Everything about Interstate 26 totally explained
Interstate 26 (abbreviated
I-26) is an east-west main route of the
Interstate Highway System in the
Southeastern United States. I-26 runs from the junction of
U.S. Route 11W and
U.S. Route 23 in
Kingsport, Tennessee, generally south and southeast to
U.S. Route 17 in
Charleston, South Carolina. The portion from
Mars Hill, North Carolina, east (compass south) to
Interstate 240 in
Asheville, North Carolina, is signed as Future I-26 because it doesn't yet meet
Interstate Highway standards; a short realignment is also planned in Asheville.
Prior to
August 5,
2003, the western terminus was at
Interstate 40 and Interstate 240 southwest of Asheville. At that time, it was decided to extend the route west of Asheville into
Tennessee. Thus the final section of
freeway in
North Carolina, from Mars Hill north to the
Tennessee state line, replaced the old two-lane U.S. Route 23. I-26 was extended into Tennessee on the US 23 freeway, taking over approximately half of the former
Interstate 181 from
U.S. Route 321/
State Route 67 in
Johnson City, to
Interstate 81 south of
Kingsport. The
American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) denied an extension of I-26 along the remainder of I-181 to Kingsport, since it would give a main interstate route a stub end (not connecting to another interstate). The extension was finally achieved by the, signed into law
August 10,
2005. Thus I-26 now ends about two miles (3 km) south of the
Virginia state line, and the
freeway continues to the state line as US 23.
North of Kingsport, US 23 continues north to
Portsmouth, Ohio, as
Corridor B of the
Appalachian Development Highway System, and beyond to
Columbus, as
Corridor C. In conjunction with the Columbus-
Toledo corridor formed by
Interstate 75, U.S. 23, and
State Route 15, I-26 forms part of a mostly high-speed four-lane highway from the
Great Lakes to the Southeast. There are no plans for further I-26 extensions into
Virginia,
Kentucky and farther north.
Route description
|-
|
TN
|55
|89
|-
|
NC
|71
|114
|-
|
SC
|220.95
|355.58
|-
|Total
|347
|558
|}
Major cities
Bolded cities are officially-designated control cities for signs |
|
I-26 is a diagonal interstate, running northwest-southeast; most other routes in the area are odd numbers running northeast-southwest. The extension past Asheville is mainly north-south. Where I-26 crosses the
French Broad River in Asheville at the Smoky Park Bridge, the highway runs in opposite directions from its designations. (I-26 West actually goes east. I-26 is coterminous with I-240, so that I-240
East and I-26
West are the same route.) When the extension was made in 2003, the
exit numbers in North Carolina were increased by 31 to reflect the new mileage. The part that it shares with
I-240 hasn't had the numbers changed yet, although most signs now indicate I-26 instead of I-240.
I-26 is signed with an extra
FUTURE sign above (and in the same style as) the
EAST and
WEST signs from Asheville north to
Mars Hill, because the older U.S. Route 23
freeway doesn't meet
interstate standards.
Shoulders remain substandard or nonexistent along short sections of the route, and a realignment is planned in Asheville to bypass some tight
interchanges.
Exit numbers in Tennessee were formerly numbered backwards, increasing from east to west, because the road was formerly Interstate 181 & U.S. Route 23, two north-south roads. This exit numbering was changed to the correct way in March 2007 when exit numbers were changed on all 284 signs along the I-26 route; the remaining I-181 signs north of I-81 were also replaced by I-26 signs at that time. The old exit numbers will be displayed on signs with the new ones until March 2009.
Beginning in the city of Charleston, South Carolina, I-26 travels northwest over mostly flat plains with little urbanization (and few traffic jams) past North Charleston. After the junction with
Interstate 95 just inside of Orangeburg County, the terrain becomes somewhat hilly. Orangeburg is the first major stop outside Charleston with several exits bearing its name. Between Orangeburg and the junction with
Interstate 77 just outside of Cayce the road goes up and down a few very long hills averaging about 100 feet high. After I-77 comes is the Columbia metropolitan area to which I-26 offers good shopping and dining access. The metropolitan area ends after Exit 101, past which the terrain becomes hilly once again. The next major city is Spartanburg, where I-26 junctions the
Interstate 85 corridor, popular for international business.
About 20 miles after
Spartanburg one reaches the foothills of the
Blue Ridge Mountains. After crossing the
North Carolina border into
Polk County, I-26 intersects
U.S. Route 74, a limited-access freeway near
Columbus and heads up a 6% grade for the next three miles through Howard Gap. Then it passes over the highest bridge in
North Carolina, the Peter Guice Memorial Bridge, 225 feet above
Green River between
Saluda and
Flat Rock in
Henderson County and crosses the
Eastern Continental Divide at an elevation of 2,130 feet, having climbed from around 1,100 feet at the U.S. 74 interchange. The land flattens substantially after entering the
French Broad River basin from
Flat Rock to
Hendersonville,
Fletcher and
Arden. For all practical purposes, I-26 ends at the junction with
I-40 in
Asheville; however the Future I-26 may be brought up to Interstate standards very soon. Between
Mars Hill and the
Tennessee state line, the new section of Interstate is a designated North Carolina Scenic Highway. It climbs from 2,200 feet in elevation to 3,800 feet in elevation at Sams Gap; two major climbing sections exist along this stretch along with major cuts through the mountains and the 220-foot
Laurel Creek Gorge Bridge. The North Carolina Welcome Center, encountered when traveling Eastbound, has an overlook with views of the highest mountain range on the East coast, the
Black Mountains. The
Appalachian Trail passes under the Interstate at Sams Gap as well.
Exit list
Tennessee
| County |
Location |
Mile |
Exit # |
Destinations |
Notes |
| Old |
New |
| Sullivan |
Kingsport |
|
|
|
|
Westbound exit and eastbound entrance |
|
57 |
|
|
Westbound exit and eastbound entrance |
|
55 |
1 |
|
West end of I-26; south end of SR-137 |
| Bridge over the Holston River |
|
52 |
3 |
Meadowview Parkway |
|
|
51 |
4 |
|
Signed as exits 4A (south) and 4B (north) eastbound |
|
49 |
6 |
|
|
|
46 |
8 |
|
Signed as exits 8A (south) and 8B (north) |
|
45 |
10 |
Eastern Star Road |
|
| Washington |
Johnson City |
|
42 |
13 |
|
|
|
38 |
17 |
|
|
|
36 |
19 |
|
|
|
35 |
20 |
|
West end of US-19W/SR-36 overlap; signed as exits 20A (south) and 20B (north) westbound |
|
33 |
22 |
|
|
|
32 |
23 |
|
|
|
31 |
24 |
|
|
| Carter |
|
|
28 |
27 |
|
|
| Unicoi |
Unicoi |
|
23 |
32 |
|
|
|
|
21 |
34 |
Tinker Road |
|
| Erwin |
|
19 |
36 |
Main Street - Erwin |
|
|
18 |
37 |
|
|
|
15 |
40 |
Jackson-Love Highway - Erwin |
|
|
|
12 |
43 |
|
East end of US-19W/SR-36 overlap |
|
|
9 |
46 |
Clear Branch Road |
|
|
|
5 |
50 |
Flag Pond Road |
|
North Carolina
| County |
Location |
Exit # |
Destinations |
Notes |
| Old |
New |
| Madison |
|
|
3 |
|
|
|
|
9 |
|
West end of US 19 overlap |
| Mars Hill |
|
11 |
|
| Temporary east end of I-26 at NC 213 |
| Buncombe |
|
|
13 |
Forks of Ivy |
|
|
|
15 |
|
|
|
|
17 |
Flat Creek |
|
| Weaverville |
|
18 |
|
|
|
19 |
|
West end of US 25/US 70 overlap; signed as exits 25A (north/west) and 25B (Weaverville) westbound |
|
21 |
New Stock Road - Weaverville |
|
| Woodfin |
|
23 |
Merrimon Avenue (US 25 south) - North Asheville, New Bridge |
East end of US 25 overlap |
|
24 |
Elk Mountain Road - Woodfin |
|
| Asheville |
|
25 |
|
|
|
|
Hill Street |
Westbound exit and eastbound entrance |
|
|
|
East end of US 70 overlap; west end of I-240/US 74 Alt. overlap |
| Temporary west end of I-26; west end of I-240 overlap |
| 4B |
|
Patton Avenue - Downtown Asheville |
|
| 3B |
|
Westgate, Holiday Inn Drive |
|
| 3A |
|
|
East end of US 19/US 23/US 74 Alt. overlap; west end of US 19 Bus./US 23 Bus. overlap |
| 2 |
|
|
U.S. 19 Business and U.S. 23 Business join westbound and leave eastbound. |
| 1C |
|
Amboy Road |
Westbound exit and eastbound entrance |
| 1B |
|
|
|
| East end of I-240 overlap at I-40 |
|
1B |
32B |
, Knoxville |
West end of US 74 overlap; signed as exit 1A eastbound |
|
1A |
32A |
|
Westbound exit and eastbound entrance |
|
2 |
33 |
|
|
|
6 |
37 |
|
|
|
9 |
40 |
|
|
| Henderson |
|
13 |
44 |
|
West end of US 25 overlap |
| Hendersonville |
18 |
49 |
|
Signed as exits 49A (east) and 49B (west) |
| 22 |
53 |
Upward Road - Hendersonville |
|
|
23 |
54 |
- Greenville |
East end of US 25 overlap |
| Peter Guice Memorial Bridge over the Green River |
| Polk |
|
28 |
59 |
Saluda |
|
| Columbus |
36 |
67 |
|
East end of US 74 overlap |
South Carolina
| County |
Location |
# |
Destinations |
Notes |
| Spartanburg |
|
1 |
|
|
|
5 |
|
|
|
10 |
|
|
|
15 |
|
|
|
16 |
John Dodd Road - Wellford |
|
|
17 |
New Cut Road - Sigsbee |
|
|
18 |
, Charlotte |
Signed as exits 18A (south) and 18B (north) |
|
19 |
|
Signed as exits 19A (south) and 19B (north) |
|
21 |
|
Signed as exits 21A (south) and 21B (north) |
|
22 |
|
|
|
28 |
|
|
|
35 |
Road 50 - Woodruff |
|
|
38 |
|
|
|
41 |
|
|
|
44 |
|
|
| Bridge over the Enoree River |
| Laurens |
|
51 |
|
Westbound exit and eastbound entrance |
|
52 |
|
|
|
54 |
|
|
|
60 |
|
|
| Newberry |
|
66 |
Road 32 - Jalapa |
|
|
72 |
|
|
|
74 |
|
|
|
76 |
|
|
|
82 |
|
|
|
85 |
|
|
| Lexington |
|
91 |
Columbia Avenue - Chapin |
|
| Richland |
|
97 |
|
|
| Irmo |
101 |
|
West end of US 76 overlap; signed as exits 101A (west) and 101B (east) |
| 102 |
|
Signed as exits 102A (west) and 102B (east) |
|
103 |
Harbison Boulevard |
|
| Lexington |
|
104 |
Piney Grove Road |
|
|
106 |
St. Andrews Road |
Signed as exits 106A (west) and 106B (east) westbound |
| Richland |
|
107 |
- Augusta, Florence |
Signed as exits 107A (west) and 107B (east) |
| Columbia |
108A |
Bush River Road |
|
| 108B |
|
East end of US 76 overlap |
| Bridge over the Saluda River |
| Lexington |
|
110 |
|
|
|
111 |
|
Signed as exits 111A (south) and 111B (north) |
| Springdale |
113 |
|
|
| Cayce |
115 |
|
|
| 116 |
- Charlotte |
|
|
119 |
|
|
| Calhoun |
|
125 |
Road 31 - Gaston |
|
| Lexington |
|
129 |
|
|
| Calhoun |
|
136 |
|
|
| Orangeburg |
|
139 |
Road 22 - St. Matthews |
|
|
145 |
|
Signed as exits 145A (south) and 145B (north) |
|
149 |
|
|
|
154 |
|
Signed as exits 154A (south) and 154B (north) |
|
159 |
Road 36 - Bowman |
|
|
165 |
|
|
|
169 |
- Savannah, Florence |
Signed as exits 169A (south) and 169B (north) |
| Dorchester |
|
172 |
|
Signed as exits 172A (south) and 172B (north) |
|
177 |
|
|
|
187 |
|
|
| Bridge over the Ashley River (Wassamassaw Swamp) |
| Berkeley |
|
194 |
Road 16 - Jedburg, Pinopolis |
|
|
199 |
|
Signed as exits 199A (south) and 199B (north) |
| Charleston |
Ladson |
203 |
College Park Road - Goose Creek, Ladson |
|
| North Charleston |
205 |
|
Signed as exits 205A (west) and 205B (east) |
| 209A |
|
Westbound exit and eastbound entrance |
| 209B |
Ashley Phosphate Road |
Signed as exit 209A eastbound |
| 211 |
West Aviation Avenue - Charleston AFB |
Signed as exits 211A (west) and 211B (east) |
| 212A |
Remount Road |
Eastbound exit is via exit 211B |
| 212 |
- Savannah, Charleston International Airport, Mt. Pleasant |
Signed as exits 212B (west) and 212C (east) |
| 213 |
Montague Avenue, Mall Drive |
Signed as exits 213A (west) and 213B (east) eastbound |
| 215 |
|
|
| 216 |
|
Signed as exits 216A (south) and 216B (north) |
| 217 |
|
Eastbound exit and westbound entrance |
| Charleston |
218 |
Spruill Avenue - Charleston Naval Base |
Westbound exit and eastbound entrance |
| 219A |
Rutledge Avenue - The Citadel |
Eastbound exit and westbound entrance |
| 219B |
Morrison Drive, East Bay Street (US 52 Spur) |
Eastbound exit and westbound entrance |
| 220A |
Romney Street |
Westbound exit only |
| 220B |
|
Signed as exit 220 eastbound |
| 221A |
- Savannah |
Eastbound exit and westbound entrance |
| 221B |
Meeting Street (US 52) |
Eastbound exit and westbound entrance |
Auxiliary routes
Interstate 126 is a spur into Columbia, South Carolina from the northwest.
Interstate 326 was a temporary unsigned designation for part of what is now Interstate 77 south of Columbia.
Interstate 526 is a partial beltway of Charleston, South Carolina, running from U.S. Route 17 west of the city north to I-26 and back east and south to US 17 east of Charleston.Further Information
Get more info on 'Interstate 26'.
|
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