COLUMBIA, S.C. — Relief is on the way for Columbia drivers along Garners Ferry Road.
The ramp from Garners Ferry Road to I-77N has been closed, but the South Carolina Department of Transportation said it will reopen in the next week.
It's been a frustrating few months for Ryan Debose.
He's one of the many drivers who ride down Garners Ferry Road and is frustrated by the traffic along the I-77 off-ramp.
"I know some people were just cutting through that Midas to go through that area just to cut through instead of waiting for the arrow," he said. "A lot of people would get in that straight lane and wouldn't turn, but they're going straight, and backed up traffic and just made it worse."
In April, SCDOT shut down the ramp between Leesburg Road and Garners Ferry Road as a part of the bridge rehabilitation project, citing an effort to reduce traffic build-ups.
The agency decided to take the opportunity to study the impacts it has on the freeway.
However, according to Leslie Wilcox, a driver along Garners Ferry, the traffic cones have just caused a delay along the road.
"Sometimes I miss the light because the cars are backing up," she said. "People get antsy when they have to sit."
But now, the closure is coming to an end.
SCDOT said in a statement:
"Following a traffic evaluation, SCDOT will be restoring this intersection to the original traffic pattern that was in place prior to the changes made during the I-77 bridge rehabilitation project. Maintenance and signal crews will be on-site making adjustments to the intersection next week, and the traffic pattern is expected to be restored by the end of the week. Drivers in the area should drive cautiously and remain alert."
The update is an exciting one for Alex Ackerman, who takes the Garners Ferry exit when visiting his parents. He described the traffic and backup as annoying.
"It'll make it a lot better," he said. "I don't have to make 5,000 turns just to get on the highway."
Wilcox said that although she is looking forward to some normalcy, she expects more traffic throughout the city, especially with more developments coming to the area.
"You see apartment complexes and little communities opening up and townhomes, it's just growing," she said. "Columbia is growing, it's coming this way."