Hurricane Florence - Road Closures

[edwaleni]

I-26 is one direction from Charleston to Columbia.

US-501 is one direction from Myrtle Beach SC to Marion SC.

Heavy traffic with backups on I-95 at Hardeeville SC and Bishopville SC on I-20 west of Florence SC.

Schools were closed starting today, traffic will increase throughout the evening as people evacuate before nightfall.

[edwaleni]

SC-22 and SC-31 are now closed in and around Myrtle Beach.

NC-140 and US-17 are one way out of Wilmington.

US-501 is only open for outbound traffic in SC.

I-26 is one way only from Charleston SC all the way to Columbia SC.

All ramps at I-95 and US 278 in Hardeeville are now closed.

[wriddle082]

SC-22 and SC-31 are now closed in and around Myrtle Beach.

NC-140 and US-17 are one way out of Wilmington.

US-501 is only open for outbound traffic in SC.

I-26 is one way only from Charleston SC all the way to Columbia SC.

All ramps at I-95 and US 278 in Hardeeville are now closed.

Contraflow on I-26 and US 501 have been changed back to normal, since most evacuees are already gone.  I think traffic is still restricted in the EB directions of each, or is at least being scrutinized.

[bob7374]

NCDOT has closed I-95 between Exit 81 (I-40) and Exit 65 (NC-82) near Dunn, due to flooding. The road is expected to reopen by 8:30 AM, September 17,2018. They have also closed all Lanes of I-40 are closed in both directions near Warsaw between Exit 364 (NC-24) and Exit 369 (US-117) due to flooding. The road is expected to reopen by 8:30 AM, September 17,2018. Probably more closures to come.

[1995hoo]

VMSs on the Beltway and I-395 today were warning that I-95 was closed in North Carolina. That's probably the most distant warning notices I can recall. Three days after 9-11 there were warnings of closures in the NYC area as we crossed the Delaware Memorial Bridge, but that's not as distant.

[3467]

I heard the mayor of Myrtle Beach on I think CNN.She said they needed an Interstate. I assume she was talking about 73?

[LM117]

I heard the mayor of Myrtle Beach on I think CNN.She said they needed an Interstate. I assume she was talking about 73?

Undoubtedly.

[LM117]

Here's NCDOT's recommended detour around I-95:

https://www.ncdot.gov/news/press-releases/Pages/2018/2018-09-15-nc-travel-conditions.aspx

At this time, drivers who would travel through North Carolina will be detoured completely around the state. If traveling south on I-95, the route around North Carolina will be:

I-64 West in Virginia to I-81, to I-75 in Tennessee to I-16 in Georgia. From there, drivers can access I-95.

This is an extremely long detour, but it is the detour that offers the lowest risk of flooding at this time. Please note those conditions can change as Hurricane Florence moves across the southern North Carolina border and begins to impact South Carolina.

[Beltway]

At this time, drivers who would travel through North Carolina will be detoured completely around the state. If traveling south on I-95, the route around North Carolina will be:

What about the US-1 corridor south of Raleigh?

[Mapmikey]

At this time, drivers who would travel through North Carolina will be detoured completely around the state. If traveling south on I-95, the route around North Carolina will be:

What about the US-1 corridor south of Raleigh?

US 1 is closed both directions in Rockingham (power lines) but otherwise open everywhere else.

The problem is how do you get back to 95 from this routing...  I-95 is closed in Dillon County between SC 38 and SC 34.  SC 38 itself appears to be open currently but this runs through a lot of swamp.  There is a flash flood warning on the segment of I-95 below SC 38 as well.

SCDOT has the detour using I-77 and I-26 back to I-95...considerably shorter than having to go to Georgia

[1995hoo]

http://twitter.com/edpiotrowski/status/1041350727002673152?s=21

[cjk374]

Damn what a mess! The bad news is that this is far from being over with yet.

[1995hoo]

I used Google Maps to find out how much longer of a distance that recommended detour is and came up with about 400 miles (479 miles via I-95 v. 881 miles via the detour). Wow.

Obviously if you're coming from further north and you need to use I-81 it'd make more sense to cut west sooner (I-66, for example). The VMSs here were not suggesting that yesterday; they just said "Use Extreme Caution."

[3467]

I would think unless the destination was in Georgia it would be best to get on 81 as far north as possible and just us 75 to Florida.

[Beltway]

US 1 is closed both directions in Rockingham (power lines) but otherwise open everywhere else.
The problem is how do you get back to 95 from this routing...  I-95 is closed in Dillon County between SC 38 and SC 34.  SC 38 itself appears to be open currently but this runs through a lot of swamp.  There is a flash flood warning on the segment of I-95 below SC 38 as well.
SCDOT has the detour using I-77 and I-26 back to I-95...considerably shorter than having to go to Georgia

OK ... so there are I-95 closures in S.C. as well...

[1995hoo]

http://twitter.com/scdotpress/status/1041294219070066688?s=21

[cjk374]

Are the traffic back-ups bad now in VA & GA now due to the I-95 closure?

[Beltway]

Are the traffic back-ups bad now in VA & GA now due to the I-95 closure?

No such traffic problems reported on the VDOT website (yet).

[3467]

Did they block it off at the boarder? Many of the roads are open to local traffic. I can see why they wanted keep through traffic out.  It prevents problems.

[bob7374]

Flooding has reached the Durham area. US 15-501 is closed between Durham and Chapel Hill due to flooding, an alternative route, Old Chapel Hill road is also closed due to part of the road being washed out. Flooding has also closed Old NC 10 west of Durham. NCDOT is telling everyone south of US 64 and east of I-73/I-74 to stay put, though, as shown above, the flooding issues are now moving west and north.

[abqtraveler]

I-26 is one direction from Charleston to Columbia.

US-501 is one direction from Myrtle Beach SC to Marion SC.

Heavy traffic with backups on I-95 at Hardeeville SC and Bishopville SC on I-20 west of Florence SC.

Schools were closed starting today, traffic will increase throughout the evening as people evacuate before nightfall.

If Hurricane Florence doesn't light a fire under people to get moving on building I-73 through South Carolina, I doubt anything will.

[jeffandnicole]

I-26 is one direction from Charleston to Columbia.

US-501 is one direction from Myrtle Beach SC to Marion SC.

Heavy traffic with backups on I-95 at Hardeeville SC and Bishopville SC on I-20 west of Florence SC.

Schools were closed starting today, traffic will increase throughout the evening as people evacuate before nightfall.

If Hurricane Florence doesn't light a fire under people to get moving on building I-73 through South Carolina, I doubt anything will.

Well, it's not like they're going to be able to say that Interstate highways prevent and resolve any flooding issues...

[vdeane]

It would help with evacuation before the storm, though.

[fillup420]

Google Maps is showing I-40 closed in both directions from Wilmington to Benson, as well as portions of US 74/76 between Lumberton and Wilmington.

[LM117]

It would help with evacuation before the storm, though.

Exactly.

Google Maps is showing I-40 closed in both directions from Wilmington to Benson, as well as portions of US 74/76 between Lumberton and Wilmington.

Yeah, Wilmington is pretty much fucked right now.