U.S. Route 76 (US 76) is an east–west

U.S. highway The United States Numbered Highway System (often called U.S. Routes or U.S. Highways) is an integrated network of roads and highways numbered within a nationwide grid in the contiguous United States. As the designation and numbering of these h ...

that travels for approximately from

Chattanooga, Tennessee Chattanooga ( ) is a city in and the county seat of Hamilton County, Tennessee, United States. Located along the Tennessee River bordering Georgia, it also extends into Marion County on its western end. With a population of 181,099 in 2020, ...

, to

Wrightsville Beach, North Carolina Wrightsville Beach is a town in New Hanover County, North Carolina, United States. Wrightsville Beach is just east of Wilmington and is part of the Wilmington Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 2,477 at the 2010 census. The town c ...

Route description

, - , TN , 8.9 , 14.3 , - , GA , 150.7 , 242.5 , - , SC , 297.9 , 479.4 , - , NC , 79 , 127 , - , Total , 548 , 882

Tennessee

In the state of Tennessee, US-76 is an arterial road that travels east-southeast from Downtown Chattanooga to East Ridge and south to the Georgia state line. US-76 travels

concurrent Concurrent means happening at the same time. Concurrency, concurrent, or concurrence may refer to: Law * Concurrence, in jurisprudence, the need to prove both ''actus reus'' and ''mens rea'' * Concurring opinion (also called a "concurrence"), a ...

with

US-41 U.S. Route 41, also U.S. Highway 41 (US 41), is a major north–south United States Numbered Highway that runs from Miami, Florida, to the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. Until 1949, the part in southern Florida, from Naples to Miami, ...

for its entire length in Tennessee, about .

Georgia

In Georgia, US 76 traverses the northern part of the state and passes through the Chattahoochee-Oconee National Forest and Georgia's most mountainous region. US 76 passes through Catoosa, Whitfield,

Murray Murray may refer to: Businesses * Murray (bicycle company), an American manufacturer of low-cost bicycles * Murrays, an Australian bus company * Murray International Trust, a Scottish investment trust * D. & W. Murray Limited, an Australian who ...

, Gilmer, Fannin,

Union Union commonly refers to: * Trade union, an organization of workers * Union (set theory), in mathematics, a fundamental operation on sets Union may also refer to: Arts and entertainment Music * Union (band), an American rock group ** ''Un ...

Towns A town is a human settlement. Towns are generally larger than villages and smaller than cities, though the criteria to distinguish between them vary considerably in different parts of the world. Origin and use The word "town" shares an ori ...

, and Rabun counties.

South Carolina

US 76 enters South Carolina across the Chattooga River, then continues southeast toward

Westminster Westminster is an area of Central London, part of the wider City of Westminster. The area, which extends from the River Thames to Oxford Street, has many visitor attractions and historic landmarks, including the Palace of Westminster, Bu ...

. This segment is a moderately windy two-lane road. In Westminster, it heads east toward

Seneca Seneca may refer to: People and language * Seneca (name), a list of people with either the given name or surname * Seneca people, one of the six Iroquois tribes of North America ** Seneca language, the language of the Seneca people Places Extrat ...

and Clemson. From Clemson, the road heads southeast toward Anderson, intersecting Interstate 85 (I-85), then east toward the small towns of Belton and Honea Path. US 76 is a four-lane highway from Westminster to Anderson. In Anderson, the road widens to six lanes with a reversible turn lane. After a concurrency with US 178, the road narrows to five lanes, and, as it goes south towards downtown Anderson, it narrows again to four. However, the sections around Seneca, Clemson, and Anderson are well developed with many traffic lights. It travels

with US 123 from Westminster to Clemson, SC 28 from Seneca to Anderson, and US 178 from Anderson to Honea Path. From Honea Path, the highway heads east to Laurens. This section is a rural two-lane road that is not frequently traveled. From Laurens, US 76 roughly parallels I-385 and

I-26 I26 may refer to: * Interstate 26 Interstate 26 (I-26) is a main route of the Interstate Highway System in the Southeastern United States. Nominally east–west, as indicated by its even number, I-26 runs from the junction of U.S. Route 11W ...

as it heads to Columbia. US 76 provides local access to the communities of Laurens,

Clinton Clinton is an English toponymic surname, indicating one's ancestors came from English places called Glympton or Glinton.Hanks, P. & Hodges, F. ''A Dictionary of Surnames''. Oxford University Press, 1988 Clinton has frequently been used as a given ...

, Newberry,

Prosperity Prosperity is the flourishing, thriving, good fortune and successful social status. Prosperity often produces profuse wealth including other factors which can be profusely wealthy in all degrees, such as happiness and health. Competing notion ...

, Chapin, and the other smaller towns in the area. In Irmo, US 76 travels concurrent with US 176, then continues on to I-26, with which it travels concurrently. After the interchange with

I-20 Interstate 20 (I‑20) is a major east–west Interstate Highway in the Southern United States. I-20 runs beginning at an interchange with I-10 in Scroggins Draw, Texas, and ending at an interchange with I-95 in Florence, South Carolina. Between ...

, US 76 splits off from I-26 and continues into downtown Columbia concurrent with I-126. In Columbia, US 76 follows Elmwood Avenue, Bull Street, Gervais Street, Millwood Avenue, and Devine Street before heading east toward Sumter. The segment from Columbia to Sumter is a four-lane highway and US 76 is concurrent with US 378 from the intersection of Bull and Gervais near the University of South Carolina in Columbia to Sumter. From Sumter, US 76 heads northeast to

Florence Florence ( ; it, Firenze ) is a city in Central Italy and the capital city of the Tuscany region. It is the most populated city in Tuscany, with 383,083 inhabitants in 2016, and over 1,520,000 in its metropolitan area.Bilancio demografico an ...

. US 76 is the major road through Florence. It then continues east out of Florence to the small towns of

Marion Marion may refer to: People *Marion (given name) *Marion (surname) *Marion Silva Fernandes, Brazilian footballer known simply as "Marion" *Marion (singer), Filipino singer-songwriter and pianist Marion Aunor (born 1992) Places Antarctica * Mari ...

and Mullins, then into

North Carolina North Carolina () is a state in the Southeastern region of the United States. The state is the 28th largest and 9th-most populous of the United States. It is bordered by Virginia to the north, the Atlantic Ocean to the east, Georgia and So ...

. The highway is concurrent with US 301 from Florence to across the

Pee Dee River The Pee Dee River, also known as the Great Pee Dee River, is a river in the Carolinas of the United States. It originates in the Appalachian Mountains in North Carolina, where its upper course, above the mouth of the Uwharrie River The Uwharri ...

North Carolina

The highway passes through Fair Bluff and becomes concurrent with US 74 from

Chadbourn Chadbourn is a town in Columbus County, North Carolina, Columbus County, North Carolina, United States. The population was 1,856 at the 2010 United States Census, 2010 census. History A post office called Chadbourn has been in operation since 1882 ...

to Wilmington. The highway is mostly four lanes, divided with at-grade and controlled intersections. The speed limit is from to . It crosses the

Cape Fear Memorial Bridge The Cape Fear Memorial Bridge is a steel vertical-lift bridge in North Carolina, USA. It carries US 17/ US 76/ US 421 across the Cape Fear River between Brunswick County and New Hanover County. It also carried U.S. Route 74 unti ...

into Wilmington and continues to

Wrightsville Beach Wrightsville Beach is a town in New Hanover County, North Carolina, United States. Wrightsville Beach is just east of Wilmington and is part of the Wilmington Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 2,477 at the 2010 census. The town co ...

via Oleander Drive to the route's eastern terminus. US 76 traverses in

; approximately concurrent with US 74, between Chadbourn and Wilmington.

History

A significant section of US 76 was relocated in Georgia during the 1980s with the old alignment decommissioned first in 1982 from the Hemptown community in Fannin County westward and eastward into Union County in 1988. Extending from west of Blue Ridge to Blairsville, the stretch of road today is known as Blue Ridge Highway and Old Highway 76 including the city of Morganton. In Morganton, the stretch is joined briefly by SR 60, and, in Blairsville, a small portion of the route is unofficially part of US 19/US 129. This old alignment from Blairsville to Blue Ridge is approximately long and has some of Georgia's most scenic views along its eastern end. This stretch was formerly part of SR 2, as well. US 76 also has other old alignments in Ellijay (by-passed in 1982), Cherry Log,

Whitepath Nunnahitsunega, or "Whitepath", was a full-blood traditionalist leader and member of the Cherokee National Council who lived at Turnip Town (''Ulunyi''), near the large Ellijay (''Elatseyi'') in the early 19th century. In 1824, influenced by the te ...

(both bypassed in 1989) and south of Blue Ridge (by-passed in 1965). US 76 was also relocated from present-day SR 52 from Ellijay to Chatsworth in 1981 to a less treacherous course along SR 282. Significant curve realignments also occurred along the previously serpentine section from

Hiawassee Hiawassee is the county seat of Towns County, Georgia, United States. The community's population was 880 at the 2010 census. Its name is derived from the Cherokee—or perhaps Creek—word ''Ayuhwasi'', which means meadow, (A variant spelling, ...

to Clayton from 1988 to 2005. Today, US 76 shares mileage with SR 5, SR 515, SR 282, SR 61, SR 52, SR 17, SR 75, SR 15, and SR 3, in addition to SR 2. U.S. highways with common mileage include US 411, US 41, US 441, and US 23. Formerly, US 76 followed a longer route from Westminster to

Pendleton Pendleton may refer to: Places ;United Kingdom *Pendleton, Lancashire, England *Pendleton, Greater Manchester, England ;United States *Pendleton, Indiana * Pendleton, Missouri *Pendleton, New York *Pendleton, Oregon *Pendleton, South Carolina *Pe ...

. From Westminster, the old route followed S-37-13 through the Richland community, then its current alignment to SC 59 into downtown Seneca, then SC 130 out of Seneca to S-37-1, then its current alignment to SC 93 toward Clemson University, then SC 28 Business through Pendleton. US 76 did not appear in North Carolina until late 1934 into 1935. It replaced NC 202 and US 17 from the South Carolina border to Chadbourn, US 17 and NC 20 to Wilmington and NC 20 to Wrightsville Beach. The original US 76 followed the current alignment of the road from the South Carolina state line to Chadbourn. US 76 then followed NC 214 north of Lake Waccamaw and through Bolton. It then followed the current alignment to Leland. US 76 then used Office Road, Lincoln Road, Old Mill Road, to get to Village Road NE. US 76 then used the closed causeway to cross the Brunswick River. From Belville US 76 used NC 133 routing to cross the Cape Fear and NE Cape Fear River's. US 76 then went down 3rd Street to Market Street and then followed 17th Street to Oleander Drive. US 76 then used Arlie Road to where US 76 currently crosses into Wrightsville Beach. US 76 then turned north on Lumina Avenue to the current end point of US 74. In 1936 US 74/US 76 was given a short bypass around Leland using Village Road. The old part became US 74-A. In 1940, US 76 was removed off the routing along Lumina Avenue and was instead routed south along Waynick Drive to the southern part of the island. Sometime between 1959 and 1962, US 76 was removed off Arlie Drive, and instead, US 76 followed Oleander Drive all the way to Causeway Drive. In 1966, US 76 was moved onto split roads along both 16th and 17th streets in downtown Wilmington. In 1969, US 76 was redirected to use a new bridge to cross the Cape Fear River into Wilmington. US 76 would also now use Dawson and Wooster Streets through downtown Wilmington. In 1975, US 76 and US 74 were placed on a new freeway that bypassed both Leland and Belville; along with that, US 76 was placed on a new freeway that bypassed Chadbourn. Between 1986 and 1987, US 76 was placed on a bypass of Hallsboro and Lake Waccamaw. Around 1992, US 76 was routed to bypass Bolton leaving behind NC 214. In 2003, US 76 was moved onto Military Cutoff Road instead of being on Wrightsville Avenue.

Major intersections

;Tennessee : in

Chattanooga Chattanooga ( ) is a city in and the county seat of Hamilton County, Tennessee, United States. Located along the Tennessee River bordering Georgia, it also extends into Marion County on its western end. With a population of 181,099 in 2020, ...

. US 41/US 76 travels concurrently to east of Dalton, Georgia. : in Chattanooga. The highways travel concurrently through Chattanooga. : in Chattanooga : in East Ridge ;Georgia : southeast of Ringgold : in Chatsworth. The highways travel concurrently to south-southeast of Chatsworth. : in Blairsville. The highways travel concurrently to northeast of Blairsville. : in Clayton. The highways travel concurrently through Clayton. ;South Carolina : in

. The highways travel concurrently to Clemson. : in Northlake : in Northlake. The highways travel concurrently to Honea Path. : in Anderson. The highways travel concurrently through Anderson. : northwest of

Princeton Princeton University is a private research university in Princeton, New Jersey. Founded in 1746 in Elizabeth as the College of New Jersey, Princeton is the fourth-oldest institution of higher education in the United States and one of the nine ...

. The highways travel concurrently for approximately . : in Laurens : north-northwest of Irmo. The highways travel concurrently to Irmo. : in Irmo. I-26/US 76 travels concurrently to Columbia. : on the Seven Oaks–

St. Andrews St Andrews ( la, S. Andrea(s); sco, Saunt Aundraes; gd, Cill Rìmhinn) is a town on the east coast of Fife in Scotland, southeast of Dundee and northeast of Edinburgh. St Andrews had a recorded population of 16,800 , making it Fife's fourt ...

CDP line : in Columbia. I-126/US 76 travels concurrently through Columbia. : in Columbia. US 21/US 76/US 176/US 321 travels concurrently through Columbia. : in Columbia. US 1/US 76 travels concurrently through Columbia. US 76/US 378 travels concurrently to East Sumter. : in Columbia : north of Eastover : in Sumter : in Sumter : in Sumter : southwest of

: in Florence : east of Florence. The highways travel concurrently to

Pee Dee The Pee Dee is a region in the northeast corner of the U.S. state of South Carolina. It lies along the lower watershed of the Pee Dee River, which was named after the Pee Dee, a Native American tribe that historically inhabited the region. His ...

. : in

;North Carolina : northeast of

. I-74/US 76 will travel concurrently to east-northeast of Whiteville. US 74/US 76 travels concurrently to Eagle Island. : in Whiteville : northwest of Leland : in Leland. The highways travel concurrently to Eagle Island. : on Eagle Island. US 76/US 421 travels concurrently to Wilmington. : in Wilmington : in Wilmington. The highways travel concurrently to

. : Jack Parker Boulevard/Water Street in Wrightsville Beach

Special routes

Special routes of U.S. Route 76 Several special routes of U.S. Route 76 exist. In order from west to east they are as follows. Seneca business loop U.S. Route 76 Business was established in 1958 as a renumbering of mainline US 76 through downtown Seneca, via North 1st St ...

Related routes

U.S. Route 176 U.S. Route 176 (US 176) is a spur of US 76 in the U.S. states of North Carolina and South Carolina. The U.S. Highway runs from US 25 Business and North Carolina Highway 225 (NC 225) in Hendersonville, North Carolina, east to US 52 in Goose Cre ...

* U.S. Route 276

References

External links

*
Endpoints of U.S. Highway 76
{{US Highways 76