
Interstate 185 constitutes a 17.70 mile long loop from Mauldin west to Downtown Greenville. 13.69 miles of the route, encircling the Greenville area south from I-85 at Exit 42 to Interstate 385 and U.S. 276 at Mauldin, is the tolled Southern Connector.
Interstate 185 South Carolina Guides
Previously part of U.S. 29 Business, the original spur taking Interstate 185 into Greenville opened by 1959. It was accessible only from I-85 north via a wye interchange until a late 1990s construction project expanded the exchange to include full access.
Planned since 1967, construction on the Southern Connector broke ground on February 27, 1998 at Moonville. Funded as a joint public and private financed roadway with over $200 million bonds raised, the toll road opened to traffic on February 27, 2001.1,2 Toll rates along the Southern Connector were $3.00 for cash paying drivers as of January 3, 2012.3 Rates increased to $3.50 in 2016.
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Trailblazers for I-185 Toll and I-385 posted at the intersection of East Standing Springs Road and Neely Ferry Road. On-ramps connect Neely Ferry Road with the Southern Connector north and I-385 south nearby. These ramps also serve traffic from Mauldin and U.S. 276 to the north. 01/13/16 |
- "Ground broken on toll road plan in Greenville..." Herald-Journal (Spartanburg, SC), February 28, 1998.
- "Fast facts on Southern Connector." Herald-Journal (Spartanburg, SC), May 16, 2001.
- "Tolls rise on Southern Connector near Greenville." abcnews4.com, January 3, 2012.
Photo Credits:
01/13/16 by Carter Buchanan
Connect with:
Interstate 85
Interstate 385
U.S. 25
U.S. 276
Page Updated 06-21-2021.