Columbia, SC (WLTX) - After nine different proposals, South Carolina Department of Transportation (SCDOT) now has one draft for the Carolina Crossroads Project.
The $1.3 billion project, that is known as "Malfunction Junction" is set to improve the I-20, I-26 and I-126 corridors.
The project's Draft Environmental Impact Statement was approved by the Federal Highway Administration and will go through a public hearing process from now until September 17, 2018.
A public meeting will also take place on August 23, 2018 at the Columbia Conference Center, from 11:00 a.m to 7:00 p.m., where people can ask questions about the project.
"As we take comments and evaluate them, in every way that we can we will try to accommodate those comments," says Brian Klauk, project manager. "The design is not finalized yet here in the Draft Environmental Impact Statement. So, it's really important that people come out get engaged and involved in the process."
They plan to remove the loops at I-26 and I-20, add lanes in each direction as well as move exits and entrance ramps so there is no conflict of cars entering and exiting at the same point.
While the goal is to ease traffic concerns on the busy stretch of highway, construction can cause major problems for homeowners living nearby.
"They had nine drawings and my house was impacted by two of them," says Donald Bishop.
The design SCDOT is planning on going with will require Bishop to sell his home, a home he's been living in for 28 years.
"Prior to them doing all of this, I had done a lot of renovating inside," says Bishop. "So they're going to count me for my renovation project hopefully."
He's hoping that SCDOT will pay for the full value of his home, along with the $30,000 worth of renovations. Bishop says he in the process of buying another home off of St. Andrew's road.
"I'm 60 years old and it's hard to start over with a new mortgage hanging over your head."
He believes the overall project is worth the move as long as it's done right.
SCDOT says once the project is finalized, they will begin construction in 2020.