U.S. Route 21

U.S. Route 21
Route information
Length: 391 mi[2][3][4] (629 km)
Existed: 1926[1] – present
Major junctions
South end: Hunting Island State Park, SC
  I-95 near Yemassee, SC
I-26 (three times in SC)
I-20 in Columbia, SC
I-77 (numerous times in SC/NC)
I-85 in Charlotte, NC
I-40 in Statesville, NC
North end: I-81 / US 52 in Wytheville, VA
Highway system

United States Numbered Highways
List • Bannered • Divided • Replaced



← I-20 SC SC 22 →
← NC 20 NC NC 22 →
← SR 20 VA SR 22 →

U.S. Route 21 is a north–south United States highway of 391 miles (629 km), from Hunting Island State Park, South Carolina to Wytheville, Virginia.

Contents

Route description

South Carolina

US 21 begins at Hunting Island State Park, at the intersection of a walking trail (formally a road); the road continues south to Fripp Island. US 21 travels east to Beaufort, where it widens to four lanes, continuing to Yemassee, where it converts back to a rural two-lane road. The route bypasses Orangeburg to the north, continuing afterward as a straight, rural two-lane road. Near Gaston, US 21 conjoins US 321, becoming an urban highway through Cayce, West Columbia, and Columbia (passing near the state capital building). In north 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. US 21 travels 231.5 miles (372.6 km) through the state, mostly as a two-lane, rural road; most sections can be skipped by Interstate highway.

North Carolina

US 21 begins as a concurrency with I-77, 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 NC 115, it has no interchange with Interstate 485. The second break with I-77 occurs at Mooresville, where US 21 travels through the city and then northwest into Statesville. After Statesville, 21 travels northeast to Harmony and Brooks Crossroads, before merging back with I-77 near Jonesville. North of Elkin, 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

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 2-lane rural mountain road.

Junction list

Mileposts reset at state line crossings.

South Carolina
County Location Mile[2] # Destinations Notes
Beaufort 0 Hunting Island State Park US 21 begins at intersection of walking trail, road continues south to Fripp Island
Beaufort 14.5
US 21 Bus. north / SC 802 east		 East end of SC 802 overlap
17 SC 802 west (Ribaut Road) West end of SC 802 overlap
20.5
US 21 Bus. south (Boundary Street)
24 SC 170 south – Burton
27 SC 116 west – Laurel Bay
Gardens Corner 34.5 US 17 north (Charleston Highway) – Charleston North end of US 17 overlap
Pocotaligo 41
US 17 south / US 17 Alt. north – Ridgeland, Yemassee		 South end of US 17 and US 17 Alt overlap
Hampton Yemassee 45 SC 62 west (Yemassee Highway) – Varnville, Hampton
Colleton 48.5
US 17 Alt. north (Hendersonville Highway) – Walterboro		 North end of US 17 Alt overlap
51 I-95 – Florence, Savannah
61 SC 63 (Sniders Highway) – Varnville, Walterboro
67.5 SC 64 (Bells Highway) – Ehrhardt, Walterboro
Smoaks 76 SC 217 (Lodge Highway) – Lodge
Bamberg 82 SC 61 (Edisto River Road) – Bamberg
Orangeburg Branchville 88 US 78 – Bamberg, Charleston Brief .2 miles (0.32 km) concurrency
88.5 SC 210 north – Bowman
Orangeburg 103.8
US 21 Bus. north (Rowesville Road)
104
US 178 east (Charleston Highway) / US 178 Bus. – Summerville, Charleston		 East end of US 178 overlap
105 US 301 (Five Chop Road) – Santee
106 SC 33 (Russel Street) – Cameron
107 US 601 (Magnolia Street) – St. Matthews
108
US 178 (Chestnut Street) / US 21 Bus. (Columbia Road) – North		 West end of US 178 overlap
Calhoun 120 SC 6 south (Cawcaw Road) / SC 172 west (Bull Swamp Road) – St. Matthews, North South end of SC 6 overlap
122 SC 6 north (Center Hill Road) – Swansea North end of SC 6 overlap
Lexington 127 I-26 – Columbia, Charleston
Calhoun 130 US 176 east (Old State Road) – St. Matthews East end of US 176 overlap
Lexington 137 I-26 – Columbia, Charleston
138 US 321 south – Gaston, Swansea South end of US 321 overlap
Cayce 141 To I-77 (Fish Hatchery Road) – Charlotte
141.5 I-26 – Charleston, Spartanburg
142.5 SC 2 north (Frink Road)
West Columbia 144 SC 302 south (Airport Boulevard) – Aiken, Columbia Metropolitan Airport
146 SC 2 (State Street)
Richland Columbia 147 US 1 / US 378 (Gervais Street) To South Carolina State House
147.5 SC 12 (Hampton/Tylor Streets) To Finlay Park and Columbia Museum of Art
148 I-126 west / US 76 west – Greenville, Spartanburg West end of US 76 overlap
148.5 US 76 east (Elmwood Avenue) East end of US 76 overlap
149 US 176 west (River Drive) West end of US 176 overlap
150 SC 16 (Sunset Drive)
151 SC 215 north (Montichello Road) To Columbia International University
152 US 321 north (Fairfield Street) North end of US 321 overlap, Columbia College at intersection
154 I-20 – Florence, Augusta
161 I-77 – Columbia, Charlotte
161 SC 555 (Farrow Road) – Columbia
Fairfield Ridgeway 171 SC 34 – Lugoff, Camden, Winnsboro Mills Brief .2 miles (0.32 km) concurrency
188 SC 200 – Winnsboro South end of SC 200 overlap
Chester Great Falls 191 SC 99 north (Chester Avenue) – Richburg
192 SC 97 / SC 200 north – Chester, Lancaster North end of SC 200 overlap, brief .1 miles (0.16 km) concurrency with SC 97
Fort Lawn 200 SC 9 (Chester Avenue) – Richburg, Lancaster
205 SC 223 (Wylies Mill Road) – Richburg
York Lesslie 212 SC 5 south – Lexington South end of SC 5 overlap; to Andrew Jackson State Park
Rock Hill 216 Springfield Road – Lesslie Exit ramps not clearly marked
217 I-77 – Columbia, Charlotte
217.5
US 21 Bus. north / SC 5 north (Main Street)		 North end of SC 5 overlap
218 SC 121 south (Cowan Road) South end of SC 121 overlap
219 SC 122 (Dave Lyle Boulevard)
221
US 21 Bus. south (Cherry Road) / SC 121		 North end of SC 121 overlap
222 I-77 / SC 161 west (Celanese Road) – Columbia, Charlotte
Fort Mill 223.5
US 21 Bus. north (Spratt Street)
225 SC 160
229
US 21 Bus. south (Old Nation Road)
230 SC 51 north (Pineville-Rock Hill Road) – Pineville
230.5 I-77 south / Carowinds Boulevard – Columbia South end of I-77 overlap; to Carowinds
US 21 overlaps with Interstate 77 (exits 90 to North Carolina state line)

North Carolina
County Location Mile[3] # Destinations Notes
Mecklenburg Charlotte US 21 overlaps with Interstate 77 (South Carolina state line to exit 16)
16 I-77 north – Statesville North end of I-77 overlap
16.5 NC 155 north (Old Statesville Road)
19 NC 24 (W.T. Harris Boulevard)
Huntersville 25.5 NC 73 (Sam Fur Road) – Concord
Cornelius 25.5 I-77 south – Charlotte South end of I-77 overlap
US 21 overlaps with Interstate 77 (exits 28 to 33)
Iredell Mooresville 33.5 I-77 north – Statesville North end of I-77 overlap
36.5 NC 150 (Plaza Drive)
36.5 NC 155 south (Statesville Highway) South end of NC 155 overlap
43 I-77 – Charlotte, Statesville
Statesville 51 US 70 (Garner Bagnal Boulevard) – Conover, Salisbury
52 US 64 west (Front Street) / NC 90 west (Water Street) / NC 115 north (Center Street) US 21 zig-zags through downtown Statesville; west end of US 64 overlap, north end of NC 115 overlap
53 US 64 east (Davie Avenue) – Mocksville East end of US 64 overlap
54 I-40 – Hickory, Winston-Salem
57.5 I-77 – Statesville, Elkin
Harmony 67 NC 901 (Memorial Highway) – Union Grove
Yadkin Brooks Crossroads 79 US 421 – Wilkesboro, Yadkinville, Winston-Salem
85.5
I-77 south / US 21 Bus. north – Statesville, Jonesville		 South end of I-77 overlap
US 21 overlaps with Interstate 77 (exits 79 to 83)
Surry Elkin 90 I-77 north – Wytheville North end of I-77 overlap; southbound exit and northbound entrance
91.5 NC 268 – Elkin To Elkin Municipal Airport
93
US 21 Bus. south / Popular Springs Road – Elkin		 Northbound turn left on Popular Springs Road to US 21 Business
Alleghany 111 Blue Ridge Parkway
Sparta 118.5 NC 18 (Whitehead Street) – Laurel Springs
Twin Oaks 121 US 221 south – Jefferson South end of US 221 overlap

Virginia
County Location Mile[4] # Destinations Notes
Grayson Independence 4 US 58 / US 221 north (Main Street) – Mouth of Wilson, Galax North end of US 221 overlap
Elk Creek 13 Corners Rock Road
Wythe Speedwell 21 SR 619 east / SR 749 west
Wytheville 33.5 US 11 (Lee Highway/Main Street) Brief .4 miles (0.64 km) concurrency
35 I-81 / US 52 – Bristol, Roanoke US 21 ends
1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi
     Concurrency terminus •      Closed/Former •      Incomplete access •      Unopened

History

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 U.S. Route 19) and western New York state and central North Carolina, central and southeastern South Carolina, and by connecting with other highways, coastal Georgia and most of Florida.

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.[5]

In the Interstate Highway era much of U.S. 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, Ohio 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 Interstate 77, which completely supplants old U.S. 21 as a long-distance through route. Interstate 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 Interstate 77, the relics being State Route 21 and State Route 821 between Byesville, Ohio and Marietta, Ohio. The section of U.S. 21 between Mineral Wells and Charleston is now signed as County Route 21 (circular shield) 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 U.S. Highway 60, U.S. Route 19, or U.S. Highway 52, which remained as US 21 was deleted. The short segment of US 21 in southern West Virginia not coinciding with another U.S. route 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 1975-1987, 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 route.[6]

Bannered routes

South Carolina business loops

There are four U.S. Route 21 Business loop in South Carolina:

North Carolina business loop

There is one U.S. Route 21 Business loop in North Carolina:

See also

Related U.S. routes

References

  1. ^ "US Highways from US 1 to US 830". http://www.us-highways.com/us1.htm#US_21. Retrieved 2011-02-02. 
  2. ^ a b Google, Inc. Google Maps – US 21 in SC (Map). Cartography by Google, Inc. http://maps.google.com/maps?f=d&source=s_d&saddr=US-21+N%2FState+Rd+S-7-406&daddr=32.39446,-80.68124+to:32.92403,-80.85831+to:33.69169,-80.93173+to:33.85501,-81.022+to:33.91695,-81.07418+to:33.98799,-81.04643+to:34.11547,-80.98999+to:34.260892,-80.9616175+to:34.73667,-80.90525+to:34.9506,-80.99774+to:35.07296,-80.93542+to:I-77+N&hl=en&geocode=FdIX7gEduoY0-w%3BFdxM7gEd6OYw-ykb7RYx3gz8iDHGPNLiL0d0ew%3BFX5h9gEdOjMu-yl9JU6egE35iDErBacgoCGK4A%3BFSoYAgIdbhQt-ymPxxkX9874iDFmOgDlxE2boQ%3BFSKWBAId0LMr-yl5I2VMRLj4iDE87_PFx9RZ2w%3BFRaIBQId_Ocq-ylpTcIDVbn4iDHLXuBHIw96Fw%3BFZadBgIdYlQr-ykbW7gIPLv4iDFT6WiJmpR8YA%3BFY6PCAId2jAs-ynj73XeIKb4iDGG2D_eSO6WLw%3BFZzHCgIdr58s-ykfyx4lYQNWiDHg6jKVz1daxg%3BFR4KEgId3nst-ylf4OS4LnpWiDH2WzYgWfFZXQ%3BFchNFQIdlBIs-yn33j0yo4hWiDGaFIc2a4ywrg%3BFcArFwIdBAYt-ynnTKxxIptWiDF_kexPt6IOZA%3BFf6hFwIdDBct-w&mra=dpe&mrcr=0&mrsp=5&sz=12&via=1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10,11&sll=33.916013,-80.968895&sspn=0.212826,0.445976&ie=UTF8&ll=33.715202,-80.419922&spn=3.41286,7.13562&z=8. Retrieved 2011-02-01. 
  3. ^ a b Google, Inc. Google Maps – US 21 in NC (Map). Cartography by Google, Inc. http://maps.google.com/maps?f=d&source=s_d&saddr=I-77+N&daddr=35.33978,-80.84222+to:35.450738,-80.8669896+to:35.60639,-80.83859+to:35.736758,-80.8980744+to:35.7843879,-80.8854998+to:35.827681,-80.874724+to:35.93103,-80.78013+to:36.14551,-80.78297+to:US-21+N%2FUS-221+N&hl=en&geocode=Ff6hFwIdDBct-w%3BFQQ-GwIdFHIu-ynXhM_jD6dWiDHqjwYW4gPVWg%3BFXLvHAIdUxEu-ynDMEdtEKlWiDEqvqAdEJGcgA%3BFXZPHwIdQoAu-ymHyzxpCVVRiDFp7RYGin8CXg%3BFbZMIQId5pct-ymPSpwvU1dRiDGyPDp24QndKQ%3BFcMGIgIdBckt-ynxR4kCnVlRiDFb3Evqye4Vsw%3BFeGvIgIdHPMt-ymX5mAWNVlRiDEsQC3zyFANjQ%3BFZZDJAIdnmQv-ynxgYOuwN9TiDFIMvYY--0Oeg%3BFWaJJwIdhlkv-ykXsYEqQtZTiDHif8x5kl90UQ%3BFbgDLgId3rEp-w&mra=dpe&mrcr=0&mrsp=5&sz=15&via=1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8&sll=35.785931,-80.868173&sspn=0.026005,0.055747&ie=UTF8&ll=35.773258,-79.898071&spn=3.328915,7.13562&z=8. Retrieved 2011-02-01. 
  4. ^ a b Google, Inc. Google Maps – US 21 in VA (Map). Cartography by Google, Inc. http://maps.google.com/maps?f=d&source=s_d&saddr=US-21+N%2FUS-221+N%2FNew+River+Pkwy&daddr=N+4th+St&hl=en&geocode=FbgDLgId3rEp-w%3BFY73MwIdA4gq-w&mra=dme&mrcr=0&mrsp=1&sz=16&sll=36.95946,-81.097255&sspn=0.012808,0.027874&ie=UTF8&ll=36.830172,-80.973358&spn=0.821096,1.783905&z=10. Retrieved 2011-02-01. 
  5. ^ "End of US highway 21". http://www.usends.com/20-29/021/021.html. Retrieved 2011-02-02. 
  6. ^ "NCRoads.com: U.S. 21". http://www.members.cox.net/ncroads/us021.html. Retrieved 2011-02-02. 
  7. ^ Google, Inc. Google Maps – US 21 Bus - Beaufort (Map). Cartography by Google, Inc. http://maps.google.com/maps?f=d&source=s_d&saddr=U.S.+21+Business&daddr=Boundary+St&hl=en&geocode=FdeY7gEdl18x-w%3BFXwB7wEdqIww-w&mra=me&mrcr=0&mrsp=1,0&sz=17&sll=32.440267,-80.703034&sspn=0.006764,0.013937&ie=UTF8&ll=32.428876,-80.679216&spn=0.054117,0.111494&z=14. Retrieved 2011-02-02. 
  8. ^ Google, Inc. Google Maps – US 21 Bus - Orangeburg (Map). Cartography by Google, Inc. http://maps.google.com/maps?f=d&source=s_d&saddr=US-21+N%2FRowesville+Rd&daddr=Magnolia+St&hl=en&geocode=Ffq5_gEdslsu-w%3BFZJG_wEdoFMu-w&mra=me&mrcr=0&mrsp=1,0&sz=17&sll=33.506772,-80.847777&sspn=0.006683,0.013937&ie=UTF8&ll=33.493522,-80.849161&spn=0.053469,0.111494&z=14. Retrieved 2011-02-02. 
  9. ^ Google, Inc. Google Maps – US 21 Bus - Rock Hill (Map). Cartography by Google, Inc. http://maps.google.com/maps?f=d&source=s_d&saddr=S+Carolina+5+E%2FE+Main+St&daddr=34.9357292,-81.0270953+to:Cherry+Rd&hl=en&geocode=FVLJFAIdDy4s-w%3BFbETFQId6Z8r-yntv0-N_IhWiDFBY75CZQWBtA%3BFXeWFQIdviUs-w&mra=dpe&mrcr=0&mrsp=1&sz=14&via=1&sll=34.942096,-81.009064&sspn=0.052557,0.111494&ie=UTF8&ll=34.941111,-81.003914&spn=0.105116,0.222988&z=13. Retrieved 2011-02-02. 
  10. ^ Google, Inc. Google Maps – US 21 Bus - Fort Mill (Map). Cartography by Google, Inc. http://maps.google.com/maps?f=d&source=s_d&saddr=Unknown+road&daddr=35.0402778,-80.9285446+to:US-21+BUS+S%2FOld+Nation+Rd&hl=en&geocode=FfDsFQIdFX4s-w%3BFRWsFgId4CAt-ykFfzIbz4RWiDGsX7Qed84qUQ%3BFeAnFwIdXAYt-w&mra=dpe&mrcr=0&mrsp=1&sz=13&via=1&sll=35.03604,-80.887356&sspn=0.104994,0.222988&ie=UTF8&ll=35.033651,-80.940399&spn=0.104997,0.222988&z=13. Retrieved 2011-02-02. 
  11. ^ Google, Inc. Google Maps – US 21 Bus - Elkin (Map). Cartography by Google, Inc. http://maps.google.com/maps?f=d&source=s_d&saddr=US-21+S%2FUS-21+BUS+S&daddr=36.253992,-80.8487545+to:US-21+S%2FUS-21+BUS+S%2FPoplar+Springs+Rd&hl=en&geocode=FRpSKAId6uwu-w%3BFSgxKQIdjlgu-ykDy23-g39RiDH4yzuihBn3fA%3BFUm7KQIdU04u-w&mra=dpe&mrcr=0&mrsp=1&sz=13&via=1&sll=36.247734,-80.825558&sspn=0.103414,0.222988&ie=UTF8&ll=36.262823,-80.768051&spn=0.206788,0.445976&z=12. Retrieved 2011-02-02. 
  12. ^ "NCRoads.com: US 21 Business". http://www.members.cox.net/ncroads/us21b.html. Retrieved 2011-02-02. 
Main U.S. Routes
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19
20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38
40 41 42 43 44 45 46 48 49 50 51 52 53 54 55 56 57 58 59
60 61 62 63 64 65 66 67 68 69 70 71 72 73 74 75 76 77 78 79
80 81 82 83 84 85 87 89 90 91 92 93 94 95 96 97 98 99
101 163 400 412 425
Lists  U.S. Routes • Bannered • Divided • Bypassed