Solomon Blatt, known as "Mr. Speaker," traveled this road between Barnwell and Columbia thousands of times while serving as a member of the House of Representatives beginning in 1933, as Speaker of the House from 1937 to 1947 and again from 1951 to 1973, and as U.S. Speaker Emeritus since 1973. His influence and leadership contributed significantly to a sound and stable state government, to industrial development, to institutions of higher learning, and to the highway program.