COLUMBIA, S.C. — Thanksgiving was just the beginning of the holiday travel season, and many took I-26 to get to their various destinations. However, road construction will be greeting drivers along certain stretches of road as road construction projects continue.
One of the critical points is Malfunction Junction, better known as where I-26 meets I-20 and I-126 in Columbia. The South Carolina Department of Transportation (SCDOT) says it's the most congested portion of the interstate system in the Midlands. It's currently under a massive reworking called the Carolina Crossroads project to address years of complaints about backups and crashes at that juncture point.
Dale Shealy is a driver who said she used to take I-26 two to three times a week to get to Newberry.
"Because of construction and then don't let there be a wreck on it oh my goodness it would be really awful," Shealy said. "Sometimes I have to go the back way there's two different back ways you can go but they weren't as bad as the interstate. But the interstate was awful sometimes I have sat in traffic almost an hour."
Aside from everyday travel, others say this holiday weekend was particularly challenging.
"Black Friday weekend going to Harbison of course it's always like that I think Harbison is Black Friday every day," said Greg Donaldson, another driver.
SCDOT said on its Carolina Crossroads website that the project is currently working on phases 1 and 2, installing barrier walls, pavement markings, and clearing, and people can expect increased construction as it progresses in the coming weeks and months.
To help relieve some of this stress, the Department of Transportation said, "We limit lane closures during peak holiday travel periods. We encourage drivers to plan their route in advance – 511SC.org provides real-time travel information and traffic cameras."
Bernard Dawkins is another driver who said that, even with those changes, he's going out of his way.
"Going to work its very congested getting back and forth it takes 15 minutes out my way every time I go," he said.
SCDOT adds ahead of travel to check its travel cameras online to see what you might be heading into.