U.S. Route 278 in South Carolina - Cross Island Parkway

On Hilton Head Island, U.S. 278 was previously routed along what is now U.S. 278 Business until a new toll road, named the Cross Island Parkway opened on January 16, 1998. The 6.8 mile section of roadway cost $83 million to build and was funded with a combination of state funds, federal funds, state highway bonds and tolls.

The controlled access toll road has only one interchange along its route at Marshland Drive. It was the first toll road built in South Carolina in modern history. A majority of the road users pay their tolls using Palmetto Pass, South Carolina's system for electronic toll collection. Tolls will be removed once the bonds sold to build the road are retired.

The completion of the Cross Island Parkway (a direct expressway connection from the north side to the south side of the island), has caused a great amount of commercial and residential development along the road. Before the toll road opened, it could take one hour to travel the 12-mile route of what was then signed as U.S. 278 (William Hilton Parkway) during peak tourism season. The Cross Island Parkway greatly relieved congestion on that road when it opened.