U.S. Route 276

{{Infobox road |country=USA |type=US |route=276 |map={{maplink-road|from=U.S. Route 276.map}} |map_custom=yes |map_notes=US 276 highlighted in red |length_mi=106.4 |length_ref={{citation needed|date=February 2018}} |length_km= |established=1932{{citation needed|date=February 2018}} |tourist=[[File:MUTCD D6-4.svg|20px|alt=|link=]] [[Forest Heritage Scenic Byway]] |direction_a=East |terminus_a={{Jct|state=SC|I|185|I|385}} near [[Mauldin, South Carolina|Mauldin, SC]] |junction={{plainlist| *{{Jct|state=SC|I|85}} in [[Greenville, South Carolina|Greenville, SC]] *{{Jct|state=SC|I|385}} in Greenville, SC *{{Jct|state=SC|US|29}} in Greenville, SC *{{Jct|state=SC|US|25}} in [[Travelers Rest, South Carolina|Travelers Rest, SC]] *{{Jct|state=NC|US|64}} in [[Brevard, North Carolina|Brevard, NC]] *{{Jct|state=NC|US|23|US|74}} in [[Waynesville, North Carolina|Waynesville, NC]] *{{Jct|state=NC|US|19}} in [[Lake Junaluska, North Carolina|Lake Junaluska, NC]]}} |direction_b=North |terminus_b={{Jct|state=NC|I|40}} in [[Cove Creek, North Carolina|Cove Creek, NC]] |states=[[South Carolina]], [[North Carolina]] |counties='''SC:''' [[Greenville County, South Carolina|Greenville]]<br />'''NC:''' [[Transylvania County, North Carolina|Transylvania]], [[Haywood County, North Carolina|Haywood]] |spur_of=76 |spur_type=US |browse={{sc browse|previous_type=SC|previous_route=274|route=[[List of numbered highways in South Carolina|SC]]|next_type=SC|next_route=277}}<br />{{nc browse|previous_type=NC|previous_route=275|route=[[North Carolina State Highways|NC]]|next_type=I|next_route=277}} }} '''U.S. Route 276''' ('''US 276''') is a [[United States highway]] that runs for {{convert|106.4|mi}} from [[Mauldin, South Carolina|Mauldin]], [[South Carolina]] to [[Cove Creek, North Carolina|Cove Creek]], [[North Carolina]]. It is known both as a busy urban highway in [[Greenville, South Carolina]] and a scenic back-road in [[Western North Carolina]]. Despite its numbering, it does not intersect its parent route [[U.S. Route 76]].

==Route description== ===South Carolina=== In [[South Carolina]], US 276 only runs in [[Greenville County, South Carolina|Greenville County]], for a total of {{convert|43.3|mi|km}}; beginning at the [[Interstate 385|I-385]]/[[Interstate 185 (South Carolina)|I-185]] junction in [[Mauldin, South Carolina|Mauldin]]. The US Highway then runs north to the [[Greenville, South Carolina|City of Greenville]], then to [[Travelers Rest, South Carolina|Travelers Rest]], and then [[Marietta, South Carolina|Marietta]] before climbing into [[North Carolina]]. A two-mile portion of US 276 between [[Greenville, South Carolina|Greenville]] and [[Travelers Rest, South Carolina|Travelers Rest]] is an [[Limited-access road|expressway]] complete with shoulders, exits, a grass median, and a speed limit of 55 miles per hour.

In [[Travelers Rest, South Carolina|Travelers Rest]], a Downtown Revitalization Plan has reduced US 276 from four lanes down to two; added trees, on-street parking, a new park, and other improvements.

After Marietta, US 276 climbs about {{convert|2000|ft|m}} to [[Caesars Head State Park]] in the [[Blue Ridge Mountains]], {{convert|3|mi|km}} from the [[North Carolina]] border. At the border, the US Highway crosses the [[Eastern Continental Divide]] at {{convert|2910|ft|m}} above sea level.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.milebymile.com/main/United_States/North_Carolina/United_States_276/United_States_North_Carolina_road_map_travel_guides.html|title=North Carolina Highway Guide|access-date=2012-02-12}}</ref>

===North Carolina=== In [[North Carolina]], US 276 traverses through [[Transylvania County, North Carolina|Transylvania]] and [[Haywood County, North Carolina|Haywood]] counties, for a total of {{convert|63|mi|km}}. Between the towns of [[Brevard, North Carolina|Brevard]] and [[Waynesville, North Carolina|Waynesville]] in North Carolina, US 276 travels through the [[Pisgah National Forest]] and is a route heavily traveled by recreationalists. The road follows the Davidson River and a tributary upstream before climbing the Pisgah Ridge and crossing the [[Blue Ridge Parkway]] at its top, then descending by the Pigeon River and the Shining Rock Wilderness. Many trailheads used for hiking, mountain biking, and horseback riding lie along US 276 in this area and roads connecting to it. Drivers will also find roadside campgrounds, picnic areas, waterfalls, and two museums — the Pisgah Center for Wildlife Education and the Cradle of Forestry in America — along the road or within a short distance of it. North of Waynesville, US 276 continues through [[Lake Junaluska, North Carolina|Lake Junaluska]], where it joins [[U.S. Route 19 in North Carolina|US 19]] to [[Maggie Valley, North Carolina|Maggie Valley]], then runs north to [[Interstate 40 in North Carolina|I-40]] at [[Cove Creek, North Carolina|Cove Creek]].

US 276 is signed east–west in [[South Carolina]] and north–south in [[North Carolina]]; which is why it is listed as having an eastern and northern terminus.

US 276 overlaps with the [[Forest Heritage Scenic Byway]], which is a [[North Carolina Scenic Byways|North Carolina Scenic Byway]], [[National Forest Scenic Byway]] and [[National Scenic Byway]], that traverses between [[Pisgah Forest, North Carolina|Pisgah Forest]] and [[Woodrow, North Carolina|Woodrow]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ncdot.org/travel/scenic/|title=NCDOT: Scenic Byways|access-date=June 28, 2011|archive-date=January 25, 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110125165457/http://www.ncdot.org/travel/scenic/|url-status=dead}}</ref>

==History== [[File:US276North-Brevard.jpg|thumb|Northbound US 276, in [[Brevard, North Carolina|Brevard]]]] US 276 was established in 1932, traversing from [[Laurens, South Carolina]] to [[Brevard, North Carolina]]; it replaced [[U.S. Route 76|US 76]] between [[Laurens, South Carolina|Laurens]] to [[Greenville, South Carolina|Greenville]], overlapped with [[U.S. Route 25 in South Carolina|US 25]] to [[Travelers Rest, South Carolina|Travelers Rest]], replaced [[South Carolina Highway 284|SC 284]]/[[North Carolina Highway 284|NC 284]] to [[Brevard, North Carolina|Brevard]].<ref name="NCRoads">{{cite web|url=http://members.cox.net/ncroads/ushwys/us276.html|title=NCRoads.com: U.S. 276|access-date=February 25, 2011|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110604025755/http://members.cox.net/ncroads/ushwys/us276.html|archive-date=June 4, 2011}}{{sps|date=December 2017|certain=y}}</ref><ref name="SCRoads">{{cite web |url=https://www.angelfire.com/sc3/scroads/us276.html|title=Mapmikey's South Carolina Highways Page - US 276|access-date=February 25, 2011}}{{sps|date=December 2017|certain=y}}</ref>

Around 1939, US 276 was extended north from [[Brevard, North Carolina|Brevard]], via [[Pisgah Forest, North Carolina|Pisgah Forest]] along the old Pisgah Motor Road, to [[Waynesville, North Carolina|Waynesville]], ending at Main Street. In the 1940s, US 276 was changed to its current routing around the [[Downtown Greenville, South Carolina|downtown area]] of [[Greenville, South Carolina|Greenville]], which established US 276 Business by 1948; the business route would be later replaced by [[Interstate 385#Business Route|I-85 Business]] by 1968-70.<ref name="NCRoads"/><ref name="SCRoads"/>

In 1957 or 1958, US 276 was moved onto new freeway south of [[Mauldin, South Carolina|Mauldin]] to just south of [[Fountain Inn, South Carolina|Fountain Inn]]; its old route was replaced by [[South Carolina Highway 417|SC 417]] between [[Mauldin, South Carolina|Mauldin]]-[[Simpsonville, South Carolina|Simpsonville]] and [[South Carolina Highway 14|SC 14]] to [[Fountain Inn, South Carolina|Fountain Inn]]. Between 1959-61, US 276's realignment onto new freeway was complete with a connection with [[Interstate 26|I-26]] in [[Clinton, South Carolina|Clinton]], the remainder of its former route to [[Laurens, South Carolina|Laurens]] was replaced by [[South Carolina Highway 14|SC 14]].<ref name="SCRoads"/>

Also around 1959, US 276 was extended north again to [[Lake Junaluska, North Carolina]], replacing another section of [[North Carolina Highway 284|NC 284]]. By 1968, a widened 4-lane road was completed between [[Dellwood, North Carolina|Dellwood]] and [[Cove Creek, North Carolina|Cove Creek]], completing a temporary connection between two completed sections of [[Interstate 40 in North Carolina|I-40]]. This section became the final extension north of US 276, replacing the last remaining section [[North Carolina Highway 284|NC 284]]; temporary [[Interstate 40 in North Carolina|I-40]] lasted till 1974 (when the section between exits 20-27 was completed).<ref name="NCRoads"/>

Around 1985, the [[Mauldin, South Carolina|Mauldin]]-[[Clinton, South Carolina|Clinton]] freeway was renumbered to [[Interstate 385|I-385]]; truncating US 276 to its current eastern terminus in [[Mauldin, South Carolina|Mauldin]].<ref name="SCRoads"/> {{clear}}

===North Carolina Highway 284=== {{Infobox road small |state=NC |type=NC |route=284 |location=[[Cove Creek, North Carolina]] |formed=1930 |deleted=1969 |length_mi= |length_ref= }} '''NC 284''' was a former [[state highway]] in the [[Western North Carolina|Mountains Region]] of the state of [[North Carolina]]. Its routing through the [[Great Smoky Mountains]] was demoted to Old NC 284 (Cove Creek Road) and today remains primitive road; it is thus unpaved and is maintained by the [[National Park Service]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.vahighways.com/ncannex/route-log/nc284.html|title=N.C. 284|publisher=NCRoads.com|access-date=2010-01-28}}{{sps|date=December 2017|certain=y}}</ref> The rest of the old route, which lies to the south, was replaced segment by segment by [[U.S. Highway 276]] from 1939 to 1968, when the last section from [[Maggie Valley, North Carolina|Maggie Valley]] north to the newly constructed [[Interstate 40 in North Carolina|Interstate 40]] in Cove Creek was replaced by the U.S. highway. {{clear}}

==Junction list== :Mileposts reset at state line crossings. Highway runs east-west in South Carolina, south-north in North Carolina. {{jcttop|exit|state_col=State|length_ref=<ref name="google">{{google maps|url=https://maps.google.com/maps?saddr=US-276+N&daddr=35.146992,-82.6706294+to:35.3467193,-82.7844165+to:35.5432671,-83.0244672+to:US-276+N%2FJonathan+Creek+Rd&hl=en&ll=35.197378,-82.408447&spn=0.977436,1.783905&sll=35.348736,-82.690659&sspn=0.487809,0.891953&geocode=FUhYEgIdyl4Y-w%3BFfBMGAId24sS-ynLLbn_v7BZiDEY4nYxEAwnoA%3BFR9ZGwIdYM8Q-ynxdiVjeaJZiDEIXlploEBCLQ%3BFeNYHgIdrSUN-ynZAQnNcHpZiDEvKdHqTptRVg%3BFfZHHwIdKGsN-w&mra=dpe&mrsp=2&sz=11&via=1,2,3&t=p&z=10|title=U.S. Route 276|access-date=February 20, 2014}}</ref>}} {{SCint|exit |espan=2 |sspan=23 |county=Greenville |cspan=23 |location=none |mile=0.00 |mspan=3 |road={{jct|state=SC|I|385|dir1=south|city1=Simpsonville|city2=Columbia}} |notes=Continuation beyond eastern terminus; I-385 exit 30

}} {{SCint |location=none |mile=none |road={{jct|state=SC|I-Toll|185|dir1=north|location1=[[Atlanta, Georgia|Atlanta]]}} |notes=Interchange; provides access to Neely Ferry Road; I-185 exit 1A }} {{SCint|exit |location=none |mile=none |exit=30 |road=E. Standing Springs Road |notes=Interchange; exit number based on I-385 mileage; eastbound access via I-185 exit }}

{{SCint|exit |location=Mauldin |type=incomplete |mile=1.4 |road={{jct|state=SC|SC|417|city1=Simpsonville}} |notes=Partial interchange; eastbound left exit and westbound left entrance }} {{SCint|exit |espan=33 |location=Greenville |lspan=10 |mile=5 |road={{jct|state=SC|I|85|city1=Spartanburg|location2=[[Atlanta, Georgia|Atlanta]]}} |notes=I-85 exits 48A-B }} {{SCint |mile=6.3 |road={{jct|state=SC|SC|146|name1=Woodruff Road|city1=Woodruff}} }} {{SCint |mile=7.6 |road={{jct|state=SC|SC|291|name1=Pleasantburg Drive}} }} {{SCint |mile=9 |road={{jct|state=SC|I|385|dir1=south|road|[[Interstate 385 Business (Greenville, South Carolina)|I-385 Bus.]] north|city1=Columbia|location2=[[Downtown Greenville]]|location3=[[Fluor Field at the West End|Fluor Field]]|location4=[[Bon Secours Wellness Arena]]|location5=Falls Park|location6=Heritage Green|location7=[[Peace Center]]}} |notes=Northern terminus of I-385; southern terminus of I-385 Bus.; I-385 exit 42 }} {{SCint |mile=9.5 |road={{jct|state=SC|road|Wade Hampton Boulevard|dir1=north|name1=[[U.S. Route 29 Connector (Greenville, South Carolina)|US 29 Conn.]] north}} |notes=Southern terminus of US 29 Conn. and Wade Hampton Boulevard }} {{SCint |mile= |road={{jct|state=SC|road|Column Street|dir1=south|name1=[[U.S. Route 29 Spur (Greenville, South Carolina)|US 29 Spur]] south|to2=y|US|29|city1=Anderson}} |notes=Northern terminus of US 29 Spur and Column Street }} {{SCint |mile=10.5 |road={{jct|state=SC|SC|183|dir1=south|name1=Rutherford Road}} }} {{SCint |mile=12.4 |road={{jct|state=SC|SC|253|SC|291|dir2=south|name2=Blue Ridge Drive / Pleasantburg Drive}} |notes=Northern terminus of SC 291 }} {{SCint |mile=14.6 |road=Old Buncombe Road |notes=Interchange }} {{SCint |mile=15.3 |road=[[Furman University]] |notes=Interchange }} {{SCint |location=Travelers Rest |lspan=3 |type=incomplete |mile=17.5 |mspan=3 |road={{jct|state=SC|US|25|dir1=north|location1=[[Asheville, North Carolina|Asheville]]}} |notes=Interchange; westbound exit only }} {{SCint |type=concur |mile=none |road={{jct|state=SC|US|25|dir1=south|to2=to|I|85|city1=Anderson|city2=Greenwood|location3=[[Atlanta, Georgia|Atlanta]]}} |notes=Interchange; east end of eastbound-only overlap with US 25; eastbound exit and westbound entrance }}

{{SCint

|type=concur |mile=none |road={{jct|state=SC|US|25|dir1=north}} |notes=Interchange; west end of eastbound-only overlap with US 25; westbound exit and eastbound entrance }}

{{SCint

|location=none |mile=22.2 |road={{jct|state=SC|SC|414|name1=Bates Crossing Road}} }} {{SCint |location=Slater-Marietta|lspan=2 |mile=23.4 |road={{jct|state=SC|SC|186|name1=Dacusville Road|city1=Dacusville|city2=Pickens}} }} {{SCint |mile=23.7 |road={{jct|state=SC|SC|288|name1=Pumpkintown Road|city1=Pumpkintown}} }} {{SCint|type=concur |location=Cleveland |mile=27.8 |road={{jct|state=SC|SC|11|US|25|dir1=east|to2=to|name2=Cherokee Foothills Scenic Highway}} |notes=East end of SC 11 overlap; to Pleasant Ridge County Park }} {{SCint|type=concur |location=none |mile=33.3 |road={{jct|state=SC|SC|11|dir1=west|name1=Cherokee Foothills Scenic Highway}} |notes=West end of SC 11 overlap; to [[Table Rock State Park (South Carolina)|Table Rock State Park]] }} {{SCint |location=none |mile=34.2 |road={{jct|state=SC|SC|8|dir1=south|name1=Caesars Head Highway|city1=Pickens}} |notes=Northern terminus of SC 8; to [[Table Rock State Park (South Carolina)|Table Rock State Park]] }} {{jctplace |river=[[Eastern Continental Divide]]

|river_wide=yes |mile=43.5 |mile2=0.00 |line=yes |place=[[South Carolina]]–[[North Carolina]] line }} {{NCint |sspan=13 |county=Transylvania|cspan=5 |location=Cedar Mountain |mile=1.6 |road=Cascade Lake Road |notes=to [[DuPont State Forest]] }} {{NCint|type=concur |location=Brevard|lspan=2 |mile=12.5 |road={{jct|state=NC|US|64|dir1=west|name1=Broad Street|city1=Highlands|city2=Franklin}} |notes=South end of US 64 overlap }} {{NCint |mile=13.3 |road={{jct|state=NC|US-Bus|64|dab1=Brevard|dir1=west|name1=Caldwell Street}} |notes=[[Brevard College]] at intersection }} {{NCint|type=concur |location=Pisgah Forest |mile=15.9 |road={{jct|state=NC|US|64|NC|280|dir1=east|dir2=east|city1=Asheville|city2=Hendersonville}} |notes=North end of US 64 overlap; South end of Forest Heritage Scenic Byway overlap; East end of NC Bike 8 }} {{NCint |location=none |mile=31 |road=[[Blue Ridge Parkway]] |notes=Interchange via connector road; west end of NC Bike 8 }} {{NCint|type=concur |county=Haywood|cspan=8 |location=Woodrow |mile=45.3 |road={{jct|state=NC|NC|110|NC|215|dir1=north|dir2=south|city1=Canton|city2=Rosman}} |notes=South end of NC 215 overlap; North end of Forest Heritage Scenic Byway overlap }} {{NCint|type=concur |location=Bethel|ctdab=Haywood |mile=46 |road={{jct|state=NC|NC|215|dir1=north|city1=Canton}} |notes=North end of NC 215 overlap }} {{NCint |type=concur |location=Waynesville |lspan=3 |mile=52 |road={{jct|state=NC|US-Bus|23|dab1=Waynesville|dir1=south|name1=Main Street south|city1=Sylva}} |notes=South end of US 23 Bus. overlap }} {{NCint |type=concur |mile=52.4 |road={{jct|state=NC|US-Bus|23|dab1=Waynesville|dir1=north|name1=Main Street north}} |notes=North end of US 23 Bus. overlap }} {{NCint |mile=53.1 |road={{jct|state=NC|US|23|US|74|name2=[[Great Smoky Mountains Expressway]]|city1=Asheville|city2=Sylva}} }} {{NCint|type=concur |location=Lake Junaluska |mile=54.5 |road={{jct|state=NC|US|19|name1=Dellwood Road|dir1=north|city1=Asheville}} |notes=North end of US 19 overlap }} {{NCint|type=concur |location=Dellwood |mile=56.9 |road={{jct|state=NC|US|19|dir1=south|name1=Soco Road|city1=Maggie Valley|city2=Cherokee}} |notes=South end of US 19 overlap }} {{NCint |location=Cove Creek |mile=62.9 |road={{jct|state=NC|I|40|city1=Asheville|location2=[[Knoxville, Tennessee|Knoxville]]}} |notes=Northern terminus; I-40 exit 20 }} {{Jctbtm|col=8|keys=concur,incomplete}}

==Special routes== ===Greenville business loop 1=== {{Infobox road small |state=SC |type=US 1961-Bus |route=276 |formed={{circa}}1947 |deleted=1970 |location=[[Greenville, South Carolina]] }} {{-}}

===Greenville business loop 2=== {{infobox road small |state=SC |type=US 1961-Bus |route=276 |location=[[Greenville, South Carolina]] |formed=1983 |deleted=1984 }} {{-}}

===Travelers Rest connector=== {{Infobox road small |state=SC |type=US-Conn |route=276 |location=[[Travelers Rest, South Carolina]] |formed= |length_mi=1.100 |length_round=3 |length_ref=<ref>{{cite web |url=https://ris.scdot.org/LogMileReport.aspx?county=23&type=2&number=25&auxiliary=6&map=y |title=Highway Logmile Report |publisher=South Carolina Department of Transportation |access-date=December 10, 2020 }}</ref> }} '''U.S. Route 276 Connector''' ('''US 276 Conn.''') is a {{convert|1.0|mi|km}} [[Connector (road)|connector route]], in [[Concurrency (road)|concurrency]] with [[U.S. Route 25 Connector (Travelers Rest, South Carolina)|US 25 Conn.]], along Poinsett Highway. It connects US 276 with [[U.S. Route 25 in South Carolina|US 25]], in downtown [[Travelers Rest, South Carolina|Travelers Rest]].<ref>{{google maps |url=https://maps.google.com/maps?saddr=S+Poinsett+Hwy&daddr=N+Poinsett+Hwy&hl=en&ll=34.970762,-82.433424&spn=0.029575,0.055747&sll=34.974898,-82.429562&sspn=0.005203,0.006968&geocode=FaqJFQId2wsW-w%3BFbavFQIdADsW-w&t=p&mra=me&mrsp=1,0&sz=18&z=15 |title=Overview map of US 25 Conn. (Travelers Rest, South Carolina) |link=no |access-date=June 23, 2013 }}</ref> Not only is the highway [[Unsigned highway|unsigned]], it is not even shown on SCDOT's Greenville metro area map, so the highway may be [[Decommissioned highway|decommissioned]].<ref>{{cite map |url=http://info2.scdot.org//GISMapping/GISMapdl/Greenville_Metro.pdf |title=Greenville–Spartanburg Urban Area |publisher=South Carolina Department of Transportation |page=Sheet 5 |section=C4 |date=September 2013 |access-date=December 10, 2020 |archive-date=November 10, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201110111157/http://info2.scdot.org//GISMapping/GISMapdl/Greenville_Metro.pdf |url-status=dead }}</ref> {{clear}}

==References== {{Reflist|30em}}

==External links== {{Attached KML}} *{{commons category-inline}} *[http://www.vahighways.com/ncannex/route-log/us276.html NCRoads.com: U.S. 276] *[https://www.angelfire.com/sc3/scroads/us276.html Mapmikey's South Carolina Highways Page: US 276]

[[Category:United States Numbered Highway System|76-2]] [[Category:U.S. Highways in South Carolina|76-2]] [[Category:U.S. Highways in North Carolina|76-2]] [[Category:Transportation in Greenville County, South Carolina]] [[Category:Transportation in Transylvania County, North Carolina]] [[Category:Transportation in Haywood County, North Carolina]] [[Category:U.S. Route 76|2]]