CALHOUN COUNTY, S.C. — 500 commuters in Calhoun County travel on Valley Ridge Road daily. However, starting on June 17, the road is closing and they are going to have to find alternate routes.
The Valley Ridge Road exit on Interstate 26 will be closed as part of the state's transportation department widening project.
The overall $439 million dollar project is an effort to expand lanes from Columbia to Charleston.
Drivers will use detours on US 21, US 176 and Old Sandy Run Road.
Briana Crockett lives and works in the Sandy Run area and says the influx of traffic might be difficult for residents.
“This road is going to be more populated, so to speak," said Crockett. "Because all the people that usually take that road will now be taking this road and it's just going to cause more chaos.”
John Buckman lives and works in Calhoun County. He says this project is very important and, although it will be inconvenient now, it will benefit travelers in the long run.
“Traffic be really bad, just backed up from the interstate, so off of Valley Ridge Road, I know its going to be real bad then," said Buckman. "I work in this area, so I have to come to work earlier, leave my house earlier just to get to work early, so I don’t have to get backed up in that traffic. The interstate is real bad, so I do think more lanes are needed cause traffic is getting worse and worse and worse in this area, so I do feel like more lanes are needed for this traffic that’s coming through.”
Construction on the bridge is expected to be completed by Fall of 2025 and the bridge will still be open to local traffic only.