IMO, long overdue...
QuoteThat initial estimate includes widening about 190 miles of the interstate to three lanes in each direction from the state's border with Georgia to the border with North Carolina, replacing bridges along the interstate and improving interchanges.
But it could be years before the state has enough money to pay for the widening project. The project also would have to rank high enough on Transportation Department priority lists to be fixed.
I-95 bottlenecks in South Carolina, especially during high-trafficked holiday weekends. The three-lane road in Georgia shrinks to two lanes entering the Palmetto State.
"A project of that magnitude, first of all, would be unprecedented," Transportation Department Secretary Christy Hall said at the annual meeting of the S.C. Alliance to Fix Our Roads, a group of road contractors and consultants who want more money spent on road-building projects. The widening project likely would be completed in segments and phases, she said.
Federal money eventually could pay for part of the project.
"I do believe the (President Donald) Trump administration is serious about an infrastructure program," Hall said.
The Transportation Department is in the process of updating its priority list for interstate improvements. It plans to unveil that list in the coming months, Hall said.
Rural parts of I-95 are included in the Transportation Department's $50 million-a-year plan to make rural roads safer. That plan, unveiled last week, includes spending money to re-paint pavement markings, installing rumble strips to alert drivers they are near the road's edge and widening road shoulders to give drivers time to correct if they run off the road.
However, the agency has said it needs added state or federal dollars to pay for those improvements.
Read more here: http://www.thestate.com/news/politics-government/article128186934.html#storylink=cpy
http://www.thestate.com/news/politics-government/article128186934.html
Based on everything I've heard about the new Administration's road funding, get ready for the South Carolina Turnpike.
Quote from: AlexandriaVA on January 23, 2017, 07:46:24 PM
Based on everything I've heard about the new Administration's road funding, get ready for the South Carolina Turnpike.
:-D :-D :-D :-D :-D
Quote from: AlexandriaVA on January 23, 2017, 07:46:24 PM
Based on everything I've heard about the new Administration's road funding, get ready for the South Carolina Turnpike.
I think any large freeway projects anywhere in the us from now on will be tolled with very few exceptions
LGMS428
Quote from: plain on January 23, 2017, 08:14:47 PM
Quote from: AlexandriaVA on January 23, 2017, 07:46:24 PM
Based on everything I've heard about the new Administration's road funding, get ready for the South Carolina Turnpike.
:-D :-D :-D :-D :-D
I don't follow. To wit:
http://thehill.com/policy/transportation/315110-ryan-offers-picture-of-private-public-spending-in-trumps-infrastructure
QuotePresident-elect Donald Trump's massive infrastructure package should have $40 of private-sector spending for every $1 of public spending, according to House Speaker Paul Ryan (R-Wis.)
Private money's gonna wanna recoup its investment, and:
QuoteThere has been mounting concern, particularly among Democrats and rural Republicans, that relying on private financing would only attract projects that can recoup investment costs through tolls or user fees.
That would make a worthwhile project for all those long drives from Richmond, Washington and points north to Savannah, Jacksonville and points south.
I would honestly love to see Interstate 95 widened in South Carolina. I have also asserted that it would not be a bad idea to widen all of Interstate 26 in South Carolina east of Columbia.
Would the potential widening of Interstate 26 between Columbia and Charleston also be funded by tolls?
Quote from: The Ghostbuster on January 24, 2017, 05:36:04 PM
Would the potential widening of Interstate 26 between Columbia and Charleston also be funded by tolls?
I think I-95 in SC has the same dynamic as I-95 in NC...large portion of its traffic is out of state.
I-26 on the other hand is almost certainly in-state traffic for a large portion. This would suggest that tolling would be a better plan for 95 to lessen the burden on SC citizens and be worth the cost for the state to pay for anything done to I-26.
On the third hand, unless this potential new infrastructure program changes the rules about tolling interstates, slapping toll booths up on South Carolina interstates is a low probability outcome...
If anything, SC should at least 3-lane I-95 from GA to the first exit. That alone could help out a lot.
Quote from: adventurernumber1 on January 24, 2017, 04:40:49 PM
I would honestly love to see Interstate 95 widened in South Carolina. I have also asserted that it would not be a bad idea to widen all of Interstate 26 in South Carolina east of Columbia.
If there were ever roads that needed more lanes, those two are them. Both are horrible around any holiday, especially with an hint of weather (rain sprinkles seem to give some drivers fits; they slow down and can't move from the left lane). We had the misfortune of having to go that route from Southwest Virginia to Florida right before Christmas -- I-95 went from a crawl to speedway and back to crawl depending on what drivers were where and how much room there was to pass in the right lane. As soon as the road widened out at the Georgia line, there was more than enough space for the volume of traffic and it was smooth sailing.
Bruce in Blacksburg
I think that widening all of Interstate 95 from South Carolina to the Northeast Megalopolis would be a remarkable project. IIRC, I-95 is already 6 lanes from Richmond, VA to Washington D.C., so the next step would just be widening it in South Carolina, North Carolina, and southern Virginia.
Sounds like a vanity solution in search of a problem. Rural freeways don't need to be that wide.
Have you ever driven I-95 south of Petersburg, VA? Bruce's description is 100% spot on, I dealt with the random backups in Virginia and North Carolina until I got off in Rocky Mount after Christmas. Summer weekends are no different. Its a very stressful drive overall and I can't imagine doing it the rest of the way thru NC and SC.
I have been avoiding I-85 due to reconstruction in Warren and Vance Counties in NC, but I might just go back to that route since it might actually be faster even with the cattle chute setup.
I have. Fairly considerably. In my experience, I-95 is more hype than reality. Sure the traffic is annoying, but it's not at a level that warrants spending 9 or 10 digits on a massive widening project. More targeted widenings where needed (thinking mainly across the Savannah, through Lumberton, and Eastover to Wilson) may be useful, but anything beyond that would be a burning of scarce highway dollars.
Now if the states want to turn I-95 into a toll road instead to fund widening, they can knock themselves out.
Quote from: NJRoadfan on January 27, 2017, 12:29:44 AM
Have you ever driven I-95 south of Petersburg, VA? Bruce's description is 100% spot on, I dealt with the random backups in Virginia and North Carolina until I got off in Rocky Mount after Christmas. Summer weekends are no different. Its a very stressful drive overall and I can't imagine doing it the rest of the way thru NC and SC.
I have been avoiding I-85 due to reconstruction in Warren and Vance Counties in NC, but I might just go back to that route since it might actually be faster even with the cattle chute setup.
So we're going to spend $4 billion for random backups, summer weekends (39 days out of the year), and Christmas (let's say 7 days of Holiday driving conditions).
$4 Billion for 46 days, while the other 320 days are fine. Seems like a waste of money compared to chronically-congested transportation.
It's sort of like power plants...it's ineffiecient to build up to the highest conceivable capacity just to meet demand for a few days a year. Traffic sucks but everyone has to deal with it sometimes.
Quote from: AlexandriaVA on January 27, 2017, 10:15:55 AM
Quote from: NJRoadfan on January 27, 2017, 12:29:44 AM
Have you ever driven I-95 south of Petersburg, VA? Bruce's description is 100% spot on, I dealt with the random backups in Virginia and North Carolina until I got off in Rocky Mount after Christmas. Summer weekends are no different. Its a very stressful drive overall and I can't imagine doing it the rest of the way thru NC and SC.
I have been avoiding I-85 due to reconstruction in Warren and Vance Counties in NC, but I might just go back to that route since it might actually be faster even with the cattle chute setup.
So we're going to spend $4 billion for random backups, summer weekends (39 days out of the year), and Christmas (let's say 7 days of Holiday driving conditions).
$4 Billion for 46 days, while the other 320 days are fine. Seems like a waste of money compared to chronically-congested transportation.
It's sort of like power plants...it's ineffiecient to build up to the highest conceivable capacity just to meet demand for a few days a year. Traffic sucks but everyone has to deal with it sometimes.
I agree with this. In many, many areas of the country, there are backups on summer weekends and holidays.
In my toll plaza days, one person asked me on a summer weekend why there is so much traffic. Glancing at their out-of-state vehicle, I see the kids, the luggage, etc... I ask if they're going on vacation...they say Yes. I said, "So is everyone else". People constantly look at themselves in a bubble, and fail to see the bigger picture that, surprise surprise, they are not the only ones doing what they're doing.
Quote from: jeffandnicole on January 27, 2017, 10:47:11 AM
Quote from: AlexandriaVA on January 27, 2017, 10:15:55 AM
Quote from: NJRoadfan on January 27, 2017, 12:29:44 AM
Have you ever driven I-95 south of Petersburg, VA? Bruce's description is 100% spot on, I dealt with the random backups in Virginia and North Carolina until I got off in Rocky Mount after Christmas. Summer weekends are no different. Its a very stressful drive overall and I can't imagine doing it the rest of the way thru NC and SC.
I have been avoiding I-85 due to reconstruction in Warren and Vance Counties in NC, but I might just go back to that route since it might actually be faster even with the cattle chute setup.
So we're going to spend $4 billion for random backups, summer weekends (39 days out of the year), and Christmas (let's say 7 days of Holiday driving conditions).
$4 Billion for 46 days, while the other 320 days are fine. Seems like a waste of money compared to chronically-congested transportation.
It's sort of like power plants...it's ineffiecient to build up to the highest conceivable capacity just to meet demand for a few days a year. Traffic sucks but everyone has to deal with it sometimes.
I agree with this. In many, many areas of the country, there are backups on summer weekends and holidays.
In my toll plaza days, one person asked me on a summer weekend why there is so much traffic. Glancing at their out-of-state vehicle, I see the kids, the luggage, etc... I ask if they're going on vacation...they say Yes. I said, "So is everyone else". People constantly look at themselves in a bubble, and fail to see the bigger picture that, surprise surprise, they are not the only ones doing what they're doing.
People complain about traffic not realizing they're traffic. :pan:
Quote from: AlexandriaVA on January 23, 2017, 07:46:24 PM
Based on everything I've heard about the new Administration's road funding, get ready for the South Carolina Turnpike.
Quote from: froggie on January 27, 2017, 09:50:33 AM
Now if the states want to turn I-95 into a toll road instead to fund widening, they can knock themselves out.
Call me a widening junkie, but I would support something like tolling I-95 to get it widened throughout the Southeast. I would be open to that.
So I'm typing this response while we are driving up 95 this morning. (My wife is driving.)
1) 95 is predictable for high traffic volumes on weekends and Friday evenings. Other than that it's because of a wreck. Or you are negotiating through some slow moving traffic.
2) there is higher volumes of local traffic from Kenly to Eastover (which is the now nearly 60 year old stretch of 95) specifically Smithfield/Selma and dunn/benson. Plus the design of the highway doesn't help either.
3) I would also say the same about Lumberton and the Roanoke Rapids area.
I'm also not a fan of 95 but my issues are more the stretch south of I-40 to the Fayetteville Bypass.
95 in NC needs upgrades and elimination of some outdated interchanges, mullti lane widening a definite need for about half its length. Though I agree that widening all of it is a top priority - it doesn't hurt to have the additional capacity ready to go for when it is needed.
Quote from: AlexandriaVA on January 27, 2017, 10:15:55 AM
Quote from: NJRoadfan on January 27, 2017, 12:29:44 AM
Have you ever driven I-95 south of Petersburg, VA? Bruce's description is 100% spot on, I dealt with the random backups in Virginia and North Carolina until I got off in Rocky Mount after Christmas. Summer weekends are no different. Its a very stressful drive overall and I can't imagine doing it the rest of the way thru NC and SC.
I have been avoiding I-85 due to reconstruction in Warren and Vance Counties in NC, but I might just go back to that route since it might actually be faster even with the cattle chute setup.
So we're going to spend $4 billion for random backups, summer weekends (39 days out of the year), and Christmas (let's say 7 days of Holiday driving conditions).
$4 Billion for 46 days, while the other 320 days are fine. Seems like a waste of money compared to chronically-congested transportation.
It's sort of like power plants...it's ineffiecient to build up to the highest conceivable capacity just to meet demand for a few days a year. Traffic sucks but everyone has to deal with it sometimes.
it's 3 lanes each way. That's not really that wide.
Absolutely they should spend the money to widen it to improve traffic for those 46 days out of the year which I'm also willing to bet it's clogged more than that.
I haven't driven on this interstate, but based off of the traffic counts I've seen in some areas and what people on this thread have said, it definitely needs it.
When Texas widened I-35 from DFW to Austin, it made that interstate a joy to drive on compared to what it was when it was four lanes. Every once in awhile maybe an occasional backup and as you said, everyone should expect traffic especially in cities.
That doesn't mean don't invest more on the freeways and I know you didn't say that though prioritizing freeways projects is very subjective and I-95 is a major and important stretch of interstate and I don't see anything wrong with investing in it even if it just makes some weekends better even though it will do much more than that.
Quote from: Plutonic Panda on January 28, 2017, 08:04:12 PM
Quote from: AlexandriaVA on January 27, 2017, 10:15:55 AM
Quote from: NJRoadfan on January 27, 2017, 12:29:44 AM
Have you ever driven I-95 south of Petersburg, VA? Bruce's description is 100% spot on, I dealt with the random backups in Virginia and North Carolina until I got off in Rocky Mount after Christmas. Summer weekends are no different. Its a very stressful drive overall and I can't imagine doing it the rest of the way thru NC and SC.
I have been avoiding I-85 due to reconstruction in Warren and Vance Counties in NC, but I might just go back to that route since it might actually be faster even with the cattle chute setup.
So we're going to spend $4 billion for random backups, summer weekends (39 days out of the year), and Christmas (let's say 7 days of Holiday driving conditions).
$4 Billion for 46 days, while the other 320 days are fine. Seems like a waste of money compared to chronically-congested transportation.
It's sort of like power plants...it's ineffiecient to build up to the highest conceivable capacity just to meet demand for a few days a year. Traffic sucks but everyone has to deal with it sometimes.
it's 3 lanes each way. That's not really that wide.
Absolutely they should spend the money to widen it to improve traffic for those 46 days out of the year which I'm also willing to bet it's clogged more than that.
I haven't driven on this interstate, but based off of the traffic counts I've seen in some areas and what people on this thread have said, it definitely needs it.
When Texas widened I-35 from DFW to Austin, it made that interstate a joy to drive on compared to what it was when it was four lanes. Every once in awhile maybe an occasional backup and as you said, everyone should expect traffic especially in cities.
That doesn't mean don't invest more on the freeways and I know you didn't say that though prioritizing freeways projects is very subjective and I-95 is a major and important stretch of interstate and I don't see anything wrong with investing in it even if it just makes some weekends better even though it will do much more than that.
While I-95 is important in many areas along the East Coast, in South Carolina, it's not really near any major cities. It's true that 3 lanes isn't very wide, but that's not really the point. I-95 works thru SC the vast majority of the time. I-95 in VA is crowded in the middle of the night. You could practically camp out on I-95 in South Carolina and watch the stars. Yeah, that's a slight exaggeration, but if you haven't been on it, it really doesn't compare to much of the rest of 95.
Also, to show how much $4.5 Billion is to South Carolina...their entire transportation budget state-wide is only $1.7 Billion. You can bet that the majority of the people in the state won't want to spend so much money on a highway that they aren't using.
I certainly wouldn't be against any widening, but in the larger context of things, it's pretty easy to avoid the few days SC's I-95 experiences congestion simply by traveling a day earlier or later, or driving at night.
I agree that I-95 doesn't need widening in SC, it's just wasting funds for the most part. If it were to be widened, I would just do it from Georgia to where US 17 branches off south of Yemassee. Or, as an extreme, to I-26, as was already suggested earlier in the thread. Anything north of that seems like such a waste to me.
Quote from: plain on January 29, 2017, 02:38:05 PM
I agree that I-95 doesn't need widening in SC, it's just wasting funds for the most part. If it were to be widened, I would just do it from Georgia to where US 17 branches off south of Yemassee. Or, as an extreme, to I-26, as was already suggested earlier in the thread. Anything north of that seems like such a waste to me.
I agree with this to exit 33 would work.. Its a big split with traffic going to Charleston.. Ideally I would like to see it up to i26 with 95n to 26w and maybe 95s to 26e flyover instead of widening north of 26
LGMS428
Strategic widening of 95 between Petersburg VA and Florence SC eould suffice.
In my mind Lumberton area and between Fayetteville and Wilson need some immediate attention
LGMS428
I would agree that if there is any part of I-95 in the Southeast that doesn't need widening, it is the section between Interstate 20 and Interstate 26. I am aware that that is a very rural stretch of interstate, as a matter of fact. Also, this stretch of Interstate 95 is missing some of the traffic that would probably be feeding in from both I-26 East to I-95 South (and vice versa), and I-20 East to I-95 North (and vice versa). I can see if the traffic counts of this segment of I-95 are simply not enough to justify widening it. I can also understand if South Carolina simply doesn't have the money for such a large widening project, anyhow.
Widening the section between I-20 and the NC border would probably be the best way to spend scant dollars. The rest can wait for a more opportune time.
Quote from: DeaconG on January 30, 2017, 11:17:24 AM
Widening the section between I-20 and the NC border would probably be the best way to spend scant dollars. The rest can wait for a more opportune time.
Georgia anf Florida will soon have i95 as at least 6 lanes. Over 500 milescof at least 3 lanes and then SC goes to 4 lanes. Lots of traffic issues at the state line.
I hsve seen quite a few articles about the high rate of accidents and deaths on that part of 95. Hilton Head is nearby, a big tourist draw, as well as the ports in Savannah and Charleston. I see the part of 95 at the GA line as first widened
LGMS428
Quote from: AlexandriaVA on January 23, 2017, 07:46:24 PM
Based on everything I've heard about the new Administration's road funding, get ready for the South Carolina Turnpike.
I would fully support that.
I wouldn't be surprised if South Carolina builds more toll roads. It may be the only way certain projects could be funded and built.
Relevant to this thread...
From the Interstate Plan part of South Carolina's Multimodal Transportation Plan (dated December, 2014, so not all that long ago) comes this INRIX congestion analysis for I-95:
(https://c1.staticflickr.com/1/433/32493304282_9c9578fbaa_b_d.jpg) (https://www.flickr.com/photos/ajfroggie/32493304282)
From what I could tell from the Interstate Plan, this analysis was based heavily on Highway Capacity Manual methodology/calculations. As you can see, overall there really isn't a whole lot of congestion on I-95. Sure, there may be some weekend congestion that isn't reflected here, but $4 billion is an awfully large amount of money to be spending against the occasional weekend traffic jam. Especially considering that's about 2.5 times SCDOT's annual budget.
There isn't ANY congestion, according to this report! Even the lone C is usually very adequate for traffic.
http://www.dot.state.sc.us/inside/I95_Safe/default.aspx
Looks like they're planning a public information meeting on 2/9 in Ridgeland. Planning to widen the first 33 miles of 95 (to the US 17 split towards Charleston).
^ My read on that project is that it is *NOT* a widening project, but instead will establish a 55 foot clear zone along the outside shoulder and median in both the northbound and southbound directions.
In short, they're going to cut down a bunch of trees and maybe add some guardrail here and there, in part because over 40% of the fatalities and "incapacitating injuries" on that stretch were the result of hitting the trees.
Quote from: DeaconG on January 30, 2017, 11:17:24 AM
Widening the section between I-20 and the NC border would probably be the best way to spend scant dollars. The rest can wait for a more opportune time.
The Jasper County area would be good too, but the furthest north I can imagine that being necessary would be the north end of the US 17 overlap. Something that I've always noticed when I drive between Georgia and South Carolina (which I'm sure I've mentioned before) is that every time I drive up, it's always smooth sailing as the road narrows from six to four lanes crossing the Savannah River. But when I drive down, it's always crowded like a regular day on the Long Island Expressway.
I've finished a quick analysis of I-95 traffic volumes, stretching from the Savannah River (GA/SC line) to Petersburg, VA. Results are shown in the map below:
(https://c1.staticflickr.com/1/402/31839536713_f26980e1a7_b_d.jpg) (https://www.flickr.com/photos/ajfroggie/31839536713)
(before someone rips my head off about it, I'm aware the map is missing some of the newer Interstate routes in North Carolina)
This map shows Passenger Car Equivalent (PCE) volumes for the corridor, based on 2014 (NC) and 2015 (SC & VA) vehicle and truck volumes. PCE is a volume measure that takes trucks into account. It basically converts trucks and buses into a "passenger car equivalent" and is part of the Highway Capacity Manual LOS methodology. The NC and VA data had truck volumes (or percentages) easily accessible. The SC truck data I used were semi-generic values based on the state's Interstate Plan component of their Multimodal Transportation Plan.
The number thresholds roughly correspond to LOS B/C and LOS C/D. No segments got to LOS E, although a segment near Hardeeville, SC got close. The LOS thresholds were based on the following default corridor values:
- 2 travel lanes in each direction
- 70 MPH default speed
- 2+ mile interchange spacing
- Peak Hour Factor 0.88
- K-Factor 10%
- Directional Split 55%
The K-Factor and Directional Split values loosely correlate with average values in Virginia for that segment of I-95, and were also used by NCDOT in past I-95 studies. Each state normally uses a PHF of 0.9, but I dropped it slightly to account for the higher level of tourist/recreational traffic on I-95. This had the net effect of lowering the traffic volumes that correspond with a given LOS threshold.
There are some locations that have a speed limit lower than 70 MPH or have interchange spacing closer than 2 miles. These should be looked at on a more detailed individual basis. I'm also aware that the segment of I-95 through the Florence area has been widened to 6 lanes (3 per direction)...roughly corresponding with the yellow shown on my map. In reality, that segment operates well.
As you can see, this data supports consideration of improvements to several areas along I-95, specifically:
- Georgia line to US 17/Exit 33
- SC 61 to I-26 (technically US 178, but I-26 would be a logical termini for improvements)
- Through Lumberton (hidden by the city marker in my map, but the data supports it)
- Eastover (basically Exit 55) to I-40
- In Petersburg, VA
There are a few locations where the data do *NOT* support widening, namely much of the stretch from I-26 to I-20, and from Kenly to Wilson.
Based on my analysis, top priority for improvements should be from the Georgia line to US 278 (Exit 8 near Hardeeville). This is the segment that is close to the LOS D/E threshold, and the anecdotal backups at the Savannah River that some have mentioned are verified by the traffic data.
Quote from: froggie on February 01, 2017, 08:01:24 AM
Relevant to this thread...
From the Interstate Plan part of South Carolina's Multimodal Transportation Plan (dated December, 2014, so not all that long ago) comes this INRIX congestion analysis for I-95:
(https://c1.staticflickr.com/1/433/32493304282_9c9578fbaa_b_d.jpg) (https://www.flickr.com/photos/ajfroggie/32493304282)
From what I could tell from the Interstate Plan, this analysis was based heavily on Highway Capacity Manual methodology/calculations. As you can see, overall there really isn't a whole lot of congestion on I-95. Sure, there may be some weekend congestion that isn't reflected here, but $4 billion is an awfully large amount of money to be spending against the occasional weekend traffic jam. Especially considering that's about 2.5 times SCDOT's annual budget.
My complaint about the Inrix analysis above (which I like) is that it should have been broken-down by season and by weekdays and weekends (relatively easy to do).
As far as the SCDOT budget goes, it always baffles me that there's not more enthusiasm in South Carolina for tolling its entire section of I-95 to raise revenue to maintain and repair the corridor. The percentage of out-of-state cars, combined with commercial vehicles crossing the state without stopping, has got to be very high.
Drove I-95 northbound into South Carolina yesterday. Zero delay at the lane drop.
However, it must be happening enough that Georgia has signs alerting for congestion/delays starting 6 miles from the lane drop and directs trucks into a specific lane not long after.
Traffic up to Exit 33 was fairly steady.
Today traffic was heavy on I-26 west from Summerville to I-95. I-95 was quiet until I-20 where it picked up, but things were quiet again by the time the 3-lane section ended at SC 327.
Whether they widen anything or not, South Carolina badly needs to address pavement condition, which was atrocious in numerous locations on 26 and 95.
For example, there is still circa-1960 concrete on I-26 between US 15 and near SC 27. In the late 80s I thought it was neat to still have that original surface. Today it is hazardous.
Let me rephrase what I said earlier on this thread;
Something that I've always noticed when I drive between Georgia and South Carolina (which I'm sure I've mentioned before) is that every time I drive up, it's always smooth sailing as the road narrows from six to four lanes crossing the Savannah River. But when I drive down, the northbound lane is always crowded like a regular day on the Long Island Expressway. Southbound, I have no problems with traffic.
Quote from: froggie on February 01, 2017, 02:27:45 PM
I've finished a quick analysis of I-95 traffic volumes, stretching from the Savannah River (GA/SC line) to Petersburg, VA. Results are shown in the map below:
(https://c1.staticflickr.com/1/402/31839536713_f26980e1a7_b_d.jpg) (https://www.flickr.com/photos/ajfroggie/31839536713)
(before someone rips my head off about it, I'm aware the map is missing some of the newer Interstate routes in North Carolina)
This map shows Passenger Car Equivalent (PCE) volumes for the corridor, based on 2014 (NC) and 2015 (SC & VA) vehicle and truck volumes. PCE is a volume measure that takes trucks into account. It basically converts trucks and buses into a "passenger car equivalent" and is part of the Highway Capacity Manual LOS methodology. The NC and VA data had truck volumes (or percentages) easily accessible. The SC truck data I used were semi-generic values based on the state's Interstate Plan component of their Multimodal Transportation Plan.
The number thresholds roughly correspond to LOS B/C and LOS C/D. No segments got to LOS E, although a segment near Hardeeville, SC got close. The LOS thresholds were based on the following default corridor values:
- 2 travel lanes in each direction
- 70 MPH default speed
- 2+ mile interchange spacing
- Peak Hour Factor 0.88
- K-Factor 10%
- Directional Split 55%
The K-Factor and Directional Split values loosely correlate with average values in Virginia for that segment of I-95, and were also used by NCDOT in past I-95 studies. Each state normally uses a PHF of 0.9, but I dropped it slightly to account for the higher level of tourist/recreational traffic on I-95. This had the net effect of lowering the traffic volumes that correspond with a given LOS threshold.
There are some locations that have a speed limit lower than 70 MPH or have interchange spacing closer than 2 miles. These should be looked at on a more detailed individual basis. I'm also aware that the segment of I-95 through the Florence area has been widened to 6 lanes (3 per direction)...roughly corresponding with the yellow shown on my map. In reality, that segment operates well.
As you can see, this data supports consideration of improvements to several areas along I-95, specifically:
- Georgia line to US 17/Exit 33
- SC 61 to I-26 (technically US 178, but I-26 would be a logical termini for improvements)
- Through Lumberton (hidden by the city marker in my map, but the data supports it)
- Eastover (basically Exit 55) to I-40
- In Petersburg, VA
There are a few locations where the data do *NOT* support widening, namely much of the stretch from I-26 to I-20, and from Kenly to Wilson.
Based on my analysis, top priority for improvements should be from the Georgia line to US 278 (Exit 8 near Hardeeville). This is the segment that is close to the LOS D/E threshold, and the anecdotal backups at the Savannah River that some have mentioned are verified by the traffic data.
The problem is that no one wants to drive the speed limit. That is the issue not the lane capacity.
Quote from: Avalanchez71 on June 13, 2022, 11:21:32 PM
The problem is that no one wants to drive the speed limit. That is the issue not the lane capacity.
Nice map and analysis -- but the data is now well out-of-date. Could it be updated with 2021 data for just I-95 in South Carolina, with I-26 added in?
Correct about the speed limit -- in both directions, which is the problem. There are drivers who think 80-85 is an appropriate speed and any doing less is an impediment (even if they are driving at 77-78). Those drivers are in the left lane because there are too many drivers in the right lane who either can't or won't go above 60-65, along with drivers who can't maintain a constant speed even with cruise control. To get out of the way of the tailgaters requires a quick speed drop of 10 MPH to move right, then hope for a large enough opening in the left lane to allow getting back up to 78 without getting rear-ended. Of course, it is all moot when both lanes are down to 25-30 MPH (with occasional bursts up to 40, with an almost concurrent slamming on the brakes).
Been there, done this multiple times (although last week I-95 behaved in both directions -- I-26 not so much with two major wrecks on 6/5 slowing traffic for miles between Columbia and Orangeburg and no good alternative route available, at least according to WAZE [it failed on that day, other times it has been good with ways to avoid such messes]).
Bruce in Blacksburg
The real question is, is it worth it? Petersburg is the big switchover point, because most of the traffic exits onto I-85, which serves the larger cities in the Southeast. While I agree that I-95 needs to be fixed, does it really need to be widened as well? IIRC, Savannah is the largest city on its route between Richmond and Jacksonville, and even that is a small town by today's standards. With such a huge drop in traffic at the I-85 exchange, I really don't see the justification of the high price that widening would bring. If tolls were on the table, it would be a different story, but I'm certain that they'd be shot down in both Columbia and Raleigh right away.
Yes it is worth it.
Has the state of South Carolina come up with the $4 billion needed to expand Interstate 95? Whether the roadway should be expanded is another discussion.
Quote from: Henry on June 14, 2022, 12:52:31 PM
The real question is, is it worth it? Petersburg is the big switchover point, because most of the traffic exits onto I-85, which serves the larger cities in the Southeast. While I agree that I-95 needs to be fixed, does it really need to be widened as well? IIRC, Savannah is the largest city on its route between Richmond and Jacksonville, and even that is a small town by today's standards. With such a huge drop in traffic at the I-85 exchange, I really don't see the justification of the high price that widening would bring. If tolls were on the table, it would be a different story, but I'm certain that they'd be shot down in both Columbia and Raleigh right away.
The numbers don't show this. South of Exit 61 (beyond the urban pattern), I-85 has an ADT of 25,000 (and an AAWDT of 24,000). South of Exit 45 (also beyond the urban pattern), I-95 has an an ADT of 43,000 (and an AAWDT of 36,000). At the North Carolina border (which is way beyond the urban pattern), I-85 has an ADT of 22,000 (AAWDT of 19,000) and I-95 has an ADT of 38,000 (AAWDT of 33,000). Since that includes traffic to/from the east on US-58, let's check north of South Hill and Emporia just to make sure.
North of Exit 15 on I-85, the ADT is 20,000 (AAWDT 18,000) and north of Exit 13 on I-95, the ADT is only 32,000 (AAWDT 27,000).
I didn't compare I-85 and I-95 inside the urban zone, but there is a significant increase of traffic on I-85 north of US-460 during rush hour (and much of it is indeed local).
I am assuming that ADT is the same as the usual AADT, but I'm reporting both the ADT and the AAWDT (weekday) just in case.
Revisiting this thread. I-95 is a bit of a mess in southern SC now that I've actually driven it. Both times heading north at around 10AM on a random weekday, I managed to get stuck in a standstill going north between Exits 38 and 42. Something about the Combahee River I guess :P. Traffic was fine at the GA/SC line, started to build around Ridgeland, but still moved at a steady 65-70. Eventually it became like the NJ Turnpike used to be south of Exit 8A before being widened. Both lanes packed just a hair away from a major disaster if someone screwed up.
Yeah. The NEC to Florida traffic makes the lack of cities along 95 in the Carolinas and GA moot. Far more of a traffic generator than anything 85 syphons off the road. 85 West of Durham also adds alot of intra-carolina traffic.
I haven't driven that segment of I-95 that often, but I do remember a Saturday night drive (close to midnight coming back from Florida to Virginia) during the spring a couple years back, and my experience with I-95 was different between Georgia and South Carolina.
In Georgia, during the day still, the highway was extremely busy however it was still flowing at 75-85 mph across all three northbound lanes. Then, as we got to South Carolina, there was a 5-10 minute backup as all the traffic merged down to two lanes, then it just became stop-and-go and fluctuating between 35 and 70 mph all the way to I-26. North of there, it started finally picking up, then after stopping for food somewhere, probably close to midnight, I-95 north was bumper to bumper flowing at 45-55 mph for probably 20-30 miles and it never got any better. Heavy rain started following us all the way into North Carolina restricting traffic down to 35-45 mph (close to 2am at this point - still bumper to bumper and extremely busy). I eventually bailed out at US-264, took that to Greenville, then up US-13 to US-17 because I wanted no part on I-95 anymore. It was still raining heavily, but I could maintain 55-60 mph the whole way without having to worry about basically any traffic.
The rain played a part in slowing down the end of the trip, but most of the drive through South Carolina was still dry. But there was no escape from the slow flow. Actually, I'll say one thing. Florence allowed traffic to open up some and get up to 75-80 mph because it's 6 lanes through there. But it went right back to slow flow after that.
6 lanes fixes a lot of the problems, and I-95 needs that all the way from Petersburg to Savannah. The nearly 50 miles of 8 lane widening happening in North Carolina will be a major "break" in otherwise congested flow once those projects are complete in a few years.
I took a trip to visit my in-laws outside of Savannah, GA (Bloomingdale) and the routing I use involves the section of I-95 from Jimmy Deloach Pkwy in Pooler to I-26 near Bowman, SC. The observation I have is that I-95 needs to be widened from the GA/SC line to at least I-26--mostly because of weekend traffic. Last year, we traveled to Bloomingdale on a Saturday and, holy sh*t, the traffic on I-95 (and I-26 from Little Mtn, SC most of the way to I-95) was a giant slog. So, this year, we decided to travel on Friday. It wasn't all that great, but better than a Saturday. Both times, we returned home on Tuesday and had no real issues other than a couple of minor slowdowns.
I am not aware of any traffic issues north of I-26 because I do not travel that way, but from what my father has mentioned to me in his travels from Lakeland, FL to Fuquay-Varina, NC to visit my brother is that the issues he would encounter would start north of I-20 and be intermittent between there and I-40.
It is good to see North Carolina begin to widen I-95. I imagine is must be stressful to regularly travel I-95 anywhere along the East Coast based on what I have read. The last time I was on I-95 for a good stretch was in 2005 taking a delivery from Alexandria, VA to Miami Beach. It did not seem very stressful then, but that was 17 years ago.
South Carolina may want to start to piecemeal 6-lane stretches for I-95 through the state much like Kentucky has done for I-65 and I-75. It has been around 30 years since Kentucky started widening I-75 north and south of Lexington. The last section is almost complete between London and mile point (Kentucky uses this term) 51. This would leave the 29 miles from Corbin to the Tennessee/Kentucky line as the last of the four lane section. I-65 was done much quicker (less than 10 years) from Elizabethtown to the KY/TN line. If South Carolina started now, this could be complete by 2050. Of course, by then traffic may dictate 8 lanes instead of 6. :D
Heck, SCDOT is actually focusing on widening I-26 to three lanes by 2034 between Columbia and Charleston- that's about 70 miles to widen! The portion on I-95 for the first 33 miles will be done by... 2030!
https://www.wltx.com/article/news/local/lawmakers-approve-600-million-fast-track-i26-widening-project/101-1cafe810-425e-4ea2-94cd-086742c7fb95
^ This is good news to hear. This will be some undertaking in that 70 mile stretch, albeit for good. SCDOT is currently working on widening I-26 from just west of Exit 85 to where the 6-lane begins around Exit 101. So, when all of the widening on I-26 is finished between what is currently being worked on and what will be worked on in the future, there will around 135 miles of continuous 6-lane freeway.
The first 33 miles on I-95 will help immensely as some traffic does head toward Charleston on US 17 North at Exit 33. The transition could be a bit smoother than it currently is in Pooler and Port Wentworth as traffic goes from 3 lanes to 2 at the Savannah River state line bridge.
Quote from: amroad17 on June 28, 2022, 01:43:05 AM
I am not aware of any traffic issues north of I-26 because I do not travel that way, but from what my father has mentioned to me in his travels from Lakeland, FL to Fuquay-Varina, NC to visit my brother is that the issues he would encounter would start north of I-20 and be intermittent between there and I-40.
This is basically my NC-FL leg of the trip. Leaving Davenport, FL at 5am, I can generally make it to the Triangle by 2-3pm depending on how many times I stopped. I've only done the trip north on a weekday, even then its a mess in southern SC. Weekends, if you leave early, you can avoid most of the SC traffic.
QuoteIt is good to see North Carolina begin to widen I-95. I imagine is must be stressful to regularly travel I-95 anywhere along the East Coast based on what I have read. The last time I was on I-95 for a good stretch was in 2005 taking a delivery from Alexandria, VA to Miami Beach. It did not seem very stressful then, but that was 17 years ago.
Once you get north of the Capital Beltway, it generally isn't too bad mid-day and decent alternatives open up (US-50/301, MD-3/I-97). Midday is generally not a problem traveling through NJ now that the NJ Turnpike is widened.
Bumping and renaming this thread as it deals with I-95 SC widening.
^ I don't think it renames the thread unless the OP does it.
Widening of the first 33 miles of I-95 coming north from GA is still on track and should be completed within the next 10 years, but also in the early planning stages is widening of I-95 between Florence and NC.
https://www.thestate.com/news/politics-government/article271288417.html
With the rebuild of the Lake Marion bridges and the I-26/I-95 interchange also coming within the next few years, there will be much to look forward to for SC's part of I-95.
Quote from: sprjus4 on January 12, 2023, 10:01:26 AM
^ I don't think it renames the thread unless the OP does it.
Bingo. That or unless a mod does it. ;)
Here's a good article I just found:
https://www.postandcourier.com/politics/interstate-95-from-the-georgia-line-is-falling-apart-sc-says-it-has-a-goal/article_44a1f980-b154-11ed-92a9-a388a9418abe.html?mibextid=Zxz2cZ
Quote from: wriddle082 on February 22, 2023, 08:36:11 AM
Here's a good article I just found:
https://www.postandcourier.com/politics/interstate-95-from-the-georgia-line-is-falling-apart-sc-says-it-has-a-goal/article_44a1f980-b154-11ed-92a9-a388a9418abe.html?mibextid=Zxz2cZ
Sen. Campsen isn't wrong. Just did the stretch from I-26 to Georgia and spent a lot of time in the left lane to avoid bad pavement. There are more replacement slabs in the right lane than in past trips but there isn't always a smooth transition from pavement to new slab and back again. There was also a long stretch (sorry, don't have mileposts) where a lot of silt fencing has been installed along the edge of the right of way, like something big is going to start in the way of construction.
Yes, as I write I am in the passenger seat on a ride up I-95 in SC. Stretches of right lane for a while here just north of Walterboro are really rough.
Just finished a round trip in SC. The entire northbound stretch in Dillon County is TERRIBLE. The southbound side here is just the opposite, very smooth concrete.
As for widening, still nice and busy between the GA Line and MP 40 during the morning.
I remember driving thru Dillon County in March 2009 and the northbound pavement was awful then too!
Looking at streetview, it looks like it was last repaved in the middle of 2009.... so its been almost 14 years! Granted the area doesn't see freeze-thaw cycles like the north, but its way past due for a mill and repave. Part of the road are worn down to the milled surface!
Quote from: VTGoose on February 24, 2023, 11:55:03 AM
Quote from: wriddle082 on February 22, 2023, 08:36:11 AM
Here's a good article I just found:
https://www.postandcourier.com/politics/interstate-95-from-the-georgia-line-is-falling-apart-sc-says-it-has-a-goal/article_44a1f980-b154-11ed-92a9-a388a9418abe.html?mibextid=Zxz2cZ
Sen. Campsen isn't wrong. Just did the stretch from I-26 to Georgia and spent a lot of time in the left lane to avoid bad pavement. There are more replacement slabs in the right lane than in past trips but there isn't always a smooth transition from pavement to new slab and back again. There was also a long stretch (sorry, don't have mileposts) where a lot of silt fencing has been installed along the edge of the right of way, like something big is going to start in the way of construction.
That reminds me of I-20 from Augusta to Columbia when I drove on it 20 years ago. I hate lingering in the left lane, but I felt forced to because the right lane looked and felt like I was driving on a shifting sidewalk.
Quote from: Gnutella on March 07, 2023, 12:53:06 AM
Quote from: VTGoose on February 24, 2023, 11:55:03 AM
Quote from: wriddle082 on February 22, 2023, 08:36:11 AM
Here's a good article I just found:
https://www.postandcourier.com/politics/interstate-95-from-the-georgia-line-is-falling-apart-sc-says-it-has-a-goal/article_44a1f980-b154-11ed-92a9-a388a9418abe.html?mibextid=Zxz2cZ
Sen. Campsen isn't wrong. Just did the stretch from I-26 to Georgia and spent a lot of time in the left lane to avoid bad pavement. There are more replacement slabs in the right lane than in past trips but there isn't always a smooth transition from pavement to new slab and back again. There was also a long stretch (sorry, don't have mileposts) where a lot of silt fencing has been installed along the edge of the right of way, like something big is going to start in the way of construction.
That reminds me of I-20 from Augusta to Columbia when I drove on it 20 years ago. I hate lingering in the left lane, but I felt forced to because the right lane looked and felt like I was driving on a shifting sidewalk.
Similar to I-59 between Birmingham and Georgia - to quote my mom, "Go ahead and move to the left lane, you're on I-59, it'll be less bumpy"
Can someone explain to me why SC's overhead signs angled to face the sky and why they add a blank green board underneath portions of some sign assemblies (below a shorter sign on a 2-signed gantry)?
I do like how they still have the overheads lighted on I-85 in Greenville which looks great at night.
Quote from: architect77 on April 14, 2023, 05:57:42 PM
Can someone explain to me why SC's overhead signs angled to face the sky and why they add a blank green board underneath portions of some sign assemblies (below a shorter sign on a 2-signed gantry)?
I do like how they still have the overheads lighted on I-85 in Greenville which looks great at night.
On the alignment, I am guessing its for light/sun glare not reflecting into driver eyes.
Quote from: WashuOtaku on April 15, 2023, 09:17:23 AM
Quote from: architect77 on April 14, 2023, 05:57:42 PM
Can someone explain to me why SC's overhead signs angled to face the sky and why they add a blank green board underneath portions of some sign assemblies (below a shorter sign on a 2-signed gantry)?
I do like how they still have the overheads lighted on I-85 in Greenville which looks great at night.
On the alignment, I am guessing its for light/sun glare not reflecting into driver eyes.
The blank green boards are installed when both the BGS has lighting AND when it is not mounted on an overpass. Presumably this is prevent the light from streaming past the sign. They have been doing this for at least 30 years.
This is the 2007 standard spec for the BGSs (pg. 567 of the
manual (https://www.scdot.org/business/pdf/2007_full_specbook.pdf)) but it does not say why:
QuoteOrient the face of overhead signs 3 degrees from vertical, the front bottom edge being forward of the front top edge, and at 90 degrees to oncoming traffic. On horizontal curves and just beyond curves, ensure that this 90-degree angle is measured from a line extending between the vertical centerline of the sign, or group of signs in the installation and an observation point on the center of the lane or lanes that the signs serve. Determine the observation point as specified for ground signs
Quote from: Mapmikey on April 15, 2023, 10:09:40 AM
Quote from: WashuOtaku on April 15, 2023, 09:17:23 AM
Quote from: architect77 on April 14, 2023, 05:57:42 PM
Can someone explain to me why SC's overhead signs angled to face the sky and why they add a blank green board underneath portions of some sign assemblies (below a shorter sign on a 2-signed gantry)?
I do like how they still have the overheads lighted on I-85 in Greenville which looks great at night.
On the alignment, I am guessing its for light/sun glare not reflecting into driver eyes.
The blank green boards are installed when both the BGS has lighting AND when it is not mounted on an overpass. Presumably this is prevent the light from streaming past the sign. They have been doing this for at least 30 years.
This is the 2007 standard spec for the BGSs (pg. 567 of the
manual (https://www.scdot.org/business/pdf/2007_full_specbook.pdf)) but it does not say why:
QuoteOrient the face of overhead signs 3 degrees from vertical, the front bottom edge being forward of the front top edge, and at 90 degrees to oncoming traffic. On horizontal curves and just beyond curves, ensure that this 90-degree angle is measured from a line extending between the vertical centerline of the sign, or group of signs in the installation and an observation point on the center of the lane or lanes that the signs serve. Determine the observation point as specified for ground signs
Thank you for that answer. It's interesting because some of them seem tilted more that 3 degrees upward, a lot more. And then neighboring Georgia would have them facing downward.
Georgia was the first nearby state to adopt the highly reflective overheads which might mean a downward angle would capture cars' headlamps easier.
I like SC's lighted signs, and it's a shame that NC ceased lighting the overheads many years ago.
I've noticed another unfortunate cost-cutting measure in NC which is mounting the overheads directly to the gantry instead of them being all aligned at the bottom affixed to an intermediate frame that's then attached to the gantry.
SC's lighted signs may be nice, but their general lack of freeway lighting in general is terrible. For example, not one bit of I-77 in SC is lit. Not one single interchange, ramp, or wide suburban stretch of road. The closest is the recently widened SC 460 overpass that has lighting that serves the DDI bridge only.
Article from EW about the southern widening which will be nice: https://www.constructionequipmentguide.com/interstate-95-in-south-carolinas-low-country-to-be-widened-starting-in-late-2024/60858
Quote from: Plutonic Panda on April 22, 2023, 02:07:59 AM
Article from EW about the southern widening which will be nice: https://www.constructionequipmentguide.com/interstate-95-in-south-carolinas-low-country-to-be-widened-starting-in-late-2024/60858
While I'm glad to see something finally starting to happen, I wonder about the sanity of Bradley Reynolds, SCDOT's project manager on the I-95 lane expansion, based on his comment in the article:
"After the new lanes are installed, he said traffic will flow much smoother, the roads will be able to handle higher traffic capacities, and drivers will be safer."
True, this might work most days for that first 8 miles but on bad days it will only move the clog of traffic a little further north from the current backups in Georgia as the highway goes from 3 lanes to 2.
I don't know what caused the exodus northward on Sunday a week ago but traffic was a mess on I-95 from Brunswick, Ga. on. We did a lot of back road travel to get to Richmond Hill, where I decided to aim for Ga. 21 to work toward Columbia. Waze sent us down I-16 as an alternative to reach U.S. 17 to Hardeeville, which worked out better once we got past a bad wreck, since it gave a straight shot to U.S. 321 (I-95 was a parking lot as we crossed it). It probably took less time to get to I-77 than had we tried I-95 and it was a much less stressful drive. Other than some long rough stretches of pavement and having to slow for a couple of towns, it was a nice drive.
Not directly tied to I-95 widening, but there are plans to replace the I-95 bridges over Lake Marion in Santee. Public meeting coming up on 6/1.
http://info2.scdot.org/SCDOTPress/Lists/Posts/Post.aspx?ID=3398
Didn't see a whole lot of details, but hopefully the replacement spans will be wide enough to accommodate six lanes, even if not initially striped for it.
https://i-95-over-lake-marion-scdot.hub.arcgis.com/pages/overview-of-proejct
The proposed Bridge Replacements would include:
- Removal of the existing northbound and southbound I-95 bridges once the new structures are complete.
- Removal of abandoned in-water wooden pilings to the west of the current I-95 bridges and east of the US 301 bridge.
- Two 12-foot travel lanes would be provided in both the southbound and northbound directions.
- A 10-foot minimum inside shoulder (shoulders may be wider due to staging requirements) and 12-foot outside shoulder would be provided.
- There will be a barrier separated 14-foot shared use path for pedestrians and bicyclists on the southbound bridge only.
- The bridge deck widths would be large enough to accommodate an additional 12-foot travel lane in the future, if needed.
Is that bridge to the NW of the I-95 twin bridges open for walking and biking?