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U.S. Highway 17 (also known as the Coastal Highway) is a north-south United States highway. The highway spans the southeastern United States and is close to the Atlantic Coast for much of its length. The highway's southern terminus is at Punta Gorda, Floridamarker, at an intersection with U.S. Highway 41. Traveling north, US 17 joins up with US 50 in Paris, Virginiamarker, and the northern terminus of US 17 is in downtown Winchester, Virginiamarker. This is also the point at which the portion of US 50 called the Northwestern Turnpike begins.

Though U.S. Route 1 is generally considered to be the highway that runs alongside Interstate 95, US 17 runs parallel to I-95 for much of its extent, and even shares the same route for short spans in Fredericksburgmarker and Ridgelandmarker.

Route description

Major cities

Florida

US 17 begins in downtown Punta Gorda, Floridamarker, at US 41 (Cross Street), just to the west of Tamiami Trail. After a brief jog east, it runs roughly north along the Peace River, through Arcadiamarker, Zolfo Springsmarker (where it crosses the Peace River), and Wauchulamarker. At Fort Meademarker, it joins with US 98, which follows it northward (westward on US 98) until Bartowmarker. While US 98 goes northwest, US 17 goes northeast.

US 17 begins a long concurrency with US 92 just north of Winter Havenmarker (US 92 following eastbound), which takes both highways through Kissimmeemarker, where they join US 192. When all three meet US 441, US 192 follows US 441 southbound, while US 17/92 follows US 441 north into downtown Orlandomarker. US 17/92 then splits from US 441 at SR 50 (Colonial Drive) and jogs east, splitting back north from SR 50 when it meets SR 15 (Mills Avenue).

In Seminole Countymarker, the redevelopment of the 17-92 Community Redevelopment Area is handled by the US 17-92 Community Redevelopment Agency, a component unit of the County government. In Sanford, Floridamarker, US 17/92 crosses the St. Johns River into Volusia Countymarker via an unnamed bridge.

US 92 then splits away from US 17 north of DeLandmarker, with US 92 continuing east to Daytona Beachmarker as International Speedway Boulevard, while US 17 continues north toward Palatkamarker, where it again crosses the St. Johns River.

In Clay Countymarker, US 17 runs through suburban Jacksonvillemarker. The northern stretch of US 17 in Clay County is known as Park Avenue.

In Jacksonvillemarker, the southern portion of US 17 is known as Roosevelt Boulevard. Here, the highway goes past Naval Air Station Jacksonvillemarker (NAS Jax). Near downtown Jacksonville, US 17 joins Interstate 10 for approximately one mile, before merging into Interstate 95. US 17 then exits onto Union Street and continues as North Main Street until the Nassau Countymarker border.

In Nassau Countymarker, US 17 continues until it reaches the Georgiamarker border, crossing over the St. Marys Rivermarker.

Georgia

In Woodbine, Georgiamarker, US 17 crosses the Satilla Rivermarker by way of the J. Edwin Godley Bridge. In Brunswickmarker, the route traverses the South Brunswick River over the Sidney Lanier Bridge, then across the Altamaha River bridge between Glynn Countymarker and McIntosh Countymarker. At the South Carolinamarker state line, US 17 crosses the Savannah River on the Eugene Talmadge Bridgemarker.

The section of US 17 known as the "Gateway to Historic Brunswick and The Golden Isles" was included in The Georgia Trust for Historic Preservation's 2006 list of Places in Peril.

South Carolina

US 17 enters into South Carolina in Jasper Countymarker as a two-lane road and within eight miles (13 km) enters Hardeevillemarker, where it becomes a four-lane configuration. US 17 intersects Interstate 95 in Hardeeville and runs parallel to Interstate 95 until Ridgelandmarker, where it merges with the interstate until Point South. At Point South, US 17 leaves Interstate 95 and heads eastward into northern Beaufort Countymarker, sharing a concurrency with U.S. 21 until Gardens Corner. US 21 splits off to Beaufortmarker while US 17 heads northeast into the ACE Basin and Colleton Countymarker. This stretch of road is currently being upgraded from a two-lane to a four-lane configuration, due to safety concerns.

Once in Jacksonboro, the road enters into Charleston Countymarker crossing over the Edisto Rivermarker and regaining a four-lane configuration for the remainder of the state. The road passes through several rural communities as it approaches Charleston from the west. In Charlestonmarker, the section running from S.C. Highway 171 to Sam Rittenberg Boulevard has been named the "Charleston Nine Memorial Highway", in honor of nine Charleston firefighters killed in the line of duty in the Charleston Sofa Super Store firemarker on June 18, 2007.. US 17 passes through the West Ashley community before it traverses the Ashley River Drawbridges and onto the Charleston Peninsula, being routed north of the historical areas of the city. Upon reaching the Interstate 26 terminus, US 17 becomes limited-access and above grade as it approaches the Cooper Rivermarker via the Arthur Ravenel, Jr. Bridgemarker and the stretch of US 17 in Charleston is infamous among locals for its traffic congestion, especially on weekday mornings.

Upon crossing the river, the highway enters Mount Pleasantmarker at grade and is signalized for several miles up through the second interchange with Interstate 526 and connecting roads to the Isle of Palmsmarker and Sullivan's Islandmarker. The road leaves the Charleston metro area by entering into the Francis Marion National Forestmarker and going through the rural communities of Awendawmarker and McClellanvillemarker on its northeastern journey to Georgetownmarker. US 17 makes a spectacular crossing of the marsh-lined Santee River as it enters Georgetown Countymarker. After going around Georgetown, and passing by DeBordieu, Pawley's Islandmarker, and Litchfield Beach, US 17 enters enters into Horry Countymarker and passes Surfside Beachmarker, Murrells Inletmarker and arrives in Myrtle Beachmarker, where it splits between a business route and the standard route, which remains west of the beach and tourist areas served by Business 17. The roads rejoin north of the city and continue as US 17 through Atlantic Beach, North Myrtle Beachmarker, and Little River before crossing into North Carolina over the Little River bridge.

North Carolina

Historical Marker on U.S.
Route 17
In Wilmington, North Carolinamarker, US 17 (here concurrent with Interstate 140) crosses the Northeast Cape Fear River between New Hanover Countymarker and Brunswick Countymarker over the Dan Cameron Bridge. Between New Bernmarker and James Citymarker, US 17 (concurrent with US 70 and NC 55) crosses the Trent River by way of the Freedom Memorial Bridge. Farther east, between James Citymarker and Bridgetonmarker, US 17, still concurrent with NC 55, crosses the Neuse Rivermarker over the Neuse River Bridge.

In Washingtonmarker, US 17 crosses the Pamlico Rivermarker over the Pamlico-Tar River Bridge. Farther along, in Williamstonmarker, US 17 (concurrent with US 13) uses the Roanoke River Bridge to cross the Roanoke Rivermarker, then the Cashie River Bridge to cross the Cashie River at Windsormarker. At the Bertie Countymarker-Chowan Countymarker line, US 17 traverses the Chowan Rivermarker on the Chowan River Bridge. South of Hertfordmarker, US 17 (here concurrent with NC 37) crosses the Perquimans River via the Perquimans River Bridge. Between Perquimans Countymarker and Pasquotank Countymarker, US 17 crosses the Little River over the Little River Bridge. Finally, the route crosses the Pasquotank Rivermarker between Pasquotank County, North Carolinamarker and Camden County, North Carolinamarker on the Pasquotank River Bridge.

Virginia

US 17 crosses the James River between Newport Newsmarker and Isle of Wight Countymarker on the James River Bridgemarker, a drawbridge which was formerly a toll bridge but is now toll-free, concurrent with U.S. Route 258. The route also crosses the York River between Gloucester Countymarker and York Countymarker at Yorktownmarker on the George P. Coleman Bridge, a swing bridge which is also a (north-bound only) toll bridge. Finally, US 17 traverses the Rappahannock Rivermarker between Stafford Countymarker and Spotsylvania Countymarker at Fredericksburgmarker as it overlaps Interstate 95.

History

Florida

A US 17 shield used in Florida prior to 1993
From 1956 until 1993, US 17 signs in Florida featured black numbering on a yellow shield. The "color-coding" of U.S. Routes by the Florida Department of Transportation was stopped when the state could no longer use Federal funds to replace the signs with anything but the standard black-and-white version; a few yellow US 17 signs remain.

South Carolina

US 17 has had slight variations over its history in South Carolina. US 17 once traversed the Cooper River on the Grace & Pearman Memorial Bridges before the Ravenel Bridge replaced both antiquated spans in 2005. US 17 also ran through downtown Myrtle Beach before the new bypass route was finished in order to alleviate heavy traffic. US 17 Alternate was commissioned as a route between Point South and Georgetown, mostly for trucks who wished to bypass Charleston and the weight restrictions of the former bridges.

Hurricane Charley Highway

On August 13, 2004, Hurricane Charley made landfall just before 4:00 p.m. local time near the southern terminus of US 17. Incredibly, Charley would either hit or threaten to hit the entire route of US 17, devastating almost the entire route in Florida, at least from Punta Gorda to well north of Orlando (when Charley followed the route of Interstate 4 out to sea). The Georgia stretch of US 17 was not hit, but was under a hurricane warning. When Charley made landfall again in South Carolina, its trail all the way through Virginia was close to the route of US 17.

Major intersections

Virginia

North Carolina

South Carolina

Georgia

Florida



See also



Related routes



Bannered and suffixed routes



References


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