Interstate 26 Main route of the Interstate Highway System
Length:	347 mi (558 km)
West end:	US 11W/US 23 in Kingsport, TN
Major junctions:	I-81 in Kingsport, TN I-40 in Asheville, NC I-85 near Spartanburg, SC I-20 near Columbia, SC I-77 in Cayce, SC I-95 near Rosinville, SC
East end:	US 17 in Charleston, SC

Interstate 26 (abbreviated I-26) is an east-west main route of the Interstate Highway System in the Southeastern United States. It runs from the junction of U.S. Route 11W and U.S. Route 23 in Kingsport, Tennessee, generally south and southeast to U.S. Route 17 in Charleston, South Carolina. The portion from Mars Hill, North Carolina, east (compass south) to Interstate 240 in Asheville, North Carolina, is signed as Future I-26 because it does not yet meet Interstate standards; a short realignment is also planned in Asheville.

Prior to August 5, 2003, the western terminus was at Interstate 40 and Interstate 240 southwest of Asheville. At that time, the final section of freeway in North Carolina, from Mars Hill north to the Tennessee state line, replaced the old two-lane U.S. Route 23. I-26 was extended into Tennessee on the US 23 freeway, taking over approximately half of the former Interstate 181 from U.S. Route 321/State Route 67 in Johnson City, Tennessee, to Interstate 81 south of Kingsport, Tennessee. The American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials denied an extension of I-26 along the remainder of I-181 to Kingsport, since it would give a main interstate route a stub end (not connecting to another interstate). The extension was finally achieved by the Safe, Accountable, Flexible, Efficient Transportation Equity Act: A Legacy for Users, signed into law August 10, 2005. Thus I-26 now ends about two miles (3 km) south of the Virginia state line, and the freeway continues to the state line as US 23.

North of Kingsport, US 23 continues north to Portsmouth, Ohio, as Corridor B of the Appalachian Development Highway System, and beyond to Columbus, as Corridor C. In conjunction with the Columbus-Toledo corridor formed by US 23, State Route 15 and Interstate 75, I-26 forms part of a mostly high-speed four-lane highway from the Great Lakes to the Southeast. There are no plans for further I-26 extensions into Virginia, Kentucky and farther north.

Route description

Lengths
	mi	km
TN	55	89
NC	71	114
SC	220.95	355.58
Total	347	558

Major cities Bolded cities are officially-designated control cities for signs
Kingsport, Tennessee Johnson City, Tennessee Asheville, North Carolina Spartanburg, South Carolina Columbia, South Carolina Charleston, South Carolina

I-26 is a diagonal interstate, running northwest-southeast; most other routes in the area are odd numbers running northeast-southwest. The extension past Asheville is mainly north-south. Where I-26 crosses the French Broad River in Asheville at the Smoky Park Bridge, the highway runs in opposite directions from its designations. (I-26 West actually goes east. I-26 is coterminous with I-240, so that I-240 East and I-26 West are the same route.) When the extension was made in 2003, the exit numbers in North Carolina were increased by 31 to reflect the new mileage. The part that it shares with I-240 has not had the numbers changed yet, although most signs now indicate I-26 instead of I-240.

I-26 is signed with an extra FUTURE sign above (and in the same style as) the EAST and WEST signs from Asheville north to Mars Hill, because the older U.S. Route 23 freeway does not meet interstate standards. Shoulders remain substandard or nonexistent along short sections of the route, and a realignment is planned in Asheville to bypass some tight interchanges.

Exit numbers in Tennessee were formerly numbered backwards, increasing from east to west, because the road was formerly U.S. Route 23 and Interstate 181, two north-south roads. This exit numbering was changed to the correct way in March 2007 when exit numbers were changed on all 284 signs along the I-26 route; the remaining I-181 signs north of I-81 were also replaced by I-26 signs at that time. The old exit numbers will be displayed on signs with the new ones until March 2009.

Beginning in the city of Charleston, South Carolina, I-26 travels northwest over mostly flat plains with little urbanization (and fewer traffic jams) past North Charleston. After the junction with I-95 just inside of Orangeburg County, the terrain becomes somewhat hilly. Orangeburg is the first major stop outside Charleston with several exits bearing its name. Between Orangeburg and the junction with I-77 just outside of Cayce the road goes up and down a few very long hills averaging about 100 feet high. After I-77 comes is the Columbia metropolitan area to which I-26 offers good shopping and dining access. The metropolitan area ends after Exit 101, past which the terrain becomes hilly once again. The next major city is Spartanburg, where I-26 junctions the I-85 corridor, popular for international business.

About 20 miles after Spartanburg one reaches the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains. After crossing the North Carolina border into Polk County, I-26 junctions the limited access freeway U.S. Route 74 near Columbus and heads up a 6% grade for the next three miles through Howard Gap. Then it passes over the highest bridge in North Carolina, the Peter Guice Memorial Bridge, 225 feet above Green River between Saluda and Flat Rock in Henderson County and crosses the Eastern Continental Divide at an elevation of 2,130 feet, having climbed from around 1,100 feet at the U.S. Route 74 interchange. The land flattens substantially after entering the French Broad River basin from Flat Rock to Hendersonville, Fletcher and Arden. For all practical purposes, I-26 ends at the junction with I-40 in Asheville; however the Future I-26 may be brought up to Interstate standards very soon. Between Mars Hill and the Tennessee state line, the new section of Interstate is a designated North Carolina Scenic Highway. It climbs from 2,200 feet in elevation to 3,800 feet in elevation at Sams Gap; two major climbing sections exist along this stretch along with major cuts through the mountains and the 220-foot Laurel Creek Gorge Bridge. The North Carolina Welcome Center, encountered when traveling Eastbound, has an overlook with views of the highest mountain range on the East coast, the Black Mountains. The Appalachian Trail passes under the Interstate at Sams Gap as well.

Exit list

Tennessee

County	Location	Mile	Exit #		Destinations	Notes
			Old	New
Sullivan	Kingsport				US 23 north – Gate City	Westbound exit and eastbound entrance
			57		SR-36 south (Lynn Garden Drive)	Westbound exit and eastbound entrance
			55	1	US-11W (West Stone Drive, SR-1)	West end of I-26; south end of SR-137
		Bridge over the Holston River
			52	3	Meadowview Parkway
			51	4	SR-93 (Wilcox Drive, SR-126)	Signed as exits 4A (south) and 4B (north) eastbound
			49	6	SR-347 (Rock Springs Road)
			46	8	I-81 – Knoxville, Bristol	Signed as exits 8A (south) and 8B (north)
			45	10	Eastern Star Road
Washington	Johnson City		42	13	SR-75 (Suncrest Drive, Bobby Hicks Highway) – Gray
			38	17	SR-354 (Boones Creek Road) – Jonesborough
			36	19	SR-381 (State of Franklin Road) – Bristol
			35	20	US-11E / US-19W north (Roan Street, SR-34/SR-36 north)	West end of US-19W/SR-36 overlap; signed as exits 20A (south) and 20B (north) westbound
			33	22	SR-400 (Unaka Avenue, Watauga Avenue)
			32	23	SR-91 (Market Street, Main Street)
			31	24	US-321 / SR-67 – Elizabethton
Carter			28	27	SR-359 north (Okolona Road)
Unicoi	Unicoi		23	32	SR-173 (Unicoi Road)
			21	34	Tinker Road
	Erwin		19	36	Main Street - Erwin
			18	37	SR-81 / SR-107 – Erwin, Jonesborough
			15	40	Jackson-Love Highway - Erwin
			12	43	US-19W south (Temple Hill Road, SR-36 south) to SR-352	East end of US-19W/SR-36 overlap
			9	46	Clear Branch Road
			5	50	Flag Pond Road

North Carolina

County	Location	Exit #		Destinations	Notes
		Old	New
Madison			3	US 23 Alt. – Wolf Laurel
			9	US 19 north – Burnsville, Spruce Pine	West end of US 19 overlap
	Mars Hill		11	NC 213 – Mars Hill, Marshall
Temporary east end of I-26 at NC 213
Buncombe			13	Forks of Ivy
			15	NC 197 – Jupiter, Barnardsville
			17	Flat Creek
	Weaverville		18	US 19 Bus. south / Monticello Road – Weaverville
			19	US 25 north / US 70 west – Marshall, Weaverville	West end of US 25/US 70 overlap; signed as exits 25A (north/west) and 25B (Weaverville) westbound
			21	New Stock Road - Weaverville
	Woodfin		23	Merrimon Avenue (US 25 south) - North Asheville, New Bridge	East end of US 25 overlap
			24	Elk Mountain Road - Woodfin
	Asheville		25	NC 251 – University of North Carolina-Asheville
				Hill Street	Westbound exit and eastbound entrance
				I-240 east / US 70 east (US 74 Alt. east)	East end of US 70 overlap; west end of I-240/US 74 Alt. overlap
		Temporary west end of I-26; west end of I-240 overlap
		4B		Patton Avenue - Downtown Asheville
		3B		Westgate, Holiday Inn Drive
		3A		US 19 south / US 23 south (US 74 Alt. west)	East end of US 19/US 23/US 74 Alt. overlap; west end of US 19 Bus./US 23 Bus. overlap
		2		US 19 Bus. south / US 23 Bus. south – West Asheville	U.S. 19 Business and U.S. 23 Business join westbound and leave eastbound.
		1C		Amboy Road	Westbound exit and eastbound entrance
		1B		NC 191 (Brevard Road) to I-40 east
		East end of I-240 overlap at I-40
		1B	32B	I-40 west / US 74 – Canton, Knoxville	West end of US 74 overlap; signed as exit 1A eastbound
		1A	32A	I-40 east – Hickory	Westbound exit and eastbound entrance
		2	33	NC 191 / Blue Ridge Parkway
		6	37	NC 146 – Skyland
		9	40	NC 280 – Asheville Regional Airport, Arden
Henderson		13	44	US 25 north / US 25 Bus. south – Fletcher, Mountain Home	West end of US 25 overlap
	Hendersonville	18	49	US 64 – Hendersonville, Bat Cave	Signed as exits 49A (east) and 49B (west)
		22	53	Upward Road - Hendersonville
		23	54	US 25 south to US 176 / NC 225 - Greenville	East end of US 25 overlap
	Peter Guice Memorial Bridge over the Green River
Polk		28	59	Saluda
	Columbus	36	67	US 74 east / NC 108 – Columbus, Rutherfordton, Tryon	East end of US 74 overlap

South Carolina

County	Location	#	Destinations	Notes
Spartanburg		1	SC 14 – Landrum
		5	SC 11 – Campobello, Chesnee
		10	SC 292 – Inman
		15	US 176 – Inman, Spartanburg
		16	John Dodd Road - Wellford
		17	New Cut Road - Sigsbee
		18	I-85 – Greenville, Charlotte	Signed as exits 18A (south) and 18B (north)
		19	I-85 Bus. – Spartanburg	Signed as exits 19A (south) and 19B (north)
		21	US 29 – Greer, Spartanburg	Signed as exits 21A (south) and 21B (north)
		22	SC 296 (Reidville Road) – Roebuck, Spartanburg
		28	US 221 – Spartanburg, Moore, Woodruff
		35	Road 50 - Woodruff
		38	SC 146 – Cross Anchor, Woodruff
		41	SC 92 – Enoree
		44	SC 49 – Laurens, Cross Anchor, Union
	Bridge over the Enoree River
Laurens
		51	I-385 – Laurens, Greenville	Westbound exit and eastbound entrance
		52	SC 56 – Cross Anchor, Clinton
		54	SC 72 – Clinton, Whitmire
		60	SC 66 – Joanna, Whitmire
Newberry		66	Road 32 - Jalapa
		72	SC 121 – Newberry, Whitmire, Union
		74	SC 34 – Newberry, Winnsboro
		76	SC 219 – Newberry, Pomaria
		82	SC 773 – Prosperity, Pomaria
		85	SC 202 – Pomaria, Little Mountain
Lexington		91	Columbia Avenue - Chapin
Richland		97	US 176 – Ballentine, White Rock, Peak
	Irmo	101	US 76 west / US 176 (Broad River Road) – Ballentine, White Rock	West end of US 76 overlap; signed as exits 101A (west) and 101B (east)
		102	SC 60 (Lake Murray Boulevard) – Irmo	Signed as exits 102A (west) and 102B (east)
		103	Harbison Boulevard
Lexington		104	Piney Grove Road
		106	St. Andrews Road	Signed as exits 106A (west) and 106B (east) westbound
Richland		107	I-20 - Augusta, Florence	Signed as exits 107A (west) and 107B (east)
	Columbia	108A	Bush River Road
		108B	I-126 (US 76 east) – Downtown Columbia	East end of US 76 overlap
	Bridge over the Saluda River
Lexington
		110	US 378 – Lexington, West Columbia
		111	US 1 – Lexington, West Columbia	Signed as exits 111A (south) and 111B (north)
	Springdale	113	SC 302 – Columbia Airport, Cayce
	Cayce	115	US 21 / US 176 / US 321 – Gaston, Cayce, Columbia
		116	I-77 north - Charlotte
		119	US 21 / US 176 – St. Matthews, Dixiana
Calhoun		125	Road 31 - Gaston
Lexington		129	US 21
Calhoun		136	SC 6 – North, St. Matthews, Swansea
Orangeburg		139	Road 22 - St. Matthews
		145	US 601 – Orangeburg, St. Matthews	Signed as exits 145A (south) and 145B (north)
		149	SC 33 – Orangeburg, Cameron
		154	US 301 – Orangeburg, Santee	Signed as exits 154A (south) and 154B (north)
		159	Road 36 - Bowman
		165	SC 210 – Bowman, Vance
		169	I-95 - Savannah, Florence	Signed as exits 169A (south) and 169B (north)
Dorchester		172	US 15 – St. George, Holly Hill, Santee	Signed as exits 172A (south) and 172B (north)
		177	SC 453 – Harleyville, Holly Hill
		187	SC 27 – Ridgeville, St. George
	Bridge over the Ashley River (Wassamassaw Swamp)
Berkeley		194	Road 16 - Jedburg, Pinopolis
		199	US 17 Alt. – Summerville, Moncks Corner	Signed as exits 199A (south) and 199B (north)
Charleston	Ladson	203	College Park Road - Goose Creek, Ladson
	North Charleston	205	US 78 to US 52 – Goose Creek	Signed as exits 205A (west) and 205B (east)
		209A	US 52 (US 78) – Goose Creek, Moncks Corner	Westbound exit and eastbound entrance
		209B	Ashley Phosphate Road	Signed as exit 209A eastbound
		211	West Aviation Avenue - Charleston AFB	Signed as exits 211A (west) and 211B (east)
		212A	Remount Road	Eastbound exit is via exit 211B
		212	I-526 - Savannah, Charleston International Airport, Mt. Pleasant	Signed as exits 212B (west) and 212C (east)
		213	Montague Avenue, Mall Drive	Signed as exits 213A (west) and 213B (east) eastbound
		215	SC 642 (Dorchester Road)
		216	SC 7 (Cosgrove Avenue) to US 17 south – Charleston Naval Base	Signed as exits 216A (south) and 216B (north)
		217	North Meeting Street (US 52)	Eastbound exit and westbound entrance
	Charleston	218	Spruill Avenue - Charleston Naval Base	Westbound exit and eastbound entrance
		219A	Rutledge Avenue - The Citadel	Eastbound exit and westbound entrance
		219B	Morrison Drive, East Bay Street (US 52 Spur)	Eastbound exit and westbound entrance
		220A	Romney Street	Westbound exit only
		220B	US 17 north – Mt. Pleasant, Georgetown	Signed as exit 220 eastbound
		221A	US 17 south - Savannah	Eastbound exit and westbound entrance
		221B	Meeting Street (US 52)	Eastbound exit and westbound entrance

Auxiliary routes

• Interstate 126 is a spur into Columbia, South Carolina from the northwest.
• Interstate 326 was a temporary unsigned designation for part of what is now Interstate 77 south of Columbia.
• Interstate 526 is a partial beltway of Charleston, South Carolina, running from U.S. Route 17 west of the city north to I-26 and back east and south to US 17 east of Charleston.

References

• FHWA Route Log and Finder List
• Political History of I-26
• News article listing new I-26 exit numbers published March 2, 2007

Main Interstate Highways (multiples of 5 in pink)
4	5	8	10	12	15	16	17	19	20	22	24	25	26	27	29	30