Interstate 526 (I-526) is a
auxiliary route
In road transportation in the United States, a special route is a road in a numbered highway system that diverts a specific segment of related traffic away from another road. They are featured in many highway systems; most are found in the Int ...
of
I-26, providing a partial beltway around
Charleston,
South Carolina
)''Animis opibusque parati'' ( for, , Latin, Prepared in mind and resources, links=no)
, anthem = " Carolina";" South Carolina On My Mind"
, Former = Province of South Carolina
, seat = Columbia
, LargestCity = Charleston
, LargestMetro = ...
, in the
United States
The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territorie ...
. The route serves several purposes, firstly, as a
bypass for through traffic on
U.S. Route 17 (US 17) to avoid downtown Charleston, and, secondly, for traffic on I-26 bound for the coastal towns located north and south of Charleston. The route is not yet complete, as the western terminus it is planned for the route to be extended an additional . After the eastern terminus, the roadway continues as a short
business route
A business route (or business loop, business spur, or city route) in the United States is a short special route connected to a ''parent'' numbered highway at its beginning, then routed through the central business district of a nearby city or ...
, known as Interstate 526 Business (I-526 Bus.).
Route description
I-526 begins at an incomplete interchange with US 17 (Savannah Highway) and
South Carolina Highway 7 (SC 7, Sam Rittenberg Boulevard) in the
West Ashley
West Ashley, or more formally, west of the Ashley, is one of the six distinct areas of the city proper of Charleston, South Carolina. As of July 2022, its estimated population was 83,996. Its name is derived from the fact that the land is west of ...
section of the city of Charleston, just north of the
Stono River
The Stono River or Creek is a tidal channel in southeast South Carolina, located southwest of Charleston. The channel runs southwest to northeast between the mainland and Wadmalaw Island and Johns Island, from north Edisto River between Johns ...
. The interchange includes a loop ramp from northbound US 17, a ramp from southbound US 17, and a half-
diamond interchange
A diamond interchange is a common type of road junction, used where a controlled-access highway crosses a minor road.
Design
The freeway itself is grade-separated from the minor road, one crossing the other over a bridge. Approaching the ...
with SC 7. The four-lane freeway heads north past the
Citadel Mall
Citadel Mall is a regional shopping mall located in Charleston, South Carolina, United States. It opened on July 29, 1981 and is located at the intersection of Sam Rittenberg Boulevard (SC Hwy. 7) and I-526. The mall features more than 100 sto ...
and meets
SC 461 at a
partial cloverleaf
A partial cloverleaf interchange or parclo is a modification of a cloverleaf interchange.
The design has been well received, and has since become one of the most popular freeway-to-arterial interchange designs in North America. It has also bee ...
interchange. SC 461 heads west as Glenn McConnell Parkway and east as Paul Cantrell Boulevard; both directions lead to
SC 61 (Ashley River Road). I-526 crosses SC 61 and uses the
General William C. Westmoreland Bridge to cross the
Ashley River
The Ashley River is a blackwater and tidal river in South Carolina, rising from the Wassamassaw and Great Cypress Swamps in western Berkeley County. It consolidates its main channel about five miles west of Summerville, widening into a ti ...
into the city of North Charleston. The freeway has diamond interchanges with Leeds Avenue and
SC 642 (Dorchester Road) and crosses over
CSX
CSX Transportation , known colloquially as simply CSX, is a Class I freight railroad operating in the Eastern United States and the Canadian provinces of Ontario and Quebec. The railroad operates approximately 21,000 route miles () of track. ...
's
Charleston Subdivision
The Charleston Subdivision is a railroad territory owned by CSX Transportation in the U.S. states of South Carolina and Georgia. The line from Florence, South Carolina, to Savannah, Georgia, for a total of 195.8 miles. At its north end it continu ...
.
I-526 continues through a connected pair of half-diamond interchanges with Montague Avenue and International Boulevard. Both streets lead to the
North Charleston Coliseum
The North Charleston Coliseum is a multi-purpose arena in North Charleston, South Carolina. It is part of the North Charleston Convention Center Complex, which also includes a performing arts center and convention center. It is owned by the City ...
and
Charles Towne Square
Charles Towne Square was an indoor shopping mall located in North Charleston, South Carolina opened in 1976 by developer Simon Property Group, Melvin Simon & Associates. It was most noted for its large "town square" style clock and children's tr ...
; the latter one is the access road for Charleston International Airport. The Interstate curves east and reaches its junction with I-26, which is a
cloverleaf interchange
A cloverleaf interchange is a two-level interchange in which all turns are handled by slip roads. To go left (in right-hand traffic; reverse directions in left-driving regions), vehicles first continue as one road passes over or under the ...
except for a flyover ramp from eastbound I-526 to westbound I-26. I-526 crosses over
Norfolk Southern Railway
The Norfolk Southern Railway is a Class I freight railroad in the United States formed in 1982 with the merger of Norfolk and Western Railway and Southern Railway. With headquarters in Atlanta, the company operates 19,420 route miles (31 ...
's SC Line and has a partial cloverleaf interchange with Rivers Avenue, which carries
US 52 and
US 78. The Interstate continues from its overpass of the U.S. Routes as a viaduct above wetlands along Filbin Creek. The viaduct crosses over the CSX rail line again and has a four-ramp partial cloverleaf interchange with Rhett Avenue and a half-diamond interchange with Virginia Avenue. The Rhett Avenue interchange includes a U-turn ramp that allows access from westbound I-526 to Virginia Avenue and from the avenue to eastbound I-526.
I-526 crosses the Cooper River on the high-level
Don N. Holt Bridge
The Don N. Holt Bridge is a parallel chord, three-span continuous, modified Warren-type truss bridge that carries Interstate 526 (I-526) over the Cooper River between Charleston and North Charleston. It was built in 1992 by the South Car ...
and enters the Daniel Island section of the city of Charleston in
Berkeley County. The freeway has partial cloverleaf interchanges on either side of Beresford Creek with Clements Ferry Road and Seven Farms Drive/River Landing Drive. Both interchanges lead to
Blackbaud Stadium
MUSC Health Stadium was a soccer-specific stadium located in the Daniel Island area of Charleston, South Carolina that served as the home of the Charleston Battery of the USL Championship.
Originally named Blackbaud Stadium, the stadium was opene ...
, home of the
Charleston Battery
The Charleston Battery are an American professional association football, soccer club based in Charleston, South Carolina, and member of the USL Championship. Founded in 1993, the Battery are one of the oldest continuously operating professiona ...
, and the
Family Circle Tennis Center
Credit One Stadium is a tennis stadium located within the Family Circle Tennis Center tennis complex on Daniel Island in Charleston, South Carolina. Built in 2001, the Family Circle Tennis Center has 17 courts, including the 10,200-seat main sta ...
, home of the
Family Circle Cup
The Credit One Charleston Open, formerly known as the Volvo Car Open and the Family Circle Cup, is a WTA Tour-affiliated professional tennis tournament for women, held every year since 1973. It is the oldest professional all-women's tournament in ...
. I-526 continues southeast across the
Wando River
The Wando River is a tidewater river in the coastal area of South Carolina
)''Animis opibusque parati'' ( for, , Latin, Prepared in mind and resources, links=no)
, anthem = " Carolina";" South Carolina On My Mind"
, Former = Province of So ...
on the
James B. Edwards Bridge
The James B. Edwards Bridge , also referred to as the Wando River Bridge, is a pair of pre-cast post-tensioned concrete box girder bridge, box girder bridges that span the Wando River between Mount Pleasant, South Carolina, Mount Pleasant and Danie ...
back into
Charleston County
Charleston County is located in the U.S. state of South Carolina along the Atlantic coast. As of the 2020 census, its population was 408,235, making it the third most populous county in South Carolina (behind Greenville and Richland counties). ...
and the town of
Mount Pleasant. The freeway has a partial cloverleaf interchange with Long Point Road and curves south at Hobcaw Creek. I-526 has a partial flyover interchange to and from US 17 in the direction of
Georgetown before the Interstate reaches its eastern terminus at a partial cloverleaf interchange with US 17 (Johnnie Dodds Boulevard). The highway continues as I-526 Bus., a four-lane highway that follows Chuck Dawley Boulevard to
SC 703 in the center of Mount Pleasant.
All of I-526 is included as part of the
National Highway System, a system of roadways important to the nation's economy, defense, and mobility.
History
Planning of the freeway dates back to the 1960s; construction on the first section began in 1979. Opened in 1982 as an unnumbered freeway, it traversed from Ashley River Road (
SC 61) to Leeds Avenue, crossing over the
Ashley River
The Ashley River is a blackwater and tidal river in South Carolina, rising from the Wassamassaw and Great Cypress Swamps in western Berkeley County. It consolidates its main channel about five miles west of Summerville, widening into a ti ...
.
In 1985, the freeway became
SC 31, connecting
US 17/
SC 7 to Dorchester Road (
SC 642). By 1987, it extended to International Boulevard, providing access to the
Charleston International Airport
Charleston International Airport is a joint civil-military airport located in North Charleston, South Carolina, United States. The airport is operated by the Charleston County Aviation Authority under a joint-use agreement with Joint Base Ch ...
.
In 1989, the freeway was rechristened as I-526 after it connected with
I-26 (exit 212). In 1992, I-526 was extended east over the
Cooper River to
Daniel Island
Daniel Island, South Carolina is a island located in the city of Charleston, South Carolina, United States. Named after its former inhabitant, the colonial governor of the Carolinas, Robert Daniell, the island is located in Berkeley County and ...
, then over the
Wando River
The Wando River is a tidewater river in the coastal area of South Carolina
)''Animis opibusque parati'' ( for, , Latin, Prepared in mind and resources, links=no)
, anthem = " Carolina";" South Carolina On My Mind"
, Former = Province of So ...
to
Mount Pleasant and its current eastern terminus with
US 17 and I-526 Bus.
In 1993, the Robert B. Scarborough Bridge was opened, connecting downtown
Charleston with
James Island; it is signed as
SC 30. Since 1993, several residents and groups in the area have fought against the completion of I-526, which will connect both James Island and
Johns Island. Approximately separate the eastern terminus of I-526's current extent from the eastern terminus of SC 30. The mileage markers and exit numbers on both SC 30 and I-526 are based on an eventual merging of the routes, with miles 1 to 3 occurring on SC 30 and miles 10 to 30 used on the current I-526 route.
Future
The proposed missing section of I-526 was the subject of an environmental study that was completed in early 2014. Various alternative routings and options are being reviewed, but the general plan is to extend south from
US 17 to
Johns Island and then east to
James Island, where it will connect with
SC 30 (possibly renumbering it). Some alternatives shown include the possibility that it will be built in
expressway
Expressway may refer to:
* Controlled-access highway, the highest-grade type of highway with access ramps, lane markings, etc., for high-speed traffic.
* Limited-access road, a lower grade of highway or arterial road.
*Expressway, the fictional s ...
grade instead, falling short of being labeled an Interstate Highway.
Citing Charleston County's inability to provide funds to cover the project's increased cost, the State Transportation Infrastructure Bank (SIB) board voted on May 26, 2016, to abandon the proposed extension of I-526 across James and Johns Islands.
In 2021, SCDOT revived the 526 extension project, aiming to start construction by 2024.
Exit list
Interstate 526 Business
Interstate 526 Business (I-526 Bus.) is a four-lane
boulevard
A boulevard is a type of broad avenue planted with rows of trees, or in parts of North America, any urban highway.
Boulevards were originally circumferential roads following the line of former city walls.
In American usage, boulevards may ...
-grade
business spur
A business route (or business loop, business spur, or city route) in the United States is a short special route connected to a ''parent'' numbered highway at its beginning, then routed through the central business district of a nearby city or ...
of I-526 along Chuck Dawley Boulevard between Johnnie Dodds Boulevard (
US 17) and Ben Sawyer Boulevard (
SC 703).
The route was originally part of
U.S. Route 17 Business (US 17 Bus.)/
US 701 Bus.; signed east–west, it has not changed since inception.
I-526 Bus. is not part of the
National Highway System.
See also
*
*
References
External links
*
Mapmikey's South Carolina Highways Page: I-526
{{3di, 26
26-5
26-5
526
526
Interstate 26-5
Interstate 26-5
Transportation in Charleston County, South Carolina
Transportation in Berkeley County, South Carolina