continue as US 17 through Atlantic Beach, North Myrtle Beach, and Little River where the South Carolina Welcome Center can be found across from the intersection with SC 179 before crossing into North Carolina.[8] The portions from Murrells Inlet to the state line are quite congested at times, though the soon to be constructed I-73 should assist in alleviating many traffic issues.
History
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The route was part of the 1926 approved plan for a national system of highways and appears on the approved map. When first signed, US 17 followed a route that went through Florence and Marion.[9] The original route through South Carolina was 288 miles (463 km) long.
At the time, U.S. Highways in South Carolina used a dual-numbering system; US 17 was also signed SC 1 from Georgia to Yemassee, SC 30 from Yemassee to Walterboro, SC 6 from Walterboro to Charleston, SC 2 from Charleston to Goose Creek, SC 41 from Goose Creek to Florence, SC 3 from Florence to North Carolina.[10] By 1928, all the dual numbers had been removed except for SC 2. The entire route from Georgia to North Carolina was paved by 1930.[11] At one point, the route from Green Pond to Jacksonboro was SC 32.[citation needed]
In 1931, the route was extended to Punta Gorda.[12]
The early routing was already identified to be shifted to the Kings Highway which would pass through Myrtle Beach and Georgetown; rerouting occurred in 1935.[9]
In 1941, the segment of roadway between the Tullifinny River and Harbor River was widened to four lanes.[13][14]
In 1947, US 17 was relocated to stay onto king Street and Columbus Street in Charleston.[15]
In 1952, a one-way pair was created in Charleston near the Ashley River Bridge. By 1959, this had been modified again to use Spring Street.[15]
In 1956, US 17 was widened to four lane between Ridgeland and Pocotaligo. That same year, it was widened to four lanes between what is now SC 171 and Downtown Charleston.
In 1961, a second draw span over the Ashley River was opened to traffic, this was done to reduce congestion.[16] This one was officially named the T. Allen Legare Bridge.[17]
In 1963, the segment of roadway between Myrtle Beach and Atlantic Beach was widened to four lanes.
The first tourist welcome center in South Carolina opened in February 1968 on US 17 near Little River.[18]
In December 1968, the segment of roadway in Downtown Charleston was moved off of local streets and onto the Crosstown Expressway.[19]
A segment of US 17 between Ridgeland and Point South once contained two four-lane divided sections. The first is in Coosawhatchie between north of the culvert for Little Bees Creek and north of the bridge over the Coosawhatchie River. From 1971 to 1975, portions of the segment were relocated onto I-95. The divided section in Coosawhatchie remains intact, while the northbound lane near the Tullifinny wetlands was closed, and today is used for a fishing pier, a parking lot of a church, and a private home.[citation needed]
In 1980, the road was widened to four lanes between Awendaw and McLellanville.[citation needed]
In 1981, a bypass of Myrtle Beach was opened, US 17 Business was designated in its former place. it involved constructing new roadway, as well as utilizing existing roadway.[citation needed]
In 1997, US 17 was rerouted to cross the Georgia state line through Savannah, this new segment replaced US 17 Alt. The old route into Georgia was became part of an extended SC 170.[citation needed]
In 2005, the Crosstown Expressway segment concurrent with Lee Street was permanently closed. In its place, a new concurrency with I-26 was created, and a new Meeting Street interchange was also constructed. This was done as part of a project to replace the obsolete Cooper River bridges.[citation needed]
On April 21, 2010, the Crosstown Expressway was renamed the Septa Clark Expressway.[20]
ACE Basin widening project
editThe widening project addressed a 22-mile segment of the highway stretching from Gardens Corner in Beaufort County to Jacksonboro in Colleton County. This segment of the road, notorious for its high accident rate, was featured on a NBC Dateline special titled America's Most Dangerous Roads.[21] In 1985, the South Carolina Department of Transportation (SCDOT) recognized the need to improve the segment of US 17 due to substantial capacity and safety concerns.[22] The project faced delays due to environmental challenges.[23] Between 1997 and 2005, the segment experienced nearly 1,000 crashes, including 33 fatalities.[24]
The project widened the existing two-lane roadway into a four-lane highway with a grass median. The improvements included better roadway alignments, replacement of bridges, and improved intersections, including the US 17/US 21 intersection, which was changed into a diamond interchange with a roundabout. The estimated cost for the entire project was $173.4 million.[25]
Name designations
editSeveral sections of the highway have name designations. A section in the Crosstown from Cannon Street and Spring Street to the eastern terminus of I-26 is named the Septima P. Clark Parkway, after a U.S. civil rights activist.[26][27] A 3.6-mile (5.8 km) section in West Ashley running from South Carolina Highway 7 (SC 7) to South Carolina Highway 171 (SC 171) is named the Charleston Nine Memorial Highway, in honor of nine Charleston firefighters killed in the line of duty in the Charleston Sofa Super Store fire on June 18, 2007.[28] A section in Beaufort and Colleton counties is named the W. Brantley Harvey Highway.[29] A section from 8th Avenue North to Starwatch Drive in Horry County is named the George Rayford Vereen Highway.[30] A section from Old Jacksonboro Road to South Carolina Highway 7 (SC 7) is named the Curtis B. Inabinett, Sr. Highway.[31]
Major intersections
edit| County | Location | mi[1][2][3][4][5][6] | km | Destinations | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jasper | | 0.000 | 0.000 |  US 17 south / SR 404 Spur south – Savannah | Continuation from Georgia |
| | 4.100 | 6.598 |   SC 315 north (South Okatie Highway) – Bluffton, Hilton Head Island, Beaufort | Southern terminus of SC 315 | |
| | 6.610 | 10.638 |   SC 170 west (Alligator Alley) – Port Wentworth | Southern end of SC 170 concurrency | |
| Limehouse | 8.110 | 13.052 |  SC 170 east (Freedom Parkway) – Hilton Head Island, Beaufort | Northern end of SC 170 concurrency | |
| Hardeeville | 13.050 | 21.002 |  I-95 – Florence, Jacksonville | I-95 exit 5 | |
| 13.740 | 22.112 |   US 321 north (Deerfield Road) – Augusta | Southern terminus of US 321; to Jasper Power Plant | ||
| 14.050 | 22.611 |  SC 46 (Main Street) – Tillman, Hilton Head Island | |||
| | 16.020 | 25.782 |    US 278 east to I-95 – Beaufort, Hilton Head Island | Southern end of US 278 concurrency | |
| Ridgeland | 26.410 | 42.503 | SR 13 south to I-95 – Savannah, Florence | Northern terminus of S-27-13 | |
| 28.680 | 46.156 |  SC 336 (Main Street) – Tillman | |||
| 28.820 | 46.381 |  US 278 west – Hampton | Northern end of US 278 concurrency | ||
| 30.158– 30.670 | 48.535– 49.359 |  I-95 south – Savannah | Southern end of I-95 concurrency; I-95 exit 22 | ||
| | 36.180 | 58.226 |  SC 462 – Coosawhatchie | I-95 exit 28 | |
| Point South | 40.560– 40.820 | 65.275– 65.693 |  I-95 north – Florence | Northern end of I-95 concurrency; I-95 exit 33 | |
| Beaufort | Pocotaligo | 42.580 | 68.526 |   US 21 north (Castle Hall Road) / US 17 Alt. north – Yemassee, Walterboro | Southern end of US 21 concurrency; southern terminus of US 17 Alt. |
| Gardens Corner | 48.860– 49.120 | 78.633– 79.051 | US 21 south (Trask Parkway) – Beaufort | Northern end of US 21 concurrency | |
| Colleton | Green Pond | 61.145 | 98.403 |  SC 303 north (Green Pond Highway) – Walterboro | Southern terminus of SC 303 |
| Jacksonboro | 71.172 | 114.540 |  SC 64 west (Charleston Highway) – Walterboro | Eastern terminus of SC 64 | |
| Charleston | Osborn | 78.160 | 125.786 |   SC 174 south – Edisto Beach | Northern terminus of SC 174 |
| Ravenel | 84.120 | 135.378 |  SC 165 – Younges Island, Summerville | ||
| 90.030 | 144.889 |  SC 162 west – Hollywood, Edisto Beach | Eastern terminus of SC 162 | ||
| Charleston | 97.440 | 156.814 |  SC 7 north (Sam Rittenburg Boulevard) | Southern terminus of SC 7 | |
| 97.530– 97.540 | 156.959– 156.975 |    I-526 east – North Charleston, Charleston International Airport | Western terminus of I-526; provides access to Charleston International Airport | ||
| 101.060 | 162.640 |  SC 171 (Wesley Drive) – James Island, Folly Beach | |||
| 101.221– 101.340 | 162.899– 163.091 |  SC 61 north (St. Andrews Boulevard) – Summerville | No access from US 17 to SC 61 south, from SC 61 south to US 17 south, or from SC 61 north to US 17 | ||
| 101.440 | 163.252 |  SC 700 south (Folly Road Boulevard) – Folly Beach | No access from US 17 north to SC 700; northern terminus of SC 700 | ||
| 101.823– 101.827 | 163.868– 163.875 | Ashley River Memorial Bridge across the Ashley River | |||
| 102.149– 102.220 | 164.393– 164.507 |  SC 30 west / Lockwood Drive – James Island, Folly Beach | Eastern terminus of SC 30 | ||
| 103.170 | 166.036 | King Street (US 78) | Southbound exit only; southern end of I-26 concurrency; eastern terminus of I-26; ramp end at Carolina Street, which leads to King Street. | ||
| 103.750 | 166.969 |   I-26 west – North Charleston, Columbia | Northern end of I-26 concurrency | ||
| 103.857– 104.155 | 167.142– 167.621 | Meeting Street (US 52) | Southbound exit and northbound entrance | ||
| 104.200– 104.820 | 167.694– 168.691 | East Bay Street / Morrison Drive (US 52 Spur) | Southbound exit and northbound entrance | ||
| Charleston–Mount Pleasant line | 105.496 | 169.779 | Arthur Ravenel Jr. Bridge over the Cooper River | ||
| Mount Pleasant | 106.430– 106.565 | 171.282– 171.500 |  SC 703 north (Coleman Boulevard) – Sullivan's Island | Northbound exit and southbound entrance; southern terminus of SC 703 | |
| 106.607 | 171.567 | Wingo Way | No access from US 17 to Wingo Way or from Wingo Way to US 17 north | ||
| 109.690– 109.780 | 176.529– 176.674 |    I-526 west / I-526 BS east (Chuck Dawley Boulevard) to SC 703 – North Charleston, Savannah | No access from US 17 north to I-526 Bus., from US 17 south to I-526, from I-526 ro US 17 north, or from I-526 Bus. to US 17 south; eastern terminus of I-526; western terminus of I-526 Bus. | ||
| 110.130– 110.220 | 177.237– 177.382 | I-526 west / Hungryneck Boulevard east – North Charleston, Savannah | Western terminus of Hungryneck Boulevard; Representative H.B. "Chip" Limehouse III Interchange | ||
| 111.640 | 179.667 |  SC 517 south (Isle of Palms Connector) – Isle of Palms | Northern terminus of SC 517 | ||
| 114.140 | 183.691 |  SC 41 north / Dingle Road east – Huger | Southern terminus of SC 41; western terminus of Dingle Road | ||
| McClellanville | 140.060 | 225.405 |  SC 45 north / South Pinckney Street south | Southern terminus of SC 45; northern terminus of South Pinckney Street | |
| Georgetown | Georgetown | 162.770– 162.879 | 261.953– 262.128 |   US 521 north (Highmarket Street) / US 701 north (Fraser Street) / US 17 Alt. south (Exchange Street) – Andrews, Walterboro, Conway | Northern terminus of US 17 Alt; southern terminus of US 521 and US 701 |
| 164.391– 165.070 | 264.562– 265.654 | L.H. Siau Bridges across the Pee Dee, Black, and Waccamaw rivers (Intracoastal Waterway) | |||
| Murrells Inlet | 181.830 | 292.627 |  US 17 Bus. north – Murrells Inlet | Southern terminus of US 17 Bus. | |
| 185.190 | 298.034 |   SC 707 (Burgess Road) to SC 31 – Conway, North Myrtle Beach, Murrells Inlet | |||
| Georgetown–Horry county line | Murrells Inlet–Garden City line | 185.570 | 298.646 | US 17 Bus. north (US 17 Conn. north) – Garden City, Surfside Beach | Northbound exit and southbound entrance; southern terminus of US 17 Conn. |
| Horry | Garden City | 189.389 | 304.792 | Glenns Bay Road south / Holmestown Road north – Surfside Beach | Interchange |
| Socastee | 191.769– 191.775 | 308.622– 308.632 |  SC 544 (Dick Pond Road) to SC 31 – Socastee, Conway, Surfside Beach | Nelson Jackson Memorial Interchange | |
| Socastee–Myrtle Beach line | 194.465 | 312.961 | SC 707 south (Socastee Boulevard) / Farrow Parkway south – Socastee, Horry-Georgetown Technical College Grand Strand Campus | Northern terminus of SC 707 and Farrow Parkway; interchange | |
| Myrtle Beach | 196.595 | 316.389 | George Bishop Parkway west / Harrelson Boulevard south – Fantasy Harbour, Myrtle Beach International Airport | Eastern terminus of George Bishop Parkway; northern terminus of Harrelson Boulevard; interchange | |
| 197.625– 197.655 | 318.047– 318.095 |  US 501 – Myrtle Beach, Conway | Cloverleaf interchange | ||
| 201.905 | 324.935 | Grissom Parkway to SC 31 – Downtown | No northbound south exit | ||
| 205.199– 205.545 | 330.236– 330.793 | US 17 Bus. south (Kings Highway) – Myrtle Beach | Northern terminus of US 17 Bus. | ||
| | 207.325– 207.735 | 333.657– 334.317 |   SC 22 west (Conway Bypass) to SC 31 / US 501 – Conway | Eastern terminus of SC 22; interchange | |
| North Myrtle Beach | 211.215 | 339.918 |  SC 65 north (27th Avenue South) – Crescent Beach | Southern terminus of SC 65 | |
| 213.685 | 343.893 | Robert Edge Parkway north (SC 31 Conn. north) / Main Street south – Wampee, Downtown North Myrtle Beach | Southern terminus of SC 31 Conn. and Robert Edge Parkway; northern terminus of Main Street | ||
| 215.725 | 347.176 |  SC 9 south – Cherry Grove Beach | Southern end of SC 9 concurrency; interchange | ||
| Little River | 216.522– 216.523 | 348.458– 348.460 |  SC 90 – Conway | Northbound exit and southbound entrance | |
| 216.575– 216.735 | 348.544– 348.801 | SC 9 north to SC 31 – Loris, Dillon | Northern end of SC 9 concurrency | ||
| 217.825– 217.845 | 350.555– 350.588 | SC 90 west – Conway | Eastern terminus of SC 90 | ||
| 220.835 | 355.399 |  SC 179 north / Graystone Boulevard – Calabash | Southern terminus of SC 179 | ||
| | 221.454 | 356.396 | US 17 north – Shallotte, Wilmington | Continuation into North Carolina | |
1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi
| |||||
See also
edit
References
edit- ^ a b "Highway Logmile Report". South Carolina Department of Transportation. Retrieved December 30, 2020.
- ^ a b "Highway Logmile Report". South Carolina Department of Transportation. Retrieved December 30, 2020.
- ^ a b "Highway Logmile Report". South Carolina Department of Transportation. Retrieved December 30, 2020.
- ^ a b "Highway Logmile Report". South Carolina Department of Transportation. Retrieved December 30, 2020.
- ^ a b "Highway Logmile Report". South Carolina Department of Transportation. Retrieved December 30, 2020.
- ^ a b "Highway Logmile Report". South Carolina Department of Transportation. Retrieved December 30, 2020.
- ^ Bureau of Public Roads & American Association of State Highway Officials (November 11, 1926). United States System of Highways Adopted for Uniform Marking by the American Association of State Highway Officials (Map). 1:7,000,000. Washington, DC: United States Geological Survey. OCLC 32889555. Retrieved July 13, 2024 – via Wikimedia Commons.
- ^ a b c d Google (July 10, 2013). "Overview map of US 17 in South Carolina" (Map). Google Maps. Google. Retrieved July 10, 2013.
- ^ a b Sawyer, C.M. (1929). Map of the Official Atlantic Coastal Highway (Map). Scale not given. n.p.: Atlantic Coastal Highway. Archived from the original on May 30, 2010 – via University of South Carolina Map Collections.
- ^ Moore, John Hammond (1987). The South Carolina Highway Department, 1917–1987. Columbia, South Carolina: University of South Carolina Press. pp. 74–75. ISBN 0872495280.
- ^ Moore (1987), p. 139.
- ^ "End of US highway 17". US Ends.com. December 15, 2023. Retrieved July 12, 2024.
- ^ "S-27-424SERVICE over Tullifinny River (No. 1), Jasper County, South Carolina". BridgeReports.com.
- ^ "S-27-424 over Tullifinny River (No. 2), Jasper County, South Carolina". BridgeReports.com.
- ^ a b "Historic US highway endpoints in Charleston, SC". US Ends.com. May 12, 2023. Retrieved July 12, 2024.
- ^ "Ashley River Bridges". SC Picture Project. n.d. Retrieved July 12, 2024.
- ^ "Bicycling the Ashley River Bridge in 1897". Charleston County Public Library. April 6, 2018. Retrieved July 13, 2024.
- ^ Moore (1987), p. 244.
- ^ Beach, Dana; Saunders, William (September 14, 2020) [December 3, 2016]. "Reverse Divisive Legacy of the Charleston Crosstown". The Post and Courier. Charleston, South Carolina. Retrieved July 12, 2024.
- ^ "The Septima P. Clark Expressway and Park". Virtual Tour: Septima P. Clark's Charleston. Lowcountry Digital History Initiative. Retrieved July 12, 2024.
- ^ Mankiewicz, Josh (May 15, 2005). "Dangerous roads". NBC News. Retrieved July 18, 2024.
- ^ Application to the South Carolina State Transportation Infrastructure Bank for the US 17 Widening from Gardens Corner to Jacksonboro (PDF). South Carolina Department of Transportation. p. 5. Retrieved July 18, 2024.
- ^ Riddle, Lyn (April 7, 1993). "ENVIRONMENT : Road Project Collides With Wetlands Plan : S. Carolina river basin rich in wildlife is threatened by proposed widening of route". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved July 18, 2024.
- ^ Findlay, Prentiss (May 15, 2011). "Road through paradise gets wider: Work to make U.S. 17 safer continues in scenic Ace Basin". Post and Courier. The Post & Courier. Retrieved July 18, 2024.
- ^ Application to the South Carolina State Transportation Infrastructure Bank for the US 17 Widening from Gardens Corner to Jacksonboro (PDF). South Carolina Department of Transportation. p. 25. Retrieved July 18, 2024.
- ^ "The Septima P. Clark Expressway and Park". Lowcountry Digital History Initiative. College of Charleston. Retrieved July 26, 2020.
- ^ "Septima Clark Parkway Now Official". City of Charleston, South Carolina. May 21, 2010. Archived from the original on July 27, 2020. Retrieved July 26, 2020.
- ^ U.S. 17 stretch to honor firefighters who died in sofa store blaze Archived 2008-10-17 at the Wayback Machine The Post and Courier, March 25, 2008. Accessed March 27, 2008.
- ^ "1995-96 Bill 4961: W. Brantley Harvey Highway". South Carolina Legislature Online. South Carolina General Assembly. Retrieved July 18, 2024.
- ^ "Bill S*1267". South Carolina Legislature Online. South Carolina General Assembly. Retrieved July 18, 2024.
- ^ "2021-2022 Bill 450: Curtis B. Inabinett, Sr. Highway". South Carolina Legislature Online. South Carolina General Assembly. Retrieved July 18, 2024.
External links
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Media related to U.S. Route 17 in South Carolina at Wikimedia Commons- US 17 at Virginia Highways' South Carolina Highways Annex
- US 17 at AARoads
