South Carolina

[wriddle082]

State DOTs could do it, yes.  But in terms of this forum and the discussions therein, we're limited in data availability for your "annual rule"...

The "20 weekends and holidays" annual rule is rather apparent for the users of these highways, at least in my observations of I-81.  If detailed engineering studies show otherwise then I am fine with that.

Forget the traffic counts (which will likely indicate a need for widening I-26 anyway).  Consider safety.  Consider that once a month on average, there is a report of a fatal accident on 26 SE of Columbia.  Consider that a set of overpass piers were hit by a tractor trailer two years ago, which resulted in the remaining structure being removed and it's replacement only now being constructed.  Consider that every other time I take this roadway, I find mysekf traveling at speeds ranging anywhere from 75 to 45, with only a very few minor hills causing the slow-downs closer to Columbia.  Consider that the truck traffic is still heavy even in the middle of the night due to the Port of Charleston, which is one of (I think) only two Atlantic seaports capable of handling the Panamax ships.

The citizens want it widened.  The governor ordered it to be widened.  And the gas tax hike will make it a reality once enough revenue is collected.

[froggie]

^ What you mention regarding safety speaks more to the need for a full reconstruction and improving geometry than it does widening.  That said, if it does need widening (and as mentioned upthread I haven't found traffic data to look at), reconstruction would be the time to do it.

[Mapmikey]

The I-26 segment immediately west of I-95 has gone up 20% from 2006 (42.5K aadt) to 2018 (52.8K aadt).

The highest 2018 AADT for I-26 by county btw Columbia and I-95:

Orangeburg Co - 56K (US 601 to S-22)
Calhoun Co - 63.4K (US 21 to S-31)
Lexington Co - 93.8K (I-126 to US 378); note northwest of Columbia it jumps to 144K

These appear to be for both directions combined...

SCDOT traffic stuff is here - https://www.scdot.org/travel/travel-trafficdata.aspx

Can get down to daily data here - http://dbw.scdot.org/Poll5WebAppPublic/wfrm/wfrmHomePage.aspx  - Click on a station and you can look at current hourly data; pick a day in the past; look at monthly averages, etc.

[D-Dey65]

Also hoping they add a couple of flyovers at the 26/95 cloverleaf, for NB-WB and SB-EB.

The 26/95 interchange is one of the worst double-interstate junction. That SB-EB cloverleaf is dreadful. Way too bumpy, and the accel lanes are way too short.

I'd almost be willing to consider a full stack. I was looking at the interchange from Google Maps and the EB-NB cloverleaf looks way too tight. Until then, I would've been happy to leave the cloverleaf ramps off of I-26 alone, and add more embankments to the flyovers, rather than have 2 long series of bridges.

[sprjus4]

https://myrtlebeachsc.com/grand-strand-area-transportation-study-now-in-progress-us-17-corridor/

The Grand Strand Area Transportation Study (GSATS) encourages citizens to get involved in a newly initiated US 17 Corridor Study in Georgetown County.  The US 17 Corridor in Georgetown County currently carries an average of 35,000 vehicles per day.  This area has experienced significant growth which has led to increased congestion and safety concerns along the corridor.

Key challenges along the corridor include how to move traffic efficiently through coastal resort communities while maintaining access to businesses and providing bicycle and pedestrian accommodations.  The Corridor Study will analyze traffic operations, crash history, growth patterns, and access management strategies to improve safety and traffic flow.

The study will result in short-term, mid-term, and long-term recommendations that local governments and the SCDOT could implement in the future to benefit the corridor. The study area begins at the intersection of US 17 and US 17 Bypass in Murrells Inlet (near Georgetown/Horry County Line) and continues south for 19 miles to Hobcaw Barony. 

The Grand Strand Area Transportation Study (GSATS) is leading the project and has contracted with a consulting firm, AECOM, to do the necessary studies.  Georgetown County is also a key project partner.   

The study is just getting underway so preliminary engineering and traffic studies are beginning now.  No decisions have been made, but some of the possible solutions may include: intersection improvements to relieve congestion, geometric improvements to improve safety, bike/pedestrian accommodations, and signal timing.

The study began in June of 2019 and expected to conclude by the Winter of 2020.  Residents are encouraged to get more information about the study and make comments on the wiki map at this location:  https://wikimapping.com/US17.html.  The wiki map offers a place for citizens to leave comments for the project team about specific locations on the corridor.  The wiki map also includes general project information and frequently asked questions.  Public information meetings will also be scheduled in the future as the study progresses.

[RoadPelican]

https://myrtlebeachsc.com/grand-strand-area-transportation-study-now-in-progress-us-17-corridor/

The Grand Strand Area Transportation Study (GSATS) encourages citizens to get involved in a newly initiated US 17 Corridor Study in Georgetown County.  The US 17 Corridor in Georgetown County currently carries an average of 35,000 vehicles per day.  This area has experienced significant growth which has led to increased congestion and safety concerns along the corridor.

Key challenges along the corridor include how to move traffic efficiently through coastal resort communities while maintaining access to businesses and providing bicycle and pedestrian accommodations.  The Corridor Study will analyze traffic operations, crash history, growth patterns, and access management strategies to improve safety and traffic flow.

The study will result in short-term, mid-term, and long-term recommendations that local governments and the SCDOT could implement in the future to benefit the corridor. The study area begins at the intersection of US 17 and US 17 Bypass in Murrells Inlet (near Georgetown/Horry County Line) and continues south for 19 miles to Hobcaw Barony. 

The Grand Strand Area Transportation Study (GSATS) is leading the project and has contracted with a consulting firm, AECOM, to do the necessary studies.  Georgetown County is also a key project partner.   

The study is just getting underway so preliminary engineering and traffic studies are beginning now.  No decisions have been made, but some of the possible solutions may include: intersection improvements to relieve congestion, geometric improvements to improve safety, bike/pedestrian accommodations, and signal timing.

The study began in June of 2019 and expected to conclude by the Winter of 2020.  Residents are encouraged to get more information about the study and make comments on the wiki map at this location:  https://wikimapping.com/US17.html.  The wiki map offers a place for citizens to leave comments for the project team about specific locations on the corridor.  The wiki map also includes general project information and frequently asked questions.  Public information meetings will also be scheduled in the future as the study progresses.

There's really only two options here and both are expensive and controversial.

1) Extend SC 31 south to Georgetown (lots of wetlands here and the Intercoastal Waterway to deal with.)  It would make the drive from Myrtle Beach to Charleston quicker and could help bring more high paying jobs to the region.

2) Improve the existing US 17 corridor similar to how the US 17 bypass was done in Myrtle Beach, find out the worst intersections where traffic backs up and convert them to interchanges.  The minor intersections could remain as is.  This would require many relocations of businesses and new service roads to be built.

[wriddle082]

SCDOT is about to start construction to replace the SC 277 northbound bridge over I-77 at its northern terminus:

https://www.wistv.com/2019/07/18/scdot-begin-sc-northbound-bridge-replacement-over-i-richland-county/

Here is a Streetview of the segmental concrete span:

https://goo.gl/maps/aAvZVzWVoJcmgcPR7

I'm betting the farm that the replacement won't be this unique type of bridge, but will instead be constructed out of boring, compliant AASHTO beams.

[afguy]

It's only two miles away from the current Hardeeville exit, but something that town and county officials believe could speed up economic progress and community growth.

"It's huge for Hardeeville, Jasper County and really the whole Lowcountry region,"  explains Hardeeville Deputy City Manager Matt Davis.

The proposal means Jasper County, the city of Hardeeville and developer SLF III will work together to fund the $82 million project. Which would build an exit off I-95 at Purrysburg road. All have entered into a memorandum of understanding involving the county, Hardeeville and SLF III.

The Texas-based company owns a 5000-acre tract that includes the Riverport Business Park.

"It's just easier access to the land for development purposes, it's that much closer to the Georgia line,"  explains Matt Davis. "A lot of development we anticipate will be related in some fashion the Port of Savannah. They are kind of out land over there so they are looking on this side of the river."

https://www.wsav.com/news/new-exit-on-i-95-could-bring-big-business-to-jasper-county/

[tolbs17]

I miss going to South Carolina. I wish I can visit Myrtle Beach again! I'm going to drive on the new I-140 segment that opened in Wilmington, North Carolina!

By the way, what is Myrtle Beach like? I've been there a long time ago, i was too young so I can't remember.

[D-Dey65]

Fun tip, I was checking out Historic Aerials Online's coverage of the old US 15/301 bridge over Lake Marion between Santee and Adam's Landing, SC, and I found out that the southbound parallel span currently used for billboards was planned but never built.

https://historicaerials.com/?layer=map&zoom=12&lat=33.483333&lon=-80.483333

Not only that, the road running parallel to what is now Bass Lane (Ballard Lane), looks like it was intended to be the southbound lanes of US 15/301, before the I-95 bridges made that obsolete.

[Mapmikey]

Fun tip, I was checking out Historic Aerials Online's coverage of the old US 15/301 bridge over Lake Marion between Santee and Adam's Landing, SC, and I found out that the southbound parallel span currently used for billboards was planned but never built.

https://historicaerials.com/?layer=map&zoom=12&lat=33.483333&lon=-80.483333

Not only that, the road running parallel to what is now Bass Lane (Ballard Lane), looks like it was intended to be the southbound lanes of US 15/301, before the I-95 bridges made that obsolete.

Those "SB"  spans were the Santee River bridges before the lake existed. The now-closed span was built to accommodate the newly formed lake in the 1940s.

[Mapmikey]

Here is a post card showing both bridges at the very southern end...

https://picclick.com/Santee-River-Bridge-Summerton-St-George-SC-Cline-362623035867.html#&gid=1&pid=1

[tolbs17]

Here is a post card showing both bridges at the very southern end...

https://picclick.com/Santee-River-Bridge-Summerton-St-George-SC-Cline-362623035867.html#&gid=1&pid=1

They should demolish those bridges and build new ones.

[Mapmikey]

Here is a post card showing both bridges at the very southern end...

https://picclick.com/Santee-River-Bridge-Summerton-St-George-SC-Cline-362623035867.html#&gid=1&pid=1

They should demolish those bridges and build new ones.

They did.  The truss bridge was torn down decades ago while the high rise bridge was closed to traffic about 30 years ago but remains as a bike trail and fishing pier. The I-95 bridges were built immediately adjacent to this bridge in 1968.

[D-Dey65]

Here is a post card showing both bridges at the very southern end...

https://picclick.com/Santee-River-Bridge-Summerton-St-George-SC-Cline-362623035867.html#&gid=1&pid=1

No wonder Ballard Lane is so low by comparison.

[D-Dey65]

Here is a post card showing both bridges at the very southern end...

https://picclick.com/Santee-River-Bridge-Summerton-St-George-SC-Cline-362623035867.html#&gid=1&pid=1

They should demolish those bridges and build new ones.

They did.  The truss bridge was torn down decades ago while the high rise bridge was closed to traffic about 30 years ago but remains as a bike trail and fishing pier. The I-95 bridges were built immediately adjacent to this bridge in 1968.

But they will have to replace the I-95 bridges within the next 20 to 30 years. Possibly even sooner. What concerns me is that in the process of doing so, they might shift the trajectory of the newer bridges off to one side or the other. I'd rather see them in the same alignment that they've got now. The only way that could be accomplished is to either reopen the old bridge as a temporary detour (Fat chance!) or add temporary bridges alongside the replacement. Another concern is the threat of earthquakes. The last big one South Carolina had was 1886 in Charleston, so it seems foolish not to expect another one to hit the state sometime in the century. As of now, I'm not convinced the existing bridges could survive anything with a high 5 or 6 on the richter scale.

[Gnutella]

SCDOT is really going to town on I-85. I drove up that way a few times last month, and there's non-stop construction from Spartanburg all the way north(east) to near the North Carolina state line. The construction zone is about 35 miles long. Glad to see it being taken care of, though the reconstruction of I-85 past Spartanburg was something I never expected.

Once that's done, they need to reconstruct and widen south(west) of Anderson, and collaborate with GDOT to build a new bridge over Lake Hartwell. By that time, I think GDOT will probably have widened I-85 north(east) from Buford to Commerce.

[roadman65]

How long has Exit 97 in Santee been a complete interchange?  I have not been that way in over 10 years and at that time it was only to and from the north with no road heading east.  Now I see its a parclo allowing NB traffic to access both US 15 and 301 SB and from NB US 15 & 301 to I-95 SB plus a new road to the east.

[Mapmikey]

How long has Exit 97 in Santee been a complete interchange?  I have not been that way in over 10 years and at that time it was only to and from the north with no road heading east.  Now I see its a parclo allowing NB traffic to access both US 15 and 301 SB and from NB US 15 & 301 to I-95 SB plus a new road to the east.

Since Feb 2017...

Back in the 1980s there used to be a giant billboard at this exit that just said 301 TO FLORIDA inside a giant right arrow...

[roadman65]

That connector to SC 6 is unnamed and unnumbered I see.  It is got a reference to it?  BTW what's its nature?

Also what is up with leaving out US 15 on Exit 97 guides?  Also on WB SC 6 US 15 is only shown going north on I-95 and not south.  US 301, is shown completely since the old Lake Marion Bridge was closed many years ago.

[Mapmikey]

That connector to SC 6 is unnamed and unnumbered I see.  It is got a reference to it?  BTW what's its nature?

Also what is up with leaving out US 15 on Exit 97 guides?  Also on WB SC 6 US 15 is only shown going north on I-95 and not south.  US 301, is shown completely since the old Lake Marion Bridge was closed many years ago.

It is not on county or city maps yet.  The 2019 State Official shows it as primary (but not labeled).  Finally I found the designation on the 2018 traffic count interface at SCDOT.  It is officially SC 6 CONN.  South Carolina has been posting CONN routes more in the last decade or so, so maybe it will get posted this way at some point.

US 15 used to be a little better posted in this area post-bridge closure, but it had never made it onto the I-95 BGS at Exit 97.  My guess is because the next exit south is US 15 anyway.  Note that on the Exit 102 BGS northbound, the textual appearance of US 15-301 here goes back to the original signage from the mid 1970s.

[sprjus4]

From SC-6, it's simply labeled as "TO US-301". Not even a sign for I-95...

https://www.google.com/maps/@33.470087,-80.4516898,3a,37.5y,181.7h,86.62t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1swRmrcD6IXcLZ5ROG0Xnu5A!2e0!7i13312!8i6656!5m1!1e1

[tolbs17]

From SC-6, it's simply labeled as "TO US-301". Not even a sign for I-95...

https://www.google.com/maps/@33.470087,-80.4516898,3a,37.5y,181.7h,86.62t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1swRmrcD6IXcLZ5ROG0Xnu5A!2e0!7i13312!8i6656!5m1!1e1

That's a little funny, maybe you should ask SCDOT to add I-95 signs there.

https://www.google.com/maps/@35.8350189,-77.3734454,3a,32.3y,49.47h,83.77t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sjoOnGVRZ5xZPY0TYAjCUFA!2e0!7i13312!8i6656!5m1!1e1

This looks so much better.

[sprjus4]

From SC-6, it's simply labeled as "TO US-301". Not even a sign for I-95...

https://www.google.com/maps/@33.470087,-80.4516898,3a,37.5y,181.7h,86.62t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1swRmrcD6IXcLZ5ROG0Xnu5A!2e0!7i13312!8i6656!5m1!1e1

That's a little funny, maybe you should ask SCDOT to add I-95 signs there.

https://www.google.com/maps/@35.8350189,-77.3734454,3a,32.3y,49.47h,83.77t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sjoOnGVRZ5xZPY0TYAjCUFA!2e0!7i13312!8i6656!5m1!1e1

This looks so much better.

I never even knew they had I-95 signage that far east on US-64... Interesting

[fillup420]

After living in SC for a year, I noticed they have a minimalist signing practice; especially for state and US highways that aren't US 76, US 78, or US 301