Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Jul 20, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
25m
Distance
16.9 mi
27 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$3
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Laurens, SC
Wikimedia Commons
Philson Crossroads, SC
Dave Luzi, Litchfield CT REALTOR
Laurens, SC to Philson Crossroads, SC is 16.9 miles and takes about 25m via I 385 and State Highway 56, with a fuel budget near $3 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This short trip stays within South Carolina, connecting two points in the Southeast region. Given its brief distance, it's ideal for a quick transit or a leisurely start to a longer day of travel. You'll primarily be on well-maintained roads, making it a straightforward and uncomplicated drive.
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 385 | 5.1 mi | 5m |
| State Highway 56 | 3.7 mi | 5m |
| Philson Road | 2.6 mi | 4m |
| Yarborough Mill Road | 1.8 mi | 2m |
| North Harper Street | 1.3 mi | 2m |
| State Highway 49 | 0.8 mi | 1m |
| Lucas Avenue | 0.7 mi | 1m |
| I 26 | 0.3 mi | <1m |
Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 8 FHWA count stations on your route.
Peak
3 PM
~878 veh/hr typical · worst 1,309
Quietest
2 AM
~54 veh/hr
Peak-to-quiet ratio
16.3×
busier at peak than in the quiet hours
Averaged across 48 weeks of 2023 FHWA Travel Monitoring Analysis System data. Weekday hours only (Mon–Fri).
Step-by-step road directions between Laurens, SC and Philson Crossroads, SC.
Start on Courthouse Public Square
Turn left onto East Public Square
Turn right onto East Laurens Street
Turn left onto US 221
Continue on US 221
Turn right onto SC 49
Continue on SC 49
Take the ramp
Merge onto I 385
Merge onto I 26
Take the exit
Turn left onto SC 56
Continue on SC 56
Turn right onto Philson Road
Turn left onto Barrel Stave Road
Arrive at destination
5 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 10.6 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
Turn left onto East Public Square
Navigation decision point
Turn right onto East Laurens Street
Navigation decision point
Merge onto I 385
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Merge onto I 26
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Turn left onto SC 56 / Highway 56 North
Navigation decision point
Regular Gas
$2.50 one way
$4.99 round trip
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.12 | $2.74 | $5.48 |
| premium | $4.49 | $2.99 | $5.98 |
| diesel | $4.80 | $3.19 | $6.38 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$3
Estimated CO2 emission: 5.9 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-07-13.
Driving Electric?
About $2 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 5.1 | 0 | $1.77 | $0.81 |
| Efficient EV | 4.2 | 0 | $1.48 | $0.68 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 6.8 | 0 | $2.37 | $1.08 |
Gas CO2
6 kg
EV CO2
2 kg (67% less)
This trip is well within single-charge range for most EVs. No charging stops needed if you start fully charged.
DC fast charging avg $0.35/kWh. Home charging avg $0.16/kWh. US grid CO2: 0.39 kg/kWh.
Current conditions at both ends of the drive.
Origin
Morning in Laurens on Monday
Local time
7:10 AM
EDT
Current temp
74°F
Partly Cloudy
Destination
Morning in Philson Crossroads on Monday
Local time
7:10 AM
EDT
Current temp
74°F
Partly Cloudy
Time zone
Origin and destination are on the same clock, so arrival timing is easier to judge at a glance.
Temperature spread
Both ends of the route are sitting at about the same temperature right now.
Road read
The weather snapshot is not static. If you are leaving later, give both cities one more quick forecast check before departure.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
This route features a mixed highway and surface road profile. You'll spend about 59% of your time on the highway, with the longest continuous stretch on I 385 covering 5.1 miles. Expect to transition from interstate driving to surface roads as you approach Philson Crossroads. The shift from highway to State Highway 56 and then Philson Road will likely involve a noticeable change in traffic density and speed.
This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. You will hit about 11 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near East Public Square.
Moderate - straightforward overall, but long enough or busy enough to require pacing
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 16.9 miles you will encounter 11 spots where lane choice or exit timing matters. Not difficult for experienced highway drivers, but worth previewing the tricky sections before you go.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: near the start (East Public Square): Navigation decision point; at 0.1 miles (East Laurens Street): Navigation decision point; at 4.9 miles (I 385): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.
Mostly flat terrain
Total Climb
360 ft
Total Descent
390 ft
Highest Point
708 ft
~2.4 mi in
Elevation Range
199 ft
Founded 1785
Top landmarks
City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 25m. Total distance: 16.9 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
25m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (59%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Compiled by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy from open government datasets — OSRM over OpenStreetMap for geometry, EIA for fuel prices, USGS 3DEP for elevation, and FHWA TMAS for hourly traffic volumes. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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