U.S. Route 278 (US 278) is a east–west
United States highway that traverses through the
South Carolina Lowcountry, from
North Augusta to
Hilton Head Island
Hilton Head Island, sometimes referred to as simply Hilton Head, is a South Carolina Lowcountry, Lowcountry resort town and barrier island in Beaufort County, South Carolina, United States. It is northeast of Savannah, Georgia, and southwest of C ...
.
Route description
After crossing the
Savannah River
The Savannah River is a major river in the southeastern United States, forming most of the border between the states of South Carolina and Georgia. Two tributaries of the Savannah, the Tugaloo River and the Chattooga River, form the norther ...
from Georgia, US 278 bypasses downtown
North Augusta, South Carolina to the south en route to
Beech Island and Johnson Crossroads. It then forms a de facto northern boundary of the
Savannah River Site, crossing into the property on a few occasions. The route then continues eastward and then southward through the communities of
Barnwell,
Kline Kline may refer to:
* Kline (surname)
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United States:
* Kline, Colorado
* Kline, Iowa, in Des Moines County, Iowa
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,
Allendale,
Fairfax
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,
Hampton,
Varnville,
Ridgeland, and
Hardeeville
Hardeeville is a city in Jasper and Beaufort counties in the U.S. state of South Carolina. The population was 7,473 as of the 2020 census, an increase of over 150% since 2010. Hardeeville is included within the Hilton Head Island-Bluffton-Beaufo ...
where it meets
I-95. US 278 shares the route between Ridgeland and Hardeeville with
US 17.
From Allendale to Almeda, US 278 runs along the CSX
Augusta Subdivision.
Upon reaching Hardeeville, the route heads eastward toward the
Atlantic with large residential and commercial developments lining the spine of the road from Hardeeville through Okatie and
Bluffton. The route crosses over Calibogue Sound onto
Hilton Head Island
Hilton Head Island, sometimes referred to as simply Hilton Head, is a South Carolina Lowcountry, Lowcountry resort town and barrier island in Beaufort County, South Carolina, United States. It is northeast of Savannah, Georgia, and southwest of C ...
. 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 outside
Sea Pines Plantation
The Sea Pines Resort or Sea Pines is located in Sea Pines Plantation, a 5,200-acre private residential gated community located on the southern tip of the island which comprises the town of Hilton Head Island, South Carolina. Sea Pines is home to f ...
.
[
]
Cross Island Parkway
On Hilton Head Island
Hilton Head Island, sometimes referred to as simply Hilton Head, is a South Carolina Lowcountry, Lowcountry resort town and barrier island in Beaufort County, South Carolina, United States. It is northeast of Savannah, Georgia, and southwest of C ...
, US 278 was previously routed along what is now US 278 Business until a new toll road, named the Cross Island Parkway, opened on January 16, 1998. The section of roadway cost $83 million to build and was funded with a combination of state funds, federal funds, state highway bonds and tolls.
The controlled access
A controlled-access highway is a type of highway that has been designed for high-speed vehicular traffic, with all traffic flow—ingress and egress—regulated. Common English terms are freeway, motorway and expressway. Other similar terms i ...
toll road has only one interchange along its route at Marshland Drive. It was the first toll road built in South Carolina in modern history. A majority of the road users pay their tolls using Palmetto Pass, South Carolina's system for electronic toll collection. Tolls were removed on June 30, 2021, not long after the last of the bonds sold to build the road were retired.
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. Before the toll road opened, it could take one hour to travel the route of what was then signed as US 278 (William Hilton Parkway) during peak tourism season. The Cross Island Parkway greatly relieved congestion on that road when it opened.
History
US 278 was established, in South Carolina, in 1965, traveling from Augusta, Georgia to Hilton Head Island
Hilton Head Island, sometimes referred to as simply Hilton Head, is a South Carolina Lowcountry, Lowcountry resort town and barrier island in Beaufort County, South Carolina, United States. It is northeast of Savannah, Georgia, and southwest of C ...
. Crossing the Savannah River
The Savannah River is a major river in the southeastern United States, forming most of the border between the states of South Carolina and Georgia. Two tributaries of the Savannah, the Tugaloo River and the Chattooga River, form the norther ...
, in concurrency with US 1/ US 25/ US 78/ SC 121, it then overlapped with SC 125 on Atomic Road, to Beech Island. Replacing SC 28 from Beech Island to Almeda, where it then replaced SC 128, going through Ridgeland, to Old House. Replacing part of SC 462, it went south into Bluffton and then east into Hilton Head Island, replacing part of SC 46.
Throughout the 1980s, US 278 was widen to four-lane, in phases, east of SC 170, in Bluffton. In 1996-1997, US 278 was rerouted south of Ridgeland to Hardeeville
Hardeeville is a city in Jasper and Beaufort counties in the U.S. state of South Carolina. The population was 7,473 as of the 2020 census, an increase of over 150% since 2010. Hardeeville is included within the Hilton Head Island-Bluffton-Beaufo ...
, then east on new primary routing to SC 170, in Bluffton. Its former routing was replaced by SC 336 to Old House and SC 462 to SC 170. 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.
Tolls
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 both electronic 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.
Only the Palmetto Pass was accepted on the Cross Island Parkway.
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.
Major intersections
See also
*
*
* Special routes of U.S. Route 278
References
External links
*
US 278 at Virginia Highways' South Carolina Highways Annex
{{state detail page browse, type=US, route=278, state=South Carolina, statebefore=Georgia, stateafter=
78-2
Transportation in Aiken County, South Carolina
Transportation in Barnwell County, South Carolina
Transportation in Allendale County, South Carolina
Transportation in Hampton County, South Carolina
Transportation in Jasper County, South Carolina
Transportation in Beaufort County, South Carolina
South Carolina