U.S. Route 521 (US 521) is a north–south United States Highway that traverses 177.3 miles (285.3 km), from Georgetown, South Carolina, to Charlotte, North Carolina. Though numbered as an auxiliary route of US 21, it does not actually intersect its parent or any of its sibling routes, though it is in the same general part of the country as other routes from its family. Historically, it once connected to US 21 in Pineville, North Carolina, but various changes have left it terminating a few miles short of the current US 21.

Quick Facts Route information, Length ...

U.S. Route 521
US 521 highlighted in red
Route information
Auxiliary route of US 21
Length	177.3 mi[1] (285.3 km)
Existed	1932–present
Major junctions
South end	US 17 in Georgetown, SC
Major intersections	US 17 Alt. in Georgetown, SC I-95 near Manning, SC US 15 / US 401 in Sumter, SC US 76 / US 76 Bus. / US 378 in Sumter, SC I-20 in Camden, SC US 1 / US 601 / SC 34 in Camden, SC
North end	I-485 in Charlotte, NC
Location
Country	United States
States	South Carolina, North Carolina
Counties	SC: Georgetown, Williamsburg, Clarendon, Sumter, Kershaw, Lancaster NC: Mecklenburg
Highway system
United States Numbered Highway System List Special Divided South Carolina State Highway System Interstate US State Scenic North Carolina Highway System Interstate US State Scenic
← I-520 SC → SC 522 ← US 501 NC → NC 522

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Established in 1932, it was overlapped entirely with SC 26, from Georgetown to the North Carolina state line, where it continued with NC 26 into Pineville, where it ended at U.S. Route 21/NC 261 (now NC 51). In 1933, SC 26 was decommissioned; followed in 1934 with the decommissioning of NC 26.

In 1949, US 521 was rerouted in Williamsburg County to run directly from Andrews, through Salters and Greeleyville, to Manning; which replaced SC 171 and part of SC 261, the old alignment became part of SC 377 and SC 261. Between 1962 and 1964, US 521 was rerouted at the Sumter-Kershaw county line to Camden; the old alignment became an extension of SC 261.

In 1969, US 521 was extended 19 miles (31 km) north, via South Boulevard, and Wilkinson Blvd, then in 1981, by way of Woodlawn Road, and Billy Graham Parkway, to I-85 in Charlotte.

Between 1986 and 1988, US 521 was moved west onto new highway west of Dalzell, bypassing the town; the old alignment was downgraded to secondary roads.

In 1996, US 521 was rerouted onto I-485, between exits 61 and 65; the old alignment was downgraded to secondary roads. In 2003, the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) approved US 521 to be truncated at its current northern terminus at the Johnston Road/I-485 interchange; its old alignment north to I-85 was downgraded to secondary roads.^[2][3][4]

There are plans to make US 521 a four-lane highway from Georgetown to I-95, in Manning. This would improve^{[according to whom?]} a route for beach goers traveling toward the Litchfield/Pawleys area.

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