U.S. Highway 178 (US 178) is a spur of U.S. Highway 78. It currently runs for from

Dorchester, South Carolina Dorchester was a town in the Province of South Carolina. Situated on the Ashley River about from Charleston, it was founded in February 1696 by followers of Reverend Joseph Lord from Dorchester, Massachusetts. They named it after their hom ...

, at U.S. Highway 78 to

Rosman, North Carolina Rosman is a town in Transylvania County, North Carolina, United States. The population was 576 at the 2010 census. The northern terminus of U.S. Route 178 is less than one mile northwest of Rosman on U.S. Route 64. The Pisgah Astronomical Resear ...

, at

U.S. Highway 64 U.S. Route 64 (US 64) is an east–west United States highway that runs for 2,326 miles (3,743 km) from Nags Head in eastern North Carolina to just southwest of the Four Corners in northeast Arizona. The western terminus is at U.S. Route 1 ...

. It passes through the states 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 South Carolina , seat = Columbia , LargestCity = Charleston , LargestMetro = ...

and

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 ...

. It goes through the cities of Pickens,

Anderson Anderson or Andersson may refer to: Companies * Anderson (Carriage), a company that manufactured automobiles from 1907 to 1910 * Anderson Electric, an early 20th-century electric car * Anderson Greenwood, an industrial manufacturer * Anderson ...

North North is one of the four compass points or cardinal directions. It is the opposite of south and is perpendicular to east and west. ''North'' is a noun, adjective, or adverb indicating direction or geography. Etymology The word ''north ...

, Orangeburg,

Harleyville, South Carolina Harleyville is a town in Dorchester County, South Carolina, United States. The population was 677 at the 2010 census, up from 594 at the 2000 census. Harleyville is part of the Charleston-North Charleston-Summerville metropolitan area. As of 2 ...

and Bowman, South Carolina.

Route description

US 178 has a length of in North Carolina and spans in South Carolina. The U.S. Highway is a part of the National Highway System from

I-85 Interstate 85 (I-85) is a major Interstate Highway in the Southeastern United States. Its southern terminus is at an interchange with I-65 in Montgomery, Alabama; its northern terminus is an interchange with I-95 in Petersburg, Virginia, ...

near Anderson to US 378 in Saluda. US 178 begins at an intersection with US 64 just west of the town of Rosman within

Pisgah National Forest Pisgah National Forest is a National Forest in the Appalachian Mountains of western North Carolina. It is administered by the United States Forest Service, part of the United States Department of Agriculture. The Pisgah National Forest is complet ...

in southern

Transylvania County, North Carolina Transylvania County is a county in the U.S. state of North Carolina. As of the 2020 census the population is 32,986. Its county seat is Brevard. Transylvania County comprises the Brevard Micropolitan Statistical Area, which is also included i ...

. The two-lane road, which is named Pickens Highway, heads east into the town parallel to the

French Broad River The French Broad River is a river in the U.S. states of North Carolina and Tennessee. It flows from near the town of Rosman in Transylvania County, North Carolina, into Tennessee, where its confluence with the Holston River at Knoxville form ...

. US 178 turns south onto Chestnut Street, crosses the river to leave the town, and turns east again to parallel the river. The highway veers away from the mainstem of the French Broad to follow its Middle Fork south then east, then turns south and climbs to the Eastern Continental Divide at Eastatoe Gap between Burnt Mountain and Indian Camp Mountain. US 178 enters

Pickens County, South Carolina Pickens County is located in the northwest part of the U.S. state of South Carolina. As of the 2020 census, its population was 131,404. Its county seat is Pickens. The county was created in 1826. It is part of the Greenville-Anderson- Mauldin ...

, and its name changes to Moorefield Memorial Highway shortly after it begins its curvaceous and steep descent along Eastatoe Creek to Rocky Bottom. There, the U.S. Highway meets the western end of F. Van Clayton Memorial Highway, which leads to the highest point in South Carolina,

Sassafras Mountain Sassafras Mountain is the highest point in the state of South Carolina, United States. It is in the Blue Ridge Mountains, part of the Appalachian Mountains. An observation tower opened on top of Sassafras Mountain in 2019. Location It is located ...

. US 178 crosses another ridge into the valley of Reedy Cove Creek, then climbs again to Beasley Gap between Rich Mountain and Horse Mountain. From there, the highway has a sharp and curvy descent to the valley of the Oolenoy River, which it follows east to near its junction with SC 11 (Cherokee Foothills Scenic Highway) at the hamlet of Holly Springs. US 178 curves south at its intersection with SC 288 (Table Rock Road), has a short climb to Mosley Gap between Mosley Mountain and Walnut Cove Mountain, and follows several different creeks through the foothills, which the highway exits as it enters the town of Pickens. The highway expands to four lanes and enters the town on Ann Street and has a very brief concurrency with SC 183 (Main Street) in the center of town; SC 183 connects US 178 with SC 8. US 178 leaves the town along Pendleton Street and drops to two lanes again south of town. The highway passes Pickens County Airport on its way to

Liberty Liberty is the ability to do as one pleases, or a right or immunity enjoyed by prescription or by grant (i.e. privilege). It is a synonym for the word freedom. In modern politics, liberty is understood as the state of being free within society fr ...

. The U.S. Highway, which enters the town along Pickens Drive, intersects SC 93 (Main Street) in the center of the town and has a grade crossing of Norfolk Southern Railway's Greenville District as it leaves town along Anderson Drive. Just south of the town limits, US 178 has a

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 US 123 (Calhoun Memorial Highway). US 178 meets the southern end of SC 135 shortly before entering Anderson County, where the highway becomes Liberty Highway and intersects SC 88 (Old Greenville Highway). The highway crosses the Six and Twenty Creek arm of

Lake Hartwell Lake Hartwell is a man-made reservoir bordering Georgia and South Carolina and encompassing parts of the Savannah, Tugaloo, and Seneca rivers. Lake Hartwell is one of the Southeastern United States' largest recreation lakes. The lake was created ...

and temporarily expands to four lanes around its intersection with US 176 Connector, which feeds into SC 28's western bypass of Anderson, Pearman Dairy Road. US 178 gradually approaches US 76 and SC 28 Business (Clemson Boulevard) as it enters a commercial area before meeting and joining those highways at an oblique intersection. The three highways follow an undivided highway with three southbound lanes, two northbound lanes, and a center turn lane into the city of Anderson, where the road's name changes to Main Street and passes to the east of the Civic Center of Anderson. South of Anderson Mall, SC 28 Business continues on Main Street while US 178 and US 76 veer onto four-lane North Avenue, which parallels Main Street on the west. Shortly after North Avenue splits into one-way carriageways split by a wide parked median, the avenue veers east toward Main Street and the U.S. Highways continue along Club Drive and Park Drive, which have several sports field in their wide median. US 178 and US 76 enter downtown Anderson along four-lane Murray Avenue, which runs one block to the west of Main Street. US 178 is signed north–south in

and east–west in

; which is why it is listed as having a northern and eastern terminus.

Future

NCDOT plans to modernize a section of US 178, between Rosman and the South Carolina state line. The project includes widening lanes to , from the current , adjust its alignment and add a climbing lane. At an estimated cost of $14.1 million, it is currently unfunded.

Junction list

Special routes

Northlake connector

U.S. Route 178 Connector (US 178 Conn.) is a

connector route A connector is a highway or freeway road that connects to another highway or freeway. It can be part of an interchange such as the MacArthur Maze or a longer roadway such as the Interstate 635. A connector route is a type of special route or su ...

of US 178 entirely within the southern part of Northlake. It connects US 76,

South Carolina Highway 28 South Carolina Highway 28 (SC 28) is a primary state highway in the U.S. state of South Carolina. It consists of two segments of highway signed as east–west but physically traveling north–south from the Georgia state line near Mo ...

(SC 28), and SC 28 Business (SC 28 Bus.) with US 178 (Liberty Highway). It is an

unsigned highway Road sign along Aurora_to_exit_the_freeway._The_road_at_this_exit_is_officially_designated_ Sigurd_and_Aurora,_Utah">Aurora_to_exit_the_freeway._The_road_at_this_exit_is_officially_designated_Utah_State_Route_259">SR 259,_a_short_connector;_ ...

Greenwood business loop

U.S. Route 178 Business (US 178 Bus.) is a business route of US 178 in Greenwood. Nearly the entire path is within the city limits of Greenwood. It is completely

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 25 Bus.

Saluda connector

U.S. Route 178 Connector (US 178 Conn.) is a

of US 178 that is entirely within the city limits of Saluda. It serves to connect US 178,

South Carolina Highway 39 South Carolina Highway 39 (SC 39) is a primary state highway in the U.S. state of South Carolina. The highway connects various rural communities and towns from the southwest to the northwest sections of the state. Route description SC ...

(SC 39), and SC 121 with US 378 and SC 194. It is known as Travis Avenue and is an

Orangeburg business loop

U.S. Route 178 Business (US 178 Bus.) is a business route of US 178 in the western part of the city of Orangeburg.

References

External links