South Carolina

[D-Dey65]

Can anybody find me a picture of what this sign at the Southbound I-95 Welcome Center used to say?

https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:I-95_SB_South_Carolina_Welcome_Center-10.JPG

I can't find any images of the thing before it was smudged into illegibility. A future rename of the picture is riding on this.

How much of it do you need to know?

It is talking about a Carolina Fence Garden

The title seems to be enough, but more is always welcome.

[Love2drive]

South Carolina seems to have raised its gas tax by a lot. Prices are equal to Georgia and NC .

I think NC must have capped the gas tax as a break for consumers during the pandemic, because it's usually higher than other states but not now.

I drove down to Hilton Head a few weeks ago... expecting to see a significant drop in prices once I crossed over the border.    It was pretty much the same as I was paying here in NC.  Oh yeah.. the interstates and back roads were awful for the most part.   I'd never driven south of Rock Hill on 77, and obviously it was my first time on 26 south of Columbia and 95.... I was astounded at the subpar nature of the highways 

[ahj2000]

South Carolina seems to have raised its gas tax by a lot. Prices are equal to Georgia and NC .

I think NC must have capped the gas tax as a break for consumers during the pandemic, because it's usually higher than other states but not now.

I drove down to Hilton Head a few weeks ago... expecting to see a significant drop in prices once I crossed over the border.    It was pretty much the same as I was paying here in NC.  Oh yeah.. the interstates and back roads were awful for the most part.   I'd never driven south of Rock Hill on 77, and obviously it was my first time on 26 south of Columbia and 95.... I was astounded at the subpar nature of the highways 

Oh yeah...SC is something else...
Does anyone know if there is going to be any new projects out of the gas tax or is it just necessary for revenue?

[amroad17]

Does this sign along southbound I-95 still exist?
https://www.google.com/maps/@32.6365424,-80.8819254,3a,15y,205.24h,89.07t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sBwBlj67rxuBtO3GWA3s4rg!2e0!7i16384!8i8192?hl=en

Because it looks like it might be worthy of a picture. It's not like this one:
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Blue_NB_Exit_33_Sign;_I-95_Point_South,_SC-1.jpg

As of Saturday 6/19, heading to a visit to my in-laws outside of Savannah, it is still there.  I noticed it because of the blue and green backgrounds on the sign.

[wriddle082]

South Carolina seems to have raised its gas tax by a lot. Prices are equal to Georgia and NC .

I think NC must have capped the gas tax as a break for consumers during the pandemic, because it's usually higher than other states but not now.

I drove down to Hilton Head a few weeks ago... expecting to see a significant drop in prices once I crossed over the border.    It was pretty much the same as I was paying here in NC.  Oh yeah.. the interstates and back roads were awful for the most part.   I'd never driven south of Rock Hill on 77, and obviously it was my first time on 26 south of Columbia and 95.... I was astounded at the subpar nature of the highways 

Oh yeah...SC is something else...
Does anyone know if there is going to be any new projects out of the gas tax or is it just necessary for revenue?

Let's see.... They're widening all of 85 from Spartanburg to the NC state line, widening 20 west of Columbia, and widening 26 northwest of Columbia.  They recently finished a massive rebuild of the 85/385 interchange in Greenville to a four-level stack, and widened a little bit of 77 north of Columbia.  Next year they are finally going to start on rebuilding Malfunction Junction in Columbia.  And a lot of other roads have been resurfaced (though this needs to be accelerated).

So yeah, they have put this extra tax revenue to work.

[sprjus4]

Any plans to accelerate desperately needed I-95 widening in the near future, besides the first few miles north of Georgia that's planned?

[Mapmikey]

Can anybody find me a picture of what this sign at the Southbound I-95 Welcome Center used to say?

https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:I-95_SB_South_Carolina_Welcome_Center-10.JPG

I can't find any images of the thing before it was smudged into illegibility. A future rename of the picture is riding on this.

How much of it do you need to know?

It is talking about a Carolina Fence Garden

The title seems to be enough, but more is always welcome.

The fourth bullet is about Yellow Jasmine, the state flower of SC.

The other information is probably similar to what is here: http://www.scwf.org/carolina-fence-gardens

[wriddle082]

This morning, I saw the first ever white regulatory signs along I-77 which stated this:

STATE LAW
––––––
SLOWER
TRAFFIC
  MOVE
  RIGHT

The first one I saw was right at the state line near Carowinds.  I think it was even before the welcome sign.  And I spotted another one on the left, going down a hill between Ridgeway and Blythewood.

NC and OH drivers in SC, you are now on notice!

[sprjus4]

I-95 needs these every mile. The amount of people I've encountered throughout the state who just hold left for miles on end and back up traffic behind... without actually actively passing.

[NJRoadfan]

Those "Slower Traffic Move Right" signs (and likely the state law) aren't explicit enough (VA posts similar signs). NJ posts "KEEP RIGHT EXCEPT TO PASS" and has a law to back it.

[Mapmikey]

Those "Slower Traffic Move Right" signs (and likely the state law) aren't explicit enough (VA posts similar signs). NJ posts "KEEP RIGHT EXCEPT TO PASS" and has a law to back it.

Here is the text of the law.  As best I can tell, no law specific to this issue existed in SC prior to this passing in March 2021.  Penalties are up to $200 or 30 days jail with no points off license.  SC has been posting SLOWER TRAFFIC KEEP RIGHT signs for many years.

(A)    A vehicle may not be driven in the farthest left-hand lane of a controlled access highway except when overtaking and passing another vehicle.

(B)    Subsection (A) of this section does not apply:

(1)    when no other vehicle is directly behind the vehicle in the left lane;

(2)    when traffic conditions and congestion make it impractical to drive in the right lane;

(3)    when snow and other inclement weather conditions make it safer to drive in the left lane;

(4)    when obstructions or hazards exist in the right lane;

(5)    when, because of highway design, a vehicle must be driven in the left lane when preparing to exit;

(6)    to law enforcement vehicles, ambulances, or other emergency vehicles engaged in official duties and vehicles engaged in highway maintenance and construction operations;

(7)    when a driver of a tractor-trailer commercial motor vehicle combination is unable to move into the right lane safely due to another vehicle overtaking or passing his vehicle to the right; or

(8)    when a driver of a vehicle requiring a commercial motor vehicle license to operate is unable to move into the right lane safely due to a highway grade or another vehicle overtaking or passing his vehicle on the right.

(C)    Nothing in this section shall limit the Department of Transportation's ability to establish and delineate lane restrictions for certain types of vehicles.

(D)    The Department of Transportation must place signs along interstate highways directing slower traffic to move to the right. The signs must be placed at intervals of no more than thirty-five miles.

[NJRoadfan]

NJ's law, which manages to keep it simple:

39:4-88 Traffic on marked lanes.

When a roadway has been divided into clearly marked lanes for traffic, drivers of vehicles shall obey the following regulations:

a. A vehicle shall normally be driven in the lane nearest the right-hand edge or curb of the roadway when that lane is available for travel, except when overtaking another vehicle or in preparation for a left turn.

b. A vehicle shall be driven as nearly as practicable entirely within a single lane and shall not be moved from that lane until the driver has first ascertained that the movement can be made with safety.

c. Upon a highway which is divided into 3 lanes, a vehicle shall not be driven in the center lane except when overtaking or passing another vehicle or in preparation for a left turn or unless the center lane is at the time allocated for traffic moving in the direction the vehicle is proceeding and is signposted to give notice of that allocation.

d. The State Highway Commissioner may by regulation or local authorities may by resolution or ordinance with respect to highways under their jurisdiction designate right-hand lanes for slow moving traffic and inside lanes for traffic moving at the speed designated for the district as provided under this chapter, and when the lanes are signposted or marked to give notice of the designation a vehicle may be driven in any lane allocated to traffic moving in the direction in which it is proceeding, but when traveling within the inside lanes the vehicle shall be driven at approximately the speed authorized in such lanes and speed shall not be decreased unnecessarily so as to block, hinder or retard traffic.

e. When such roadway had been divided in such a manner that there are three or more lanes for traffic in any one direction, no truck of 10,000 pounds registered gross weight or over shall be driven in the farthest left-hand lane, except:

(1) when and to the extent necessary to prepare for a left turn; a truck may be driven in the farthest left lane for up to one mile to prepare for a left hand turn as authorized under this paragraph;

(2) when necessary to enter or leave such roadway by entrance or exit to or from the left lane; a truck may be driven in the farthest left lane for up to one mile to prepare to enter or leave the roadway as authorized under this paragraph;

(3) when reasonably necessary in response to emergency conditions; for the purposes of this paragraph, "emergency conditions" shall include, but not be limited to: poor visibility, snow, accidents, or the presence of emergency vehicles.

amended 1951, c.23, s.47; 1968, c.432; 2013, c.86, s.1.

39:4-82. Keeping to right

Upon all highways of sufficient width, except upon one-way streets, the driver of a vehicle shall drive it on the right half of the roadway. He shall drive a vehicle as closely as possible to the right-hand edge or curb of the roadway, unless it is impracticable to travel on that side of the roadway, and except when overtaking and passing another vehicle subject to the provisions of sections 39:4-84 and 39:4-85 of this Title.

Amended by L.1951, c. 23, p. 81, s. 43.

2 points on license. Fine or imprisonment not exceeding 15 days (this NEVER happens), or both. Fine is $100 to $300.

[Mapmikey]

It looks like SC went to the trouble of defining "available for travel" (as someone who has to parse and comply with the meaning of Nuclear Regulatory Commission regulations, definitions like this are helpful).  It also looks like that unless NJ categorically excludes law enforcement and emergency vehicles for all its traffic laws, they are subject to NJ's version of this law.

[NJRoadfan]

There are additional statures covering yielding to emergency vehicles along with the "move over" law, which only passed somewhat recently in NJ.

[gbgoose]

How's the I-85 widening going from Spartanburg to Blacksburg?  I going to be in South Carolina starting Friday for a week and since I don't see a lot of updates on the I-85 widening site, was curious if anyone here had any insight.

[74/171FAN]

How's the I-85 widening going from Spartanburg to Blacksburg?  I going to be in South Carolina starting Friday for a week and since I don't see a lot of updates on the I-85 widening site, was curious if anyone here had any insight.

Yeah, that has been a problem on my end.  I am unable to tell if SC 18 has been realigned around Exit 95 yet or not.

[AcE_Wolf_287]

Looking for a Columbia, SC Page under SE, (if there is one) anyways, SC 277 Should be I-177, a Spur into Downtown Columbia, looks like it needs a little bit of more upgrading!

[The Ghostbuster]

If SC 277 were to be changed into Interstate 177, the designation would have to end at Harden St. Extension. There is no way in hell Bull St. would be converted into a freeway, and I don't think designating the rest of SC 277 as Business 177 or any other designation would cut it either. SC 277 is here to stay.

[sprjus4]

^ I believe that was his point - the freeway portion.

If anything, just designate it as I-277. Don't change the number, you're just going to cause more confusion.

[froggie]

Why does it need to be an Interstate?  Easiest way to avoid confusion is to just leave it as-is.

[sprjus4]

Why does it need to be an Interstate?  Easiest way to avoid confusion is to just leave it as-is.

I agree - I'm merely stating that if an interstate was desired, designating it as I-277 would be far less confusing than switching it to I-177.

Granted, however, I'm sure there's plenty of people that already call it "I-277"  regardless of what it actually is. I've heard countless people refer to "VA-164"  in Portsmouth, for example, of "I-164" , which is not totally unreasonable.

[AcE_Wolf_287]

Why does it need to be an Interstate?  Easiest way to avoid confusion is to just leave it as-is.

I agree - I'm merely stating that if an interstate was desired, designating it as I-277 would be far less confusing than switching it to I-177.

Granted, however, I'm sure there's plenty of people that already call it "I-277"  regardless of what it actually is. I've heard countless people refer to "VA-164"  in Portsmouth, for example, of "I-164" , which is not totally unreasonable.

as someone who lives in columbia, it is true that people do call it "I-277"

[MASTERNC]

How's the I-85 widening going from Spartanburg to Blacksburg?  I going to be in South Carolina starting Friday for a week and since I don't see a lot of updates on the I-85 widening site, was curious if anyone here had any insight.

A trucker had a YouTube video traveling south through the construction zone this week and it looked like there was a 35 MPH speed limit!?  There seemed to be a split pattern going in that direction.

[Rothman]

How's the I-85 widening going from Spartanburg to Blacksburg?  I going to be in South Carolina starting Friday for a week and since I don't see a lot of updates on the I-85 widening site, was curious if anyone here had any insight.

A trucker had a YouTube video traveling south through the construction zone this week and it looked like there was a 35 MPH speed limit!?  There seemed to be a split pattern going in that direction.

Wasn't this the construction zone that had a nasty fatality accident a couple of months ago?  Probably caused the speed crackdown.

[cowboy_wilhelm]

How's the I-85 widening going from Spartanburg to Blacksburg?  I going to be in South Carolina starting Friday for a week and since I don't see a lot of updates on the I-85 widening site, was curious if anyone here had any insight.

A trucker had a YouTube video traveling south through the construction zone this week and it looked like there was a 35 MPH speed limit!?  There seemed to be a split pattern going in that direction.

Wasn't this the construction zone that had a nasty fatality accident a couple of months ago?  Probably caused the speed crackdown.

Yes, "the chute" or "death trap" as the Cherokee County coroner called it. SCDOT was defending it, but then three were killed in the last major accident. They have apparently changed their tone and are planning to remove it. Stories and video on WSPA. Sounds like tractor-trailers were in a lane they weren't supposed to be in (I'm guessing "the chute").