South CarolinaHighway 170 is a state highway, connecting northern Beaufort County with southern portions of Beaufort and Jasper counties. Due to increased population growth in both areas, the majority of the road is four lanes wide, with certain areas retaining the original two lane configuration.
Route description
Beginning at a bridge over the Savannah River, the route runs through a densely wooded area and crosses nearly two miles of marshes within the Savannah National Wildlife Refuge. At the site of a former truck weigh station, the route merges with US 17 and SC 170 is co-signed with US 17 for approximately two miles on a four lane, divided highway configuration. In Limehouse the highway branches off from US 17 to the east after running under a railroad bridge, and flanks the east side of that route momentarily until a fork on the road with Limehouse Road where it curves onto Freedom Parkway. Freedom Parkway makes a slight curve to the right before terminating at SC 315, and SC 170 makes a left turn at Oaktie Highway. SC 170 rejoins its previous trajectory after the western terminus of the overlap with SC 46. SC 170 and SC 46 are co-signed for crossing the Beaufort County Line in the process where it becomes May River Road until reaching a traffic circle in Pritchardville. SC 46 continues to the east while SC 170 turns north onto four-lane Oaktie Highway. After the Bluffton Parkway, which provides direct access to Bluffton, it skirts the eastern edge of the Sun City Hilton Head development, then passes under a partial cloverleaf interchange with US 278, which is known locally as McGarvey's Corner. For the next approximately eight miles, the road runs along the Jasper-Beaufort County Line. The divided highway briefly ends at the intersection of a private road named "Heffallump Road" but remains four-lanes with a center-left turn lane provision only to become a divided highway again at the Oldfield Golf Club and Equestrian Center. Curving back to the east as it approaches the intersection with South Carolina Highway 462, the road later re-enters Jasper County at the two ends of Old Baileys Road, then runs along the Jasper-Beaufort County border again until it reaches the intersection of Snake Road and Callawassie Island's entrance road. Now fully in Beaufort County once again the road becomes more scenic, with panoramas of marshes and surrounding islands extending for miles. The divided highway ends again, as it approaches the Edgar C. Glenn Boat Ramp under the four-lane bridge over the Chechesee River and enters Lemon Island. The road briefly becomes a four-lane divided highway again as it winds southeast through the island but the divider itself is short-lived. SC 170 leaves the island and enters Burton by crossing the Broad River over the, four-lane Edward Burton Rogers Bridge. The bridge was built in 2004 and replaced a two-lane drawbridge. Before returning to the mainland, the remains of the former drawbridge can be found on the north side of the existing bridge, and serves as a fishing pier, then a frontage road to the Broad River Boat Launching area. SC 170 is now known as Robert Smalls Parkway for approximately five miles as it travels in a northeasterly direction across Port Royal Island. The frontage road ends across from the intersection with SC 128, and later SC 170 intersects with US 21 and briefly becomes a divided highway at the crossing with the Spanish Moss Trail before turning straight north and finally ending at US 21 Business in Beaufort.
History
Established around 1931 as a new primary routing from US 17 to SC 33. In 1939, it was extended north to where US 278 exists today. In 1940, it was extended north again to SC 368, near Coosawhatchie; and again by 1942 to US 17 in Coosawhatchie. In 1949, SC 170 was extended west from Coosawhatchie to SC 128, near Gillisonville, a renumbering of SC 366. In 1958, SC 170 was rerouted to US 21 in Beaufort, via the Broad River Bridge, replacing part of SC 169; its old alignment north through Coosawhatchie was renumbered to SC 462. Around 1975, SC 170 was extended slightly south over an old alignment of US 17 as mainline US 17 was placed on a new bypass west of Limehouse. In 1995, SC 170 was extended south into Georgia, replacing of mainline US 17.
Major intersections
Special routes
Levy alternate route
Established around 1972 as a new primary routing from US 17 Alt to SC 170; an upgrade to secondary road S-27-117 and part of S-27-92. Its existence created a rare alternate spur, but provided a more direct routing between Bluffton and Savannah. In 2010, it was renumbered as SC 315.
