SANTEE, S.C. — The South Carolina Department of Transportation (SCDOT) secured $175 million from the U.S. Department of Transportation to replace the Interstate 95 bridges over Lake Marion.
Melanie Brown has lived in Santee for over four years. She says she has been stuck in traffic on the bridge several times.
“I really love it because I’ve been in traffic many times stuck. I mean, I used to work in Manning, and that’s only 23 miles from my house, and sometimes it would be two hours before I got home, especially if there was an accident.”
Brown said she can’t wait for the new bridge.
“Yoohoo! Thank you, Jesus! I do appreciate the government and whoever else is involved in expanding that bridge,” Brown said. “Because we really need it.”
This project will remove the current narrow bridges and replace them with one large bridge. The bridge will have shoulders on each side, up to three lanes, and a biking and walking lane.
Orangeburg County Administrator Harold Young says due to the county's location, the bridge gets many travelers.
“Orangeburg County is basically halfway between New York and Florida, so it’s a major stopping point, a major traveling point for a lot of people using I-95,” said Young. “And what we have found is because of the limited space on those bridges in both directions, any wrecks or whatever really backs up traffic on I-95 real bad, and they’re also dangerous.”
Jane Powell is the executive director of Santee Cooper Country. She says this new bridge will replace the current one and provide extra benefits for tourism.
“The current I-95 bridge is very dangerous, very dangerous. We’ve had fatalities, and there’s no place to escape if there’s an accident or disabled car,” said Cooper. “So by opening it up to the three lanes or the six lanes as their planning, then that will help with the movement and the congestion. And then they’re also going to provide a biking trail and walking trail that’s going to be across and so it will help move people.”
SCDOT expects work to begin in the Summer of 2025.