US 601 begins at US 321 near Tarboro, SC and intersects with such highways as US 278 in Hampton. Beginning in Bamberg US 601 has an overlap with US 301, then intersects US 78. Within the vicinity of Orangeburg, the overlap with US 301 ends at US 21, then it encounters Interstate 26 at Exits 145A and 145B. In the vicinity of Lugoff, US 601 encounters Interstate 20 at exit 92 near then begins another short overlap with US 1 which last until Camden where that concurrency is replaced by US 521 which last slightly longer than the previous one, ending in Kershaw. The route joins SC 9 three miles west of Pageland, then leaves SC 9 when it arrives in downtown Pageland before eventually crossing the North Carolina border.
North Carolina
After crossing the north-South Carolina border, US 601 intersects with such highways as US 74 in Monroe, which it shares a short concurrency with until the interchange with the northern terminus of NC 207. Just as it leaves the city limits, it runs past the site of a future interchange with the Monroe Bypass. Traveling north along what is now known as "Concord Highway" it encounters another intersection with the NC 24/NC 27 overlap in Midland and later an interchange with NC 49 south of Concord. Also in Concord, it joins US 29 which it overlaps until Interstate 85 at Exit 58 and runs along the interstate until it reaches Salisbury, at exit 75, then joins a brief concurrency with US 70. In Mocksville, the road has a short concurrency with US 64 beginning at the western terminus of US 158, and after leaving that overlap encounters Interstate 40 at exit 170. Further north it has an interchange with US 421 in Yadkinville, Interstate 74 at exit 11 near White Plains, and finally terminates at US 52 in Mount Airy.
History
Established in 1927 as an original US Highway; the original routing was from US 1, in Cheraw, to US 17/US 76, in Florence. In 1932, US 601 was extended north into North Carolina, replacing SC 96. In North Carolina US 601 was placed on concurrency with almost all of NC 80, from the South Carolina state line, near McFarlan, to downtown Mount Airy. In 1934, NC 80 was expunged from US 601. In 1935, most of US 601 was replaced by the arrival of US 52. From Salisbury, North Carolina to Florence, South Carolina, the route was converted to US 52; which marked its departure from South Carolina. Around 1952, US 601 was extended south from Salisbury. Starting with a concurrency with US 29 to Kannapolis, from there it followed US 29A to downtown Concord. Replacing NC 151, it continues south through Monroe and to the state line. In South Carolina, US 601 returns by replacing SC 151 from the border to Pageland. From there it replaced SC 902 and part of SC 265 to Kershaw. Between Kershaw and Camden, it overlaps with US 521, replacing SC 26 from Camden to Orangeburg, then in concurrency with US 301 to Bamberg. Then finally replacing SC 36 to US 321, where it continues and ends with US 321 in Hardeeville. In 1965, US 601 was realigned on new road bypassing west of downtown Concord, leaving a business loop. In 1970, US 601 was realigned on new road bypassing east of Dobson, leaving a business loop. In 1974, US 601 was extended to Interstate 95 in Hardeeville; however, by 1977, US 601 was truncated to its current southern terminus at US 321, near Tarboro. In 1979, US 601 was rerouted west of Salisbury, with concurrency with US 70; Innis Street was downgraded to secondary status. In the late 1980s, US 601 was rerouted onto Interstate 85, in Salisbury from exit 68 to exit 74; which was extended in the late 1990s, going south to exit 58 in Concord. In 1999, US 601 was truncated to its current northern terminus at US 52 in Mount Airy.
