The portion of SC 61 from Church Creek Bridge and 10 miles (16 km) north is designated a National Scenic Byway.

Some or all of Ashley River Road was named to the National Register of Historic Places in 1983.

A great deal of controversy was created about overdevelopment when the City of North Charleston annexed the 6,600-acre tract known as Watson Hill.

The tract was sold by MeadWestvaco to private developers who then requested the annexation by North Charleston.

The town of Summerville tried to rush an annexation to block North Charleston which ended in a court battle.

The slump in the economy, 2008–2010, forced these developers to sell and the property was repurchased by MeadWestvaco.

[6][7] A recent public meeting suggested that if development is to occur, instead of widening Ashley River Road to alleviate congestion, Glenn McConnell Parkway, also known as SC 461, could be extended beyond its terminus at Bees Ferry Road.

[citation needed] This is possible since Glenn McConnell Parkway travels parallel to SC 61.

On the South Carolina Department of Transportation's Charleston city map, the portion of SC 61 on either side of the SC 461 (Paul Cantrell Boulevard) intersection is signed as a connector route.

[14] South Carolina Highway 61 Connector (SC 61 Conn.) is a connecting route south-southwest of Summerville and is in the southeastern part of Dorchester County.