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The Highways of South Carolina US 15 
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US 15
From: US 17 ALTSC 63 Walterboro (Colleton County)
To: North Carolina State Line above McColl (Marlboro County)
Total Length: 159.4 miles  
Nationally, US 15 runs from Walterboro to I-86, NY 15-17 in Painted Post, NY.
ROUTE LOG
US 17 ALT SB, SC 63: 0 � 0
US 17 ALT NB: 0.2 - 0.2
SC 64 Bus EB: 0.1 - 0.3
SC 64 Bus WB: 0.2 - 0.5
SC 64: 0.5 - 1
SC 61: 10.3 - 11.3
Dorchester-Colleton Line: 0.7 - 12
US 78: 8.6 - 20.6
US 178: 6 - 26.6
I-26 (exit 172): 2.5 - 29.1
Orangeburg-Dorchester Line: 1.7 - 30.8
SC 314: 1.9 - 32.7
US 176, SC 45: 3.7 - 36.4
I-95 (exit 93): 3.1 - 39.5
SC 210: 0.5 - 40
SC 267: 1.5 - 41.5
US 301 SB: 2.2 - 43.7
I-95 SB (exit 97): 1.1 - 44.8
SC 6: 1.6 - 46.4
Clarendon-Orangeburg Line: 1.5 - 47.9
I-95 NB (exit 102): 2.2 - 50.1
US 301 NB: 7.4 - 57.5
SC 261: 9.6 - 67.1
Sumter-Clarendon Line: 2.6 - 69.7
US 521: 9.8 - 79.5
US 76 Bus, SC 763: 1.8 - 81.3
US 401: 0.3 - 81.6
US 76, US 378: 1.6 - 83.2
Lee-Sumter Line: 9.7 - 92.9
SC 441: 5.1 - 98
I-20 (exit 116): 3.1 - 101.1
SC 154: 1.7 - 102.8
SC 34 WB, SC 341 SB: 0.9 - 103.7
SC 341 NB: 1.4 - 105.1
Darlington-Lee Line: 6.5 - 111.6
SC 34 EB: 3.4 - 115
SC 403: 0.3 - 115.3
SC 151: 2.7 - 118
US 15 Bus: 0.6 - 118.6
SC 151 Bus: 1.1 - 119.7
US 15 Bus: 3.9 - 123.6
US 52 SB, US 401 SB: 10.6 - 134.2
US 52 NB: 2.1 - 136.3
Marlboro-Darlington Line: 1.2 - 137.5
SC 912: 5.5 - 143
SC 385: 3.2 - 146.2
SC 9 WB, SC 38 WB: 1.3 - 147.5
SC 9 Bus, SC 38 SB, SC 38 Bus: 0.8 - 148.3
SC 9 EB: 1.2 - 149.5
SC 381: 8.2 - 157.7
NC STATE LINE: 1.7 - 159.4
 Creation: Although US 15 was an original US Highway, it did not come to South Carolina until 1935 when it was extended south from the Tar Heel State to end at US 17 (current SC 63) Walterboro. It ran generally the way it does now, and was a full renumbering of the first US 401.
Adjustments: In 1951 or 1952, US 15 was given an eastern bypass around Bennettsville, leaving behind US 15 Business (today this is mostly part of SC 385).
In 1964, US 15 was rerouted to avoid central Sumter. Originally using Main St, US 15 was routed around to the east on new alignment Lafayette Rd as it runs today. Main St north of downtown became S-43-5 while south of downtown Manning Rd remained part of US 521.
In 1968 or 1969, US 15 was given an eastern bypass of Hartsville, leaving behind US 15 Business.
In 1987, US 15 was put onto I-95 between Exit 97 and Exit 102, over Lake Marion. The US 15-301 bridge over Lake Marion has been closed to traffic ever since. The road south of Lake Marion became S-38-430 and US 15/301-SC 6 CONN. The approach to I-95 north of the lake had been S-14-400 and the route connecting US 15-301 to I-95 Exit 97 had previously been I-95/US 301 CONN.
Improvements:Upon designation, US 15 was fully paved.
The first piece of US 15 to be 4-laned was the first few miles north out of Walterboro, in 1951 or 1952.
The Bennettsville bypass was 4-laned between 1956-58.
The bypass of downtown Sumter was 4-laned upon opening in 1964 (US 521 to US 76-378 Bypass).
In 1970, US 15 was 4-laned from US 15 south to S-43-251.
When US 15 was moved onto I-95 and the US 301 CONN in 1987 it became multilane.
Comment: US 15 is one of South Carolina's underused routes, as it parallels I-95 for a good stretch and is not that far away from I-95 when it doesn't.
The Hartsville Bypass, while 2-lane does have an interchange at its south end and also with SC 151 Business.
US 15BUSINESS
From: US 15 south of Hartsville (Darlington County)
To: US 15 North Hartsville (Darlington County)
Total Length:6.6 miles  
ROUTE LOG
US 15: 0 - 0
SC 151 Bus: 2.2 - 2.2
SC 102: 2.4 - 4.6
US 15: 2 - 6.6
 Creation: Appeared in 1968 or 1969, when US 15 was given its eastern Hartsville Bypass. This was mainline US 15 prior.
Adjustments: None
Improvements: Fully paved from inception; SC 151 Business south to US 15 is shown as multilane beginning with the 2006 Official Map.
Comment: US 15 Business was the original SC 42.
US 15 Business  Decommissioned
Previous US 15 Business: US 15 Business: Appeared in 1951 or 1952 as US 15 was placed on its eastern bypass of Bennettsville.
US 15 Business followed Tyson Ave and Main St.
In the late 1980's US 15 Business (also co-signed as US 401 Business at this point) was dropped in favor of SC 385 on the Main St. portion. Tyson Ave became unnumbered. Official Maps even today imply US 15-401 Business is still present, which is absolutely incorrect.
US 15 ALT  Decommissioned
Previous US 15 ALTs: US 15 ALT #1: Perhaps the strangest route South Carolina has ever had is the first US 15 ALT. It is shown on official maps of SC and NC; Rand McNally; AAA; Gousha, etc.
US 15 ALT appeared about 1937 as a southern extension of the US 15 ALT that ran from Creedmoor, NC south through Raleigh to Laurinburg, NC. In South Carolina, US 15 ALT was as far as I can tell a 100% duplex with US 15 from the North Carolina State Line down to US 15's end at US 17 (current SC 63) Walterboro.
The latest map I have showing this is 1946, whereby US 15 went back to being a solo route. This US 15 ALT's routing today is still mostly US 15 except across Lake Marion, central Sumter, Hartsville, and Bennettsville.
I don't have the slightest idea what the purpose of this route was. Maybe someone envisioned running US 15 somewhere else.
US 15 ALT #2:Appeared in 1954 or 1955 as a renumbering of SC 763 from US 15 (current S-43-5) Sumter northeast to Darlington, then as a duplex with US 52 back to US 15 Society Hill.
US 15 ALT was renumbered as today's US 401 in 1957, which it follows today except within Darlington it is US 401-SC 34 CONN, SC 34, and the northern half of US 52 Business.
Last Update: 18 August 2006

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