South Carolina Highway 61

Infobox road
state=SC
type=SC
route=61
maint=SCDOT
length_mi=67.3
length_round=1
length_ref= [ [http://www.angelfire.com/sc3/scroads/sc60-69.html Angel Fire's South Carolina Highway guide] ]
established=1923
direction_a=West
terminus_a=
junction= in Charleston
direction_b=East
terminus_b= in Charleston
counties=
previous_type=SC
previous_route=60
next_type=SC
next_route=63
browse=

South Carolina Highway 61 is a 67.3 mile long highway in the U.S. state of South Carolina. The highway is designated on an east-west direction, from U.S. Route 78 near Branchville to South Carolina Highway 30 in Charleston. The portion of Highway 61 from Church Creek Bridge and ten miles north is designated a National Scenic Byway. [ [http://scstatehouse.net/cgi-bin/web_bh10.exe?bill1=1188&session=112 Bill Information - South Carolina Legislature Online ] ]

Route description

t. Andrew's Boulevard

The east-most section of Highway 61 is named St. Andrew's Boulevard. This section runs from Highway 17 to Highway 171. It is mostly residential buildings that have been rezoned commercial.

Ashley River Road

Ashley River Road is the portion of Highway 61 that runs through Charleston near the Ashley River from Highway 171 to Highway 165. It is four lanes near Sam Rittenberg Blvd., but becomes two lanes through the scenic stretch. Along the two-lane stretch, there are many large oaks and historic plantations.

Because Ashley River Road merges seamlessly into St. Andrew's Boulevard, the latter is often incorrectly called Ashley River Road.Fact|date=September 2007

The Highway 61/Ashley River Road exit from I-526 actually exists onto Paul Cantrell Boulevard.

Points of interest along Ashley River Road:
*Magnolia Plantation and Gardens (Charleston, South Carolina) and the Audubon Swamp Garden
*Middleton Place Plantation
*Shadowmoss Plantation

Beech Hill Road

Beech Hill Road is the section of Highway 61 that runs from Highway 165 to Highway 17A. The Legend Oaks Plantation is south of this section of highway.

Augusta Highway

Augusta Highway is the longest section of Highway 61 from Highway 17A to the west-most end of Highway 61 where it merges into Highway 78.

Future Developments

Developers continue to build more homes further and further down Ashley River Rd. It is obvious that more houses equates to more traffic on the already congested two-lane road. The people living in the homes want the road widened for them. Developers want it widened to justify building more homes. However, expanding the road will require the removal of many of the oak trees. Because the oaks are the reason that the highway was granted National Scenic Byway status, removal of the oaks will cause it to lose the status and lose National Scenic Byway Federal funding for maintenance.Fact|date=September 2007

References

External links

* [http://www.charlestonwiki.org/Highway_61 CharlestonWiki Highway 61 article]