Highway 277

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The freeway along S.C. 277 was constructed in the 1970s to link the northeastern suburbs with Downtown Columbia.

Measuring 8.14 miles in length, South Carolina Highway 277 runs north from U.S. 76 along Bull Street by the Belleview neighborhood in Columbia to Interstate 77 in north Dentsville. Beyond Harden Street, S.C. 277 upgrades into the Northeastern Expressway, a limited access highway connecting Downtown Columbia with I-20 east toward Florence and I-77 north to Rock Hill.

A 20 year old state highway plan focused on extending the freeway along S.C. 277 southwest from Harden Street Extension to Elmwood Avenue at Wayne Street, and southward along Wayne Street as a boulevard to Gervais Street (U.S. 1) by Downtown Columbia. The 6.3 mile long corridor was slated for potential construction in 1993 and anticipated to take ten years to complete.1,2 Columbia City Council however blocked the project formally in December 1993.3

Spanning S.C. 277 a half mile north of the interchange with S.C. 555 (Farrow Road) is the Congressman James E. Clyburn Pedestrian Overpass. The crossing was erected to provide a safe way for residents and children to cross S.C. 277 between Lester Drive and Busby Street. Eight lives were lost at the location by pedestrians crossing the freeway over a 30 year period.5 Congressman Clyburn visited the site on April 7, 1988 and supported the walkway as part of a $91 million federal aid package.4 Work on the $4 million structure commenced in March 2002, with its opening on March 23, 2003. Towers on the structure were modeled after the nearby tower of former Eau Claire City Hall.5

Speed limits along a five mile stretch of S.C. 277 reduced from 65 to 60 miles per hour between Interstate 77 and S.C. 555 on February 19, 2001 in an effort to cut the number of traffic accidents as recommended by DOT engineers.5 Speed limits drop to 55 MPH southbound at the Congressman James E. Clyburn Pedestrian Overpass.


Sources:
  1. "North-South Corridor is Still on Table." The State (Columbia, SC), July 6, 1989.
  2. "Council Near Vote on Freeway." The State (Columbia, SC), February 28, 1991.
  3. "City Erects Roadblock to Connector Land Sale Could End Wayne Street Project." The State (Columbia, SC), December 22, 1993.
  4. "Residents Hope for Bridge Officials to Visit 277 'Shortcut' Today." The State (Columbia, SC), April 7, 1998.
  5. "$4 Million Project Completed -- Walkway to Make for Safer Trip." The State (Columbia, SC), March 24, 2003.
  6. "S.C. 277 Speed Limits to be Cut." The State (Columbia, SC), February 1, 2001.
  7. SC 277 NB Bridge Replacement Over I-77. South Carolina Department of Transportation (SCDOT), project web page. Accessed September 16, 2021.

    Connect with:
    Interstate 20
    Interstate 77
    U.S. 21
    U.S. 76

    Page Updated 12-07-2022.

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