U.S. Route 221
Encyclopedia
U.S. Route 221 is a spur of U.S. Route 21
. It runs for 734 miles (1,181 km) from Perry, Florida
at US Routes 19
/98
/ALT 27 to Lynchburg, Virginia
at U.S. Route 29
(Lynchburg Expressway
). It passes through the states of Florida
, Georgia
, South Carolina
, North Carolina
, and Virginia
. It goes through the cities of Valdosta, Georgia
, Spartanburg, South Carolina
, Roanoke, Virginia
, and Lynchburg, Virginia
.
Throughout western North Carolina from the Virginia border to the Blue Ridge Parkway, U.S. 221 is a challenging drive, and can be described as one climb after another. There are few places where the road builders attempted to skirt around large foothills.
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U.S. Route 221 originates just south of the city of Perry
with its southern terminus intersecting with the cosigned U.S. Route 19
and U.S. Route ALT 27
. It continues through the city of Perry and intersects Interstate 10
and U.S. Route 90
in rural Madison County
before crossing into Georgia.
, Valdosta
, Lakeland, Pearson
, and Douglas
in southern Georgia. It continues north to Augusta, GA
.
In Quitman
it joins U.S. Route 84
(cosigned Georgia State Route 38
) to Valdosta. From Valdosta to Douglas it joins with Georgia State Route 31
. It also joins with Georgia State Route 135 and State Route 56
. From Pearson to Douglas it joins with US Route 441 as a four-lane highway, which was completed in 2000.
In Douglas, U.S. Route 221 runs as the eastern part of Bowens Mill Rd. and will be widened in the future. It continues past Interstate 16
and Interstate 20
/Georgia State Route 402
. In Valdosta, it passes Interstate 75
/State Route 401
.
. It continues north and northwesterly to the town of McCormick
. From McCormick, it continues northerly to the city of Greenwood
.
From Greenwood, U.S. Route 221 continues northeasterly to the city of Laurens
. U.S. Truck Route 221 bypasses the city of Laurens on the east side. It continues northerly and intersects Interstate 385
in rural Laurens County and proceeds to intersect Interstate 26
in rural Spartanburg County.
U.S. Route 221 continues through the center of the city of Spartanburg
before intersecting Interstate 85
just north of the city. It continues to the city of Chesnee
before exiting the state in a rural area of Cherokee County
. The southern terminus of U.S. Alternate Route 221 intersects the main route in the city of Chesnee and exits the state a few miles to the east of the main route.
, Marion
, Blowing Rock
, Boone
, and Jefferson
. The highway is majority 2-lane, while 4-lane in Marion, Blowing Rock, and Boone. Two sections of the highway can be considered challenging and twisty: 13-mile stretch between Linville
and Blowing Rock, and a 21-mile stretch between Jefferson and Twin Oaks
; most travelers will make the mistake once before either finding an alternate route or using the truck route.
U.S. Route 221 has one Alternate (continuing from South Carolina) and two Business Routes (in Marion and Jefferson). It intersects two major highways: U.S. Route 74
near Rutherfordton and I-40
near Marion; and also intersects with the Blue Ridge Parkway
four times.
, US 221 runs 149.61 miles (240.8 km) from the North Carolina
state line near Independence
north to its northern terminus at US 29 Business, US 460 Business, and US 501 Business in Lynchburg. US 221 connects Independence, Galax
, and Hillsville
in Southwest Virginia
while running concurrently
with US 58
. The U.S. Highway connects those communities with Roanoke
via Floyd County
, within which US 221 is the main east–west highway. The U.S. Highway also runs concurrently with US 460
from Roanoke to Bedford
and parallels that U.S. Highway from Bedford to Lynchburg.
U.S. Route 21
U.S. Route 21 is a north–south United States highway of , from Hunting Island State Park, South Carolina to Wytheville, Virginia.-South Carolina:...
. It runs for 734 miles (1,181 km) from Perry, Florida
Perry, Florida
Perry is a city in Taylor County, Florida, United States. The population was 7,017 at the 2010 census. As of 2010, the population recorded by the U.S. Census Bureau is 7,017....
at US Routes 19
U.S. Route 19
U.S. Route 19 is a north–south U.S. Highway. Despite encroaching Interstate Highways, the route has remained a long-haul route, connecting the Gulf of Mexico with Lake Erie....
/98
U.S. Route 98
U.S. Route 98 is an east–west United States highway that runs from western Mississippi to southern Florida. It was established in 1933 as a route between Pensacola, Florida and Apalachicola, Florida, and has since been extended westward into Mississippi and eastward across the Florida...
/ALT 27 to Lynchburg, Virginia
Lynchburg, Virginia
Lynchburg is an independent city in the Commonwealth of Virginia. The population was 75,568 as of 2010. Located in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains along the banks of the James River, Lynchburg is known as the "City of Seven Hills" or "The Hill City." Lynchburg was the only major city in...
at U.S. Route 29
U.S. Route 29
U.S. Route 29 is a north–south United States highway that runs for from the western suburbs of Baltimore, Maryland, to Pensacola, Florida. This highway's northern terminus is at Maryland Route 99 in Ellicott City, Maryland...
(Lynchburg Expressway
Lynchburg Expressway
The Lynchburg Expressway is a freeway in Lynchburg, Virginia, United States. It carries portions of*U.S. Route 29 Business* U.S. Route 501...
). It passes through the states of Florida
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
, Georgia
Georgia (U.S. state)
Georgia is a state located in the southeastern United States. It was established in 1732, the last of the original Thirteen Colonies. The state is named after King George II of Great Britain. Georgia was the fourth state to ratify the United States Constitution, on January 2, 1788...
, South Carolina
South Carolina
South Carolina is a state in the Deep South of the United States that borders Georgia to the south, North Carolina to the north, and the Atlantic Ocean to the east. Originally part of the Province of Carolina, the Province of South Carolina was one of the 13 colonies that declared independence...
, North Carolina
North Carolina
North Carolina is a state located in the southeastern United States. The state borders South Carolina and Georgia to the south, Tennessee to the west and Virginia to the north. North Carolina contains 100 counties. Its capital is Raleigh, and its largest city is Charlotte...
, and Virginia
Virginia
The Commonwealth of Virginia , is a U.S. state on the Atlantic Coast of the Southern United States. Virginia is nicknamed the "Old Dominion" and sometimes the "Mother of Presidents" after the eight U.S. presidents born there...
. It goes through the cities of Valdosta, Georgia
Valdosta, Georgia
Valdosta is the county seat of Lowndes County, Georgia, United States. It is the principal city of the Valdosta Metropolitan Statistical Area. As of the 2010 Census, the city had a total population of 54,518. The Valdosta metropolitan area, according to the 2010 estimate, has a population of 139,588...
, Spartanburg, South Carolina
Spartanburg, South Carolina
thgSpartanburg is the largest city in and the county seat of Spartanburg County, South Carolina, United States. It is the second-largest city of the three primary cities in the Upstate region of South Carolina, and is located northwest of Columbia, west of Charlotte, and about northeast of...
, Roanoke, Virginia
Roanoke, Virginia
Roanoke is an independent city in the Mid-Atlantic U.S. state of Virginia and is the tenth-largest city in the Commonwealth. It is located in the Roanoke Valley of the Roanoke Region of Virginia. The population within the city limits was 97,032 as of 2010...
, and Lynchburg, Virginia
Lynchburg, Virginia
Lynchburg is an independent city in the Commonwealth of Virginia. The population was 75,568 as of 2010. Located in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains along the banks of the James River, Lynchburg is known as the "City of Seven Hills" or "The Hill City." Lynchburg was the only major city in...
.
Throughout western North Carolina from the Virginia border to the Blue Ridge Parkway, U.S. 221 is a challenging drive, and can be described as one climb after another. There are few places where the road builders attempted to skirt around large foothills.
Florida
Perry, Florida
Perry is a city in Taylor County, Florida, United States. The population was 7,017 at the 2010 census. As of 2010, the population recorded by the U.S. Census Bureau is 7,017....
with its southern terminus intersecting with the cosigned U.S. Route 19
U.S. Route 19
U.S. Route 19 is a north–south U.S. Highway. Despite encroaching Interstate Highways, the route has remained a long-haul route, connecting the Gulf of Mexico with Lake Erie....
and U.S. Route ALT 27
Bannered routes of U.S. Route 27
An Alternate U.S. 27 routing exists in Florida. It is signed north–south, but is a primarily east–west route, running between Perry and Williston. ALT US 27 is concurrent with US 19-98 from Perry to Chiefland, and also has the hidden FDOT designation of State Road 55. Between Chiefland...
. It continues through the city of Perry and intersects Interstate 10
Interstate 10
Interstate 10 is the fourth-longest Interstate Highway in the United States, after I-90, I-80, and I-40. It is the southernmost east–west, coast-to-coast Interstate Highway, although I-4 and I-8 are further south. It stretches from the Pacific Ocean at State Route 1 in Santa Monica,...
and U.S. Route 90
U.S. Route 90
U.S. Route 90 is an east–west United States highway. Despite the "0" in its route number, U.S. 90 never was a full coast-to-coast route; it has always ended at Van Horn, Texas. A short-lived northward extension to U.S...
in rural Madison County
Madison County, Florida
Madison County is a county located in the state of Florida. As of 2000, the population was 18,733. The U.S. Census Bureau 2005 estimate for the county is 19,902. Its county seat is Madison, Florida. Madison County is one of Florida's five dry counties....
before crossing into Georgia.
Georgia
U.S. Route 221 runs through the cities of QuitmanQuitman, Georgia
This article is about the Georgia city. For the county in the same state see Quitman County, Georgia.Quitman is a city in Brooks County, Georgia, United States. The population was 4,638 at the 2000 census. The city is the county seat of Brooks County....
, Valdosta
Valdosta, Georgia
Valdosta is the county seat of Lowndes County, Georgia, United States. It is the principal city of the Valdosta Metropolitan Statistical Area. As of the 2010 Census, the city had a total population of 54,518. The Valdosta metropolitan area, according to the 2010 estimate, has a population of 139,588...
, Lakeland, Pearson
Pearson, Georgia
Pearson is a city in Atkinson County, Georgia, United States. The population was 1,805 at the 2000 census. The city is the county seat of Atkinson County.-Geography:Pearson is located at ....
, and Douglas
Douglas, Georgia
Douglas is a city in Coffee County, Georgia, United States. As of the 2010 census, the city had a population of 11,589. Douglas is the county seat of Coffee County and the core city of the Douglas, Georgia Micropolitan Statistical Area which has a population of 48,708 as of the 2008 census...
in southern Georgia. It continues north to Augusta, GA
Augusta, Georgia
Augusta is a consolidated city in the U.S. state of Georgia, located along the Savannah River. As of the 2010 census, the Augusta–Richmond County population was 195,844 not counting the unconsolidated cities of Hephzibah and Blythe.Augusta is the principal city of the Augusta-Richmond County...
.
In Quitman
Quitman, Georgia
This article is about the Georgia city. For the county in the same state see Quitman County, Georgia.Quitman is a city in Brooks County, Georgia, United States. The population was 4,638 at the 2000 census. The city is the county seat of Brooks County....
it joins U.S. Route 84
U.S. Route 84
U.S. Route 84 is an east–west United States highway. It started as a short Georgia-Alabama route in the original 1926 scheme, but now extends all the way to Colorado. The highway's eastern terminus is a short distance east of Midway, Georgia, at an intersection with I-95. The road continues...
(cosigned Georgia State Route 38
U.S. Route 84 in Georgia
U.S. Route 84 in Georgia, is also signed as State Route 38 for its entire length in Georgia. After entering Georgia from Alabama west of Jakin, Georgia, the route travels through the southern portion of the state, meeting its eastern terminus at Interstate 95 east of Midway. U.S...
) to Valdosta. From Valdosta to Douglas it joins with Georgia State Route 31
Georgia State Route 31
State Route 31 is a north–south state route located in the central and southern parts of the U.S. state of Georgia. The route travels from Florida State Road 145 at the Florida state line south of Clyattville to SR 15/SR 57/SR 78 in Wrightsville....
. It also joins with Georgia State Route 135 and State Route 56
Georgia State Route 56
State Route 56 is a north–south state route located in the eastern part of the U.S. state of Georgia. The route travels from U.S. Route 280/State Route 30 in Reidsville to U.S. Route 25/State Route 121 in Augusta.-Route description:...
. From Pearson to Douglas it joins with US Route 441 as a four-lane highway, which was completed in 2000.
In Douglas, U.S. Route 221 runs as the eastern part of Bowens Mill Rd. and will be widened in the future. It continues past Interstate 16
Interstate 16
Interstate 16 , also known as Jim Gillis Historic Savannah Parkway or State Route 404 , is an intrastate Interstate Highway located entirely within the state of Georgia, United States...
and Interstate 20
Interstate 20
Interstate 20 is a major east–west Interstate Highway in the Southern United States. I‑20 runs 1,535 miles from near Kent, Texas, at Interstate 10 to Florence, South Carolina, at Interstate 95...
/Georgia State Route 402
Interstate 20 in Georgia
In Georgia, Interstate 20 runs from the Alabama border to the Savannah River, which the Georgia-South Carolina border straddles. It passes through the heavily congested Atlanta metropolitan area and exits the state at Augusta...
. In Valdosta, it passes Interstate 75
Interstate 75
Interstate 75 is a major north–south Interstate Highway in the Great Lakes and Southeastern regions of the United States. It travels from State Road 826 and State Road 924 in Hialeah, Florida to Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan, at the Ontario, Canada, border...
/State Route 401
Interstate 75 in Georgia
In the U.S. state of Georgia, Interstate 75 runs north–south along the U.S. Route 41 corridor on the western side of the state, passing through the cities of Valdosta, Macon and Atlanta. It is also designated — but not signed — as State Route 401...
.
South Carolina
U.S. Route 221 enters South Carolina in rural McCormick County at the southeast edge of Lake Strom ThurmondLake Strom Thurmond
Lake Strom Thurmond, known in Georgia as Clarks Hill Lake, is a reservoir at the border between Georgia and South Carolina in the Savannah River Basin. It was created by the J. Strom Thurmond Dam during 1951 and 1952 by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers near the confluence of the "Little River" and...
. It continues north and northwesterly to the town of McCormick
McCormick, South Carolina
McCormick is a town in McCormick County, South Carolina, United States. The population was 1,489 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of McCormick County.-Geography:McCormick is located at ....
. From McCormick, it continues northerly to the city of Greenwood
Greenwood, South Carolina
Greenwood is a city in and the county seat of Greenwood County, South Carolina, United States. The population was 22,071 at the 2000 census and had slightly increased to 22,710 according to a 2009 estimate.-Geography:...
.
From Greenwood, U.S. Route 221 continues northeasterly to the city of Laurens
Laurens, South Carolina
Laurens is a city in Laurens County, South Carolina, United States. The population was 9,916 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Laurens County.-History:...
. U.S. Truck Route 221 bypasses the city of Laurens on the east side. It continues northerly and intersects Interstate 385
Interstate 385
Interstate 385 starts where it meets the Interstate 26, near Clinton and heads in a northwest direction where it ends with exit 42, near downtown Greenville. After exit 42, I-385 turns into Business Spur 385 that then promptly ends at U.S. 29 near the Bi-Lo Center in downtown Greenville. It is one...
in rural Laurens County and proceeds to intersect Interstate 26
Interstate 26
Interstate 26 is a nominally east–west main route of the Interstate Highway System in the Southeastern United States. I-26 runs from the junction of U.S. Route 11W and U.S. Route 23 in Kingsport, Tennessee, generally southeastward to U.S. Route 17 in Charleston, South Carolina...
in rural Spartanburg County.
U.S. Route 221 continues through the center of the city of Spartanburg
Spartanburg, South Carolina
thgSpartanburg is the largest city in and the county seat of Spartanburg County, South Carolina, United States. It is the second-largest city of the three primary cities in the Upstate region of South Carolina, and is located northwest of Columbia, west of Charlotte, and about northeast of...
before intersecting Interstate 85
Interstate 85
Interstate 85 is a major interstate highway in the Southeastern United States. Its current southern terminus is at an interchange with Interstate 65 in Montgomery, Alabama; its northern terminus interchanges with Interstate 95 in Petersburg, Virginia, near Richmond...
just north of the city. It continues to the city of Chesnee
Chesnee, South Carolina
Chesnee is a city in Cherokee and Spartanburg counties in the U.S. state of South Carolina. The population was 868 as of the 2010 census.-Geography:Chesnee is located at ....
before exiting the state in a rural area of Cherokee County
Cherokee County, South Carolina
Cherokee County is a county located in the U.S. state of South Carolina. The county was formed in 1897 from parts of York, Union, and Spartanburg Counties. It is included in the Gaffney, South Carolina Micropolitan Statistical Area. According to the 2010 United States Census, the county's...
. The southern terminus of U.S. Alternate Route 221 intersects the main route in the city of Chesnee and exits the state a few miles to the east of the main route.
North Carolina
U.S. Route 221 runs through the cities of RutherfordtonRutherfordton, North Carolina
Rutherfordton is a town in Rutherford County, North Carolina, United States. The population was 4,131 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Rutherford County.-Geography:Rutherfordton is located at ....
, Marion
Marion, North Carolina
Marion is a city in McDowell County, North Carolina, United States. The population was 7,943 at the 2008 estimated census. It is the county seat of McDowell County.-Geography:Marion is located at ....
, Blowing Rock
Blowing Rock, North Carolina
Blowing Rock is a town in North Carolina, USA, situated in both Caldwell and Watauga counties. The population was 1,418 at the 2000 census. However, during the summer the town's population increases to about 10,000.]]\\...
, Boone
Boone, North Carolina
Boone is a town located in the Blue Ridge Mountains of western North Carolina, United States. Boone's population was reported as 17,122, as of 2010...
, and Jefferson
Jefferson, North Carolina
Jefferson is a town in Ashe County, North Carolina, United States. The population was 1,422 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Ashe County.-History:...
. The highway is majority 2-lane, while 4-lane in Marion, Blowing Rock, and Boone. Two sections of the highway can be considered challenging and twisty: 13-mile stretch between Linville
Linville, North Carolina
Linville is a community centered just south of the US 221 and NC 105 intersection in Avery County, North Carolina. The community -- at times known as Clay or Porcelain -- was founded in 1883 and designed by Samuel T. Kelsey of Kansas, it was named for William and John Linville, who were killed by...
and Blowing Rock, and a 21-mile stretch between Jefferson and Twin Oaks
Twin Oaks, North Carolina
Twin Oaks is an unincorporated community in Alleghany County, North Carolina, United States. The community is located at the intersection of US 21 and US 221, northwest of Sparta. Twin Oaks obtained it name from a pair of large oak trees that stood near where the abandoned Twin Oaks Drive-In...
; most travelers will make the mistake once before either finding an alternate route or using the truck route.
U.S. Route 221 has one Alternate (continuing from South Carolina) and two Business Routes (in Marion and Jefferson). It intersects two major highways: U.S. Route 74
U.S. Route 74
U.S. Route 74 is an east–west United States highway that runs for from Cleveland, Tennessee to Wrightsville Beach, North Carolina.-Tennessee:Established in 1987, US-74 western terminus is exit 20 on I-75 in Cleveland...
near Rutherfordton and I-40
Interstate 40 in North Carolina
Interstate 40 runs through the state of North Carolina from the Tennessee state line in the west to its eastern terminus in Wilmington.-Pigeon River Gorge:...
near Marion; and also intersects with the Blue Ridge Parkway
Blue Ridge Parkway
The Blue Ridge Parkway is a National Parkway and All-American Road in the United States, noted for its scenic beauty. It runs for 469 miles , mostly along the famous Blue Ridge, a major mountain chain that is part of the Appalachian Mountains...
four times.
Virginia
In VirginiaVirginia
The Commonwealth of Virginia , is a U.S. state on the Atlantic Coast of the Southern United States. Virginia is nicknamed the "Old Dominion" and sometimes the "Mother of Presidents" after the eight U.S. presidents born there...
, US 221 runs 149.61 miles (240.8 km) from the North Carolina
North Carolina
North Carolina is a state located in the southeastern United States. The state borders South Carolina and Georgia to the south, Tennessee to the west and Virginia to the north. North Carolina contains 100 counties. Its capital is Raleigh, and its largest city is Charlotte...
state line near Independence
Independence, Virginia
Independence is a town in Grayson County, Virginia, United States. The population was 971 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Grayson County. Independence is home to a major town celebration on July 4 every year, held in front of the 1908 courthouse. It features bluegrass and old-time...
north to its northern terminus at US 29 Business, US 460 Business, and US 501 Business in Lynchburg. US 221 connects Independence, Galax
Galax, Virginia
Galax is an independent city in the southwestern part of the Commonwealth of Virginia. It is bounded to the northeast by Carroll County and to the southwest by Grayson County. The population was 7,042 as of 2010...
, and Hillsville
Hillsville, Virginia
Hillsville is a town in Carroll County, Virginia, United States. The population was 2,607 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Carroll County.-Geography:Hillsville is located at ....
in Southwest Virginia
Southwest Virginia
Southwest Virginia, often abbreviated as SWVA, is a mountainous region of Virginia in the westernmost part of the commonwealth. Southwest Virginia has been defined alternatively as all Virginia counties on the Appalachian Plateau, all Virginia counties west of the Eastern Continental Divide, or...
while running concurrently
Concurrency (road)
A concurrency, overlap, or coincidence in a road network is an instance of one physical road bearing two or more different highway, motorway, or other route numbers...
with US 58
U.S. Route 58
U.S. Route 58 is an east–west U.S. Highway that runs for from U.S. Route 25E just northwest of Harrogate, Tennessee to U.S. Route 60 in Virginia Beach, Virginia. Until 1996, when the Cumberland Gap Tunnel opened, US 58 ran only inside the commonwealth of Virginia...
. The U.S. Highway connects those communities with Roanoke
Roanoke, Virginia
Roanoke is an independent city in the Mid-Atlantic U.S. state of Virginia and is the tenth-largest city in the Commonwealth. It is located in the Roanoke Valley of the Roanoke Region of Virginia. The population within the city limits was 97,032 as of 2010...
via Floyd County
Floyd County, Virginia
As of the census of 2000, there were 13,874 people, 5,791 households, and 4,157 families residing in the county. The population density was 36 people per square mile . There were 6,763 housing units at an average density of 18 per square mile...
, within which US 221 is the main east–west highway. The U.S. Highway also runs concurrently with US 460
U.S. Route 460 in Virginia
U.S. Route 460 in Virginia runs east–west through the southern part of the state. It has two separate pieces in Virginia, joined by a relatively short section in West Virginia...
from Roanoke to Bedford
Bedford, Virginia
Bedford is an independent city located within the confines of Bedford County in the U.S. state of Virginia. It serves as the county seat of Bedford County. As of 2010, the city had a total population of 6,222. The Bureau of Economic Analysis combines the city of Bedford with surrounding Bedford...
and parallels that U.S. Highway from Bedford to Lynchburg.