South Carolina

[PColumbus73]

True, I think the thing that bothers me the most around here are people who creep in the merge lane, inching forward, but not accelerating enough to safely merge.

While I'm at it, people who crowd the middle of a divided highway when making a left turn gets on my nerves the worst! I've seen upwards of 4 cars bunched together in the middle trying to turn left onto a divided highway. To me, that seems dangerous. I really wish superstreet junctions would take off here like in North Carolina, but South Carolina drivers (at least here in Myrtle Beach) are idiots. A few years ago, SCDOT converted the intersection of SC 9 and HWY 66 outside Loris into a superstreet/Michigan Left and after it was finished, the DOT had to go back and install a cable barrier because drivers were cutting across the now-median.

[Henry]

Here are the pictures I took of the Back Gate Interchange in Myrtle Beach in October.

For some reason, I keep thinking Miami whenever I see those palmetto trees! And is US 17 on a viaduct all the way through the area? (because it looks like there's a never-ending bridge that starts at the SC 707/Farrow Parkway interchange you mentioned there)

[PColumbus73]

It's just a fairly long bridge over a SPUI, it's shorter than it looks. I'm starting to think they should have made it 6 lanes wide instead of 4. US 17 is 6 lanes between 29th Ave N. and Harrelson Blvd (about 2 miles from SC 707). But I am thinking that 17 needs 6 lanes between Grissom Parkway and the Georgetown County line.

[Zzonkmiles]

I'm a sucker for beautiful pictures of sign bridges. Thanks for the upload.

Oh, and why did SC decide to waste its money by changing the signage for state routes from black letters to blue letters? I find it very distracting.

[PColumbus73]

You're welcome!

I'm not sure why SC changed their state route signage, they've shown up about 5 years ago.


Anyway, the traffic light at US 17 Bypass and Glenns Bay Rd has it's days numbered, including this signal on the left, which is possibly the last of it's kind here in South Carolina. This intersection is getting replaced with a diamond interchange.

[WashuOtaku]

Oh, and why did SC decide to waste its money by changing the signage for state routes from black letters to blue letters? I find it very distracting.

It was done so state highways would be easier identified and it is at no additional cost to the state because the signs are gradually replacing older signs (that would have been replaced regardless) and the blue ink is the same used on interstate signs, so it's something they have plenty stock of.  For more details, here's the original press release:  http://info.scdot.org/PressRelease/Lists/Posts/Post.aspx?ID=1178

I personally like the the signs and how they stand out now, making them more relevant and unique compared to neighboring states.

[hbelkins]

There are still a lot of old South Carolina state route markers in existence, and I have seen assemblies with both the old and new style signs.

What I don't like about the new SC markers is that most of the directional banners that are used with them are larger than the standard, meaning that money is wasted on them. Tennessee's state route markers for primary routes are the same size (24x30) as the new SC routes, yet Tennessee still uses a standard 24-inch-wide directional plate, while SC uses a 30-inch-wide banner that is also proportionally taller.

[WashuOtaku]

There are still a lot of old South Carolina state route markers in existence, and I have seen assemblies with both the old and new style signs.

What I don't like about the new SC markers is that most of the directional banners that are used with them are larger than the standard, meaning that money is wasted on them. Tennessee's state route markers for primary routes are the same size (24x30) as the new SC routes, yet Tennessee still uses a standard 24-inch-wide directional plate, while SC uses a 30-inch-wide banner that is also proportionally taller.

I don't think that is exceptional cost increase by a few inches more; nor do I think their highway sign budget has changed much over the years.

[hbelkins]

Probably not terribly expensive, but definitely fugly.

[Henry]

Count me in as a fan of the new SC highway shields.

[PColumbus73]

Count me in as a fan of the new SC highway shields.

Agreed, they are nicer than the old bland boxes

[wriddle082]

Probably not terribly expensive, but definitely fugly.

As a "naturalized" SC resident raised in states with relatively normal signage, I agree.

I also think the black outlines around US highway shields on BGSs is semi-fugly, though I've grown used to it.  As well as the way exit tabs aren't justified all the way to the left or right edges of the main sign, which I've only ever seen in NYS.

And some of the overly-large warning signage for side roads or traffic signals seems like overkill at times, especially when the funding for said signage could be better spent on improving pavement quality.  But I can see how the signage can be helpful in adverse weather/lighting conditions.  And with the average motorist age constantly increasing, this trend will likely continue.

[freebrickproductions]

I like the new SC State Route signage.

[Thing 342]

Here are the pictures I took of the Back Gate Interchange in Myrtle Beach in October.

These are new signs, correct? I thought SC had gone completely towards Clearview in the past couple of years.

[PColumbus73]

Yes, these are brand new, installed with this interchange

[wriddle082]

Clearview is on it's way out IIRC per FHWA directive.

I-26 from Clinton to NW of Columbia (where it widens out to six lanes) has new Clearview signs installed early last year.  But the recently finished I-20 widening project NE of Columbia installed Highway Gothic signs.  Funny, but the new signs went up right after the FHWA directive (which stated that the Clearview experiment was over IIRC).  So either SCDOT knew it was coming and planned accordingly with that project, or they made a quick font change just in time to be compliant, or they went by the wrong standards at that time.  It's like they flipped a switch and became compliant with those new installs.

[Alex]

Clearview is on it's way out IIRC per FHWA directive.

I-26 from Clinton to NW of Columbia (where it widens out to six lanes) has new Clearview signs installed early last year.  But the recently finished I-20 widening project NE of Columbia installed Highway Gothic signs.  Funny, but the new signs went up right after the FHWA directive (which stated that the Clearview experiment was over IIRC).  So either SCDOT knew it was coming and planned accordingly with that project, or they made a quick font change just in time to be compliant, or they went by the wrong standards at that time.  It's like they flipped a switch and became compliant with those new installs.

Carter told me yesterday that new installs along I-85 at Greenville are using Clearview. Maybe they were pre-fabricated stock?

[OracleUsr]

Probably.  I noticed the same thing, but was glad Anderson and Oconee County parts of I-85 did not have Clearview (then again, they're older signs so that probably doesn't count).  US 123 in Pickens County sure has some odd looking reassurance markers that may or may not be partly Clearview.

Kudos to Horry County bucking the trend.

[NJRoadfan]

Anyone have a link to this directive that killed off interim approval of Clearview? There are plenty of new signs going up with it still.

[hbelkins]

The letter has been posted here several times before. It's not an official rescission of Clearview's use, but it is a letter to a local government saying that FHWA is not granting any new approvals and is looking at rescinding the interim approvals.

[PColumbus73]

I noticed that the FYA is now pretty common in Columbia, is that the only place they exist for now?

[afone]

http://www.wsav.com/story/27987934/sc-plans-to-widen-i-20-west-of-columbia-to-3-lanes

[Zzonkmiles]

http://www.wsav.com/story/27987934/sc-plans-to-widen-i-20-west-of-columbia-to-3-lanes

Of interest to me was the mention of widening 7 miles of I-77 north of Columbia to three lanes each way. Does this mean they are widening the part of I-77 north of Blythewood (since that's "north of Columbia") or are they widening the four-lane section between I-20 and SC 277 (which is not "north of Columbia" and is definitely less than "7 miles")?

[wriddle082]

http://www.wsav.com/story/27987934/sc-plans-to-widen-i-20-west-of-columbia-to-3-lanes

Of interest to me was the mention of widening 7 miles of I-77 north of Columbia to three lanes each way. Does this mean they are widening the part of I-77 north of Blythewood (since that's "north of Columbia") or are they widening the four-lane section between I-20 and SC 277 (which is not "north of Columbia" and is definitely less than "7 miles")?

I'm not sure about that either.  I'd think that widening I-26 NW of the current end of six-lanes up to Chapin would be a better choice than widening 77 up to Blythewood and Ridgeway.  I do agree with many others who believe the four-lane stretch b/w I-20 and SC 277 is fine the way it is, for now.

Other than that, I think widening 26 through Spartanburg would be nice since it can back up during rush hour b/w US 29 and Business 85.

[Zzonkmiles]

http://www.wsav.com/story/27987934/sc-plans-to-widen-i-20-west-of-columbia-to-3-lanes

Of interest to me was the mention of widening 7 miles of I-77 north of Columbia to three lanes each way. Does this mean they are widening the part of I-77 north of Blythewood (since that's "north of Columbia") or are they widening the four-lane section between I-20 and SC 277 (which is not "north of Columbia" and is definitely less than "7 miles")?

I'm not sure about that either.  I'd think that widening I-26 NW of the current end of six-lanes up to Chapin would be a better choice than widening 77 up to Blythewood and Ridgeway.  I do agree with many others who believe the four-lane stretch b/w I-20 and SC 277 is fine the way it is, for now.

Fortunately, I don't use I-26 that much outside of the city limits. But I would agree that I-26 NW of Columbia needs widening NOW. As for the I-77 stretch between I-20 and SC 277, I have mixed feelings about it. I'm inclined to say it should be widened, but I know it will be a NIGHTMARE with all the construction. It should be an easy fix for the most part until you get near the I-20/77 interchange and would need to do something about the bridges. Lots of Fort Jackson traffic coming from Killian and Farrow Roads uses this stretch of road. Also, the Exit 17 merge (Two Notch) is a bit dangerous for southbound travelers because of the long acceleration lane that many drivers ignore.