Interstate 385

Interstate 385 links I-26 and the capital city of Columbia with Mauldin and Greenville. The 42.15 mile long freeway begins in a rural area outside Clinton and concludes east of Downtown Greenville beyond U.S. 276 (Stone Avenue). An unsigned business spur along E North Street extends from the freeway end into the central business district.

Interstate 385 South Carolina Guides

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• Archive

Interstate 385 consisted of a just a spur leading west into Greenville from a trumpet interchange with I-85 by S.C. 146 (Woodruff Road). The designation was extended southward by 1985 to Simpsonville and Laurens when the Golden Strip Freeway opened between Interstate 85 and the pre-existing freeway along U.S. 276 leading south from Mauldin.

Interstate 385 underwent reconstruction and expansion to six lanes in Greenville between June 2001 and Fall 2004. Work added a lane in each direction within the freeway median, narrowing the separation between the two roadways while still accommodating raised landscaping. Other work included the removal of two of the four loop ramps at the S.C. 291 interchange to eliminate weaving traffic patterns and the replacement of low clearance overpasses.

The southern 15 miles of Interstate 385 were reconstructed between January 4, 2010 and July 2010 at a cost of $60 million.¹ Construction closed the northbound direction of the freeway from January to April 25 so that crews could remove old asphalt and replace it with new concrete and shoulders. Work shifted to the southbound side for similar rebuilding. This work preceded a two year $65 million project to rebuild and expand 5.5 miles of I-385 between Simpsonville and Greenville.^2,3

The I-85/I-385 Gateway Project reconstructed the directional cloverleaf interchange joining the two freeways into a multi level systems exchange. Costing $300 million, construction ran from February 2016 to mid 2020.

Business Spur I-385

Business Spur I-385 extends 0.49 miles from Boyce Avenue to U.S. 29 (Church Street) at unsigned S.C. 183 (E North Street). The route was shielded at U.S. 276 until 2003. Spur 385 provides a direct connection from the freeway to U.S. 123 (Academy Street), Bon Secours Wellness Arena and Downtown via the S.C. 183 couplet along Beattie Place west and E North Street.

scenes

Fairview Road north at the loop ramp onto Interstate 385 north in Simpsonville. 05/31/07

Georgia Road and Interstate 385 came together at an antiquated parclo interchange (Exit 29) with ramps that tied into the adjacent frontage roads (Industrial Drive to the east and Grandview Drive to the west). Construction underway between 2005 and 2007 revamped the interchange to modern standards while also relocating the frontage roads away from the realigned Georgia Avenue. This assembly was posted at Industrial Drive south and I-385 north on then two lane Georgia Road. 12/08/99

Roper Mountain Road crosses over Interstate 385 on a seven lane wide bridge at the diamond interchange with the freeway. Pictured here is the southbound on-ramp. 08/07/13

Span wire supported sign (since removed) that preceded the southbound on-ramp to I-385 from S.C. 291 (Pleasantburg Road) south. The signalized turn replaced a loop ramp in 2004 as part of the I-385 expansion project through Greenville. 10/02/04

S.C. 291 (Pleasantburg Drive) spans I-385 across an eight lane wide bridge at Exit 40. This span-wire assembly above S.C. 291 (Pleasantburg Drive) for I-385 north to downtown was also removed. 07/23/04

Former button copy sign posted at the loop ramp from S.C. 291 north onto I-385 north. 10/15/01

Business Spur I-385 was acknowledged at the interchange joining U.S. 276 (Laurens Road / Stone Avenue) with I-385 until 2003. Construction relocated the southbound off-ramp slightly north across Richland Creek from a previous departure point opposite Richland Way. When work was done this assembly was replaced without a Business Spur shield. 08/22/03

A Business Spur I-385 shield assembly on U.S. 276 (Stone Avenue) east previously marked the northbound entrance ramp to E North Street and Downtown. This assembly was not retained in sign replacements following the 2004 completion of road work at Exit 42. 10/15/01

Photo Credits:

• 12/08/99 by AARoads.
• 10/15/01 by AARoads and Justin Cozart.
• 08/22/03 by AARoads and Justin Cozart.
• 07/23/04 by AARoads.
• 10/02/04 by Carter Buchanan.
• 05/31/07 by AARoads and Carter Buchanan.
• 08/07/13 by AARoads.

Connect with:
Interstate 26
Interstate 85
Interstate 185
U.S. 276

Page Updated 06-21-2021.