Another article passed along to me from Carter:
Interstate 95: South Carolina's most dangerous sleepy hollow (http://www.charlestoncitypaper.com/charleston/interstate-95-south-carolinas-most-dangerous-sleepy-hollow/Content?oid=1111992)
QuoteTotal number of miles and total fatalities from 2002 to 2006 due to fatigue or sleeping
I-95: 198 miles, 42 fatalities
I-26: 221 miles, 7 fatalities
I-77: 90 miles, 3 fatalities
I-20: 141 miles, 2 fatalities
I-85: 106 miles, 0 fatalities
Interesting stats. I'm not sure if there's a direct correlation between I-95 itself and the number of fatalities, it can also have to do with the fact I-95 being a long-haul route, and most people already having driven many hours from either Washington or Miami on I-95, and they fall asleep in South Carolina.
Plus, there are no major population areas outside of Florence. The 200 miles seem to drag on for hours.
And having a 4-laned interstate for a long-haul route doesn't help much either.
I'm not so surprised about the statistics in fatalites. For one thing the hotel and lodging industry takes advantage of the road charging $60 - $70 a night for a hotel room. And more and more rest areas are being closed down and besides who can actually sleep in a car ( yes, I have tried it). Oh and gas prices have made it hard to afford decent lodging.
$60-70 for lodging really isn't that expensive. The article could also be written for NC. We have the same problem on I-95 here.
It is because of the two states being pretty much the mid-point between NY and Florida.
Quote from: leifvanderwall on October 03, 2009, 08:13:27 PM
besides who can actually sleep in a car
apparently, the people in South Carolina ... would help matters if they pulled over first!
I have tried to sleep in the back of my commercial van once (it doesn't have back seats), putting a small mattress in, but I woke up in the middle of the night, found out that there wasn't much air left. I had to open a window to get some air, the regular ventilation wasn't sufficient.
That is a realistic statistic though. I mean, who would really want to stay overnight at South of the Border? :biggrin:
Better carry a 24 case of Pepsi
Quote from: leifvanderwall on October 12, 2009, 08:57:33 PM
Better carry a 24 case of Pepsi
Not in South Carolina, that's Coke country! :sombrero:
Perhaps it wouldn't be such a bad idea to increase the speed limit on I-95 to 80 m.p.h. so that drivers can get through the state with less chance of falling asleep. I'm not sure about the other interstates, though.
Quote from: florida on October 13, 2009, 06:36:46 PM
Quote from: mightyace on October 13, 2009, 05:51:42 PM
Quote from: leifvanderwall on October 12, 2009, 08:57:33 PM
Better carry a 24 case of Pepsi
Not in South Carolina, that's Coke country! :sombrero:
Better yet, Cheerwine!
Hell yeah! Has to be my favorite soft drink. I wish we had it here in Texas. Definitely Dr. Pepper country here.
Improvements to the I-95/US 301 Interchange and US 301 Connector (http://www.scdot.org/ArtMan/publish/article_929.shtml)
QuoteThe South Carolina Department of Transportation (SCDOT) has scheduled a public information meeting Thursday, Dec. 3, concerning the I-95/US 301 Interchange Modification and US 301 Connector Project.
The meeting will be from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m., in the Lake Marion High School Cafeteria, 3656 Tee Vee Road, Santee, SC.
The information meeting is intended to provide an opportunity to review and discuss individually with representatives SCDOT and the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) plans for the proposed project. The proposed improvements consist of a modifying the I-95/US 301 interchange from partial access to a full access interchange. The proposed improvements also include building a new location roadway to connect US 301 from I-95 to SC 6 near Naval Station Road. The US 301 connector is proposed to accommodate a five-lane section from I-95 tapering down to a three-lane section to SC 6. The connector road also includes a bridge over the CSX railroad approximately halfway between I-95 and SC 6.
So all of I-95 in SC is 4 lanes? Are any segments slated for 6-laning?
It is six lanes in the Florence area for I think about ten or so miles
From I-20 to just north of SC 327, so yes right around 10 miles.