COLUMBIA, S.C. — The South Carolina Department of Transportation (SCDOT) will host a public information meeting on the Phase 1 construction plans for Carolina Crossroads 5-7 p.m. Thursday, November 18, at Dutch Square Mall in Columbia.
The Carolina Crossroads I-20/26/126 Corridor Project is the largest interstate improvement project in SCDOT history and is designed to relieve a major traffic issue -- commonly known as Malfunction Junction -- in the state's Interstate Highway System. According to SCDOT, more than 134,000 motorists pass through the I-20/26/126 corridor daily.
Groundbreaking on Phase 1 began November 8, 2021, with actual major construction anticipated to begin in Spring 2022. Before then, pre-construction activities such as tree clearing, utility relocation and building demolition are getting underway. According to SCDOT, substantial completion of Phase 1 is expected in late 2024.
Phase 1 of the Carolina Crossroads project focuses on reconfiguring the interchange at Colonial Life Boulevard and I-126 and traffic flow improvements along I-26 toward US 378.
The Carolina Crossroads project is divided into five phases and the entire project should be fully completed and open to traffic by the end of 2029.
When it is finished, the entire Carolina Crossroads project will include:
- 14 miles of interstate widening across portions of I-26, I-20, and I-126,
- seven reconstructed interchanges, featuring the replacement of outdated cloverleaf loops with modern ramp designs, and
- safer interchange exit points that are farther apart and separated from other interstate traffic, resulting in better traffic flow.
As of November 2021, $1.7 billion has been allocated for the project, part of SCDOT's 10-Year Plan to bring South Carolina's infrastructure up to a state of good repair while modernizing key portions of the state's interstates.
You can learn more about the Carolina Crossroads online at scdotcarolinacrossroads.com
