South Carolina Roads - US 17 - Charleston Bridges and N.
US 17, Ravenel and former Pearman/Grace Bridges and north of Charleston
Charleston is lucky enough to have two rivers, and makes the most of the Cooper River. The original two-lane truss, the Grace Bridge, became SB lanes in 1966 upon the opening of the three-lane Pearman Bridge. The Pearman Bridge originally had two NB lanes and one reversible lane (and no divider between them), but the reversible lane was made permanently southbound in 1979 to handle trucks that couldn't use the deteriorating Grace Bridge. Finally, given the poor structural and traffic conditions of these bridges, the cable-stayed Ravenel Bridge opened in 2005, and the old cantilever trusses have been coming down ever since.
The Ravenel Bridge at sunset, seen from Charleston.
All photos are courtesy Lou Corsaro until the breakline, unless I say otherwise, including the one above.
The northbound stub that was the beginning of the Pearman Bridge viaduct. Now, it sticks off the end of US 17 NB as I-26 WB begins along it.
The southbound stub, on the left side of I-26; in the first photo, the realigned US 17 SB is on the left and now merges into the right side of I-26.
In this photo, the new cable-stayed wonder is still unopened, and Lou is heading north onto the Pearman Bridge.
US 17 SB along the once-reversible lane on the Pearman Bridge, ending with a shot of new signage (and a hint of I-26) on the unopened bridge.
NB on the Arthur Ravenel, Jr. Bridge. Some quick facts on the new bridge, courtesy Scott Kozel: It is four lanes each way, with longer spans and fewer piers than the old bridges, dedicated pedestrian and bicycle right of way, and 36 more feet of clearance over the Cooper River (at 186 feet).
SB, 2nd photo mine as the US 17 ramp merges into the beginning of I-26.
And here's my video driving SB.
NB coming off the Grace Bridge, with the new Cooper River Bridge (not yet named at the time Lou took this photo) coming back in to the right.
Looking southwest from the new bridge at the old bridges being dismantled. As you can see, the Ravenel Bridge cuts from northeast to southwest across the old ones.
NB heading off the Grace Bridge during construction. The Grace Bridge is gone now - head south on US 17 via the big link at the bottom of the page for many more photos.
I see something about a SPA, but... huh? Check the I-526 page - this is the S.P.A. Wando Terminal just out of Charleston.
NB through Bowman Rd. up to the eastern I-526 interchange during construction in January 2012. Wooden planks holding up concrete walls? Looks safe enough to me.
Northbound at the second-chance entrance to I-526; this ramp comes into Exit 29, whereas the loop ramp to the south came into Exit 30. Left turns are allowed here for everyone on US 17 between the two entrances, since there is no southbound ramp to I-526 WB at Exit 30. The state name appears to be jammed into the top of this shield. By the way, to the right is Hungry Neck Blvd. - apparently Dracula got tired of spending retirement in Florida. It shows up some more on my SC 517 page.
A run of old NB signs north of Charleston.
My own photo SB at US 701, which used to multiplex ahead into Charleston, but since US 701 never left US 17 south of here, it was truncated back to Georgetown near this very gantry. Alt. US 17 also begins here, heading south (701 only heads north).
SB between Myrtle Beach and Georgetown.
Remaining photos are mine.
US 17 Business through Myrtle Beach is still signed like the main route, and US 501 still begins there. The first two photos and last two photos of SCDOT's hanging shield assemblies are each on the same wire spans.
SC 90 NB, doubling as the connector from SC 9 SB to US 17 NB.
Into the welcome center just shy of North Carolina, on the SB side but accessible from NB.
From there, the short SC 179 breaks off of US 17 NB, soon to become NC 179.
