Editing Interstate 26 (section)

==Route description==
{{Lengths table|length_ref=<ref name="fhwa" />}}
|-
|[[Interstate 26 in Tennessee|TN]]
|{{Convert|54.45|mi|km|disp=table}}
|-
|[[Interstate 26 in North Carolina|NC]]
|{{Convert|52.69|mi|km|disp=table}}
|-
|[[Interstate 26 in South Carolina|SC]]
|{{Convert|220.95|mi|km|disp=table}}
|-
|Total
|{{Convert|328.09|mi|km|disp=table}}
|}

I-26 is a diagonal Interstate Highway, which runs northwest–southeast. The extension north of Asheville is mostly north–south. Where I-26 crosses the [[French Broad River]] in Asheville at the Jeffrey Bowen Bridge (previously known as the Smoky Park Bridge), the highway runs in opposite directions from its designations. (I-26 westbound actually goes east. I-26 [[concurrency (road)|runs concurrently]] with [[Interstate 240 (North Carolina)|I-240]], so that I-240 eastbound and I-26 westbound are the same route.) When the extension was made in 2003, the [[exit number]]s in North Carolina were increased by 31 to reflect the new [[Mileage-based exit numbering|mileage]]. The part that it shares with I-240 is signed as both I-240 and I-26 but follows the I-240 exit numbering pattern.

I-26 has signs with an extra FUTURE sign above (and in the same style as) the EAST and WEST signs from Asheville north to [[Mars Hill, North Carolina]], because the older US&nbsp;23 [[freeway]] does not yet meet all of the [[Interstate Highway standards]]. The [[Shoulder (road)|road shoulders]] remain substandard or nonexistent along short sections of the route. A rebuild and relocation is also planned in Asheville to avoid some tight [[interchange (road)|interchanges]].

===Tennessee===
{{Main|U.S. Route 23 in Tennessee}}
[[File:Bald-mountains-I-26-tn1.jpg|right|thumb|I-26 approaching the [[Bald Mountains]] near [[Erwin, Tennessee]]]]
The [[exit number]]s in Tennessee were formerly numbered backward—increasing from east (physically south) to west (physically north)—because this highway was formerly signed north–south as US&nbsp;23 (and [[Interstate 181 (Tennessee)|I-181]]). Although this is consistent with the south-to-north numbering conventions, this exit numbering was changed on all 284&nbsp;signs along I-26 to be consistent with the rest of the east-to-west-numbered highway in March 2007. The remaining I-181 signs north of [[Interstate 81|I-81]] were also replaced with I-26 signs at that time.

For its entire length in Tennessee, I-26 shares the route with US&nbsp;23. The route is named the James H. Quillen Parkway, after [[Jimmy Quillen]], a past member of the [[US House of Representatives]] for Tennessee.

In Tennessee, US&nbsp;23 runs south from the [[Virginia]] state line for {{convert|1|mi|km|spell=in}} to [[Kingsport, Tennessee|Kingsport]]. I-26 begins at the junction of US&nbsp;23 with [[U.S. Route 11W|US&nbsp;11W]] (which is locally named Stone Drive) northwest of the city. After about {{convert|1000|yd|m}}, I-26 crosses the [[Holston River|South Fork Holston River]] before swinging around to a generally southeast path through [[Sullivan County, Tennessee|Sullivan County]]. It reaches its major interchange with I-81 at exit&nbsp;8A, southwest of [[Colonial Heights, Tennessee|Colonial Heights]].

Shortly after entering [[Washington County, Tennessee|Washington County]], it reaches the northwest part of [[Johnson City, Tennessee|Johnson City]] and also serves as a local transit route as it makes its way around the north and eastern parts of the city. It begins to travel through more obviously mountainous terrain before turning to travel in a south direction. Entering [[Carter County, Tennessee|Carter County]] briefly, it passes exit&nbsp;27 before entering the [[Cherokee National Forest]] and [[Unicoi County, Tennessee|Unicoi County]]. From this point, it passes through part of the [[Blue Ridge Mountains]], first the [[Unaka Range]] and, later, as it passes [[Erwin, Tennessee|Erwin]], between exits&nbsp;34 and 40, the [[Bald Mountains]]. It meets the [[Nolichucky River]] just after milemarker&nbsp;38 and travels along its southeast bank before crossing it immediately before exit&nbsp;40.

The remainder of I-26 in Tennessee passes through a sparsely populated area, at elevations of above {{convert|1800|ft|m}}, before reaching the [[North Carolina]] state line.

===North Carolina===
{{Main|Interstate 26 in North Carolina}}
[[File:Skyuka Mountain.JPG|thumb|I-26 and [[U.S. Route 74|US&nbsp;74]] in [[Polk County, North Carolina]]]]
As I-26 crosses the Bald Mountains after crossing the North Carolina–Tennessee state line, it travels through a relatively high-elevation rural area.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.blueridgeheritage.com/plan-your-trip/scenic-byways/i-26-scenic-highway/|title=I-26 Scenic Highway|website=Blue Ridge National Heritage Area|language=en-US|access-date=August 15, 2019}}</ref> At Sam's Gap, its reaches its highest elevation of {{convert|3760|ft|m}}.<ref>{{cite web |url= http://www.waymarking.com/gallery/image.aspx?f=1&guid=19924d8c-c790-4bdf-a629-293603aa321c |title=Sams Gap: NC/TN Border |publisher= Waymarking.com |access-date=November 27, 2011}}</ref> At Buckner Gap, I-26 reaches {{convert|3370|ft|m}} in elevation. For {{convert|2|mi|km|spell=in}} on each side of the state line, its elevation is at least {{convert|3000|ft|m}}.<ref>{{cite map |url=http://mapserver.mytopo.com/homepage/index.cfm?lat=35.95472&lon=-82.56083&scale=24000&zoom=100&type=1&icon=0&searchscope=dom&CFID=4710347&CFTOKEN=35330172&scriptfile=http://mapserver.mytopo.com/homepage/index.cfm&latlontype=DMS |publisher= Maptech |title= Sams Gap |access-date=November 27, 2011}}</ref>

It enters first the [[Walnut Mountains|Walnut]] and [[Bald Mountains|Bald]] mountains of the [[Appalachian Mountains]], passing through the [[Pisgah National Forest|Pisgah]] and [[Cherokee National Forest|Cherokee]] national forests as it does so, and then the [[Blue Ridge Mountains]]. Future I-26, which is not signed I-26 because it does not yet meet all interstate standards, then passes through [[Mars Hill, North Carolina|Mars Hill]] and [[Weaverville, North Carolina|Weaverville]]. After coming into [[Asheville, North Carolina|Asheville]] from the north, I-26 merges with [[Interstate 240 (North Carolina)|I-240]] and the two share the highway for {{convert|4.5|mi|km}}, crossing [[French Broad River]] in the process. The two highways then have a major [[Interchange (road)|interchange]] with [[Interstate 40|I-40]], where I-240 ends and [[U.S. Route 23|US&nbsp;23]] splits off to the east. I-26 leaves Asheville toward the south.

The land flattens substantially after entering the [[French Broad River]] [[drainage basin]] from [[Arden, North Carolina|Arden]], [[Fletcher, North Carolina|Fletcher]], and [[Hendersonville, North Carolina|Hendersonville]] to [[Flat Rock, Henderson County, North Carolina|Flat Rock]] in [[Henderson County, North Carolina|Henderson County]]. Then it crosses the [[Eastern Continental Divide]] at an elevation of {{convert|2130|ft|m}}, and it passes over the highest bridge in [[North Carolina]], the [[Peter Guice Memorial Bridge]], {{convert|225|ft|m}} above the [[Green River (North Carolina)|Green River]] between Flat Rock and [[Saluda, North Carolina|Saluda]]. I-26 heads down a six-percent grade for the next {{Convert|3|mi|km|spell=in}} through Howard Gap,  into [[Polk County, North Carolina|Polk County]], and intersects with [[U.S. Route 76 in North Carolina|US&nbsp;74]], a limited-access freeway near [[Columbus, North Carolina|Columbus]], at an elevation of around {{convert|1100|ft|m}}. Afterward, I-26 exits the state and heads about {{convert|20|mi|km}} to [[Spartanburg, South Carolina]], exiting the [[foothills]] of the Blue Ridge Mountains.

I-26 has been deemed a scenic highway in North Carolina between its interchange with [[U.S. Route 19|US&nbsp;19]]/US&nbsp;23 N (exit&nbsp;9) and the North Carolina–Tennessee border.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://scenicbyways.info/byway/81459.html|title=America's Scenic Byways::Interstate 26 Scenic Highway|website=scenicbyways.info|access-date=August 15, 2019}}</ref> At Sam's Gap, the [[Appalachian Trail]] crosses under I-26. In addition, northbound travelers are able to see the [[Blue Ridge Parkway]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.romanticasheville.com/listing/explore/i-26-scenic-highway.htm|title=I-26 Scenic Highway|website=www.romanticasheville.com|access-date=August 15, 2019}}</ref>

===South Carolina===
{{Main|Interstate 26 in South Carolina}}
[[File:Interstate 26 in SC.JPG|thumb|Eastbound along I-26 in South Carolina near [[Prosperity, South Carolina|Prosperity]]]]
I-26 enters South Carolina just northeast of [[Landrum, South Carolina|Landrum]], traveling southeast. The first major city along its route is [[Spartanburg, South Carolina|Spartanburg]], where it intersects [[Interstate 85|I-85]]. Traveling through the [[Sumter National Forest]], it connects with [[Newberry, South Carolina|Newberry]] before entering the [[Columbia metropolitan area, South Carolina|Columbia metropolitan area]], where it connects to the southern terminus of [[Interstate 77|I-77]] in [[Cayce, South Carolina|Cayce]].

I-26 continues southeast to [[Orangeburg County, South Carolina|Orangeburg County]] where it intersects with [[Interstate 95|I-95]]. Between Cayce and [[Orangeburg, South Carolina|Orangeburg]], the highway goes up and down a few very long hills averaging about {{convert|100|ft|m}}. After I-95, the highway travels southeast over flat plains with little urbanization past [[Summerville, South Carolina|Summerville]] until it reaches its eastern terminus in [[Charleston, South Carolina|Charleston]].

I-26 is deemed a hurricane evacuation route in South Carolina. During hurricane evacuation, [[Contraflow lane reversal|lane reversal]] on I-26 will occur between its junctions with [[Interstate 526|I-526]] in Charleston and I-77 in [[Columbia, South Carolina|Columbia]].<ref>{{Cite web |date=April 2010 |title=Highway Evacuations in Selected Metropolitan Areas: Assessment of Impediments |url=https://ops.fhwa.dot.gov/tim/ |url-status=deviated |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170213233046/https://ops.fhwa.dot.gov/eto_tim_pse/reports/2010_cong_evac_study/fhwahop10059.pdf |archive-date=February 13, 2017 |access-date=August 9, 2023 |publisher=[[Federal Highway Administration]]}}</ref> This is to aid travelers leaving the Charleston area. Lane reversal on I-26 has been used, such as during evacuations for [[Hurricane Florence]] in September 2018.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.postandcourier.com/news/lanes-reversed-for-evacuations-but-i--near-charleston-carried/article_b008121c-b56f-11e8-8634-c72d7065542d.html|title=Lanes reversed for evacuations, but I-26 near Charleston carried half the normal traffic|last1=Slade|first1=David|last2=Jackson|first2=Angie|date=September 11, 2018|website=Post and Courier|language=en|access-date=August 15, 2019}}</ref>