Interstate 85 in South Carolina

This article is about the section of Interstate 85 in South Carolina. For the entire route, see Interstate 85.

Interstate 85
Route information
Maintained by SCDOT
Length	106 mi (171 km)
Existed	1959–present
NHS	Entire route
Major junctions
South end	I-85 at Georgia state line
Major intersections	I-185 near Greenville I-385 in Greenville I-85 BL near Spartanburg I-26 in Spartanburg I-585 / US 176 in Spartanburg
North end	I-85 at North Carolina state line
Location
Country	United States
State	South Carolina
Counties	Oconee, Anderson, Greenville, Spartanburg, Cherokee
Highway system
Interstate Highway System Main Auxiliary Suffixed Business Future South Carolina State Highway System Interstate US State Scenic
← SC 83 → SC 86

In the U.S. state of South Carolina, Interstate 85 runs northeast-southwest through Greenville and Spartanburg. It follows the general corridor of U.S. Route 29. In 1964, I-85 became the first South Carolina Interstate highway to have its originally planned mileage completed.

Route description

Georgia state line to Greenville

Interstate 85 North after Exit #1 in Oconee County, South Carolina in 2008.

In South Carolina, Interstate 85 crosses Lake Hartwell at several points before bypassing Anderson on the way to Greenville. Beginning at Anderson, I-85 widens from four to six lanes. Near Powdersville, U.S. 29 joins I-85 and they run concurrently until they cross the Saluda River.

Greenville to Spartanburg

Michelin North American headquarters in Greenville at Exit #54 in 2008.

Interstate 85 bypasses Greenville, but provides a link into the city via spur routes Interstates 185 and 385. U.S. 29 splits from I-85 and joins I-185 toward downtown Greenville. I-185 recently saw a major expansion south of the city as the Southern Connector was completed.

Two key Upstate businesses can be seen from this portion of the interstate. One is Michelin Tires's North American headquarters and the other is the BMW plant, located in Greer. I-85 also passes Greenville-Spartanburg International Airport, which serves the Greenville-Spartanburg metropolitan area.

Spartanburg to North Carolina state line

Instead of going into Spartanburg, I-85 bypasses the city to the north. Its original route is now designated Business Loop 85 and was approved by AASHTO on April 22, 1995.

North of Spartanburg, I-85 narrows from six lanes back to four lanes and bypasses Gaffney. At Gaffney, motorists can see The Peachoid, a large water tower with its top shaped like a peach, representing one of the state's most important crops.

Most of the terrain between Spartanburg and the North Carolina border is rural in nature.

Related Routes

Auxiliary routes

• Interstate 185 is a spur into Greenville from the southwest, and a later extension as a toll road to I-385 southeast of Greenville.
• Interstate 385 is a spur into Greenville from the east, and a later extension southeast to Interstate 26 towards Columbia.
• Interstate 585 is a spur from Interstate 85 Business into Spartanburg from the northwest. It does not connect directly to I-85 or any other Interstate.

Business Route

• Business Loop 85 is a business Interstate route in Spartanburg.

Exit list

County	Location	#	Destinations	Notes
Oconee		1	SC 11 north (Cherokee Foothills Secenic Highway) – Walhalla
		2	SC 59 north – Fair Play, Seneca, Oakway
		4	SC 243 – Fair Play
Anderson	Anderson	11	SC 24 to SC 243 – Anderson, Townville
		14	SC 187 – Pendleton, Clemson
		19	US 76 / SC 28 – Clemson, Anderson, Pendleton	Signed as exits 19A (east) and 19B (west)
		21	US 178 – Anderson, Liberty
		27	SC 81 – Anderson
		32	SC 8 – Pelzer, Easley, Belton
		34	US 29 south – Williamston, Anderson	South end of US 29 overlap
		35	SC 86 – Piedmont, Easley
	Easley	39	River Road – Easley
		40	SC 153 – Easley
Greenville		42	I-185 / US 29 north – Mauldin, Taylors	North end of US 29 overlap
	Greenville	44A	SC 20 (Piedmont Highway)
		44B	US 25 (White Horse Road)
		46A	Augusta Road
		46B	SC 291 (Pleasantburg Drive)
		46C	Mauldin Road
		48	US 276 – Mauldin, Greenville	Signed as exits 48A (east) and 48B (west)
		51A	SC 146 (Woodruff Road)
		51	I-385 – Mauldin, Greenville	Signed as exits 51B (south) and 51C (north)
		54	Pelham Road
	Greer	56	SC 14 – Greer, Pelham
Spartanburg		57	Aviation Drive – GSP International Airport
		58	Brockman McClimon Road
		60	SC 101 – Woodruff, Greer
		63	SC 290 – Moore, Duncan
		66	US 29 – Spartanburg, Wellford, Lyman
		68	SC 129 west – Lyman
		69	I-85 BL north – Spartanburg
	Spartanburg	70	I-26 – Columbia, Asheville	Signed as exits 70A (east) and 70B (west)
		72	I-585 / US 176 – Spartanburg, Inman	Signed as exits 72A (south) and 72B (north)
		75	SC 9 – Spartanburg, Boiling Springs
		77	I-85 BL south – Spartanburg
		78	US 221 – Chesnee, Spartanburg
		80	Road 57, Gossett Road
		83	SC 110 – Cowpens, Chesnee
Cherokee		87	Road 39, Green River Road
	Gaffney	90	SC 105 south – Gaffney
		92	SC 11 (Cherokee Foothills Scenic Highway) – Gaffney, Northgate
		95	Road 82 – Gaffney
		96	SC 18 – Gaffney, Shelby
		98	Frontage Road	Northbound exit only
		100	Blacksburg Highway
	Blacksburg	102	SC 5 / SC 198 – Blacksburg, Rock Hill
		104	Road 99
		106	US 29 – Blacksburg, Grover
1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi