U.S. Route 21

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U.S. Route 21

US 21 highlighted in red
Route information
Length394 mi (634 km)
Existed1926–present
Tourist
routes
  • McTeer Bridge Scenic Byway
  • US 21 Scenic Byway
Major junctions
South endHunting Island State Park, SC
Major intersections
North end I-81 / US 52 in Wytheville, VA
Location
CountryUnited States
StatesSouth Carolina, North Carolina, Virginia
CountiesSC: Beaufort, Hampton, Colleton, Bamberg, Orangeburg, Calhoun, Lexington, Richland, Fairfield, Chester, York
NC: Mecklenburg, Iredell, Yadkin, Surry, Wilkes, Alleghany
VA: Grayson, Wythe
Highway system
← US 20US→ US 22
← SC 20SC→ SC 22
← NC 20NC→ NC 22
← SR 20VA→ SR 22

U.S. Route 21 or U.S. Highway 21 (US 21) is a major north–south United States Numbered Highway in the Southeastern United States that travels 394 miles (634 km). The southern terminus is in Hunting Island State Park, South Carolina, 14.4 miles (23.2 km) south of the junction with US 21 Business and South Carolina Highway 802 (SC 802) in Beaufort. The northern terminus is in Wytheville, Virginia at an interchange with Interstate 81 (I-81) and US 52. Despite the "1" indicating that it is a major north-south highway, U.S. 21 only travels through three states, and is no longer a cross-country route as it has been replaced with Interstate 77 in both Ohio and West Virginia. It also has the second-shortest length of all of the major north-south routes, just behind U.S. 91. The route travels through the states of South Carolina, North Carolina, and Virginia. It also connects through major Southeastern cities such as Columbia, South Carolina and Charlotte, North Carolina. The northern portion of the road travels parallel to I-77 in northern South Carolina and North Carolina. The road also has three interchanges with I-26 in Lexington and Calhoun counties in South Carolina.

Route description

Lengths
  mi km
SC 233 375
NC 125 201
VA 35 56
Total 393 632

South Carolina

US 21 travels 233.2 miles (375.3 km) through the state. Beginning at Hunting Island State Park, US 21 travels west toward Beaufort, where it widens to four lanes. The route bypasses Beaufort to the south, going through Port Royal, Shell Point, and Burton. In the Beaufort area, US 21 passes by the entrances to Parris Island and MCAS Beaufort, the major Marine Corps installations in the area. North of Beaufort, US 21 continues as a four-lane divided highway and intersects with US 17. The route travels in a wrong-way concurrency with US 17 south for seven miles (11 km) before turning north towards Yemassee, South Carolina, where it becomes a rural two-lane road and intersects with US 17 Alternate. North of Yemassee, US 21 splits off and crosses I-95 at exit 42.

The two-lane route continues through rural portions of the state. US 21 goes through Smoaks and Branchville, South Carolina and bypasses Orangeburg. North of Orangeburg, US 21 runs roughly parallel to I-26 until Gaston where it conjoins US 321 and becomes an urban highway. US 21 passes through Cayce, West Columbia, and Columbia.

North of Columbia, US 21 splits from US 321, reverting to a rural two-lane road parallel to I-77. In York County, US 21 enters urban areas again, connecting Rock Hill and Fort Mill. Near the North Carolina state line, US 21 merges with I-77 near Carowinds, then enters North Carolina.

North Carolina

US 21 begins as a concurrency with I-77 in Charlotte, which it repeats three times within the state. Its first break with I-77 is along Statesville Avenue, then proceeding through Huntersville and Cornelius, however, because of its close proximity to I-77 and North Carolina Highway 115 (NC 115), it has no interchange with I-485 by itself. The second break with I-77 occurs at Mooresville, where US 21 travels through the city and then northwest into Statesville. After Statesville, US 21 travels northeast to Harmony and Brooks Crossroads, before merging back with I-77 near Jonesville. However, Jonesville and Elkin connect with Business Hwy 21 thru centers of both towns, as an alternate route paralleling I-77. North of Elkin, US 21 splits with I-77 for the last time and goes north to Sparta, passing the Blue Ridge Parkway after a major, curvy section. North of Sparta, at Twin Oaks, US 221 overlaps with US 21 before entering Virginia. US 21 travels 124.5 miles (200.4 km) through the western Piedmont of North Carolina, either combined with I-77 or as a two-lane rural road; from the South Carolina state line to Elkin, travelers can easily skip a majority of US 21 via I-77.

Virginia

View south along US 21 at SR 805 in Grayson County, Virginia

After a few miles crossing the state line, US 21 reaches the town of Independence, where it splits with US 221 and continues north. The route goes through the Mount Rogers National Recreation Area before entering the city of Wytheville. After a short concurrency with US 11 in downtown Wytheville, it goes north and ends at the intersection of I-81/US 52. US 21 travels 35 miles (56 km) through western Virginia, mostly as a two-lane rural mountain road.

History

Southern terminus of US 21 at Hunting Island, South Carolina

US 21 in the pre-Interstate era was a north–south highway connecting the area around Lake Erie and the coastal South. One of the few true north–south routes to cross the middle Appalachian Mountains, it became an important corridor for motor traffic between northeastern Ohio, western Pennsylvania, (with US 19) and western New York state with central North Carolina, central and southeastern South Carolina, and (by connecting with other highways) coastal Georgia and most of Florida. Many referred to the stretch of Hwy 21 from the Great Lakes Region to Florida as "The Lakes-to-Florida Highway".

US 21 originally (in 1926) connected Cleveland, Ohio, and Yemassee, South Carolina. In 1935 it was extended to Beaufort, South Carolina, and again in 1953 to its current southern terminus at the Atlantic Coast at Hunting Island State Park, between the city of Beaufort and Fripp Island.[1]

In the Interstate Highway era much of US 21 became an obvious corridor for a long-distance expressway. The West Virginia Turnpike between Charleston, West Virginia, and Princeton, West Virginia, was the first segment of a planned series of toll highways along or near US 21 from Cleveland to Charlotte, North Carolina. All of the other toll highways were shelved in favor of freeways built with Interstate funding; these freeways and the West Virginia Turnpike became I-77, which completely supplanted old US 21 as a long-distance through route. I-77 was later extended to Columbia, South Carolina, also within a few miles of US 21.

Between Cleveland and Charleston, all but a relatively short segment of US 21 was completely deleted in favor of I-77, the relics being State Route 21 (SR 21), SR 821 between Byesville and Marietta, Ohio, and Guernsey County Road 35 and Tuscarawas County Road 3 (Salt Fork Road), named Old Twenty-One Road and closely follows the route of US 21 from Byesville, Ohio to the village of Newcomerstown, Ohio. County Road 35 briefly becomes a variety of street names as it passes through Cambridge, such as Byesville Road, North Avenue, 11th Street, and Clark Street, before reverting to Old Twenty-One Road on the north side of Cambridge. From there, much of the old US 21 is still intact, however, some sections were demolished and redirected in favor of I-77. Once crossing the Guernsey/Tuscarawas county line, it becomes Salt Fork Road for about a mile, before joining Ohio State Route 258, which takes it the rest of the way to Newcomerstown. In total, the entire section of Old Twenty-One Road between North Cambridge and Newcomerstown is a total of 22.5 miles. The section of US 21 between Mineral Wells and Charleston is now signed as County Route 21 in all four counties along the route (Wood, Wirt, Jackson, and Kanawha).

Between Charleston and its current northern terminus at Wytheville, Virginia, almost all of US 21 coincided with either US 60, US 19, or US 52, which remained as US 21 was deleted. The short segment of US 21 in southern West Virginia not coinciding with another U.S. Highway became an extension of West Virginia Route 16.

In North Carolina, US 21 originally entered the state along today's NC 51 into Pineville, then followed Old Pineville Road into Charlotte. In the mid-1930s, US 21 moved over to South Boulevard from Old Pineville Road. In 1969, US 21 was rerouted following today's I-77 alignment, the old route was replaced by an extension of US 521. From 1975–87, US 21 moved north in segments onto I-77 to its current alignment ending at exit 16A (Sunset Road). Further north, US 21 originally followed Old Statesville Road, replaced in 1956 by NC 115. In 1966, US 21 was bypassed around Jonesville and Elkin, replaced with US 21 Business.[2]

US 21 in Beaufort, South Carolina was rerouted around the city over former SC 280 as well as a portion of SC 802. The new routing went into effect on February 26, 2012.[3]

Browse numbered routes
← US 20AOH→ SR 21

Major intersections

StateCountyLocationmi[4][5][6]kmExitDestinationsNotes
South CarolinaBeaufortHunting Island State Park0.000.00Sea Island Parkway / Campground RoadSouthern terminus; road continues as Sea Island Parkway
Lady's Island14.5023.34


 US 21 Bus. north (Sea Island Parkway west) / SC 802 east (Sams Point Road)		Southern terminus of US 21 Bus.; western terminus of SC 802
Port Royal17.3527.92
 SC 281 north (Ribaut Road north)		Southern terminus of SC 281
19.8731.98Parris Island M.C.R.D.Interchange
21.1033.96
 SC 128 west (Savannah Highway) – Bluffton, Hardeeville, Hilton Head Island		Eastern terminus of SC 128
Beaufort24.2439.01 SC 170 (Robert Smalls Parkway) – Beaufort
Burton25.4440.94

 US 21 Bus. south – Beaufort		Northern terminus of US 21 Bus.
26.8643.23
 SC 116 west – Laurel Bay		Eastern terminus of SC 116
Gardens Corner37.4060.19
 US 17 north – Charleston		Interchange; eastern end of US 17 concurrency
Pocotaligo44.0070.81



 US 17 Alt. begins / US 17 south to I-95 – Ridgeland, Savannah		Western end of US 17 concurrency; southern end of US 17 Alt. concurrency; southern terminus of US 17 Alt.
HamptonYemassee47.7776.88

 SC 68 west (Connely Street) / Flowers Street south (US 17 Conn. south) to I-95 – Hampton, Allendale		Eastern terminus of SC 68; northern terminus of US 17 Conn.
Colleton​49.3979.49

 US 17 Alt. north (Hendersonville Highway) – Walterboro		Northern end of US 17 Alt. concurrency
​52.0483.75 I-95 – Florence, SavannahI-95 exit 42
​62.0099.78 SC 63 (Sniders Highway) – Varnville, Walterboro
Bells Crossroads68.41110.10 SC 64 (Bells Highway) – Ehrhardt, Walterboro
Smoaks77.10124.08 SC 217 (Lodge Highway) – Lodge
BambergWhetstone Crossroads83.20133.90 SC 61 (Edisto River Road) – Bamberg
OrangeburgBranchville88.65142.67
 US 78 west (Edward Street) – Bamberg		Southern end of US 78 concurrency
88.85142.99
 US 78 east (Dorange Road) – Charleston		Northern end of US 78 concurrency
89.26143.65
 SC 210 north – Bowman		Southern terminus of SC 210
Orangeburg104.16167.63

 US 21 Bus. north (Rowesville Road) / Stonewall Jackson Boulevard (US 601 Truck north / SC 4 west)		Southern end of US 601 Truck concurrency; southern terminus of US 21 Bus.; eastern terminus of SC 4
104.23167.74


 US 178 east (Charleston Highway east) / US 178 Bus. west (Charleston Highway west) – Charleston		Southern end of US 178 concurrency; eastern terminus of US 178 Bus.
105.55169.87 US 301 (Five Chop Road) – Santee, Bamberg
105.65170.03 SC 33 (Russel Street) – Cameron
107.50173.00

 US 601 (Magnolia Street) / US 601 Truck ends – St. Matthews, Bamberg		Northern end of US 601 Truck concurrency; northern terminus of US 601 Truck
108.59174.76
 US 178 west (Chestnut Street) / Columbia Road south (US 21 Conn. south) – North		Northern end of US 178 concurrency; northern terminus of US 21 Conn.; US 21 turns right off of Chestnut Street and onto Columbia Road.
Calhoun​120.48193.89 SC 172 – North
​120.58194.05

 SC 6 east to I-26		Southern end of SC 6 concurrency
​122.15196.58
 SC 6 north (Center Hill Road) – Swansea		Northern end of SC 6 concurrency
Lexington​127.48205.16 I-26 – Columbia, CharlestonI-26 exit 129
CalhounSandy Run130.23209.58
 US 176 east (Old State Road) – St. Matthews		Southern end of US 176 concurrency
Lexington​137.13220.69 I-26 – Columbia, CharlestonI-26 exit 119
​138.98223.67
 US 321 south – Gaston, Swansea		Southern end of US 321 concurrency
Cayce141.48227.69
 I-77 north – Charlotte		I-77 exit 1
141.87228.32 I-26 – Charleston, SpartanburgI-26 exit 115
142.97230.09
 SC 2 north (Frink Road)		Southern terminus of SC 2
West Columbia144.45232.47
 SC 302 south (Airport Boulevard) – Aiken, Columbia Airport		Northern terminus of SC 302
Cayce146.23235.33 SC 2 (State Street)
RichlandColumbia147.22236.93





 SC 48 Truck east (Blossom Street / US 21 Conn. east / US 76 Conn. east) to US 76 east / US 378 east		Western terminus of US 21 Conn., US 76 Conn., and SC 48 Truck; US 21, US 176, and US 321 turn left off of Blossom Street and onto Huger Street.
147.86237.96 US 1 / US 378 (Gervais Street) – South Carolina State Museum, Confederate Relic Room, EdVenture, Columbia SC Visitors Center, Convention Center, Colonial Life Arena
148.16238.44
 SC 12 east (Hampton Street) – Fort Jackson		One-way couplet
148.26238.60
 SC 12 west (Taylor Street) – Lexington
148.76239.41


 I-126 west / US 76 west to I-20 – Greenville, Spartanburg		Southern end of I-126/US 76 concurrency; Rep. T. Moffatt Burriss Sr. Interchange
149.08239.92
 I-126 ends		Northern end of I-126 concurrency
149.38240.40
 SC 48 east (Assembly Street) – Columbia Museum of Art		Western terminus of SC 48
149.46240.53
 US 76 east (Elmwood Avenue)		Northern end of US 76 concurrency
149.97241.35
 US 176 west (River Drive)		Northern end of US 176 concurrency
150.66242.46 SC 16 (Sunset Drive)
151.23243.38
 SC 215 north (Monticello Road)		Southern terminus of SC 215
152.22244.97
 US 321 north (Fairfield Street) – Winnsboro		Northern end of US 321 concurrency
154.76249.06 I-20 – Florence, AugustaI-20 exit 71
Blythewood162.17260.99 I-77 – Columbia, CharlotteI-77 exit 24
163.46263.06 SC 555 (Farrow Road) – Columbia
Fairfield​171.40275.84Coleman Highway west (US 21 Conn. north) – WinnsboroSouthern terminus of US 21 Conn.; eastern terminus of Coleman Highway
Ridgeway172.09276.95
 SC 34 east (Palmer Street) – Lugoff, Camden		Southern end of SC 34 concurrency
172.31277.31
 SC 34 west (Church Street) – Winnsboro Mills		Northern end of SC 34 concurrency
​189.11304.34 SC 200 – WinnsboroSouthern end of SC 200 concurrency
ChesterGreat Falls192.07309.11
 SC 99 north (Chester Avenue) – Richburg		Southern terminus of SC 99
193.29311.07
 SC 97 north – Chester		Southern end of SC 97 concurrency
193.43311.30

 SC 97 south / SC 200 north – Lancaster		Northern end of SC 97 and SC 200 concurrencies
Fort Lawn200.93323.37 SC 9 (Chester Avenue) – Richburg, Lancaster
​206.23331.90 SC 223 (Wylies Mill Road) – Richburg
York​213.55343.68
 SC 5 south – Lancaster		Interchange; southern end of SC 5 concurrency; to Andrew Jackson State Park
Lesslie215.67347.09LesslieInterchange via connector road
Rock Hill217.26349.65Lesslie, Red RiverInterchange
218.02350.87 I-77 – Columbia, CharlotteI-77 exit 77
218.72352.00 SC 5 / SC 121 (Main Street)Access to Piedmont Medical Center; northern end of SC 5 concurrency; southern end of SC 121 concurrency
220.20354.38
 SC 122 (Dave Lyle Boulevard) to I-77		Interchange
222.36357.85
 SC 322 west (Cherry Road west) / SC 121 ends		Northern end of SC 121 concurrency; northern terminus of SC 121; eastern terminus of SC 322
222.80358.56 I-77 – Columbia, CharlotteI-77 exit 82
223.00358.88


 SC 161 north (Celanese Road) to I-77 north – Charlotte, York		Southern terminus of SC 161
Fort Mill224.37361.09

 US 21 Bus. north (Spratt Street) – Fort Mill		Southern terminus of US 21 Bus.
226.42364.39 SC 160 – Tega Cay
229.20368.86 SC 460 (Springfield Parkway) – Tega Cay, Fort Mill
230.35370.71

 US 21 Bus. south (Old Nation Road)		Northern terminus of US 21 Bus.
231.14371.98
 SC 51 north (Pineville–Rock Hill Road) – Pineville		Southern terminus of SC 51 (northern segment)
231.89373.19
 I-77 south – Columbia		Southern end of I-77 concurrency; I-77 exit 90
 232.52
0.00		374.20
0.00		South Carolina–North Carolina line
North CarolinaMecklenburgCharlotte0.91.41AWestinghouse BoulevardExit numbers follow I-77
1.82.91B I-485 – Huntersville, PinevilleFormerly exit 2 (southbound) before August 2010; I-485 exit 67
2.84.53Arrowood RoadFormerly exit 2 (northbound) before August 2010
3.76.04Nations Ford Road
4.87.75Tyvola RoadSingle-point urban interchange
6.09.76AWoodlawn Road south (Charlotte Route 4 east) – Queens UniversityTo Pfeiffer University
6.210.06B
 To NC 49 (S. Tryon Street) / Billy Graham Parkway (Charlotte Route 4 west)		To Billy Graham Library and Charlotte Douglas International Airport; southbound signed as NC 49 south (S. Tryon St. south) only
7.311.77
 To NC 49 / Clanton Road
8.313.48
 To NC 160 / Remount Road		Northbound exit and southbound entrance
9.014.59A NC 160 (West Boulevard)Southbound exit and northbound entrance; access from collector-distributor lanes
9.415.19B

 I-277 north / US 74 east (John Belk Freeway)		Access from collector-distributor lanes; I-277 exits 1B-C
9.515.39C


 US 74 west (Wilkinson Boulevard) to US 29 / NC 27		US 29 and NC 27 signed northbound only; access from collector-distributor lanes; US 74 exits 1B-C
9.915.910A US 29 / NC 27 (Morehead Street)Southbound exit and northbound entrance
10.416.710Trade Street / Fifth StreetSigned southbound as exits 10B (Trade Street east) and 10C (Fifth Street/Trade Street west)
11.017.711A

 I-277 south / NC 16 south (Brookshire Freeway east) – Downtown Charlotte		I-277 exits 5A-B
11.218.011B
 NC 16 north (Brookshire Freeway west)		Left exit northbound; NC 16 exits 5A-B
—
 I-77 north (Express lanes)		Southern terminus of HOV3+/toll lanes
—
 I-277 south		Express lanes only, southbound exit and northbound entrance
12.420.012Lasalle Street / Atando Avenue
13.321.413 I-85 – Greensboro, SpartanburgSigned as exits 13A (north) and 13B (south); hybrid interchange; I-85 exit 38
—
 I-85 north		Express lanes only; northbound exit and southbound entrance
15.825.4
 I-77 north – Statesville		Northern end of I-77 concurrency; I-77 exit 16
16.326.2
 NC 115 north (Old Statesville Road)		Southern terminus of NC 115
18.930.4 NC 24 (W.T. Harris Boulevard)To Northlake Mall
Huntersville
 Alexandriana Road to I-485
25.741.4 NC 73 (Sam Furr Road) – Concord
Cornelius28.846.3
 I-77 south – Charlotte		Southern end of I-77 concurrency; I-77 exit 28
Davidson30.248.630Griffith Street – DavidsonExit numbers follow I-77
Lake NormanLake Norman Causeway
IredellMooresville32.151.731Langtree Road
33.754.2
 I-77 north – Statesville		Northern end of I-77 concurrency; I-77 exit 33
36.458.6 NC 150 (Plaza Drive)Interchange
39.162.9
 NC 115 south (Statesville Highway)		Southern end of NC 115 concurrency
​43.369.7 I-77 – Charlotte, StatesvilleI-77 exit 42
Statesville51.282.4 US 70 (Garner Bagnal Boulevard) – Conover, Salisbury
51.983.5

 US 64 west (Front Street) / NC 115 north (Center Street)		Northern end of NC 115 concurrency; southern end of US 64 concurrency
52.384.2
 NC 90 west (Water Street)		Eastern terminus of NC 90
53.285.6
 US 64 east (Davie Avenue) – Mocksville		Northern end of US 64 concurrency
54.187.1 I-40 – Hickory, Winston-SalemI-40 exit 151
​57.292.1 I-77 – Statesville, ElkinI-77 exit 54
Harmony66.9107.7 NC 901 (Memorial Highway) – Union Grove
YadkinBrooks Crossroads79.2127.5 US 421 – Wilkesboro, Yadkinville, Winston-Salem
​85.4137.4


 I-77 south / US 21 Bus. north – Statesville, Jonesville		Southern end of I-77 concurrency; I-77 exit 79; southern terminus of US 21 Bus.
Jonesville88.5142.482 NC 67 – Jonesville, Boonville, ElkinExit number follows I-77
Yadkin RiverSgt. Gregory Keith Martin Memorial Bridges
SurryElkin90.3145.3
 I-77 north – Wytheville		Northern end of I-77 concurrency; southbound exit and northbound entrance; I-77 exit 83
91.3146.9


 NC 268 Byp. to I-77 north – Elkin		Interchange; to Elkin Municipal Airport; to I-77 exit 85
92.8149.3

 US 21 Bus. south – Elkin		Northern terminus of US 21 Bus.
WilkesNo major intersections
Alleghany​111.2179.0 Blue Ridge ParkwayInterchange via connector roads
Sparta118.2190.2 NC 18 (Whitehead Street) – Laurel Springs
Twin Oaks121.1194.9
 US 221 south – Jefferson		Southern end of US 221 concurrency
 124.3
0.00		200.0
0.00		North Carolina–Virginia line
VirginiaGraysonIndependence3.866.21
 US 221 north / US 58 (Main Street) – Mouth of Wilson, Galax		Northern end of US 221 concurrency
Elk Creek14.7723.77 SR 658 (Comers Rock Road) – Comers Rock
​15.6725.22
 SR 805 (Spring Valley Road) to SR 94 – Fries
WytheSpeedwell21.2634.21 SR 619 (Saint Peters Road) / SR 749 (Cedar Springs Road) – Cedar Springs, Rural Retreat
​26.0341.89 SR 690 (Crockett Road, Cripple Creek Road) – Crockett, Cripple Creek
​31.1350.10 SR 696 (Barrett Mill Road) – Big Survey Wildlife Management Area
Wytheville33.6354.12
 US 11 south (Lee Highway)		Southern end of US 11 concurrency
33.9454.62
 US 11 north (Main Street)		Northern end of US 11 concurrency
34.9956.31
 I-81 / US 52 to I-77 – Bristol, Roanoke		Northern terminus; I-81 exit 70; road continues west as US 52 (4th Street north)
1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi

Special routes and auxiliary routes

Main article: Special routes of U.S. Route 21

There are currently four active business loops and two known connectors along its route.

Auxiliary routes of U.S. Route 21

See also

References

  1. ^ Sanderson, Dale (July 4, 2009). "End of US Highway 21". US Ends. Self-published. Archived from the original on December 22, 2016. Retrieved February 2, 2011.
  2. ^ Mapmikey; Prince, Adam (August 28, 2009). "US 21". NCRoads.com Annex: More Highways of North Carolina. Self-published. Archived from the original on June 16, 2011. Retrieved February 2, 2011.
  3. ^ "Federal highway rerouted through Beaufort area". Post and Courier. Associated Press. Retrieved 17 March 2023.
  4. ^ "Highway Logmile Report". South Carolina Department of Transportation. May 4, 2021. Archived from the original on May 13, 2021. Retrieved May 4, 2021.
  5. ^ Google (February 1, 2011). "Overview map of US 21 in NC" (Map). Google Maps. Google. Retrieved February 1, 2011.
  6. ^ "2019 Traffic Data". Virginia Department of Transportation. 2019. Archived from the original on May 5, 2021. Retrieved May 5, 2021.

External links

Retrieved from "https://wiki.aaroads.com/w/index.php?title=U.S._Route_21&oldid=264811#History"