South Carolina...
US 501: (A “High Speed Arterial” of South Carolina)
Summary:
US 501 plays a huge role for thru traffic to reach the greater Myrtle Beach area from the I-95/SC 38 overload. It has designated " FUTURE I-73 signs " along US 501 indicating this will one day become an interstate. It is 4 lanes from just north of Marion, Marion County, runs through the Marion Bypass built in the early to mid 1990's, becomes a 4 lane divided high-speed arterial with the exception of Rains, Marion County and Aynor, Horry County. From Aynor to the SC 22 freeway (Conway Bypass), it is a 4 lane high-speed arterial . US 501 becomes a boulevard in the city of Conway, Horry County. After it leaves Conway, it becomes a
heavily traveled high-speed arterial with occasional lights for the next 10 miles between Conway and Myrtle Beach, it is even designated as a "South Carolina Traveler Assistance Zone ", from south of Conway to roughly the US 17 Bypass. US 501 is one of only two non-interstate highway in South Carolina given this amenity. From SC 31 (Carolina Bays Parkway) to over the bridge to US 17 Bypass, the original US 501 alignment is being upgraded to a freeway but it currently under construction. US 501 will have parallel boulevards on both north and southbound lanes to serve the Outlet malls, Pottery establishments and the Myrtle Beach speedway.
Junction Log:
| Junction |
Type of Access |
Highway Type at Junction |
Location |
|
US 501 Business |
At-grade |
2-lane highway to High-Speed Arterial |
North of Marion |
|
SC 41A |
Traffic light |
High-Speed Arterial |
Northeast of Marion |
|
US 76 |
Diamond interchange |
High-Speed Arterial |
East of Marion |
|
US 501 Business / SC 41A |
Partial diamond interchange |
High-Speed Arterial |
South of Marion |
|
Marion Bypass Ends, US 501 continues as an expressway.
|
|
SC 41 |
Partial diamond interchange |
High-Speed Arterial |
Eastern Marion County |
|
US 501 enters the town of Aynor, where it becomes a brief 5-lane boulevard. |
|
SC 319 |
Traffic light |
Boulevard |
Aynor, Horry County |
|
US 501 returns quickly back to being a 4-lane divided expressway. |
|
SC 22 / Conway Bypass |
Interchange |
High-Speed Arterial |
West of Conway |
|
US 501 enters the city of Conway, a very congested boulevard with a zillion traffic lights. |
|
US 501 Business |
Traffic light |
Boulevard |
Conway |
|
US 378 |
Traffic light |
Boulevard |
Conway |
|
US 701 |
Traffic light |
Boulevard |
Conway |
|
US 501 becomes an expressway again, this time a SC designated traveler assistance zone. |
|
SC 544 / US 501 Business |
? |
High-Speed Arterial |
South of Conway |
|
SC 31 / Carolina Bays Parkway or UNOFFICIALLY the Myrtle Beach Bypass |
Interchange |
High-Speed Arterial to future freeway |
West of Myrtle Beach |
|
US 501 is currently under construction. It is slated to become a freeway on the original alignment with parallel feeder roads from SC 31 to US 17 Bypass. |
|
US 17 Bypass |
Cloverleaf |
High-Speed Arterial (future freeway) to Boulvard |
Myrtle Beach |
|
This ends the SC traveler assistance zone. |
|
US 501 is a congested boulevard all the way to US 17 Business / Kings
Highway. |
|
US 17 Business |
Traffic light |
Boulevard |
Myrtle Beach, facing the Atlantic Ocean and the pavilion. |
|
This marks the eastern terminus of US 501. |
Sources:
Lou Corsaro is the author of this page, including all descriptions and junction logs. The work has been edited by
Mike Roberson.
Last Updated: 5/17/04
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