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$360 million proposed to speed up I-26 widening from Columbia to Charleston

The governor says its a 'once in a lifetime' opportunity

COLUMBIA, S.C. — South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster is proposing using hundreds of millions in federal funds to speed up the widening of Interstate 26, an idea he calls in a "once in a lifetime opportunity." 

McMaster and other leaders unveiled their proposal at a press conference Thursday along a stretch of I-26 in Calhoun County. 

"We must seize this moment to set our state on a strong course for generations of prosperity and success," McMaster said.

The governor said the state is currently deciding how to spent $2.4 billion in federal money approved by Congress from the American Rescue Act. He and South Carolina Department of Transportation Director Christy Hall are asking state lawmakers to appropriate $360 million of those funds to accelerate the widening of the highway between Columbia and Charleston. It's a project that SCDOT has been planning for along time but McMaster and Hall said this one-time infusion of money will speed up the effort by six years. 

"Instead of starting the project in the next 10 years, we expect to complete the project in the next 10 years," Hall said. 

RELATED: $435 million available for small towns in South Carolina from American Rescue Plan Act

McMaster said this effort is critical to the growth of business in the state, as the highway is used to transport goods from the port of Charleston around the state and region, and will help other manufacturers in all areas of South Carolina 

"This gives us a chance to make progress at a critical time," McMaster said. "People and businesses are anxious and businesses are bursting at the seems to expand and get back to business."

RELATED: SC leaders figuring out how to spend billions in federal COVID funding

Hall said this stretch of I-26 was built 60 years ago, and 22 million vehicles go down that stretch every year, including many 18-wheelers. She said over the years there's been a 30 percent increase in traffic, and there are frequently slowdowns and accidents. 

The plan has been to do the work in 15 mile increments, starting at the same time in Charleston and Columbia and working inward until it's complete. Hall said they likely can do the work in larger chunks if this money comes in, because it would create a "cascade of events" that would make the project come together quicker. 

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